Shadow of a Dark Queen (59 page)

In the hollow of the square, de Loungville, Greylock, and three other men formed a flying company,
ready to plug any breech. De Loungville stepped forward and quickly killed the man on top of Roo, yanking him off and shouting, “Get back in line, Avery! You trying to avoid work?”

Roo rolled to his feet and shook off his dizziness, then half ran, half jumped back into place beside Erik. The battle hung close, with neither side taking the advantage, and Erik wondered how long he could keep this up, as weak from hunger as he was.

Then a shout, quickly followed by another, and men at the rear of the forward portion of the square saw attackers falling, struck from behind by arrows. Calis stood down the trail, quickly taking bead and letting fly, and before they knew someone was behind them, four attackers had fallen.

With the small pause on that one front, de Loungville shouted, “Charge them!” and led his five companions toward the strongest section of the attack.

The attackers were expecting anything but a counterattack, which threw them off balance. Seconds later, they were running for their lives.

Erik chased two men down a narrow pathway, overtaking one and striking him down from behind. The other swung to face him, raising his sword high, and Erik sought to take him with a quick thrust.

The man anticipated this, and Erik's head rang with the shock of a shield bash to the face. Red lights exploded in his vision and he staggered back, raising his shield in reflex.

Hours of training saved his life as an instant later a sword blow rang on the shield. Erik swung blindly, and felt his own sword strike his opponent's shield. His vision cleared in time to avoid another strike and
the two men backed away a step, acknowledging that, in the other, each faced a dangerous opponent.

From somewhere behind, Erik heard de Loungville's voice cut through the woods: “I want a prisoner!”

Erik tried to shout, and found his mouth didn't work. He spat and felt a tooth wiggle. He tasted blood and felt his right eye burning as it began to blur with the blood running into it.

Gathering his wits, he shouted, “Over here!”

The man facing him, a large weatherbeaten figure of middle years, stood hesitating for a moment, then took another step backwards. “Over here!” Erik shouted again as he attacked the man, rushing him. The man stood to take the attack, but rather than strike an overhand blow, Erik ducked, threw his shoulder behind his shield, and bashed the man, hoping to knock him down.

The man staggered backwards, and Erik drew back his blade, then danced backwards as the other swordsman lashed out. Erik again yelled, “Over here,” and circled to his right, attempting to cut off any avenue of escape.

The man tensed and Erik made ready to counter a blow, when suddenly the man let his sword fall from his hand. He quickly tossed down his shield and took off his helm, which he also threw to the ground.

Erik glanced behind and saw Calis drawing a bead on the man. Erik breathed hard. “Took you long enough.”

Calis looked at Erik and smiled slightly. “It just seemed like a long time.”

Once the man had surrendered, he was affable enough. His name was Dawar, and he was originally
from the city of Hamsa, but for the last seven years a member of a company called Nahoot's Grand Company.

Calis, de Loungville, and Greylock interviewed the man while Nakor and Sho Pi tended the wounded. Erik's wounds were superficial: a small cut to the forehead, a cut lip, some loose teeth, and lots of bruises. Sho Pi gave him some herbs to take and told him to sit with his hands over his face doing reiki for at least a half hour, and he might keep those teeth.

He sat on a rock with his hands over his face, elbows on knees, while others around him groaned in pain, those able to do reiki on their own wounds or being cared for by others.

Seventeen men had died in the battle; of the enemy, twenty-four. When Calis had struck from their rear, they had assumed another company was coming and it had broken them, otherwise it would have been worse.

Dawar said that a hundred men had lain in wait. Having spotted Calis passing the day before, a scout of Nahoot's had backtracked, seen the company coming down the trail above, and had returned in time for their captain to organize the ambush.

“Nothing personal,” said Dawar. “It was orders. We got this trail and we was told to kill anyone comes this way. It's that simple.”

“Who gave you the orders?” Erik heard Calis ask.

