Shilo turned into a gentle bank. “All right! Now, if you ran for a day then you probably started right around...there,” he said, pointing almost straight down.
From this high, all she could make out was yellow. As she studied the ground, she saw an S-shaped scar. Climbing up higher on his back, she pointed over his shoulder.
“See that? Take me down there.”
He dove, and soon the thin scar in the surface proved to be a valley. They descended far enough that she could make out the yellow was, indeed, grass.
She noticed movement. “Someone’s down there.”
“Yup, let’s go see who.”
Shilo slowed and began a corkscrew turn that widened out until he was making large circles. The creatures below were now visible. A dozen hoarcs were in the valley, another few appeared from one wall. The cave showed only as a dark slice, indicating an overhang hid it from the air.
“That must be it,” she said.
“We better make sure. Get a good look when we go down.”
“Go down?” she asked. Shilo answered by dropping head first into a dive.
The wind picked up an incredible amount of force as they dropped, and the ground came at them quickly. She focused on the entrance as they sped at it. He pulled up, and she was pressed against his back so hard it took her breath away. Approaching from the opposite bank, they flew over the valley so fast she was sure no one had seen them.
“That’s it!” she cried. “I remember the large rock sticking out of the wall.”
Shilo gave a nod and banked to turn around. Again he raced for the valley, this time drawing his sword.
Sam‘s heart was in her throat. “What are you doing?”
“They saw us, we have to get rid of them. Can you at least glide?”
Her mind spun--was he really going to attack the hoarcs single-handedly? “No! We should get the others.”
“No time. As soon as I set you down, go inside and keep them from getting past you,” He turned again, twisting onto his side as he banked hard and dropped into the valley. “Jump off when we pass the cave.”
Jump off! He was going to leave her to fight all those hoarcs by herself? He had to be insane! She had been holding onto him for so long, she didn’t think her arms would work, let alone be strong enough to fight.
There was no more time for talk; the entrance was coming up. A few hoarcs looked up and saw them coming.
She was wondering what to do when Shilo flipped upside down and pulled her hands free. She let out a shriek as she covered her head and curled herself into a ball. Something slammed into her back then the world spun. Gyrating visions of grass then sky filled her sight as she tumbled along.
Her landing ended in a skid on her stomach. She pulled her stinging face off the ground to see a hoarc staring down at her. Angered by what Shilo had just done, she yelled, “Damn you! Help me up!”
The hoarc grabbed her and helped her to her feet. Three others ran to her while the rest searched the sky. It occurred to her that not one had drawn a sword.
“Master?” one hoarc asked.
She was about to tell him she wasn’t his Master when a plan formed in her head. “Yes...have everyone come out, now!” she barked.
Shilo appeared at the top of one rldge. In an instant, he ran a hoarc through then shot up to disappear on the other side. She pointed at where he went.
“Get him! He is one of a whole troop of flying men getting ready to attack...off that way!”
Hoarcs ran to do her bidding. Another dozen piled out of the cave. Weapons drawn, they ran up over the hill to fight the group of imaginary Shilos.
Sam ran to the entrance. Peering into the dark, she tried to sense if there were anything else within. Finding nothing alive in there, she returned her attention to the hoarcs. They had all left the valley--she could hear their battle cries as they ran away. Now and then there were curses and a brief scream as Shilo came from a new direction to impale another one. Soon, the cries called out of treachery and began to get louder as the creatures came running back.
Sam set herself to fight and realized she had left her sword back at camp. The only thing she had to fight with was her mind. The bits of magic she was learning would be useless against a pack of bloodthirsty hoarcs. Neither Odif’s teachings nor Frieda’s would do any good. She knew where the hoarcs were, and prayer wasn’t going to stop them. The only weapon she had was herself.
She called up the anger, nursing every bad feeling she’d ever had to the surface. Her lips curled back and her wings stiffened as her rage grew. The world looked the same, but somehow a bit different. She saw the hoarcs running at her. Those were the ones who deserved her rage. They were the ones who wanted to hurt her.
