Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (summer beach reads txt) 📖

Neither was able to get a clean blow at the other. Kerdred began to use Mace to intimidate Darius's horse. Manoeuvring round, the horses were now head to head and biting. Mace reared up, kicking out. Clover did the same. Haystack was still too far away to help. He didn't see the man on the ground, neither did Darius. A sword plunged into Clover’s side. Screaming in pain she staggered and fell. Darius landed badly, but was back on his feet in seconds. His sword now in his left hand, the right hanging uselessly from a broken arm. Raising his sword Darius tried to defend himself. Kerdred toyed with him, mocked him and then thrust his sword straight through Darius’s heart. Kerdred slowly pulled his bloodied sword from Darius’s chest then watched with delight as Darius slumped into the cold, hard ground.

Haystack and his men were being driven further back, he could no longer see Kerdred. He guessed he had lost at least fifty men. The archers on the wall were doing their best, but there were just too many of them. It was time to retreat. Hugo snorted as he caught sight of a soldier behind him, sword ready to swing. His hind legs shot backwards, great hooves smashed Clover's killer in the face. Then he was on the move, racing away with the others.

Three short sharp blasts of a horn told Hylaw's army that Eldin had been right. The Nefkins were coming across the fields. Garth turned his five hundred men to face them. Those who didn't have death stars carried long handled, single blade axes. Garth waited, Haystack and his men were now close behind him. The Nefkins were approaching fast from the east. Timing was everything. At the last possible moment Garth signalled to his men. As one, Garth's men and Haystack's men rode west, taking with them all the Nefkins and probably a third of Kerdred's remaining army. Which left a mere fifteen hundred plus. It had always been impossible odds. They had all known; Darius, Nathe, Aharen, Caleb, Haystack. None of them had liked Eldin's plan but neither could any of them come up with anything better. A battle plan that involved sacrificing your King was not something anyone but Eldin would have come up with.

Hylaw hoped one day Ami would forgive him and understand. One of them had to live and this was the only way to ensue her safety. Hylaw looked around at the men, all of them had volunteered to die for their future Queen. Even Bella had stayed to help the wounded, believing naively there was still a chance. She hadn't been there when Eldin had said, 'It is better to lose one battle in order to win a war'.

Ghale, Ebblin and the other archers in the trees retreated into the forest as soon as Haystack and Garth headed west. Gadolin remained still as he watched men with dogs working their way perilously close to Rona. They were quite spread out but Gadolin knew it wouldn't be long before they picked up on Rona's scent. A couple of dogs started barking and pulling on their leashes. The rest picking up a scent joined in.

'There!' One of the men was pointing into the forest, 'Something's moving'.

'And there,' said another.

The dogs were now frantic, barking and snapping.

'Quick light the torches!'

'Wolves!'

'Light the torches! They are afraid of fire!'

'They're everywhere!'

'They don't seem that afraid of fire,' said another backing away.

Slowly the men began back pacing, the wolves herding them away from Rona. Gadolin smiled he knew exactly who would have sent the wolves to protect her.

The chase was on, every man was pushing his horse to its limits. Thundering behind them over seven hundred riders and at least forty Nefkins. Ahead of them the first obstacle, a stone wall. Hugo's heart was straining, he was getting too old for this and wasn't built for speed. At least being a circus horse the wall wouldn't be a problem. Slightly ahead of them Haystack saw Echo and Garth jump clear, but a grey horse refused the jump, sending its rider head first over the wall. Hugo swerved the grey horse and cleared the wall with ease. The horse behind him was not so fortunate, crashing straight into the grey. Most made it. Now they were on flatter more open ground. Swinging left they headed south towards a craggy outcrop in the distance. Some of the back riders had been caught and were now having to ride and fight. Haystack could tell Hugo was struggling; they were dropping further back through the pack. The gap between Haystack and the nearest enemy riders was no more than thirty feet when a figure appeared on the top of the crag. Raising his spear he pointed the tip at the oncoming riders. The signal for them to separate, creating a moving corridor. From behind the outcrop they came. The Mountain People. Haystack stared when he saw what some of them were riding. Mountain bears, at least thirty. Many of the rest were riding the hairiest horses he had ever seen and were the size of Hugo. As they reached the gap between the riders Haystack and all the others looped around. Now they were the predators.

Shielded foot soldiers took their positions and began a steady march towards the town. Behind them, men with grappling hooks and ladders. Behind them the battering ram. Glint was shaking, he was no good with a sword or a bow. The walls were not that high, soon he'd be face to face with the enemy with nothing more than a knife in his hand. A knife he was more likely to cut himself with than anyone else. Everyone waited for Hylaw's command.

'Glint!', 'Felspar!'

Men on the wall turned to see who was doing the shouting. It was Penn.

'I need you two down here.'

Glint and Felspar looked towards Hylaw, who nodded.

