The moment her eyes returned to the road she heard Therek’s reins snap against the horse’s neck, his tongue clicking to signal the animal forward. In the pale light of the moon she watched him disappear into the distance. She hated to see him go. He placed himself at too great a risk in coming back to help her. For him to hunt down the soldiers alone only made it worse. But she couldn’t go with him. It would be easier for him to talk his way out of suspicion if he was noticed than it would be if they were found together.
As the night went on, the people started to get restless. They wanted to find the prisoners. Their family and friends. Much the same as she wanted to find Koyl and Arcell. The gods only knew what the soldiers were doing to them. On the road to Eykanua, they could get away with almost anything. That had been proven the night she first encountered General Deliao in Rothdara. They had no scruples. Morally corrupt. But that was to be expected, all things considered. The Emperor shared many of the same qualities. It was a wonder how he had managed to convince his father those years ago that he was fit to rule. Therek was the far better choice between the two. But he was Vor’shai. In the end, that seemed to always be the determining factor. Humans preferred to be ruled by humans. If a Vor’shai were to step into the role of Emperor, there was no telling how society would react.
It felt likes days before Kaori saw Therek’s horse appear in the distance, though she knew it had only been a few hours. Her heart leapt with excitement, quickening her pace to meet him. She didn’t care that the hard trot of her horse increased the discomfort of her injury. That wasn’t important right now. She wanted to know what Therek found. How far away the soldiers were. Fear continued to linger in her mind at the thought of discovering the soldiers had chosen not to stop for the night and had placed too much ground between them for Kaori to catch up.
Noticing Kaori’s abrupt change in speed Sivar dug his heels into the sides of his mount to follow. Kaori paid him little mind, her attention focused on Therek’s horse as it picked up speed. She wanted to call out his name in her excitement. Her lips parted, tongue pressed against the roof of her mouth in preparation to speak. At the last second she caught herself, reminded of the two reasons why she couldn’t identify him. The people couldn’t know he was there – and it was improper to reference him by name. Biting her tongue she slowed her horse, watching Therek intently as he came to stop at her side.
“They have set up camp in a clearing south of Corivum,” he stated matter-of-factly, gripping the reins tighter as his horse shifted under him, shaking its head with a loud snort. “From what I can see there is a handful of soldiers on watch around the wagon. When I left there were a few others awake, but I reckon they will have retired by the time we reach them again.”
“We need to find a way to surround them,” Kaori added, the words tumbling from her mouth before she had a chance to think. It was as if her subconscious knew what to do but when she tried to ponder the thoughts more clearly, they disappeared. Maybe it was best she let her mouth continue on its own.
“There are alternate paths we can take while in Corivum. We will have to break into smaller units and plan our positions carefully.” Curious, Therek glanced over Kaori’s shoulder to where Sivar sat quietly upon his horse. He nodded politely before returning his gaze to Kaori, the expression on his face stern yet thoughtful. “This is your show, so I recommend you choose wisely who to place in charge of each group.”
“Will you not take one yourself ?”
“It would be difficult to give commands if I cannot let them hear my voice. I will remain with you in case you run into trouble.”
Kaori frowned at the reminder of Therek’s predicament. It was inconvenient that they had to keep him a secret. He was the most qualified to head the ambush. She lacked confidence in everyone else, unsure of whether they could be counted on to keep calm and get the job done. “Sivar, can you take a small group south of the camp? I will continue on the main road and approach from the north.”
“Will that be enough?” Sivar peered at her, uncertain. “Our numbers are great enough to come at them from all angles. Lord Torust could lead another small contingent and cross the field from the east.”
At the sound of Liurn’s name Kaori wrinkled her nose in disapproval. She wanted to say no, but she knew Liurn was the most capable of the remaining group. Davian was a strong fighter, but Liurn had a more commanding presence. They would listen to him better than anyone else. “Very well,” she conceded, making no attempt to conceal her distaste. “We will ride together until we reach Corivum. Once there, we can determine the best route for everyone to take. I only hope we aren’t too late.”