The hoarcs were watching the sky, swords out as they ran. She focused on one and locked onto his mind. Lashing out with her will, she made his arm jerk up, stabbing the one beside him. The other didn’t fall but cried out in anger and slashed back. As these two fought, she found another. This one she pushed to the side, making him bump into another hard enough to make them both fall. Again, they started fighting with each other.
Shilo came down at them again. She concentrated on the hoarcs set to strike back at him and made one swing his sword into the head of the one by him. She made the arm of the one on the other side of him twitch, and he dropped his sword. Shilo dove down and impaled two with quick strokes then climbed away again.
Not knowing what was happening, the hoarcs fled towards the safety of the cave. As they came closer, it was easy for her to pick one to control. The hoarc she chose she willed to start stabbing those ahead of him. She put an intense desire in him to kill the one who wore leader’s bars across his shoulders. As he attacked his commander, she shifted her attention to another and made him turn and attack a group of his comrades.
One by one, she got them fighting each other. The rush to get back to the cave was forgotten as they turned into a confused rabble. Shilo was still diving down to pick off one or two at a time, but it was the hoarcs themselves that did most of the damage. A few ran off alone to escape the slaughter. Spilling into the valley they had been assigned to protect, the hoarcs fought and killed each other until only a couple wounded ones were left alive. They were too badly hurt to fight any more, so Sam went out and picked up a sword and killed them herself.
Standing alone in the hoarc dust and scattered weapons, it dawned on her what she had just done. Her anger faded, and pride began to swell. She had done this by herself! She was no longer a child who ran away from her mother’s minions. She had stood her ground and destroyed them.
Shilo came down, flapping to a stop beside her. She looked at him, still amazed she had won. “I did it, I really did it!”
“You were great,” he agreed heartily. “What did you do?”
“I made them fight each other. I just willed each one to fight another, and they did what I wanted them to,” she explained.
He winked at her, giving her a smile. “We knew there was something special about you. Ready to go get the others?”
For the first time in her life, she felt confident. She no longer had to run in fear. “You go. I’ll stay here in case more come.”
Shilo looked at her for a moment then rubbed his chin. “Umm, Sam, you do great with hoarcs, and I’m sure you’ll do good against pilgyns, too, but what if Momma shows up?”
The enthusiasm she felt died. Nothing could stand against her mother; even Odif had been badly hurt fighting her. The anger tried to come back as she thought about Shilo ruining her victory with thoughts of possible defeat. She reasoned it out. He was trying to keep her safe. She pushed the anger down and got behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.
“Slower, please,” she said.
Shilo took her back then returned to the spot with Jo-Jo. As the wizards moved everyone through the magic gate, Shilo went back again to fetch Gloredaniel once she had gotten everyone through the portal. The transfer went smoothly, there was enou
gh room for Scorpio and Entaurus to walk through, carrying Odif between them. Although Sam only knew a little about the man who had died, she understood Odif was lost without him. Behind the blank face stained with tears there was no feeling from her; it was like she was an empty shell.
While they waited for Shilo and Gloredaniel, Sam sat on the side of Odif opposite Scorpio. He held the grief-stricken druid’s hands and leaned her against him in a physical attempt to provide comfort. Sam took the mental route, doing her best to send feelings of sympathy as well as friendship. Once, Odif started to respond and think about her brother, only to break down into tears again.
Frieda came over and tapped Sam on the shoulder. “Can you see in the dark?”
“Not as you mean. I know where objects and people are, but they don’t appear like they do in the light.”
Frieda hooked a finger at Porthalen, calling him over to her. “Take two of your men and Sam. See if there is anything down there that might hear,” she said, indicating Odif.
“I sense no one close to us,” Sam offered.
“Sound travels, go make sure we’re alone.”
