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Bakran's hatred for her was mutual. She listened for sounds behind her, aware
of five men encircling her. The sorcerous battle had left her drained. Her
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skin crawled at the prospect of getting a sword in the back from men she could
not see;
she had to break the circle.
Chimquar charged Tormic. He raised his weapon, more than ready for her attack.
Two men on either side of Tormic tried to close upon Chimquar with him.
Chimquar's sword licked out in a low slash, but at the instant before it would
have met Tormic's parry, she twisted her body and drove her sword into the
midsection of the startled man on Tormic's
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right. She pulled her sword free and bolted from the remaining two renegades
before they could react. She made out the shape of a horse in the darkness
ahead. Chimquar heard hard footsteps behind her, realized the men would
overtake her before she could reach the horse. She spun suddenly, before the
renegades could slow their pace. The first man to reach her was unable to
avoid her sword thrust.
She threw her to fell the second man, and that left only two
Tormic, and the one who suddenly struck her from the side. A
sword thrust caught her in the thigh. She staggered forward, and her leg gave
as her attacker ripped the blade free. Even as she fell, she managed to parry
the man's next blow and lash out with her good leg to land her foot in his
groin. He doubled over, and her sword point penetrated his throat.
Chimquar's nails dug into the flesh around her wound as she tried to close the
gash. Blood spurted through her fingers.
Unable to stand, she sat up and ripped her pants leg open with the end of her
sword, keeping an eye on Tormic, who had stopped a short distance from her.
"That was well fought, Chimquar," Tormic said. "Bakran will be all the more
glad to receive your head."
"Perhaps not," Chimquar snarled, bringing her sword up to a parry position and
watching Tormic closely.
He leveled his sword for a thrust, then shifted, testing the reactions of his
wounded enemy, teasing, and suggesting with his weapon.
Chimquar began to feel dizzy from the loss of blood. She moved more slowly,
barely able to counter Tormic's moves.
She concentrated, drawing the dwindling remains of her
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strength together, then pulled in her good leg and snatched her stiletto from
her boot top as her sword locked against
Tormic's blade, stopping it inches from her face. She threw her body to one
side, disengaging her sword and plunging her dagger through Tormic's foot,
nailing him to the ground.
Fighting the pain and dizziness, she pulled herself into a crouch and cut off
Tormic's startled curse by plunging her sword into his stomach. Chimquar left
her sword there, and
Tormic carried it to his death with him. She managed to tie a makeshift
tourniquet on her leg before she passed out.
* * * *
Scavenging birds dipped and turned above the scattered bodies of the dead
attackers. Three riderless horses were spooked by the arrival of Maruic and
his warriors. The chieftain dismounted, grim and tight-lipped, to examine the
bodies one by one. A flash of silver caught his eye, drew him to the edge of
the trampled grass. Maruic knelt and picked up the little unicorn talisman
Chimquar had worn; the chain was broken. Dread swept through Maruic. His eyes
searched the grass around him in a brief, desperate quest. He gripped the
talisman so tightly that the unicorn's horn pierced his palm.
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Maruic opened his hand and noticed a tiny drop of blood welling on the skin
beside the talisman. He shifted the unicorn to his other hand, wiping his palm
on his leg. A movement off to his right caused him to spring to his feet. He
heard two of his men dismount to follow him and ignored them. A warrior in a
jerkin made from a lion's black-maned pelt lay in the grass, struggling to
sit.
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"Chimquar!" Maruic knelt to help her, his heart beating furiously. "Powers of
Earth be praised!" He turned her, gently cradling her head and shoulders.
"Maruic?" Chimquar frowned, trying to keep her eyes in focus, but already she
was losing that battle. "Water...."
"Water! Bring water!" Maruic commanded, and Chaiki dropped from his horse with
a waterskin in hand and ran to him.
Maruic raised the skin to her lips and Chimquar clutched it.
Water went down her dry throat in a greedy gulp before he could stop her. It
felt so good until ... seconds later, Chimquar shuddered and retched while
Maruic supported her head. Then she slumped against him, not attempting to use
what little strength she had left. "Bakran," she whispered.
"I recognized Tormic."
Chimquar winced as Chaiki examined her wound and loosened the crude
tourniquet. "A Diangari aids him," she breathed.
"Diangari?"
She felt Maruic tense as she said, "Katal-Marandu."
"There's a sliver of steel," Chaiki's young voice said. "I
may have to cut to reach it."
"Not yet." Chimquar found the strength to raise her voice.
More pain would drive the thoughts from her head before she could speak them. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]