Approaching the mouth of the cave revealed what I’d been waiting for—barrels of black powder, specifically the one with the lid that I’d pried back earlier.
Hannah exited.
My hands felt cold and clammy. The placement of the torch was a problem I hadn’t fully figured out yet. All I knew was that tossing it directly on the powder would cause an instant explosion, blowing everything left in the tunnel to bits, including me and Smoke.
Jane exited.
At least I don’t have to shoot the barrel, I thought dryly.
I took a deep breath, which caused pain to shoot through my side, and tossed the torch. It flew in an arch and landed on the lid. The momentum from its weight caused the lid to shift; and the burning torch reversed course and slowly started its fatal roll down toward its destiny…entirely too fast. The cave was about to become a tomb—my tomb.
The exit grew nearer, yet had the terrible effect of shrinking away from me the closer the blazing torch came to the powder.
When I was sure my life was over, an odd experience happened.... Time slowed—or perhaps my brain sped up. All kinds of thoughts filled my head. I thought about my short time at Sarah’s, and my first encounter with Jane and Hannah. My thoughts flowed like a river—the cascading water randomly bubbling from one memory to another.
We sailed on as the tip of the fiery torch rolled to the edge, about to fall into the powder and thereby turn the cave into rubble. My river of thoughts became dark and ugly—its murky water rushing over the edge of a high fall, tumbling and tossing, racing to its final fate below. I was going to die in this cave. How will death come? Perhaps I would be killed quickly under the crushing weight of rock. Or will I die slowly—in a trapped pocket of air, as dust chokes my lungs and suffocates me?
Like water dashing on the rocks below the fall, a chilling screech pulled me from the dark corners of my mind. It was a terrifying sound that drew my attention behind me. The Brean leapt into the air. Its sharp claws poised for the kill as it shot towards us.
Whether it was the cry from the monster behind us that motivated him, or that he too could feel the impending danger—whatever the reason, Smoke launched forward. He accelerated so fast that I nearly tumbled off his back. It was unnaturally swift, and the only thing that saved me was a desperate grasp of his mane. In that moment, I learned that, not only was Smoke an incredible animal, but he was special, too.
With that incredible burst of speed, we sailed out into the fresh air and away from the opening.
The explosion roared behind us. It looked, and felt, like a cannon. Rock, dust, and bits of Brean blasted out the opening of the cave and rained down over the remains of the rock quarry and woods. The blast was devastating. The earth trembled, as unseen rock collapsed and sealed the entrance. The rumbling continued until the cave-in had completed itself.
When the destruction was over, Sarah asked in astonishment, “What happened?”
“I threw a torch,” I replied casually, as if that explained everything.
“That was some torch,” retorted Jane.
“Yes, I’ll teach you how to throw one when we have more time,” I replied calmly, though I shook uncontrollably from fear and excitement.
Jane threw me a sarcastic smile.
“But for now,” I continued, “I’m positive that the whole garrison is awake.”
“If not the whole town,” added Hannah.
“Yes, well, my point is, I think they may send someone to investigate. We should get away.”
“Oh, I am quite positive they will do more than just that,” informed Sarah, looking up.
We all followed her eyes. High above, on his balcony, stood Lord Wright, glaring down at us through the cloud of dust and debris. Two men stood at his side. One of them pointed in our direction and said something. Wright nodded.
“Then we’d better not waste any more time,” I suggested.
“No,” contradicted Jane.
“What?” I asked, not entirely sure I heard her right.
“No,” she repeated. “I’m going to check your wound and bandage it.” She alighted from her mount.
I started to protest, but she cut me off.
“We have a few minutes at the least. It will take them time to get horses and men ready. And,” she said, holding a finger up to keep me from protesting, “it will take longer if you argue, and much longer if we have to go back and pick you up after you’ve fainted from loss of blood.”
“She’s right,” agreed Sarah. “I’m afraid we won’t survive in the woods for very long without you.”
I knew that arguing with the women was a losing proposition, so I gave in. “Very well,” I said, dismounting Smoke with a grimace. “But do hurry.”
“As fast as I can,” she assured.
She gingerly lifted my clothes, exposing my wound.
Hannah went white.
“That awful?” I asked.
She nodded.
Jane took a moment longer before giving a more judicious and informed answer. “It looks bad, but I don’t believe it hit anything important. It’s shallow and the ball passed through. You could use some cleaning and sewing; but since we don’t have the proper supplies, a bandage will have to suffice.”
Jane quickly tore some strips of cloth from my shirt and bandaged me up. “There, I suppose that’s the best I can do.”
The pressure of the wrap did feel better.
“Thank you,” I said sincerely.
A sweet smile was her reply.
“Now may we go?”
Jane mounted her horse and set off at a trot.
We worked our way north through the remains of the hill and past the north gate.
The town guards were well awake, but they were looking toward the garrison, pointing and talking to each other.
I pulled up next to Sarah, withdrew the musket from Smoke, and gave it to her.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Giving you this.”
“I’m not in much shape to shoot at anything,” she protested.
“Neither is he,” teased Jane.