The light from the moon overhead cast a faint illumination along the road. No sound could be heard other than the hooves of the horses over the gravel, rocks snapping and cracking, echoing through the air, the noise grating on Kaori’s nerves. Why did they have to be so loud? Even with the smaller unit behind her it sounded like an army. They would have to take to the grassy field before they went much further or they would announce their presence prematurely.
Her only comfort was in the fact that Therek was there. He was more suited to a leadership role. Nearly his entire life people looked up to him, long before he took over the position of Duke. Constantly in the public’s eye. It never ceased to amaze Kaori that he had been considered an heir to the throne at one time. But she couldn’t rely on him to give direction tonight. Occasional advice perhaps, but nothing more. Somehow that only added to the stress she was under. What if she made a mistake? Some critical error in judgment that cost them the lives of the prisoners. It bothered her to think that Therek would witness it all. She wanted him to think highly of her. To respect her. She just didn’t understand why. What difference did it make what he thought of her? In the end it changed nothing. At least if you fail here tonight, you won’t be alive to suffer the humiliation…
Gently she coaxed her horse off to the side of the road, waving her hand to direct the others to follow. They did as they were told, slowly maneuvering into the grass, the heavy steps of the animals muffled, helping to ease Kaori’s concern. There was no way to know if Sivar would do the same. He was the only other one approaching by the road. She hated to think her efforts would be in vain if her brother overlooked the detail of stealth.
In her peripheral vision she could see Therek’s head turn in her direction, watching her, seemingly curious about something, though she couldn’t be sure what. She didn’t dare ask. They were too close to the location where he advised the soldiers would be. Conversation was out of the question.
Squinting to see through the darkness she vaguely made out the outline of a large vehicle in the distance. It resembled the wagon she’d seen in Rothdara, the team of horses now unattached, though lack of light prevented her from being able to see where the animals were. Her heart raced, drawing back on the reins to bring her horse to a stop. With as much authority as she could portray she brought her hand up to signal the others to halt, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they understood her directive.
Muscles tensed, Kaori steadied her horse before swinging her leg over the side to slip down out of the saddle. They would have to go the rest of the way on foot. Horses couldn’t be counted on to remain quiet. One single snort or whinny could mean the difference between victory and defeat. Therek was the first to follow her lead, the others not long behind. Arms outstretched in a wide arc Kaori beckoned everyone to come forward, her voice low, hushed, careful not to speak loud enough to be overheard by the soldiers. “Everyone keep your weapons drawn and ready. We will spread out and approach the camp with the other units. Myself and…” she glanced over to Therek, trailing off before speaking his name out loud. Clearing her throat, she motioned to where Therek stood, hoping the gesture would be enough to identify whom she referenced. “The two of us will try to get the horses harnessed to the wagon. We need all the help we can get to keep the soldiers off us until we are able to get it into motion.”
> “What about the guards? They will see us coming and alert the others.”
Kaori peered through the shadows, unable to see the face of the man who spoke. “That is what arrows are for,” she replied calmly, grateful for the even flow of her tone. There was no sign of the tremble she felt through her entire body. On the outside she appeared cool. Collected. Exactly what she wanted everyone to believe she was. With feigned confidence she retrieved the longbow from her back, her fingers easily grabbing an arrow from the quiver strapped to her thigh. “Those who can fire a bow should stay toward the front. Aim for the guards nearest the wagon and any others who awaken. We have the element of surprise. Let’s try to maintain that advantage as long as we can.”
Satisfied with her plan, she let her gaze trail over to Therek, afraid to see the look in his eyes. He was the only one likely to find a flaw in her plan. The others were just citizens. Farmers. Merchants. They knew nothing of battle tactics. Therek was the one she looked to for approval, though she hated to let him know just how much she counted on him. His face was concealed under the hood of his cloak, impossible to decipher his expression within the shadows. A slow motion of the fabric around his head nodding up and down was the only response she had to go by to know his opinion of her plan. Silence was a good sign. If he provided no argument, she could only assume he had nothing further to add.
