by E L Russell
Their trainer patted the air telling Jamal to hold his position and told Finna to move in for a visual. Carefully dodging behind stones and trees for cover, they closed the distance to the smell.
She evaluated the distance and the multitude skinny trees clogging a clear path for her arrows. The shot was near impossible and there was the variable of the heavier gravity pull. Grinning, she notched an arrow and pulled on the bow a few times to flex her arms.
Finna drew her bow and held it for a bare instant before launching the arrows in rapid succession.
Leeth blinked. The enemy seemed off balance, but before he fell, Finna released another arrow and notched one at the ready. How many had she shot? He wasn’t sure. With a self-satisfied grin, Finna extended her hand toward the sentry and gave him a thumbs down.
54
The Watching Hole
Bitter Gains
Damn the girl and her dead gladiator humor. She never waited for directions. Finna slipped toward the downed man and removed three arrows, proof of the feat his eyes could not follow. In a heartbeat, she’d released three arrows and killed the man in all the ways she’d said. Leeth knew she was good, but jeez.
He gave a hand signal to move forward and keep low.
Jamal said,
A few minutes later Leeth and Finna moved into their positions to set up a diversion for Jamal.
Jamal interrupted his thoughts.
Leeth focused on the dark outline of the sentry's head and shoulders at the top of the low hill as he jockeyed for a better position. Reaching an elevated swell of land, he turned to check Jamal's progress. He couldn't see the bush Jamal held, and he couldn't see Finna, who was about the same distance away. Good. If he couldn’t see them, neither could the sentinel.
An arrow whistled through the air as Finna took her shot.
When the guard hissed a curse and fell, Leeth charged, swinging his sword downward, cutting through the thin canopy covering of the sentinel's watching hole and severing the man's spine. He retrieved the arrow of Finna's skillful shot, which traveled through the narrow space of the armor to pierce the vocal chords. The woman was a marvel.
They propped the top half of the sentry's body to face their initial approach to the enemy and crowded in.
Leeth rubbed his eyes.
Finna and Jamal replied with the thumbs-up signal Leeth insisted on, and Finna sniffed the air.
Leeth considered. She was right, but he didn't want either of his charges killed in action. There was no time travel reset in this situation. Death was permanent. He made his decision.
Finna rolled to Leeth's side.
Leeth shaded his eyes and looked for signs of Jamal’s progress.
Finna watched his progress through the low foliage as long as possible and then switched her attention to locating Jamal,
No response.
She didn’t like it. Why should Leeth be immune to the potion that put Jamal out? Was it poison? Could it kill him? Had it already killed Jamal? Resisting the urge to run to the boy, she notched an arrow and readied three more in each hand.
She slid away, not impeded by her bow and fists of arrows. She couldn't keep entirely hidden, but she didn't need to get close, either. The tree trunk ahead on her left would do well for a shooting stand. She wished she knew how many there were. One thing was sure; she looked forward to sharing her arrows with them.
She called out to Leeth and got no response.
55
Strategic Retreat
Fatal Error
Cr
eeping cautiously from the cover of low foliage, Finna made the most of the cover afforded by the tree she’d selected. It was puny by French standards, but she would make do. Crouching low so only the top of her head was above the ferns, she watched the enemy drag Jamal and Leeth by their feet, away from the boiling pigeon trap toward her.
God’s sweet Bones.
Where the hell had they come from? They’d scouted the area so carefully. Leeth would be pissed when he wakes.
She waited for them to clear what had to be a contaminated area with the hope the drug would begin to wear off. With two soldiers in the lead and four engaged in pulling the prisoners, there was a chance her surprise would be enough. Thank the gods Leeth and Jamal had not been killed outright as Leeth had predicted.
A strange voice entered her head.
Excellent. Leeth had warned she might not be able to hear enemy head talk, yet she could, loud and clear. It was an unexpected advantage.
Finna held her breath.
Finna didn't wait to hear more. She charged. Within five steps, she'd hit top speed and released three arrows and killed the two leaders along with one of the men dragging Leeth. She'd had notched the fourth arrow when a pain shot up her leg that so excruciating, she fell to her knees. Sarding hell. She’d stepped in a hole and dropped her bow and arrows. Using her empty hands and the closest thin tree, she climbed to a shaky stand. Leaning against the miniature tree, she pulled out her short sword and knife with one smooth motion and scrutinized the three remaining Silva.
They’d dropped Jamal and Leeth and pulled their swords in search of the source of the arrows. When they saw a lone woman waiting with two small hand weapons, ugly smiles filled their faces.
Finna stood ready. She would eliminate the closest one, then take on other two.
The leader snarled a word she didn’t understand and lunged at her. Finna’s considerable fighting skills switched to automatic.
The first man’s smirk changed to shocked surprise when the tip of a spear lodged deep in his heart. His two comrades scrambled past the dead body to get at Finna only to look up in confusion at a bear of a man charging them with a long sword.
