I reached the edge of the clearing. Poma swerved to avoid crashing headfirst into the trees. The creature chasing us drew closer. It had no need to dodge; oaks and maples toppled before it as it loped straight through them.
A huntsman pulled up beside me, bow in hand. He twisted around to shoot backward off his horse. Arrow after arrow cracked against the stone giant charging after me. His quiver hung flat, nearly empty.
“What are you doing?” I cried.
“Tryin’ tae find a weak point.”
“I don’t think they have one!”
Clem muttered a curse. “Keep it awa’ fae the king. Ye gang left, an’ ah’ll gang richt. It’ll follow ye o’ me.”
I nodded and tugged on Poma’s reins. Clem and I veered apart. Sapling Elbow hesitated, swiveling its head, choosing which of us to chase. Giving us precious seconds of extra time.
But when its great feet thudded forward, it chose to followme.
I zigged and zagged through the trees. In the flurry I saw the lion, his spectacles askew. He raced at a monster, claws out, slashing. They did no more good than Jack’s sword. Close by, three huntsmen rode in circles around a moss-speckled stone giant, just beyond the reach of its hammering fists. Thorny vines heavy with roses burst forth from the ground and twined up past their enemy’s granite torso. For a moment, I was baffled, even wondering if I might somehow be responsible. Then I realized it must be another huntsman’s power.
The vines burst apart, falling in shreds, as soon as those vast stone legs moved. Whoever had grown the roses, they’d failed to vanquish their foe.
I’d done no better. Fleeing for my life was as much as I’d been able to manage. Behind me, the thunderous footfalls of the creature in pursuit grew louder and louder, ringing the earth like a bell.
Could I grow my hair long enough to use as a snare? It snaked down my back as I thought about it, flowing past my waist to brush the saddle. But that would more likely rip my scalp off than be of any use.
So much for being the sorceress destined to save the king and the kingdom. Jonquil would have performed some astonishing feat of spell casting by now. Calla would have convinced a horde of moles to dig pits under the monsters’ feet. Even Liam, with far less magic than me, would have figured out some clever way to exploit their weaknesses, and Gnoflwhogir would have…I don’t know. Eaten them?
I was at a complete loss for a means of escape until I spied a stand of the enormous shaggy trees native to Tailliz topping a nearby rise, surrounding the hilltop like a henge, in staggered rings. They towered high above the smaller trees the stone giants smashed down with such ease.
The gaps between them were larger than I would have liked, but there was a chance they were narrow enough to suffice for my hastily improvised plan. I did my best to steer Poma in the right direction. Her hooves pounded on the frosting-over ground. She shot up the hill, a howling tailwind speeding us on. I guided her between the closest pair of great trees and heard a tremendous crash just after she slipped through.
The stone giant had smashed into the trees, unable to fit between them. The massive trunks shook, the treetops whipping to and fro in the heights. But they held firm. The trees were five times as tall as the monster and as thick around, with roots that twisted deep into the soil.
There was little opportunity to relish my escape. Pomadecided she’d had enough. She threw me off with one mighty buck and fled. Kit’s wind caught me and whipped me to the ground, flat on my back.
“Ow,” I said, rather inanely. I blinked up at a sky gone white with clouds. It had begun to snow, stinging wet flakes driven near horizontal by the gale.
Something huge and gray hurtled toward me. I rolled out of the way moments before an immense stone hand smashed into the mud where I had been. I staggered to my feet and stumbled back as it groped for whatever part of me it could catch holdof.
The monster had managed to wedge a shoulder between the trees. Its long arm stretched out, the flexing fingers close enough that I saw bright flecks of quartz glittering in their tips. I shrieked and scuttled farther out of reach.
Then the hand flew away as something wrenched the monster backward, sending it tumbling down the hill.
I squinted against the blowing sleet as a huntsman poked his head out from behind the trees. I shouldn’t have been able to tell him from the others, but as he strode closer, there was no doubt in my mind it was Sam.
The knuckles of both his hands were bloodied. The whole of his right side looked like a single massive welt. He grasped my shoulders as soon as he was within reach and paused for a moment, frowning.
“Is your hair different?” he asked.
“Really not the time.”
“Right, sorry.” He shook his head as if clearing his thoughts. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine. Thrown from my horse, but that’s all. You?”
“Oh, I dismounted early on. Easier to punch things on foot.”
“I meant, are you injured?”
“I’ll live.”