She didn’t want to leave Odif; but with the woman clearly out of her senses, she was the only one available who could sense things at a distance.
“I’ll be right back,” she told Odif, laying a hand on her head.
Walking off into the dark of the cave, she was glad to find out the elves also could see without light. She kept her mind open, searching until the sound of crying was lost behind them. In the damp blackness, she felt nothing ahead but some small rodents and a few bats. By the time they got back, Shilo had returned, and Odif had quieted.
Odif rose as they approached. She watched them, and once they were with the group she said, “I have a request, a final request.”
“We aren’t dead yet,” Scorpio objected softly.
“Before I am, I want you all to know what to do with my body, if anyone survives.” Scanning the faces, she said, “The halshaken believe in the rite of Shankar, the dividing and consumption of their body. Druids also believe in a form of Shankar.”
“You want us to eat you?” Gloredaniel choked.
Shilo raised his eyebrows with a grin. “I know what I want to nibble on.” His mirth died as Frieda shot him a glare.
Odif paid no attention to him. “This is how I want my remains divided. My head is to be taken back to Longforest and buried at the base of an oak. My heart is to be...”
“You want us to cut off your head!” Scorpio gasped.
Her face was emotionless as she looked at him. “Yes. May I continue?”
“You want to be chopped up,” Theo said, gaping at her.
“My heart is to be taken to Tayan’s grave and laid with him. If you can’t find him, burn it and pray for him to find it.” She looked right at Scorpio then took his hand and laid it on her left breast. “This is yours. If you survive, take it with you...”
Scorpio jerked his hand away. “You can’t be serious!”
“I am very serious,” she said flatly. “If you don’t survive, it will be a pillow for your head.”
“And what if I die, and you don’t?” he asked.
“I will die here,” she stated. “If you die before me, I will leave it with you.”
“Damn! She is crazy!” Hutch breathed. Scorpio just stared at her.
A trace of a grin crossed her face. “The right one is for the gardens at Glenholden. Chop it up and bury the pieces to feed the flowers and plants. The remaining parts of me are for whoever needs them, or a shallow grave.”
“Why?” Entaurus asked, appalled at what she was saying.
“So roots will be fed by my corpse,” she explained. “It is important that someone do these things, if at all possible.”
Frieda crossed her arms over her chest. “Well!” she huffed, “At least you don’t want us to eat you.”
Odif met her eyes. “If anyone is that hungry, I would not begrudge them a meal.”
“Eating the flesh of humans or elves is a deadly sin!” Frieda scolded. “I will have none of it!”
“Then go hungry.” Odif bent over and picked up a sword left by the hoarcs. “We better get moving.”
Chapter 20
The bridge spanning the Jude River was flat except for ends that angled down. The supports looked to be made of incredibly long, solid blocks of stone set on edge. The pylons were similar monoliths, dividing the bridge into thirds. The four-hundred-foot-long, fifty-foot-wide surface was carpeted with small trees and grasses. Vines hung down in a green curtain on both sides. A family of deer grazing its way across looked up at metallic creaking and chugging sounds then fled as the first wagons came into view.
The tractor stopped with a hiss and a billow of steam from the wheel cylinders; the wagons it towed spilled men out. The first few drew up with their crossbows and watched for danger as others started across the ancient bridge. Other steam tractors pulled up beside the first, and soon a row of five machines faced the river. Behind them, trees cracked and bent to the sides as the first battlewagon arrived. It stopped behind the tractors and lifted colored flags, red over blue, to halt the line behind it.
Tayan and General Cooper wound between the steel wagons to get a good look at the bridge. A squad of men ran back from the other side, stopping to salute.
“General Cooper, no hostile forces on the far bank. My men hold both sides of the river, sir,” a young corporal announced.
Cooper returned the salute. “Very well, prepare for crossing.” The corporal left and Cooper frowned at the bridge. “These old bridges are very strong, we should be able to cross with no trouble.”
