stockade. We’d best get out.”
The Disciple’s face darkened further. “No.”
“Lord!” Mowaffak snapped. “Be reasonable. This scum panicked the men. The enemy are upon us. We can’t make a fight of it. It’s get out or be destroyed. Now, before the panic infects the Invincibles.”
El Nadim agreed. “We can rally the survivors on the road, then return.” He exchanged a look with the Invincible.
Haroun caught it. Both knew there would be no second attempt on the fortress. This night would see their strength leeched. “None of you will escape,” he gurgled. “You’re dead men.” Big talk. But maybe they
Agony lanced across the Disciple’s features. Bodyguards rushed to support him. The Invincible captain snarled, “Get him onto a horse. Get everybody you can mounted. Riding double if you have to.” He faced Haroun. “What did you do to him?”
Haroun said nothing.
The Invincible hit him. “What did you do?”
Haroun gritted his teeth and willed the pain away.
The blows fell steadily. The Invincible became workmanlike, telling him the pain would stop only when he undid whatever he had done.
The minutes felt like hours. The pain got worse and worse. Only stubbornness kept Haroun from yielding.
An Invincible rushed up. “They’re headed this way.”
“How close?”
“Right behind me.”
The captain dragged Haroun to his feet. “We’ll take him along. Is the Lord safe?”
“They’re leaving through the back way now, sir. The General and some of his men are with them.”
“Help me carry him.” Haroun hadn’t the strength to support himself. He sagged between the men, his feet trailing in the dirt. He could not see well, now. Everything was out of focus, distorted and fire-tinted.
He was going to die. They would make him break the spell, then they would kill him...
He was not afraid. Despite the pain, he felt only triumph.
“There he is!” Bragi yelled. “The white robes have him. Let’s go.” He charged, bloody sword overhead.
One of the Invincibles looked back. His eyes widened. He ran. The other turned, assessed the situation, released Haroun and drew a dagger. He grabbed the youth’s hair, pulled his head back for a throat slash.
Bragi threw his sword. It smacked the white robe’s shoulder, doing no harm, but did foil the murder attempt.
Bragi went for the Invincible’s legs. Haaken roared and wound up for a two-handed swordstroke. The white robe flung Haroun into their path. Bragi smashed into the youth. Haaken leapt over. The Invincible tripped him, flung the next Guildsman down atop him, sprinted into the night. Bragi’s squadmates charged after him.
Bragi untangled himself. “What a mess. Haaken?”
“Right here.”
“Look at this. They really worked him over.”
“He asked for it. Better see if I can make a litter.”
“Asked for it? You don’t have a sympathetic bone in your body.”
“Not for fools.”
“Not that big a fool. He broke the siege.” The fighting in the camp was slackening. The Disciple’s men were fleeing. Had the Wahlig been able to mount a controlled pursuit none would have escaped. In the chaos, Hali and el Nadim rallied enough men to shield El Murid’s withdrawal.
“That’s two I owe you,” Haroun croaked. Bragi and Haaken stood over him, flexing muscles tightened from carrying the litter.
“Yeah,” Bragi grumbled. “Getting to be a habit.”
“Here comes the old guy,” Haaken whispered.
Radetic came puffing up, features oddly adance in the firelight. He dropped to his knees beside Haroun.
“Don’t let the blood worry you,” Bragi said. “They just slapped him around.”
Haroun tried to grin. “I almost got him, Megelin. Stuck him with a spell, anyway. He’s going to hurt a lot.”
Radetic shook his head. Bragi said, “Let’s get rolling. Hoist him up, Haaken.”
Two riders came up, stared down. “Father,” Haroun croaked.
“Haroun.” The Wahlig eyed Radetic. “He start this, Megelin?”
“He did.”
The Wahlig sucked spittle between his teeth. “I see.” He considered Bragi and Haaken. “Aren’t these the lads who brought him out of the pass?”
“The same. Making a career, aren’t they?”