Bow clutched tightly in her hand, she began a slow, steady pace toward the camp. Behind her the others gradually fanned out across the grassy field, weapons drawn, alert. If the General was among the soldiers, he would be more observant. Prepared for an assault by the rebels. Deliao would know to suspect that the Vor’shai wouldn’t accept defeat so easily. Tilting her head heavenward she whispered a soft prayer to the Vor’shai gods. If Sarid existed, they needed her with them now. Only the divine power of the sun goddess would provide the miracle required for an army of peasants to defeat a trained unit of the Emperor’s elite guard.
Two men could be seen seated atop the wagon. From their perch it would be easy for them to take notice of the ambush and call for the others to awaken. Kaori wasn’t about to let that happen. Bringing her weapon up, she took aim on the man positioned closest to the front. At the sound of her bowstring pulling back, Therek lifted his own weapon, twisting his head slightly to one side to direct a single, quiet, simple question at Kaori.
“Front or back?”
She smiled in spite of the fear rushing through her. “Back,” she directly softly, fingers held firm on the string to await Therek as he loaded his bow. The strike needed to be simultaneous. If one man fell before the other, their cover would be exposed.
Arrows at the ready, Kaori inhaled a deep breath. She wasn’t sure she was prepared for this. Lack of light left her blinded to whether Sivar and Liurn were in position. To begin the assault before their arrival would be disastrous. There weren’t enough Vor’shai in her unit to take on the soldiers alone. Timing was crucial – but to wait too long was equally dangerous. Night would be lifting soon. The soldiers wouldn’t linger long once the sun started to brighten the horizon. After they began to stir, the opportunity to strike would be less promising. She had to take the shot. If Sivar and Liurn weren’t there yet, they would be soon. She and her unit would just have to be strong enough to hold out until they arrived.
Never moving from her position she parted her lips, hoping Therek would be able to hear her quiet signal. “Now.” It was nothing more than a breath, her fingers releasing the bowstring, oblivious to the strain in her shoulder from having held it so long. Her eyes were drawn to the man that had been in Therek’s sight, afraid to discover that his shot was never fired. To her relief she watched the man tumble backward off the wagon, Therek’s arrow lodged firmly in his chest. An exceptional hit, given the circumstances. Darkness made aim more difficult, though she realized how foolish it was to have been concerned about Therek. He was a master archer. Far more skilled than herself. If she was going to worry about either of their arrows missing, it should have been hers.
Breath held, she let her gaze shift to where her target had been seated at the front of the wagon, overjoyed to find him no longer upright, his body dangling precariously over the edge with Kaori’s arrow protruding at a grotesque angle from his neck. In that moment she wanted to hug Therek. Take him in her arms and twirl him about jubilantly. They had done it. Two of the soldiers were down, leaving two less pairs of eyes to see them in the darkness. But they hadn’t achieved victory yet. More guards would be awake, on watch at various points around the camp. Movement could already be heard from somewhere, footsteps pounding heavily along the ground toward the wagon.
Kaori jumped at the sound of another arrow being fired from the south, a sharp snap echoing faintly through the air as one of the shadowy figures let out a strained grunt, hands grasping at his chest to try and remove the long shaft embedded there. It didn’t take long for his movements to slow, the outline of his body slowly slumping to the ground. Dead. Kaori’s back-up had arrived. Now the real battle could begin.
Spurred into motion, Kaori swept the area with her eyes in search of the horses used to draw the wagon. Without them, they weren’t going to get very far. A large post had been dug into the ground, shallow, yet deep enough to act as a point to tie the horses and prevent them from running off. They were secured to the thick piece of wood by a heavy rope tied several times near the base for added strength. Plunging forward into the inky blackness Kaori replaced the bow over her shoulder to retrieve her sword, grateful to find Therek still at her side. Between the two of them it would be easier to cut the animals free. Time was limited. The commotion had already started to wake the soldiers, sounds of metal against metal ringing through the field around them.