As soon as they were down, which didn't take them long, Penn headed off with them towards the library. Even before they reached its doors, Hylaw had given the signal. The archers were firing again and the catapult was sending rocks high in the sky.

Glint realised Felspar was fairing little better than him. Penn on the other hand was his usual calm self. Once inside the library Penn told them to light some candles and then shutter and bar the windows. Bella was busy with the wounded, bits of arrow still sticking out of a few.

'There is a trap door in the back room, Felspar and I will help Bella get the wounded down into the tunnels,' said Penn.

'Tunnels?' both Glint and Felspar said together.

'Yes, well they were secret tunnels until now.'

'But?' said Felspar.

'But why didn't I tell other people before now?' said Penn with a gentle smile on his face.

They both nodded.

'People who know they are going to be saved don't fight with the same urgency, the same desperation, I'll explain everything later,' said Penn. 'Glint get everybody back here. NOW GO!'

The command ended in a voice that had Glint out of the door and running as if his life depended on it, which it did.

He aimed for the dorms first, where half a dozen older laymen waited terrified.

'Spread the word, tell everyone there's tunnels under the library!' shouted Glint.

The men looked at each other and rather hastily headed for the library. Thanks for the help, thought Glint. He had better luck with the next three he came across. Word started getting around.

The wall was being breached Glint could see Hylaw and the rest desperately trying to fight them back. He had to make a decision, tell those on the wall first or those guarding the gates. Running up the ramp he was nearly sent toppling over the side by a body falling from the parapet. Regaining his balance, he continued up more cautiously. Hylaw was battling with two men at once. Adrenalin pumping through him, Glint didn't think and just ran into the back of one of the men. The impact nearly dislocated his shoulder. Fortunately Hylaw had seen him and side stepped just in time. The man staggered forward and Hylaw brought his sword down hard on to the attacker’s head. The other saw his chance and lunged, stopping literally dead in his tracks, an arrow impaled in his neck.

'The library, you must get to the library, there's tunnels,' panted Glint.

Hylaw looked questioningly at Glint.

'Sorry I've got to tell the rest,' Glint turned and was running down the ramp, clutching his arm before Hylaw could ask him anything.

By the time he reached those guarding the gates, the battering ram had nearly completed its task. Breaker and Will appeared next to him.

'There's tunnels under the library, we need to get everyone there,' said Glint, now exhausted.

Breaker's body remained still, only his head moved back and forth calculating the situation. Decision made, he pushed through the guards and took charge. None questioned his authority and slowly began backing away from their positions, swords ready for the imminent assault. Hylaw’s men were now retreating down the ramps, having to fight every step of the way. Glint still clutching his shoulder headed back to the library.

Haystack was flanked by Tosha. Tosha had sneaked into the town early the previous morning. He had told Haystack everything. Aberrling persuading Hunter to help, meeting up with Eldin, the plan. Haystack wondered what else Eldin was keeping secret. With the plan in place Haystack had taken the sword from his throat and Tosha had returned to the Mountain People. Darius and Nathe were the only other ones who knew.

As they rode Tosha joined in with the war cries of the clansmen, along with most of the other men. Even Hugo, who had been struggling with the pace, seemed to find renewed energy. Further in front the first soldiers engaged, on mass. The war cries continued but they were now joined by mind numbing screams, clashing of swords and roars from the bears. Ahead the clansmen were driving their huge horses through the oncoming riders, splitting them apart. They rode bareback, once in the fray they dropped the reins. Their swords arcing down, around and across in effortless sweeps. Limbs, heads, torsos were being sheared, lopped and hacked. The bears went for the horses, ripping their necks, lacerating their sides.

Tosha pulled away from Haystack and joined a group off to the side, riding down those who were attempting to flee the onslaught. Haystack readied himself, two men were charging at him, seeing a spear sticking out of a slain horse he pulled it free and threw it into the chest of the man to the right. The point struck the soldier’s armour but the force of the impact was enough to throw him backwards off his horse. The other man came at him, it was a tired attack and Haystack parried it easily. Pulling on the reins he swung Hugo round sharply, the man lunged again, Haystack dodged and brought his blade down hard on the man’s outstretched arm. He wasn’t sure if the man was dead or had fainted, either way he fell sideways from his horse. His next opponent wouldn't have lived that much longer anyway. Thrusting his sword into the man's already bleeding body, he moved on. The next man he reached fell dead, before he even had time to swing. Haystack slowed Hugo to a trot.

Garth was surveying the scene from the edge of the battle. Smiling he couldn't help but raise his hand to pat the inside pocket of his jerkin. The satisfying feel of the gold coins made his existence worthwhile. He was a mercenary and always would be, loyalty cost. Eldin had known exactly what made him tick. Drawing his sword he kicked Echo forwards and joined the battle.

By now some of those brandishing death stars and on the lighter horses, were skirting around the edge of the fighting. Their sights were on the Nefkins trailing behind. Kesh, who had given the signal from the top