dawn.
'Krystallopyr!' whispered Aravan, gripping his spear and truenaming it, making ready for combat. Even as the horn sounded, the small, blue stone amulet at his throat grew chill with peril… as it had done so many times on the journey to Black Mountain and back. And now it and the black-oxen horn called out danger, and neither would be denied.
'Ready!' barked Galarun, sword in hand, another sword-one of silver-strapped across his back. And he motioned to Larana, and she raised an argent clarion to her lips and blew an answer to the oxen horn, the silvery notes belling clear.
The sound of a Harlingar horn rang over the wold, and Spawn hearing it hesitated. Yet the Ghuls surrounding the surrogate cried out in their foul tongue, and whips lashed about and the maggot-folk began to run through the daybreak shadows and toward the gap ahead. And then a silver note rang, but the Spawn stopped not in their race.
'That's Tip's horn!' cried Beau. 'He's in trouble!' And he leaped astride his pony and spurred forward, galloping after Rynna flying across the wold, Linnet and Farly and all the Dylvana racing after. And then an Elven horn sounded in the distance ahead.
As the Helsteeds scattered before the buccen, Ghuls sprang up from their ambuscade and yawled in fury and with cruelly barbed spears in hand they ran toward the two Warrows on ponies, the corpse-folk ready to slay.
'Ride! Ride!' called Tip, and he and Nix wrenched their overtired ponies 'round to flee down the Landover Road, only to see a vanguard of Spawn scrambling across the way, two thousand others shrieking war cries and racing after.
And behind the buccen came savage Ghuls, the corpse-foe overtaking the two ponies, the little steeds stumbling in exhaustion.
Tip raised the black-oxen horn once again to his lips and blew a second time, and Rflpt quailed back from the sound, and the Ghuls slowed a step or two in their pursuit -and Lian slammed into them from the rear, lances piercing, swords riving, Aravan's truenamed spear burning wherever it struck flesh, Ghuls howling even as they died upon the dark crystallic blade. Yet Elves died too, impaled by barbed spear. But the corpse-foe could not withstand Aravan's deadly lance nor the beheading strikes of swords, and they yielded back from the Lian, no longer disputing the way.
And toward Tipperton and Nix did Galarun and company ride and toward Darda Erynian beyond.
And yet two thousand Spawn stood across the way.
A third time did Tipperton blow Dediana's horn, and lo! the call was answered from the nearby woodland as a horse-borne company of Dylvana and Baeron came charging out from the trees, while at the same time a small band of Dylvana came racing across the wold, four Warrows on ponies running alongside, arrows flying and sling bullets hurtling to slam into the Spawn.
Even as Galarun and Aravan and other Lian surrounded Tip and Nix, the Rupt reeled hindward from the charge of the Baeron and Dylvana.
'Quickly!' called Galarun. ' 'Round to the right and into Darda Erynian.'
None argued with his command, for all the Allies together were yet outnumbered ten to one.
Rightward they fled, running for the trees, spent ponies and weary horses faltering even as they ran, giving their all to the riders.
And Larana blew a horn cry-a signal to withdraw-and now the company of Dylvana and Baeron and the small force of Dylvana and four Warrows turned their own steeds and fled for the forest as well.
With howling Rupt on their heels, into the Blackwood they ran, past gathered shadows slipping twixt the trees, and huge yellowish mounds standing still, and tall bundles of twigs and vines and tendrils looming in the darkness and rustling as leaves in the wind. Among these and other such things they passed, the forest enshadowed a grim grey though the sun shone aslant through the brown-leafed November trees.
'Shouldn't we stop and help?' called Tip, urging his exhausted pony across a streamlet and up.
'Nay, love,' replied Rynna. 'As Tynvyr has often told me, we would just be in the way.'
Chapter 30
Sheltered by Darda Erynian, the Elves, Baeron, and War-rows rode another five miles westerly ere making camp within a small glade just north of the Landover Road. And while the Baeron and Dylvana stood ward, exhausted War-rows and Lian and the Elves who had ridden with Dara Cein slept the sleep of the dead. After taking water and a hearty ration of oats, spent ponies and horses dozed as well, some standing, but most lying on the sward. Through the remainder of that day and the full of the night and into the next morning did they sleep, though Elves and Warrows awakened long enough to relieve themselves as necessary and to take a meal in the evening.
In midmorn, riding into camp came a Pysk. Dressed in varying shades of grey, she was, and her hair was mouse brown and her eyes cobalt blue, and a tiny bow and an empty quiver were slung across her back.
'I would speak with the commander here,' she said to the Elven sentry, her words in the common tongue.
'Lady Pysk, we have several commanders here,' replied the guard, peering down at her twelve-inch height. 'Dara Cein, Alor Galarun, Alor Perin, Rark of the Baeron, Lady Rynna of the Waerlinga-'
'Who is nearest?' interjected the Pysk.
The sentry gestured at one of the small campfires. 'Dara Cein and Lady Rynna sit yon with Alor Aravan.'
'Aravan!' exclaimed the Pysk, her gaze seeking him out. 'Oh my. Thank you.' She urged her fox forward.
As she arrived at the fire, Aravan, Cein, and Rynna turned to look at her. Dismounting, she spoke a word to the fox, and it stepped some paces away and turned about in circles to finally lie down nose to tail.
Now the Pysk faced Aravan. 'Alor Aravan, I an, inion-daughter-of Farrix and Jinnarin.'
'Daughter of-?'
'Yes.' Aylissa smiled. 'They named me after…'
Loss befell Aravan's features, and Aylissa's words stumbled to a halt. But then Aravan smiled-the hurt retreating deep within his eyes once again-and softly he said, 'Well met, Lady Aylissa, and how fare thy sire and dam?'
'They are well, Alor, and ward the northwestern marge of the Great Greenhall. Had they known you would be here, they would have come in place of others to face the foe.'
Aravan held out a negating hand. 'Would that I had seen them, yet some must remain behind to guard.'
Rynna cleared her throat, and Aravan said, 'Lady Aylissa, may I present Lady Rynna and Dara Cein.'
Rynna and Cein smiled, and Aylissa canted her head in acknowledgement.
'I note your quiver is empty,' said Rynna.
'All spent driving the Spaunen from Darda Erynian,' said Aylissa.
'Then they are gone?' asked Cein.
'Aye. They have fled, though fully half did not live to escape.'
'What of the surrogate?' asked Tipperton, yawning widely, the buccan just then joining the others at the fire.
Aravan looked across the flames and said, 'Lady Aylissa, Sir Tipperton Thistledown.'
'Hullo,' said Tip, yawning again, and then taking a place on the ground beside Rynna. 'Your pardon, Lady Aylissa, but sleep seems not yet done with me.'
Aylissa smiled. 'You must be one of those who rode from Eryn Ford.'
'I was.'
' 'Twas he who blew the Harlingar horn to scatter the Helsteeds and alert us to the Ghulka lying in ambush,' said Aravan.
'We heard it as we approached,' said Aylissa. 'Another trump as well.'
'That was Larana's horn.'
Tip yawned once more and repeated, 'What of the surrogate? Did he escape?'
Aylissa frowned. 'Surrogate?'