The two men ducked to avoid the angry slash of the blade and raised their weapons. Although the taller fighter seemed somewhat sluggish, they couldn’t get past his sword Until he grew tired. And slow. One of the men chortled, and both renewed their attack.
In spite of the pain in her ankle, Finna charged the men. Her leg gave way, yet as she fell, she managed to slash the tendons on one man’s ankles. He howled and spun about, bashing her soundly with his club. The other Silva took the scene in quickly. He knocked Leeth all but senseless, but when he raised his chin to howl his victory, it gave Leeth the edge he needed. From a kneeling position, he grabbed the knife of the dead leader nearby and thrust it into the man’s chest, dropping the man like a stone.
Finna crawled to the man whose Achilles tendons she had sliced. Rather than stay and fight, he struggled to get away. She grabbed his foot and pulled him close enough to slit his throat with her long sword.
Leeth turned to where they’d dropped Jamal and although groggy from the clout on the head, Finna crawled next to them, fear filling her.
The boy gave a thumbs-up, and she sputtered a laughed in spite of the dire situation.
Jamal shook his head. < Drugs? How?>
Leeth rubbed his temples.
Trying to stand, Finna stumbled and collapsed to the ground gasping in pain. “Merde.”
A rough voice gave a command from behind her. Where had he come from? God’s Bone’s. They’d miscounted.
“Drop your cowls on her and then pick her up. The two of you will carry her to the beach or drag her dead body. It was only a suggestion we take you alive.” He showed his sharp teeth in a menacing snarl. “But we all know bad things happen in war.” He kicked Jamal. “Stand up and live or stay and get dead. Make your decision fast.”
Jamal gained his feet and staggered. Without Leeth’s steadying hand, he would have fallen. When Leeth hesitated, the man slashed his arm knocking his spear away.
“I said pick up the damn woman.”
Finna’s pain grew in spite of Leeth’s efforts to carry her as gently as possible. Nobody died, she reminded herself, nobody died. With one arm around Leeth’s neck and the other holding tightly to a fist full of his robe, she stoically endured the journey.
Jamal’s eyes darted everywhere.
The two men unerringly retraced their steps to the beach and Leeth jerked his chin toward the left.
56
Defeat
Vald’s Moment
It took Finna only an instant to orient herself. She had a broken leg, which curiously did not hurt, and Jamal, and Leeth were by her side. A small man in a gray robe walked toward them.
Vald!
The arrogance in his walk said this place was his. They were his prisoners.
“Welcome back to Castle Star Point,” The deceitful despicable man said with all the haughtiness of the victor. “I am glad you are safe.”
Safe?
Like Finna believed that. Although they were at Star Point, they were specifically not in their section or quarters and the man had the effrontery to nod to each of them as if he were the lofty host at a royal dinner.
“Good day, Brother Leeth, Son Jamal.” Then to Finna, he said, “I’ve been told you required medical attention, Sister.”
Two men in white robes stepped forward and she pulled her sheets up under her chin. She didn't feel safe and didn't want to remain in place.
He lifted two fingers indicating they stay still in place.
Vald gave Jamal a command that should not have been his to give. “Stay with her during her healing examination while I complete some business with Brother Leeth.”
Unsure, the boy glanced at his mentor, and although Leeth's body language gave no indication of communication, he directed them speaking privately, mind to mind.
Leeth watched with unease as his protégés were wheeled and escorted out. Although he felt relatively confident Finna would get the care needed, he didn’t know what Vald had planned as their final punishment for being his enemy. The question of interest was of course what was Vald’s next move.
"Where is everyone? We were being pursued, and an arrow landed by us in what is declared a safe zone. The guard at the beach t
ook too much time to pull us over." Not the truth, but he wanted to see where it led.
“First things first, Brother Leeth, this is a glorious day. The war is at long last over.”
Leeth’s heart plummeted to his feet. What had happened? There was no question as to who the victor was. Vald, the arrogant bastard that he was, looked all too smug. “How was it resolved?”
“Why, by the Silva, of course. In reality, it was always a foregone conclusion. The Silva are a superior species to the Liberi. I don’t know why some of the leadership thought they had to give you a fair chance to reaffirm the fact that we are unsurpassed.” “I grieve over the countless lives that have been destroyed due to the Liberi’s selfish shortsightedness.” He waved a hand dismissively. “It was all so tiresome.”
Grieve my ass.
“Let me get this straight.” Leeth was so angry he could barely martial his thoughts. “You’re saying we fought this last battle for nothing because somehow, you had already won the war? The Liberi have been defeated?” He wanted to kill the bastard.
Leeth came very close to speaking out loud in his shock.
Leeth focused on Vald’s scrawny neck and only the threat of a Time Overlords’ override kept him from wringing it. He could eliminate Vald in seconds, but the guards would then kill him outright. Who, then, would protect Finna and Jamal?
His nemesis showed his long yellow teeth and Leeth wanted to bash them down his throat. “Where are the Liberi soldiers now?”
The bastard had the audacity to shrug as if it didn’t matter. “Everywhere. Nowhere.”
