The excitement builds as the release
of
Kriki's Gift, Book Two of the Geometry
of Power
draws near.
"Look
up there," she called in astonished wonder. "That has to be the
Valkea. I think the King and Queen must be attacking. That's why the horrible
madness stopped."
Haxton
turned to look, as did the men around them. High above the road was a rock
ledge and perched on the ledge was an intensely bright circle of light. It
shimmered with such intensity that no one could look at it for long. The
lieutenant's eyes drifted down and he suddenly saw what the Valkea had been
shielding from them before with her dark deceptions.
The
rocky slope below the ledge was filled with fighters. Many were dead - having
been killed by the storm of arrows the Rangers had sent their way. The
survivors stared up in stunned shock at the ledge above them for the Valkea had
disappeared from sight behind the curtain of blazing light. After a moment's
pause, they charged upward forgetting their attack on the Guardsmen below. They
had to go to the aid of their dark matriarch for she was the meaning behind
their existence and must be saved at all cost. As soon as they moved into the
open, the Rangers shot them down with deadly accuracy for they now had a clear
view of their foes. Heedless of the fact that they were being massacred, the
horde struggled upward with singular focus. They had to save the Valkea.
The
captain could see that the Valkea's fighters were no longer concerned with his
people and knew that this was their chance to get away. They had done their
job of drawing out the Valkea. Now he needed to get Carra to safety.
"Let's get out of here, fast," he bellowed. "Load up the
wounded. Push the dead horses out of the way so the wagons can pass."
Rodal
looked down the ranks to assess the damage done to his people. Far down the
line, he spotted Lieutenant Haxton for he was nearly a head taller than the men
around him. In the crush of riders, he glimpsed Carra and was pleased she was
still astride the chestnut gelding. She was safe for the moment, but that
could change in an instant. They needed to get away. To remain in the
vicinity of the Valkea and her horde was insanity.
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