Pagan pushed the woman from him and dropped to his knee, drawing the throwing-knives from his boots. They flew from his hands and two more soldiers died as they tried to control their mounts. Tenaka ran forward, leaping into the saddle of a riderless horse, scooping up the reins and heeling the beast forward. The seven remaining soldiers had drawn their weapons and two charged at Pagan. Tenaka’s mount crashed into the remaining five and one horse fell, the others rearing and whinnying madly. As Tenaka’s sword sliced down, an arrow whipped by him, taking a rider through the left eye-socket.
Pagan drew his shortsword, then dived left as the horses thundered by him, rolling to his feet once more as the riders dragged their mounts to a halt. Running forward, he blocked a wild slashing cut and buried his blade in the rider’s side. As the man screamed and fell from the saddle, Pagan vaulted to the beast’s back; then he hurled himself at the second rider, carrying the man clear of his horse. They fell heavily and Pagan broke the man’s neck with a single blow.
Renya hurled aside her bow and, dagger in hand, ran from cover to where Tenaka, joined by Ananais, was battling the remaining soldiers. She leapt to a horse’s back behind its rider and hammered her dagger between his shoulder-blades. The man screamed and tried to twist round but Renya punched him behind the ear. His neck snapped and he tumbled clear.
The last two soldiers turned their mounts and spurred them clear of the fray, riding back towards the hill. But Parsal and Galand stepped out in their paths and the horses reared, throwing one man from the saddle. The other clung on grimly until Galand’s sword opened his throat. Parsal pulled his blade clear of the downed rider.
‘I’ll say this,’ he called, grinning broadly. ‘It’s not been dull since we came back.’
Galand grunted. ‘We’re damned lucky, is all I’ll say.’ Wiping his sword on the grass, he gathered the reins of the two horses and walked back to the main group.
Tenaka hid his anger and called out to Pagan, ‘You fight well!’
‘I think it must be all the practice I am getting,’ answered the black man.
‘What I want to know is, who fired that arrow?’ shouted Ananais.
‘Forget it – it’s done,’ said Tenaka. ‘Now we had best move from here. I suggest we ride back to the forest until nightfall. Now that we have mounts, we can make up the time.’
‘No!’ said the woman with the babe. ‘My family. My friends. They’re being butchered back there!’
Tenaka went to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. ‘Listen to me. Unless I am mistaken these soldiers were part of a half-century, which means there are almost forty men in your village. It is too many – we cannot help you.’
‘We could try,’ said Renya.
‘Be silent!’ snarled Tenaka and Renya’s mouth dropped open, but she said no more. He turned back to the woman. ‘You are welcome to stay with us and we will come to the village tomorrow. We will do what we can.’
‘Tomorrow will be too late!’
‘It is probably already too late,’ said Tenaka and she pulled away from him.
‘I would not expect help from a Nadir,’ she said, tears flowing. ‘But some of you are Drenai. Please help me!’
‘Dying will not help anyone,’ said Scaler. ‘Come with us. You escaped – so may others. And anyway, there is nowhere else for you to go. Come on, I will help you to a horse.’
The companions mounted and headed for the forest. Behind them the crows circled and wheeled.
That night Tenaka called Renya to him and they went from the camp-site and into the trees. No word had passed between them all afternoon.
Tenaka’s manner was cold and distant. He walked to a moonlit clearing, then turned on the girl.
‘You loosed that arrow! Don’t ever act again without my order.’
‘Who are you to order me?’ she snapped.
‘I am Tenaka Khan, woman! Cross me again and I will leave you behind.’
‘They would have killed that woman and baby.’