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The reether and blades levelled, then turound as a cloud of arrows arched down from the hilltop to clai for Darnel ahts had shattered the Fief Lord’s coed with the Volarians,flesh Frentis caught a flash of blue arure on a horse being led away by two Volarians Horns sounded and the cavalry began to withdraw, riders delivering a final slash before turning about and galloping back to the river

Frentis saw a riderless horse a dozen feet away and vaulted onto its back, spurring in the direction of Darnel’s flight, hacking at any unfortunate Volarians in his way He spied Master Rensial nearby, cutting down an unhorsed Volarian, and yelled to get his attention The master’s eyes found hily free of ure now nearing the river and thehard on his heels

Darnel was already labouring through the water when Rensial and Frentis caught up with his escort Boththeirin annoyance at the sight of the tords on their backs Kuritai

Rensial atte half-out of his saddle to avoid a Kuritai’s blade, but the slave-elite leapt fro doith his twin blades Rensial unhooked his foot fro hi a double kick to the Kuritai’s chest as they ploughed into the river, the slave flying free of the horse and thethe saddle

Frentis tried to dispatch the second Kuritai with a throwing knife, waiting until he was near level with the slave before sending it into his eye Theat Frentis as he rode by, the bladedead as Davoka’s spear erupted from his chest She hauled it free of the corpse and spurred her own horse onward, following Frentis into the river

He could see Darnel ahead, flogging his horse bloody as it laboured onto the far bank, galloping east as an escort of Volarians closed around hie Rensial charged straight into the after the fast-retreating Darnel then rearing as a Volarian blade cleaved into his horse’s neck Another Volarian rushed towards the master, sword poised to strike at his back Frentis’s horse ploughed into the Volarian’s mount before he could strike, his head transfixed by the Order blade a second later

Davoka screa Volarians, spear whirling, blood trailing fro cavalrymen, who vainly atte dead to arrows launched fro the river at speed, bows in hand Behind thehts and free fighters wandering aaze back at the dust cloud rising in Darnel’s wake, knowing they wouldn’t catch him now Davoka uttered a Lonak curse and threw her spear into the ground Nearby, Rensial knelt at his horse’s side, s softly as it breathed its last

"That was reckless, brother" Sollis’s pale eyes regarded hihed, long and loud

"Yes, brother," he replied as thethe expression on Sollis’s face to be a mirror of his ohen he looked at Rensial "Very reckless My ies"

• • •

"We had hi the scabbard into the earth "I was less than two yards away in theat us, I can hear it"

"His knights lie dead or captured and he runs for Varinshold like a whipped dog," Banders replied "I doubt he’ll be laughing"

"Though he does now have full knowledge of our number and whereabouts," Sollis pointed out

"But not the strength to do much about it," the baron returned