There was a moment’s loaded silence and then Tor grunted heavily. “Fine. but—”
She shook her head against his chest. “No buts. I can do this.”
His grip tightened on her, and he pressed a kiss onto the top of her head. After a long moment, he whispered in a rough voice, “You’re right.”
Bard. His quiet confidence in her settled into her heart. They could do this. Escape, and everything that came after.
“I have a flint,” Daena offered from beside them. A soft rustling suggested that she was looking in her satchel.
Tor moved away, and a minute later whispered, “I have an old pine branch here.” He grunted, and there were a series of muffled scrapes before he added, “I’ve managed to split it and force in a pinecone and some needles. That should do.”
“Here’s the flint,” Daena murmured.
Tor struck the flint with a shower of sparks. And then a second time. On the third, one of the tiny glowing sparks settled on the bunch of pine needles and they quickly caught. More needles caught and then the pinecone itself. Soon they had a small torch, and for the first time since they’d left Daena’s tent, they could see each other clearly.
But if they could see each other, so could the sentries.
Tor jammed the torch into the branch of the nearest tree and then turned to Keely. “Ready?”
She shrugged and pulled the stolen crossbow off her shoulder. She was as ready as she was going to get.
Chapter Twenty
Tor tookthe lead as they made their way. Hands outstretched, feeling for low branches, and trying not to wince at their horrendously loud footsteps as they hid themselves among the trees.
Less than a minute passed before he heard the first whistle from within the gully. The guards had seen their fire.
They froze as, seconds later, a Mabin landed heavily in the woods nearby. They heard him rustling around, cursing, and then saw the light flickering among the trees as if the torch they’d left was being held up, the guard spinning slowly as he searched the darkness.
The guard’s soft footsteps receded slightly and Tor lifted his sword, ready. Keely stepped out from beside the tree. There was a creak as she pulled back the crossbow string, took aim, sighted, and then with a soft thwap, released the bolt.
The Mabin guard lurched forward with a rough gargle. She had taken him at the back of his neck, a perfect shot. The guard stumbled, clutching at his throat, and then fell on top of the torch, plunging them all into darkness.
Keely loaded another bolt and they waited for long moments while nothing happened.
“Keely?” he whispered, stepping up beside her. Gods. She had just killed a man. “Are you okay?”
“I….” She swallowed heavily. “Yes. I think so.”
He ran his hand down her hair, feeling the slight tremble in her frame. Wishing he could have protected her better. “I—” His words cut off as the first tickle scratched across his throat. Smoke.
He spun away, jogging to where the guard had fallen and rolled him over. The former Wraith had fallen onto the torch, which had lit the carpet of pine needles beneath him.
Tor stamped and kicked at the sparks, and in seconds Keely was beside him, soon followed by Daena, as they worked to put out the fire. He was about to let out a breath of relief when Keely grabbed his arm and pointed behind him. Then he heard the first crackle. The soft snapping. Gods. Sparks had leaped into a fallen pine log and the sap had caught—a thick oily smoke was already forming.
Pine sap could burn for hours, viciously hot and sending flames to all the nearby trees. Fighting it would mean running back to the lake and trying to fetch enough water before the fire spread. But what would they carry the water in? And, even if they could carry the water, they would be instant targets for Andred’s men.
Keely’s hand still rested on his arm, and he held it there, needing the contact while he frantically considered their options.
They couldn’t fight the fire. Running was their best choice… but which way? Run down, back to the lake and the lightning storm; caught between the fire and the camp? Or run up, toward the Hawks and freedom, but have to pass the remaining guards.
The branch popped ominously as a flame licked its way higher, brightening the small glade. The autumn woods were an inferno waiting to happen. They had to make a decision.
Keely met his eyes in the dim red glow, her face pale and drawn as another vicious arc of blue lightning lit up the sky. And that decided him. Even if they made it across the lake and found some kind of beach, all in the middle of a lightning storm, she would be exhausted, wet, and very cold. Without food or any way to contact their friends. How long until she became seriously unwell, with no way back, and no way to help her? Not forgetting that they would have abandoned their people to Andred and his plans.
“I think we should run up,” he said softly. “What do you think?”
“Agreed,” Keely replied. “We don’t know which way to go on the lake and we need to get back to the Hawks.”