“I’m afraid it’s true,” I sighed. “I’m not a very good shot, but that isn’t why I’m giving it to you. I won’t need it, and you may.”
Hannah looked scared. “Why?”
“I’m only going to retrieve the food I left in the field, as well as the rifle,” I reassured her. “Both of which we’ll need—especially the food. You all look like you could use some nourishment.”
“Shall we wait?” asked Jane.
“No, I want to put some distance between us and the town. I’ll catch up.”
“Hurry back.”
“As soon as I can. And Sarah?”
“Yes.”
“Keep them going, no matter what you hear. In fact, if you hear anything, run as fast as you can.”
She nodded.
I peeled away, before any more questions could be asked.
The storm had moved off, revealing brilliant stars and a bright moon which lit up the damp countryside in its pale, white light. It also made it easier to find the oil skin pack, which lay right where I’d left it. Scooping it up, I continued on to the trees where the rifle waited.
Clamorous shouts surged from the wall. The guards had finally noticed the women, and were gesturing excitedly at them. They hadn’t spotted me yet.
Other than talking amongst themselves, they didn’t appear to be doing anything about it. I hoped that’s all they would do.
I pressed on to the tree line and slipped into the woods. Locating the rifle was a bit more of a challenge. Many of the trees looked like the ones I wanted, but none had what I searched for. About to give up, I checked one more maple that looked promising and finally found the rifle, lying on the ground.
Faintly, through the trees, I heard the sound that I hoped I wouldn’t, but knew I would—the unmistakable groan from the rusty hinges that held the massive gates. Opening my vision, I saw town guards pointin
g in the direction where the women had disappeared into the forest. Ten mounted soldiers streamed out of the town, two by two, riding at a full gallop.
I knew we would be pursued, once Lord Wright had discovered us. That was part of the reason why I had separated from the women...to implement a plan. And now, it was time to see how well, if at all, my idea would work.
I picked the shortest line to intercept the cavalry, and kicked Smoke into action.
He responded with enthusiasm and galloped through the trees. Apparently, he didn’t suffer from the exhaustion that plagued me. I would have given anything to lie down in a warm bed and let the fire in my wound subside. But it was pointless and disheartening to dwell upon it, so I set my concentration to the task at hand.
At the edge of my vision, I saw the women still moving at a trot. They hadn’t heard the gate and didn’t know they were being hunted. They would be caught soon.
We flew back onto the field and angled in behind the riders. There were no corridors, caves, or trees to slow Smoke down. Despite my pain and exhaustion, Smoke’s rhythmic pounding and raw speed felt exhilarating.
Our dash through the open attracted the attention of the guards on the wall. In a valiant effort to warn the cavalry, they yelled and waved frantically. It was no use; the soldiers remained focused on the women. Besides, I was doubtful they could hear anything over the thunder of their horses. If they did, they probably thought it was just cheering.
I fell into the rear of the column, just as they charged into the woods. No one noticed that an eleventh rider had joined the back of their group.
I withdrew the crossbow, freshly loaded with its lethal, silent arrows. I aimed, and pulled the trigger. The little twang, signaling the soldiers’ demise, was masked by the sound of pounding hooves.
One by one, in rapid succession, two victims fell with a thud. I nudged Smoke forward. He ran between the two rider-less horses and on up to the next unsuspecting pair.
However, without the true and sure arrows, I had to risk getting closer. These two soldiers noticed something was wrong when Smoke’s bobbing head appeared between them. Even so, there wasn’t anything they could do.
I had already drawn my pistols, and was so close that even I couldn’t miss. Both weapons barked and leapt in my hands. White smoke spat out the ends and streamed behind my outstretched arms. The deadly balls found their targets and the soldiers hit the ground in a rolling, tumbling, crumpling motion.
One of them, without a doubt, was dead. His ghost furiously rode the unburdened horse. It kicked and cursed at the animal for slowing and falling behind. The horse drifted away from the group, enraging the ghost even more. It grappled, fruitlessly, for a whip that he couldn’t hold.
The rest of the soldiers now knew that something was terribly wrong. It was confirmed to them when they looked back and realized that four of their comrades were missing.
I stuffed the pistols back into my belt, and Smoke, not knowing I wanted him to slow, continued his charge up and in between the next two riders.
For a moment, we all looked confused; but it didn’t last long. The soldier on my right quickly drew his pistol.
There was no time to draw the rifle.
Seizing the reins, I did the only thing I could think of. I drew back and turned hard to the right. Without hesitation, Smoke slowed, turned, and charged into the hindquarters of the smaller animal. He caught it with its hind legs in the air. Without weight on his back legs, the horse swung sideways. Unable to keep its footing, it fell over. The rider clung desperately to an elusive grasp that would keep him in the saddle, but quickly lost the battle against momentum and force. In the end, it turned out to be a blessing for him, as he was flung clear of the saddle, and free from the crushing weight of his mount.
Smoke stumbled for a moment, but regained his stride and continued his turn away from the toppling duo. We crashed through the trees as gunfire erupted from the remaining horsemen.
Balls shredded the air, blasting leaves and branches around us. One even came so close as to tousle the back of my hair.