“Someone high up in the Queen's command. Maybe Fadawah himself. I don't know. Nahoot's not about to go around explaining everything, you see. He just tells us what to do and we do it.”

Calis said, “So they're keeping their flanks covered.”

“I guess. Things are pretty crazy and everyone's running around like chickens in a thunderstorm. We don't even know who's coming to relieve us.”

“When are they due to relieve you?” said de Loungville.

Erik felt the heat from his hands healing him, otherwise he would loved to have removed them to see what was happening.

“Don't really know,” said Dawar. “A couple more days, maybe a week. We've been out here almost a month, and it's just about got the captain chewing his saddle.”

Calis said, “Take him over there.”

Erik heard Dawar say, “Captain, I'm wondering. Are you giving me a day, or are you going to offer me service?”

“Why?” asked Calis.

“Well, we're a hell of a long way from anywhere, that's all. My horse is down at the end of this trail, along with all my personals, and it's cold, as you may have noticed. I'd just as soon not be running from your men come sundown tomorrow.”

Calis said, “Can we trust this one?”

It was Praji's voice Erik heard next. “As much as you can trust any of these mother-lovers. I know Nahoot by reputation. He's not one of the worst, but he's certainly far from one of the best.”

“You'd fight against your own companions?”

“Much as any of you would. Rules of war. I've been given no bonus to die for lost causes.” His voice dropped to a near mutter. “Hell, Captain, none of us have been paid in more than a month, and we're far from looting anything, unless it's nuts from squirrels.”

There was a moment of silence before Calis said, “Guide us to where your former company is, and we'll give you your horse and turn you loose. No one will follow you as long as you head for Palamds.”

“Sounds more than fair, Captain.”

Erik heard the man being led away, then he heard de Loungville's voice, low but carrying. “Are you mad? There's still something like seventy or so swords down there.”

“But they won't know we're coming at them,” said Calis.

“Advantage of surprise?” said de Loungville, his tone one of disbelief.

“It's the only advantage we've got, Bobby,” replied Calis. “We're out on our feet. We need rest and food. There's food down there, and horses. If we can take that company, we might even be able to get back to Maharta without interference.”

“What are you thinking?” asked Greylock.

Calis said, “If things are as confused on this flank as he says, whoever comes to replace this Nahoot might not have any idea what he looks like. If we're waiting for them, in the agreed-upon place, wearing those green armbands . . .”

De Loungville groaned, and Erik was glad his hands covered his face, to hide the grimace he made.

Erik waited. Ahead, Calis, Sho Pi, Luis, and Jadow crept along, looking for the sentries they knew must be there. Calis held up his hand, motioned to his right, then handed his bow to Jadow. He tapped Sho Pi on the shoulder and pulled his dagger from his belt. Sho Pi laid his sword and shield on the ground, pulling his own knife. Luis had his out and Calis
motioned for him to circle to the left. Calis pointed to Jadow, indicating he was to wait.

The three men, Calis and Sho Pi to the right, Luis to the left, circled out of sight into the evening gloom.

Three moons were out, the middle moon high in the sky, and the large and small moons rising. Erik knew it was only going to get brighter as the night progressed, so that the time right now offered their best cover.

A sudden sound of movement, then a low grunt cut through the night, and then silence. Erik waited for any sound of alarm, but none was forthcoming.

Then Calis was back, retrieving his bow and gesturing to the others to follow. Erik motioned to the line of men behind him and moved as silently as possible down the trail.

A few yards beyond where Calis and the others had stopped he found the dead guard, eyes staring vacantly skyward. He gave the man a quick glance, then got his mind back to the matters at hand.

His nose still hurt, but it was only a dull throb, and his lips were now puffy. His teeth wiggled when he touched them with his tongue, so he tried not to, but found himself constantly probing the loosened teeth. They had rested less than an hour, then Calis had abandoned the dead and left the wounded behind, and had ordered Dawar to show him where his former company's camp lay. Two of the walking wounded now guarded him back up the trail until after the coming fight.

