She had never looked so hesitant before, and I understood why. Bonded pegasi were particular about who they allowed on their backs. Even more so than gryphons, which Halladora had ridden here. But now, Luccan would fly on that gryphon, and Dora with me.
“I’ll need an archer.” Unlike my sister, I was not so skilled in archery, and I’d rather not use my sword against the giants. Arrows made for a far better distraction and flew at enemies from a distance.
I patted Arava’s neck. “She understands that this needs to be done for our friends’ survival,” I repeated the words not only to calm my Valkyrja, but to remind Arava of our talk. She wasn’t able to speak back, but through our ever-strengthening bond, I sensed when she understood things.
Halladora respectfully came to stand at Arava’s side. The mare snorted.
I patted her ebony neck again. “She’s going to watch our backs, Arava. We want to be safe and go back to Myrr.”
The tension in the mare’s neck loosened. Like most of us, she had been enjoying the comforts of Myrr, particularly all the treats that came with being a princess’s pegasus.
“Good girl.” I twisted to wave at Halladora. “Get on.”
She joined me and made sure her arrows were ready.
“You have enough room to maneuver?” I asked.
“Just.” The Valkyrja scooted back a touch on the elongated saddle that allowed us to ride double. “If you leaned forward over her neck as you fly, it would help.”
“Got it.”
“Everyone is ready?” Thyra called out.
Forty fliers affirmed they were, and a wave of nods traveled down the line of soldiers preparing to ambush the valley.
“To the skies!” my twin shouted, and the gryphons and pegasi flew for the top of the mountains blocking our army from the giants’ sight.
I leaned over my mare’s mane as Arava surged higher, giving Halladora as much space as possible to shoot. Flanking me, Thyra had her bow tucked beneath her arm, one hand on the reins.
“There they are,” Halladora said. “Stars, they’rehuge.”
The giants, most of which were gathered around massive bonfires, had to be as tall as Vale stacked six times over. The smallest among them were so large and strong looking that going up against the creature struck me as lunacy. I had to hope that the bonfires meant they’d begun settling in as night crept closer. Perhaps they would be lethargic.
“I count fifty-five,” Halladora said.
I scanned the mountainside the giants huddled closest to, searching for a crack in the rock. It took a bit of searching, but I found the opening, not large at all, but big enough for dwarves to walk through in singles or pairs. A rock I estimated to be only slightly larger than the hole in the mountain was on the groundnearby. That had likely been covering the opening, but once the dwarves moved it, they’d exposed themselves.
“Break and descend,” Lord Balik commanded.
We scattered. Luccan, Thantrel, my sister, and our Valkyrja flew with me and Dora. The other aerial company that would remain closest to us, watching our back as we watched theirs, comprised Lord Balik, Filip, Sian, Caelo, and Aleksander. Others paired off too, all of them Balik forces. With each steady beat of her wings, Arava brought us closer to the ground, confidence in her bunched-up muscles.
Knowing we’d have only seconds before we would have to focus wholly on the giants, I cast a glance behind. A long exhale gusted out of me.
Vale and Qildor had cleared the short defile and were already barreling down the valley. I spied Vidar and Sayyida close behind. Unlike in the city and surrounding flatlands, there was still snow at this elevation but nothing the horses weren’t used to.
The rest would follow. We only needed to buy them the time.
A roar cut through the quiet, and our advantage vanished as two male giants rose from where they’d been sitting around their fire and charged. Most followed, but I was relieved to see that ten hung back. Smaller giants—possibly two younglings among them.
Fates! They were fast. Much faster than their enormous size would suggest.
Arrows flew, and though I’d been warned it would happen, I could not help the disappointment that coursed through me as most of them bounced off the giants’ skin.
“Need more space!” Halladora pulled back another arrow, and I leaned flat against Arava’s neck, trying to give my Valkyrja the best shot. The archer released, but another arrow wasalready soaring for the same target. I gasped as it landed clean in the giant’s eye.
The giant fell, and I imagined the ground shuddered upon impact. Being so high up, I couldn’t feel the quake, but I certainly felt the spike of fear as the ten giants who had hung back roared in anger and joined the rest of their tribe.
“Dora, keep shooting!”
