Finally, she turned to me. “Ready?” When I nodded, she said, “Then let’s move.”
Kamil shot forward, while Shazeera and the other horses followed. General Isa set the pace, which was just short of neckbreaking. Every mile between us and our former camp brought thoughts of Mya and her injuries. That gaping wound had been caused by an eagle and its rider, and at any moment, they could appear.
I focused on the weak sunlight glinting off the sharp points of General Isa’s sword and the spear across her back. Memories flitted through my mind of Isa’s prowess with the blade, of teaching me the basics of archery and swordplay, and then drilling me on it nearly every day for years. She was my mother’s closest friend, and I trusted her with my life.
More importantly, I trusted her to keep Shazeera safe.
The wind whistled loudly in my ears as we galloped. There was a strange quality to it that made me strain to hear.
The screech came soon after, far in the distance, but close enough that it would only be a matter of moments before it arrived. Shazeera’s fear flooded her system, transferring to me through our bond. My own panic stole the breath from my lungs.
“One?” I asked as Shazeera and the other horses listened hard. An eagle screeched before it arrived to flush out prey—to catch the prey’s frantic movement with its sharp eyes. Even surroundedby armed guards, I knew the odds of us coming through a battle with a giant eagle would almost certainly result in casualties.
Only one so far,Shazeera said, and Kamil snorted her agreement.
“I want you to run,” General Isa said, her gaze never leaving the skies, though the steel-gray clouds made it impossible to see. She held a long spear with a wicked blade at the ready. The other five warriors had drawn their spears, too.
“I can help,” I said, but the expression she gave me was cut from ice.
“Your duty as First Daughter is to live. Ours is to fight. You will run for the trees and leave the battle to us.”
Shazeera didn’t need further convincing. She sprang forward powerfully, headed east for the cover of trees.
We’d made it only a couple of lengths when a war cry split the quiet of the plains. I looked back to see Kamil holding her ground as an enormous eagle bore down on them from above. The other warriors flanked General Isa, expressions grim.
Should we turn back?I asked Shazeera, my jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
And risk your life? There is a time to stand and fight, and there is a time to run. Right now, we run,she said, continuing her ground-eating strides.
Our horses were not only faster on land than any other animal on the continent, they also had the most endurance. Across the sea, there were horses that were incapable of communication and bonding who could only gallop for a mile or two before becoming fatigued. Ours came from the very first horses created by the Earth Mother herself; along with their superior intelligence, they could run flat out for at least five miles. But even they had their limits.
Before us, the landscape changed, the relatively flat ground becoming hillier until finally dipping down into a valley. When I turned to look back, I couldn’t see any of the others in the distance. Fear rose up and sank its teeth into me.
We had escaped the battle General Isa and the others were still engaged in, but it did nothing to comfort me. The tree line was still miles away, and we had very little experience with battle.
Part of our training with General Isa involved watching our warriors face down Eagle Riders, but that was from so far a vantage point that we could barely make out the giant birds in the sky—much less the smaller horses and riders. Because I was First Daughter and without offensive abilities that would be more beneficial on the battlefield, Ama and General Isa felt the risk was too great to have me any closer.
You should reserve your strength,I told Shazeera.
Not until we reach the cover of trees.
Then we heard the second screech. It came from directly above us, loud enough to turn my blood to ice.
My eyes scanned the sky desperately. Though the eagles were enormous, they could fly high, even hiding amongst the clouds. The sky was an impenetrable wall of gray, making it impossible to know if an enemy flew above us.
I pulled my bow from across my back and into my hands. Retrieving an arrow, I nocked it, my muscles tight.
It happened too fast.
One moment, there was nothing but clouds, and the next, a gigantic golden eagle was descending from on high toward us at rapid speed.
Our only hope was to make it to the tree line, but it was still at least a mile away. My legs gripped Shazeera tightly as I leanedover her neck. Her hooves thundered through my body as tall grass streaked past us.
Another piercing cry, loud enough to make my ears ring. Its wings joined the pounding sound of Shazeera’s hoofbeats.Thump, thump, thump.
I turned to look, raising my bow and preparing to aim, but fear wrenched hold of my heart. A man crouched low over the eagle, grasping a long spear. I blinked once, hoping he would disappear into the clouds, begging for this to be an illusion. But he remained.
The truth was illuminated in the weak rays of the sun penetrating the clouds. This wasn’t just a wild eagle—that would be bad enough. This was an eagle and its rider. A Zephyrian.
