His eyes met Eda’s panic-filled ones.
‘I can’t hold him.’ As she spoke the words, Blackmane slipped from her grasp and fell. His head clipped a rock on the way to the bottom.
Roul reached for Eda’s hand and pulled her up. She caught hold of a rock near the top and met his eyes. ‘I can get him,’ she said. ‘I’ll tie the rope to him, and you can pull him up. I can do it.’
Blackmane’s groans reached them from the bottom of the moat. He was still alive, and Roul knew they would not leave without him. While it almost killed him to do it, he let go of Eda’s hand.
‘We’re running out of arrows here,’ Tatum called over his shoulder.
Roul pressed his eyes shut. ‘I need two minutes.’ He got to his feet and watched as Eda scaled the rocks to the bottom. She trudged over to Blackmane, slipping and falling in the mud as she tried to tie the rope around him. The second it was secure, Roul began pulling him up.
Hiss.
Roul felt the fletching of an arrow brush his ear. ‘I need some cover here.’
Tatum swung his bow and took aim at the wall, but arrows continued to fall from the sky.
‘Grab hold of his foot!’ Roul called to Eda. They did not have time for two separate trips. Eda reached for Blackmane’s boot and climbed while holding on to the injured defender. Her feet slipped constantly as they tangled in her skirts.
Hiss, hiss.
Finally, Roul dragged Blackmane over the edge. He was conscious but disorientated, his hair slick with blood and mud. Roul reached for Eda, pulling her up.
‘I’m out of arrows,’ Tatum shouted.
Eda still had a bow and quiver looped over her head and shoulder. She reached back, then looked down at her hand. She only had five left.
Blackmane attempted to get to his feet. ‘Give me a sword.’
He could not even stand, let alone fight.
‘Hadewaye, I need you on a horse—now!’ Roul shouted.
The defender gave his remaining arrows to Tatum, then ran to his horse. Somehow, they managed to get Blackmane up onto the mare behind him.
‘Hold on to him,’ Roul told Hadewaye as the horse took off.
More hooves sounded on the bridge. It was time for them to go.
‘Take Eda,’ Roul said, drawing his sword.
Tatum leapt onto the remaining horse and held out his hand to her, but Eda was looking only at Roul.
‘Eda,’ Roul warned.
‘You can’t outrun horses.’
He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her over to the horse.
‘Roul, stop.’ There was panic in her voice. ‘Stop!’
‘Take her,’ Roul told Tatum, passing her to him.
The defender hauled her up behind him despite a small struggle.
‘You can’t fend off mounted soldiers with one sword while on foot,’ she pleaded.
‘You’re right.’ He gestured to the five arrows still in her hand. ‘So you better make those count on your way out.’
