brought the rim of the hollow into his range of vision.
Cloaked warrior heads dotted the rim.
Would they spot him, amidst the pack, dressed in ulfr fur? No one would expect to find a human in an ulfr pack enjoying a seep.
The ulfr leader and three of the large males came to their feet, emitting a low rumbling growl from deep in their great chests. The message was clear. Back off.
With the newborn and the seep to defend, the pack was extremely dangerous. If Byren had come upon them like this, he would have probably had his archers climb trees and pick the animals off. Luckily there were no trees lining the seep and now that very thought seemed like sacrilege to Byren.
Would he ever be able to kill another Affinity beast?
He felt himself reach for his own knife and it startled him to realise that if the Merofynians attacked, he meant to defend the ulfr pack.
But they didn't. One of them sang a chant Byren had never heard his mother sing, though he recognised some of the phrases. He gathered the Merofynians were honouring the seep, its power and the Affinity beasts.
That's right. The Merofynian attitude towards untamed Affinity was very different. They accepted it, cultivating it. Perhaps theirs was a more realistic attitude. Fighting Affinity was like trying to turn back the tide.
Then he thought of poor little Dinni, enslaved by the Utland Power-worker. No, he didn't agree with everything the Merofynians did, but then he didn't agree with his father's laws on Affinity.
The handing-over of all children born with Affinity broke up families, and confiscating the property of those who tried to hide Affinity only encouraged greed.
All this flashed through his mind as the Merofynians honoured the seep and Affinity beasts.
And then they backed off. Leaving Byren to lie in the seep, amidst the ulfr pack, riding the resonance of the pack's subtle song.
'Here's Piro Kingsdaughter,' the markiza pointed.
Two of the king's honour guard frowned at Piro. One nodded to the other. 'Bring her.'
'But I'm ringing — '
'Warning's been given. Come.'
The two servants hurried off after the markiza, as Piro was bundled out and into the main hall of the guild's meeting house.
She broke free of her captors and ran towards Captain Temor, arriving in the middle of his argument with the Ostronite merchant.
'And I say you'll be safer in Rolenhold,' Temor told the man. 'Safer than heading off across the lake in a mad scramble to outrun the Merofynians. What if the wind doesn't rise at dusk? The castle's never fallen. Come, wait it out.'
'Captain Temor.' Piro tugged on his arm.
'Hush, Piro,' Temor snapped, then turned back to the Ostronite to find the man striding off. 'On his own head be it.' Dismissing the man he turned to Piro, eyes dark under heavy grey brows. 'As for you!'
One strong hand caught Piro by the upper arm and she was dragged from the guildhall to join two dozen of the king's honour guard, who waited for their captain's orders.
Out in the square, furniture and belongings lay abandoned, as people scrambled for the safety of the castle. Piro shaded her eyes, looking up at the steep road that zig-zagged several times before reaching the gates of Rolenhold. The road was packed with people, most walking, some on carts and a few on horseback.
Shouts echoed from the wharves, the weakest point of Rolenton's defences, where the Merofynians had already broken through the town's defences.
The voices held abrasive cruelty. It rubbed across Piro's nerves, making her heart thunder uncomfortably. 'Our people will never make it in time.'
'We'll have to buy them time,' Captain Temor muttered. 'Come on.'
They pounded across the square to the road leading to Southgate, then down to the gate itself, which was only just emptying of townspeople when they reached it.
Temor beckoned one of the king's honour guard. 'Sawtree, I'm entrusting you with the kingsdaughter. Make sure she reaches the safety of the castle.'
'But — ' Sawtree began.
Merofynian warriors boiled out of the narrow lanes from the wharves and headed across the square, roaring a challenge.
'Get her to safety!' Temor snapped.
Sawtree caught Piro's arm, pulling her through the gate before the king's Honour guard could haul it closed. She made out Temor bellowing for them to build a barrier of furniture across the road. Of course, the gate was designed to be defensible against attacks from the outside, not the inside.
'They'll be killed,' Piro panted.
'Not before they buy us time. Run!'
She turned and ran, tears blinding her. Now she knew why Sawtree had objected to taking her. He'd served beside those men for thirty years. He did not want to abandon them in their last stand.
Ahead of her, the townsfolk drove others before them, shouting and pleading with those ahead to make haste. A man cried out and fell to his knees at Piro's side, an arrow embedded in his shoulder.
'They have our range. We're packed so tight, they're aiming upwards and trusting to hit us,' Sawtree muttered. He paused and cast about them looking for something.
Piro gave a cry of surprise as an object thumped into her back, driving her to her knees.
'Piro!' Sawtree cried.
She felt over her shoulder to find an arrow shaft embedded in her travelling pack. A laugh escaped her. 'It's all right. My pack protected me.'
'Halcyon must be smiling on you.' He grabbed the arrow, pulling it out and hauling her upright. 'Here.' He snatched an abandoned bundle and held it over their heads. 'Walk in front of me, little Piro.'
His broad shoulders protected her as he manoeuvred her into position and drove her on.
The tone of the shouting at the gate changed and Piro knew Temor and his men had engaged the enemy. So did everyone around them. Dropping their belongings, they ran. But they were running uphill and the pace could not be maintained. Soon they slowed to a scrambling stagger. All around them people cried out and fell behind as they were hit. Piro stumbled over a body. Only he wasn't dead. Feeling her land on him, he groaned and clutched her, pleading for help.
Sawtree grabbed her by the back of her bodice, hauling her upright like a kitten.
'I'm sorry. So sorry,' she told the wounded man, whose eyes fixed on her in a silent plea before Sawtree dragged her off him and drove her on.
The woman in front of her stopped, looked back and uttered a sharp scream. Piro went to look over her shoulder, but Sawtree drove her on.
'Don't look back,' he warned. 'The gate's fallen.'
A moan was torn from Piro. As captain of the guard, Temor had taught her to ride. He'd given Byren and Lence their first wooden swords and taught them basic defence skills when they were six. He'd shared a place at their table and counselled her father for as long as she could remember.
She heard shouting from the walls of Rolenhold and looked up. They were within bow range of the castle defenders now. Surely their attackers would hold off, but no, even more arrows fell around them. Sawtree gave a grunt and staggered. She glanced down to see an arrow had driven right through his calf.
'Leave me.' He shoved her away.
She ducked under his arm and took some of his weight. He cursed her but kept on in an awkward, lurching stagger.
As they rounded the last bend leading to Rolenhold's gate several men ran out to help the stragglers inside, and the defenders cheered.
Two men took Sawtree from her.
Freed of his weight, Piro plunged through the gate on their heels. The long tunnel was dark and crowded, then suddenly she was in the first courtyard which was filled with townsfolk who were being urged to move on.