The horses gave little resistance as Kaori easily sliced the blade of her sword through the bindings. Grasping the first one by its bridle Therek urged her to hurry, his feet planted firmly in place, refusing to leave Kaori until she had the other animal in her possession. From somewhere in the distance she could hear footsteps approaching. Quick. Determined. A glint of light reflected off the tip of a sword to alert her to the impending strike, her own weapon raised to deflect the initial attack. Thank you, Karana. The silent prayer to the moon goddess repeated over and over in her head with every clash of her sword against her assailant’s. Without the light from above, she may never have seen the location of her enemy in time to defend herself.
Frightened by the sound of battle, the horse to which Kaori clung reared back, legs raised high over her head in a frantic attempt to escape. She couldn’t let it go. The horses were imperative to the success of their mission. Without them, there would be no way to get the prisoners to safety. There were too many and an escape by foot wasn’t feasible. The soldiers would catch up to them and it would take too long to arrange everyone on the limited number of horses they arrived with.
Stretched beyond her limit Kaori’s arm jerked under the pressure, her body rocked backward with the horse’s frenzied movement, nearly losing her grip on her sword. Her midsection twisted in attempts to keep on her feet, a sharp agonized cry ringing through the night as the sutures on her abdomen pulled taut, tearing free from the flesh. The sensation was worse than the knife itself had felt under Deliao’s hand. Dizziness rushed over her. A sudden urge to fall to her knees and retch. Through her dimmed senses she was aware of a soldier pursuing, the tip of his sword penetrating the surface of her right bicep before she managed to stumble out of the way. Another figure took shape at Kaori’s side, a second blade coming between her and the soldier’s next strike. Shocked by the unexpected rescue she lifted her head to see who her savior was only to discover Liurn’s amber eyes staring back at her, glowing brightly amidst the shadows.
“Get the horse to the wagon,” he directed, breathless. Kaori didn’t have a chance to consider being offended by the order. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on petty pride.
Taking advantage of the opening, she hurried toward the wagon where Th
erek already worked to harness the other horse into place. Another, more feminine figure was with him, helping fasten everything tightly despite the darkness. At Kaori’s approach Therek leapt from the wagon to assist with ushering the horse onward. It continued to fight against her, frightened by the chaos around it. She hesitated to attach the animal with the other while it was worked up in its fit. They couldn’t risk losing control. To let the prisoners be carried off by an unruly team of horses would only place them at higher risk.
Up close, Kaori recognized the outline of Nichele’s features near the front of the wagon, waving Therek and Kaori forward. “The first one is secure. We have to hurry!” Kaori didn’t need to hear Nichele’s prompts to know that time was of the essence. The whole unit of soldiers would be awake now. Every second that passed, Kaori feared finding herself face-to-face with General Deliao. She wasn’t ready to confront him in combat. Regardless of how skilled she was with a blade, he was ten times her superior.
As the final ties were put into place Kaori hoisted herself onto the wagon, turning just in time to see another soldier heading right for her. Arms outstretched, he reached for her in attempts to grab her legs and pull her back onto the ground. Gathering every ounce of strength she could muster Kaori extended her right leg in a hard front kick to deal a vicious blow to the man’s face, unable to keep from cringing at the sound of bones cracking under the force of her boot. Not wasting a moment she scrambled to the center of the wagon frame, nearly falling backward at the sensation of the horses jumping into motion. Knees bent she dipped low to drop her center of gravity and catch her balance. Fearful of what might have caused the animals to move she looked toward the front of the vehicle, relieved to see Therek and Nichele in the coachmen’s seats. Another cloaked figure rushed alongside them, hands grasping at the frame to pull himself up. Through the wind and rattle of the wheels she could hear Sivar’s voice, muffled, yet distinguishable enough to understand his words.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 41