Ahead they saw lights, and Erik wondered how many men there were to be so confident just hours after fleeing a battle. Then he could see movement
and realized that they were anxious down there, for at least ten men stood watch around the camp.

But what astonished Erik the most was that no defenses had been erected. There were twenty four-man tents haphazardly scattered around the area, with a large bonfire in the center. The sound of horses carried through the night, and Erik judged a large picket line was situated somewhere on the other side of the camp.

Erik watched Calis, who signaled for him to approach. Erik moved to Calis's side, and the Captain whispered, “I want you to lead the first ten men behind you through the trees over there.” He pointed to his right. “Circle around and get ready to hit them from the side.

“They're wary now, but after a few hours of nothing happening, they're going to relax. They may think we're running the other way or not coming down until morning.” He glanced at the sky. “It's about four hours until midnight. Once you're in place, be alert but relax. I'm not going to hit them until most of them are asleep.”

De Loungville said, “When you hear anything, come running hard. Hit them as fast as you can and numbers won't mean much. They'll be so confused they won't know what's out here in the dark, but only if you act at once.”

Erik nodded, and moved back in line. He tapped the next ten men on the shoulder, starting with Roo, and motioned for them to follow him. Natombi, the former Keshian Legionary, grinned as they moved into the woods.

Erik was as quiet as he could be, but he was certain at any minute the alarm would sound. When he
was approximately one-third of the way around the camp, he halted the men. A couple of sentries stood opposite their position, barely visible through the trees, but obviously more interested in talking to each other than in maintaining vigilance. Erik hoped Calis was right.

He motioned for the men to sit, indicating they should rest. He signaled Roo to take the first watch. Erik sat down and put his hands back over his face. He felt the warmth return to his hands and was glad he had been taught this healing. He decided he would hate to lose those teeth.

At the appointed time, Calis shouted and launched his attack. The camp was slow to come around, as most of the men were asleep.

As they moved to repel the assault from one front, Erik and his ten men raced into their flank.

Erik was on a man coming from a tent before he had his pants on. The man died before he could pull a sword. Another was down before he could turn, then suddenly one faced him, astonishment on his face. He shouted, “They're behind us!”

Erik bashed as hard as he could with his sword and the man went down screaming. Natombi shouted some Keshian war cry, and Biggo let out a bellow to freeze the blood.

Men were scrambling from their low tents and Erik knocked several unconscious with the flat of his blade before they could gather their wits.

Then before he knew it, men were throwing helms, shields, and swords to the ground. De Loungville hurried along, commanding the prisoners be taken to the fire. Half-dressed, dazed, and dispirited,
several of them swore openly when they saw how few attackers had routed them.

Erik glanced around, still suspecting treachery, but found only defeated men looking around in amazement. Of Calis's forty-three men, only thirty-seven had been fit for this fight, and they had almost bloodlessly captured nearly two times their own number.

Suddenly Erik felt like laughing. He tried to fight it, but couldn't. He let out a chuckle at first, then started laughing aloud. Then others in his company joined in, and soon there were cheers as Calis's Crimson Eagles had their first victory in a long time.

Calis moved through and said, “Get Nahoot over here.”

A man among the captives said, “He's dead. You killed him up the trail yesterday.”

“Why didn't Dawar tell us?” asked de Loungville.

“He didn't know, the bleeder. We carried Nahoot down here, and he died at supper. Gut wound. Messy.”

“Who's leading?”

“I guess I am,” said a man, stepping forward. “Name's Kelka.”

“You the sergeant?” asked de Loungville.

“No, the corporal. Sergeant got his head split, too.”

De Loungville said, “Well, that partially explains why there was nothing like a defense.”

“Beggin' your pardon, Captain,” said Kelka. “Are you going to offer us service?”

“Why?” asked Calis.

“Well, we haven't been paid in a while, and as we've got no captain and no sergeant . . . Hell,
Captain, you kicked hell out of us with only half our number. I figure you've got to be better than anyone else we're likely to run into if you give us the day's grace.”