I am pretty amazing, aren’t I?
You are.I laughed inwardly at Auwei’s mock immodesty.
We chatted, comparing our powers as we made our way back down the hill and into the forest. Apparently, he also had exceptional night vision. While I had to trust to my spider-sense in the dark.
And perhaps it was because it was dark and I was already concentrating on my spider sense that I sensed… more. I stopped us both with an outstretched arm and a quick, quiet, “Hush.”
He looked at me inquiring as my hairs prickled and listened. There were people around… many people… creeping through the forest. It took me a moment longer to sense the number and direction. A force of perhaps five hundred, moving west to east through the forest.
I pulled Alvere close, hot breath on his ear in the barest of whispers. “It’s an Elistan raid on your camp!”
I felt his body tense.
Neither of us had brought weapons.
We were trapped, behind the enemy, with no way to warn the Vauphan of the impending raid.
Chapter 22
We hid in some brush,huddled together as the night grew chill. The force in the woods was moving slowly and hadn’t turned south toward the camp yet. I was confused by this, until I thought of something. I whispered my suspicions to Alvere, so close my lips brushed his ear as I breathed the words. “I think they’re trying to get behind the camp.”
He made a face. My night-sight wasn’t as good as his, but I could still see him by the faint, few speckles of moonlight filtering down through the branches above. Shifting, he breathed in my ear and the hot breath and soft voice made me shiver just a little… even if it wasn’t sweet-nothings he was whispering.
“Why? Five hundred men could do some damage if they surprised us, but… where will they retreat to when finished?”
I couldn’t answer. But they must have some plan.
Luckily, if this troop passed us by, we’d be able to run back to camp and warn them, hopefully before the attack occurred.
So, as soon as I sensed that the five hundred were far enough away that it would be safe to move, we rose and began our dash for the edge of the woods.
But we only made it a few feet.
Once again, I stopped Alvere and we ducked into bushes. “More!” I whispered. Another group, was coming from the west, sneaking through the woods. This time we spotted the shadows moving among the trees.
“How many?” Alvere whispered to me.
“Another five hundred is my guess,” I breathed in return.
But these troops found spots to hide and hunkered down.
“An attack from all sides?” Alvere whispered to me.
I nodded, it seemed likely. We needed to warn the Vauphani camp.
You could float like you did to get into the Elistan camp,Auwei suggested.
Yeah, if the breeze is right.I sighed. It might be our only option. The trouble was, I wouldn’t be able to bring Alvere with me, he’d be stuck here, alone, with enemies virtually all around him.
I didn’t want to leave him, but someone had to warn the Vauphani. I put my lips to his ear once more, to fill him in. “If I get high enough in one of these trees, I can float on spider silk and probably fly over this group to warn your men, but… you can’t come.” I felt his hesitation. He wanted to turn his head and speak, but I continued. “You need to flee, go back to that tree or find some Fey, get to safety. I’ll warn the camp.”
I felt his jaw tense.
He drew in several deep breaths, before finally nodding. Turning to me, he whispered, “Good luck, my love.” Then kissed my cheek.
“And to you, my love,” I whispered. Then with a final kiss, we parted. He rose and padded away as silent as the night, back up the hill.
I veered to spider form and scampered up a tree to the very top. I did as I’d done before, weaving a sail of spider-silk and catching a breeze.
