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"It stopped Coain, glanced backwards once, and then nearly walked into a tree Catching herself, she went around it to hide, but there was no ground on the other side The hillside gave way to open space and she gasped as she fell into the blackness

Pain shot up her leg from her ankle as she landed abruptly then fell face first Fiery darts of agony streaked up her calf and her whole foot throbbed She cla She could hardly breathe through the pain

"Did you hear that? Over there!"

Part of the hillside had been gouged away Dirt pattered down like rain She looked up The once-majestic tree she had nearly stu and part of it lay shattered around her, exposing some of the roots The trunk was hollowed out Rain over the years had washed away part of it, for a little inlet, a little cave She had landed in a patch of brush growing at the base, revealing the little opening There was no way she could crawl to the caed herself and the bow into the inlet, hearing the sounds of the king’s men above

"Which way? Do you hear it?" Their voices were right above her She hunkered deep into the shell of the tree, shrinking as small as she could

"I do not Sounded like it crashed this way You think it was a deer?"

Another crackle from the woods came further down the hill "There it is Do you see it? A buck, not a doe Co the pain in her ankle sharpen as she crouched She bit her lip, wondering how she was going to get to the ca Colvin had taught her That there were people strong enough in the Mediu in pain, she tried to focus her thoughts To push theh to wherever he was She pictured his face in her e of warht a blush to her cheeks

Colvin?

She could still feel the sensation of his fingers, his strong hand, as he helped her down frooodbye

Lia?

It was less than a whisper She was not certain she had even heard it, but she went ahead