horses, which trundled along behind the Kariens.
“That’s the First Sister’s carriage.”
“That’s all we need,” Damin groaned. “Joyhinia Tenragan, in all her vicious glory. I thought you destroyed her wit after Dacendaran stole it?”
“So did I.”
Damin returned the looking-glass to its case and rolled onto his back. He put his hands behind his head and stared at the pale sky for a moment then looked at Tarja.
“They’ll be on us by nightfall.”
“Or so close it won’t matter.”
“I’ve always fancied myself a brilliant warrior, Tarja, but odds of ten to one are a bit much, even for me.”
Tarja nodded. “There’s nothing to be achieved by engaging them.”
“So what do we do? Hide until they ride by? Head overland?”
“If we turn off the road, it’ll take a lot longer to reach the river and even more time to find a place where we can cross. Cauthside is the only place with a decent barge this side of Testra.” He didn’t add that going overland meant turning west. Damin knew it without having it spelled out for him.
“Then it seems we have no choice. We hide until they pass by.”
“That may not be as simple as you think. Terbolt might be in command, but the Defenders won’t let that interfere with their normal routine. They’ll have scouts out, you can be certain.”
“I didn’t see any,” Colsy objected.
“That doesn’t mean they aren’t out there,” Tarja warned.
Damin nodded in agreement. “The reputation of the Defenders is well earned. All the more reason not to take them on.”
“If we’re careful, we should be able to avoid them,” Tarja suggested.
The Warlord smiled wistfully. “Remember the good old days, Tarja? When you and I knew exactly who our enemies were? I miss them.”
“I remember them well.
“And you were always one step ahead of me. I always meant to ask you how you managed that.”
“I probably shouldn’t disillusion you, but it was luck as much as anything.”
Damin grinned. “I don’t believe you. Nobody could be that lucky.”
“Alright, if it makes you happy, it was my sheer tactical brilliance.”
“Just as I always suspected,” Damin agreed. He rolled over and stared down at the advancing Defenders. “I have to tell you. The sight of those Defenders has completely ruined my day, you know that, don’t you?”
“You’ll get over it.”
“Eventually,” Damin sighed. “Let’s get back to the others.”
“Aren’t we going to do
“We are going to hide, young man.”
“Hiding is for women.”
“And very smart men,” the Warlord retorted.
It was late afternoon before they located Almodavar and the rest of their band. The Hythrun captain had done an excellent job of concealing their presence. But for some scattered tracks heading toward the tree-line, there was nothing to indicate that more than a hundred men were concealed among the trees. Tarja looked around the camp with approval. The Hythrun seemed to lack discipline, but when it really counted, they did exactly as they were ordered.
Adrina hurried forward as they rode into the camp. The change in her was quite remarkable, Tarja thought. She seemed to have shed her spoilt outer shell. She had ridden without complaint, as though she was trying to prove she was worthy of the danger they had placed themselves in by offering her protection. Her face brightened at Damin’s approach, revealing far more than she meant to.
Tarja was wary of Damin’s relationship with Adrina. It was fraught with danger and long-term ramifications that did not bear thinking about. Despite the insistence of both Damin and Adrina that the relationship meant nothing, Tarja could see the danger signs. Adrina never strayed far from Damin and he was prepared to risk his life to keep her by his side. Tarja understood what it was like to be willing to lay down your life for someone you loved. He wondered how long it would be before the Hythrun Warlord and the Fardohnyan Princess worked it out for themselves.
“Cratyn’s coming!” Adrina cried as Damin dismounted.
Damin looked over her shoulder at Almodavar who approached them at a much more dignified pace.
“She speaks the truth, my Lord. Jenga sent a messenger to warn us.”
Tarja dismounted and let Shadow be led away by one of his own men who had clustered around them, anxious for news.
“How far behind us?”
“A day or two, three at the outside.”
“This could make things interesting,” Damin remarked laconically.
Adrina punched his arm impatiently. “
Tarja understood Adrina’s annoyance. Damin had a bad habit of treating everything as if it was some sort of elaborate game. His refusal to take anything seriously could be frustrating at times. In this case it was downright dangerous.
“She has a point, Damin.”
“What’s the problem?” he shrugged. “We’ve already agreed that it would be insane to take the Defenders on. We can’t go overland – it will slow us down too much – so we hide. The Defenders will ride by us, none the wiser.”
“And run straight into Cratyn,” Tarja reminded him. “What do you think will happen then?”
“If we’re lucky, they’ll wipe each other out,” the Warlord chuckled.
“Be serious!”
Damin had the decency to look contrite. “You’re right. If Cratyn knows when we left, and we haven’t been seen by the Defenders, even
“Can’t we slip past the Defenders?” Adrina asked hopefully. There was an edge of desperation in her voice.
Tarja shook his head. “Not a chance.”
“Then we go overland,” Damin said, no happier with the idea than Tarja. But at least this way they would have a chance of avoiding the two forces that were inexorably closing in on them. But it took him away from the Citadel. Away from R’shiel.
“If we start moving now, we can put a few leagues between us and the Defenders by nightfall.”
The Warlord nodded and ordered Almodavar to get everyone moving. Tarja’s stomach rumbled in complaint, reminding him that he had missed lunch as Damin led Adrina away, his arm around her shoulder.
As he watched the retreating couple he frowned. He should have put a stop to it. That he would have had more chance of stopping the sun rising tomorrow did little to ease his concern. Were it not for Adrina, Cratyn would more than likely have ignored the Hythrun refusal to surrender. What were a thousand Hythrun to a man who could muster a hundred thousand men? If Cratyn was simply chasing down his errant wife, then it was bad enough. If anyone suspected that she and Damin were lovers, and shared their suspicions with the prince, Cratyn would not rest until every last person who knew of the liaison was dead. He was the Karien Crown Prince and his religion demanded the most terrible vengeance he could wreak. Adrina’s infidelity could not be forgiven – it could only be washed away in blood.
It was slow going as they picked their way cross country. The terrain was hard on the horses. One minute they were climbing, the next descending, and although the slopes were not steep, the horses had been ridden hard for days now. By the time darkness fell, and with it the temperature, even some of the magnificent Hythrun horses, renowned for their stamina, were stumbling. Tarja called a halt and ordered them to make camp, but refused to allow any fires. The chance of being spotted by a Defender scout was too real to be ignored.