Tayan knew this was true. Of the three that existed, any could still take a full regiment of cavalry across their span. The enormous weight of Cooper’s steam wagons, however, was something else.
“Send over Sir Parsons’ cavalry first then wagons, one at a time. Start with the smith’s wagons and the supplies. Once all the tractors are on the other side, we’ll send the battlewagons.”
General Cooper gazed at him curiously. “Don’t you want to see if they'll hold now? If they can’t cross, they’ll have to go all the way to the north end of the river.”
“I’m in a hurry--whatever crosses goes on,” Tayan stated. “Any left behind will have to try to catch up.” Pointing to the column, he said, “Back those things up. The longer they’re on the bridge, the more chance they’ll have of falling in.”
Sir Parson rode up, his horse more manageable as it became used to being near the loud wagons. “Lord Tayan, will this hold?” he asked, eyeing the bridge.
Tayan nodded. “It will hold your cavalry. Get them across now, take the priests with you. Don‘t forget Ellie.”
“Yes, M’lord.”
While Sir Parson wound his men between the wagons, he had the foot soldiers cross carrying everything they could. Every removable object was taken out of the battlewagons, lightening them as much as possible. A long stream of men formed as pieces were carried by hand and in the few common horse-and-wagon teams they had acquired.
While this was going on, Tayan studied the crude map in the command shack atop the first battlewagon. They were a hundred miles north of Tolina; the ancient road they were following would run almost to the plains. Hopefully, by then the forest would thin enough as to not impede their progress. The plains showed as a large empty space on the map. He had traveled them before and knew his best chance was to go west until they found the road that ran north to south. Zodiac had to be close to that road somewhere.
Ellie quietly appeared beside him. “Tayan, you wish me to leave with the knight?”
She still kept her head lowered, as if she didn’t believe he wasn’t going to kill her.
“Yes. Have him take you to Sister Amber, and wait for me there.”
“Yes, Tayan,” she said dully. She started to leave then stopped and turned back. “Tayan, may I ask a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“How long will you make me live in shame?”
They’d been over this before; he wished she would believe him. “I told you, I am not going to kill you,” He reached out and held the stump of her wrist. “You suffered for me, you should be proud and happy to be alive. I feel very glad to know you.”
She shifted in place then lifted her head to meet his eyes. “If what you say is true then you would have taken me as a woman by now.”
“Ellie, I have a wife.”
She shook her head. “I know your wife died. Sister Amber is also yours, but you do not take her, either.” Her bow furrowed slightly. “Do you no longer like women?”
He picked up on only her mention of Amber. “Sister Amber is not mine,” he told her sternly. “What made you say that?”
Ellie gave him one of her confused looks. “She is yours, everyone knows that.”
Obviously, she was not seeing things as they were. Not wanting to get caught up in senseless debate, he waved a hand at the door. “Go with Sir Parson. I’ll see you on the other side.”
Returning his attention to the map, he tried to remember if this bridge was linked to the ancient road that ran east to west just north of Old Castle. Many parts of the road were clogged with brush, and in a few places farmers had found the flat area prime for building their houses and barns. This far north, he didn’t think they would run into any occupied settlements.
It was tempting to angle to the south and pick up hard roadbed so these machines wouldn’t be slogging through mud. The more he thought about it, it seemed best to just go west as fast as possible. That was their best chance at finding Zodiac; and even if he didn’t, he was sure these machines could wreak havoc all by themselves.
Cooper stepped up into the shack from below. “M’lord, all the spare parts and ammunition have been transferred to the far side. The battlewagons each have enough fuel wood to operate only for a few hours, and the water tanks have been dumped, leaving minimal water. They are as light as we can make them.”
Looking out the window, Tayan saw the bridge was clear of traffic. “Very well. Send the tractors over. Stay on this side until the last wagon crosses, just in case the bridge fails.”
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