Two men peeled away and gave chase; while the other three continued after the women, whom I noticed had, thankfully, heard the commotion and were now galloping at full speed.
I angled away from the other three riders and coaxed Smoke to run faster. He valiantly responded. Each of his powerful strides put a little more space between me and my pursuers.
When the distance was enough, I slowed Smoke to match their speed and searched for a fallen tree of just the right height.
We darted around trunks and over obstacles. It took a bit of hunting before finding what I was looking for. We aimed for it and I set up Smoke’s approach. He launched over it with ease—but then, the fallen tree wasn’t chosen necessarily for its height, but for the difficulty in seeing beyond it.
As soon as we landed, I reined up and turned Smoke around. Withdrawing the rifle, I aimed and waited momentarily.
The thumping of hooves drew up to the fallen tree, and the lead horseman launched into the air. His head, and that of his mount, appeared first; but I waited for their entire bodies to clear the obstacle. With my poor aim, I needed the biggest target possible.
The man’s eyes went wide with fear as he realized, too late, the deadly trap he was in.
I fired.
The rifle roared to life. The air filled with the acrid smoke from the black powder, and partially blocked my vision. However, I could see enough to tell that something was wrong with the horse. It came down without energy or the rigidity and tension it should possess.
Upon landing, the animal’s legs simply folded. It somersaulted forward, and catapulted his rider face first into the ground and continued to roll until its back came crashing down onto the poor man.
Both lay motionless.
The second rider leapt over the stump. Seeing the jumbled mess of horse and man beneath him, he tensed with fear. Down they came. His horse miraculously located a spot for its legs, and landed with only a small stumble. Relief filled the soldier’s face, then instantly transformed to anger. He aimed his horse at me, drew his sword, and charged.
I hadn’t planned on him surviving the jump, and found myself unprepared for the ferocious attack. Desperately, I struggled to raise my rifle. The gleaming, sharp blade sliced through the air, making a whooshing sound as it fell. It embedded deep into the wood stock of my gun.
Instantly, the soldier tore it free—nearly wrenching the rifle from my hands. Rage contorted his face. He slashed again, breaking a barrel band. Again he slashed, breaking the flintlock mechanism. Like a mad man, again and again, he chopped; his blows splintering wood and obliterating the rifle as I feebly defended against his attacks.
Our horses danced around each other while their masters waged war above their heads. Or more accurately, one master battled, while the other somehow survived. It was only a matter of time before I lost the fight against the superior training of the soldier.
The next time he drew back in preparation for another lightning strike, I threw the splintered and broken rifle at his chest.
It did little to hurt him, and he easily knocked it away. However, it bought me a few precious seconds. I utilized them by kicking Smoke into flight. He lurched ahead, churning the dirt beneath his hooves. I leaned forward, desperate to avoid the next lethal blow that was already in progress.
The blade skimmed the back of my clothes and a new draft was born in them.
Instantly, my enemy gave chase.
Flying through the woods, we galloped as fast as our mounts could go.
Astoundingly, by driving his horse unusually hard, the soldier remained close behind. The gap between us and the other three soldiers closed, as did the gap between them and the women. I kept a safe distance out of musket range as we slowly caught up, and then passed the other three riders.
The miles rolled by as we hurtled on through the forest. Night started its gradual fade to day, and the sun began its slow climb over th
e horizon. A glance under my arm showed the soldier still riding like he was possessed by a demon. Flogging his horse, he beat every ounce of speed from the poor animal, but his mount was no match for Smoke. Even with his viciousness, it wasn’t enough to catch us.
Despite growing tired and dripping with sweat, Smoke slowly and steadily continued to grow the distance between us, length by length.
All the horses were being pushed beyond their limits, and soon, one of them would collapse. If betting wasn’t a sin, and there was someone to take my wager, it would be on my pursuer. His horse faded, but the whipping continued, nonetheless.
I angled over and worked my way behind the women. When they heard Smoke running up behind them, they all turned with fearful expressions, which morphed into recognition, and then to relief. Smoke slowed to match their pace. The maniac horseman had now joined his comrades, but continued his steady fall behind.
The chase continued until a horse did finally collapse.
I would have won my bet.
At this point, the soldiers realized that running their horses into the ground wasn’t a very good idea this far away from anything. They reined up and granted their mounts a rest.
I slowed our small group to a trot until we were out of their sight, and then we too rested.
It turned out to be quite a long rest, which was good for the animals as well as their riders. Ideally, it should have lasted for days. Hannah looked extremely pale. The ride was the roughest on her, but she didn’t complain. A part of me wished she would, at least then I would know she still had some kick left in her. Both Hannah and Sarah’s clothes were stained with fresh patches of blood from their many wounds being constantly reopened by the long, hard ride. Exhausted and in pain, no one said much of anything.
Using the opportunity, I took to reloading the pistols, and then my crossbow, with the last remaining arrow. After that, I tracked the soldiers with my extra vision. We mimicked their movements. When they rode, we rode; when they rested, so did we—always staying out of sight, but not by much. I hoped if they never saw us, they would get discouraged and give up. They didn’t.
We continued through the rest of the day in that strange standoff, until…
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