Margaret Bonham - Lachlei

Perhaps if she had been a noncombatant, Lachlei would have been horrified. But, she had seen far worse and was annoyed. She began to dismount, sliding her hand to Fyren ’s pommel as she turned her back to them.

“Careful!” demanded the first.

Lachlei leapt off, drawing Fyren in mid-leap and swinging the blade. It sliced through the first Redel ’s bow, and whirling around Lachlei slammed the blade into the second. The second Redel shot, but the arrow went wide. It slammed into her armor and buried itself into her shoulder.

Lachlei yelled in pain and rage, cutting into the Redel . The soldier staggered back as Fyren bit deep into his chest. She felt the death rattle and pulled the blade from the man as he collapsed. She turned on the first Redel , who stared at her in fear.

“By Sowelu,” the man gasped. “What are you?”

Lachlei slammed Fyren point first into the ground. Focusing on the arrow, she grasped the shaft and pulled it out, healing herself as she did. She snapped the arrow and threw it before the astonished Redel soldier. “I am Chi’lan and you will take me to Redkellan. Now!”

She pulled Fyren from the ground, wiped the blade, and sheathed it. The soldier watched, but made no move. She turned to him. “What is your name?”

“Redsil,” the Redel replied. He glanced at his dead companion. “We can’t leave him.”

“Then, pick him up,” Lachlei replied impatiently as she mounted her horse. “You do have a horse around here, don’t you?”

“Yes,” he said and hesitated.

“Get your horse and sling the body over it. If you’re worried about the blood price, I’ll pay it,” she snapped. She glanced into the sky. She could not be sure how long Ni’yah’s shield would last. “We have to go now!”

Redsil slung his comrade over his shoulder and trudged towards a thicket. She rode beside him to be certain he did not try to flee or trick her. Two horses were tied to an oak tree. Redsil slung his dead companion over one of the horses and took the reins and tied it to the saddle horn of the other horse. He mounted his horse and glared at her. “I should kill you…”

“Don’t flatter yourself. I’ve been killing arch-demons and Yeth Hounds; your sword is no threat. You try to kill me and I’ll see to it your head is on a pike,” Lachlei replied. “Lead me to Redkellan now.”

Redsil rode forward. Lachlei followed, scanning the skies for the demons. Ten thousand Redel were not enough to destroy the demon army, but they would buy her own Lochvaur and Laddel time.

A lone howl echoed across the prairie. Lachlei’s horse became antsy and tossed its head in fear. Redsil reined his horse and looked back at Lachlei. “I’ve never heard wolves in daylight.”

“Those aren’t wolves,” she said. “Unless you count the demon kind among them. They’re Yeth Hounds. Areyn must have broken Ni’yah’s power—if we don’t get to your army, you friend won’t be the only one feeding Areyn.” She pressed her steed into a gallop, not waiting for the Redel ’s response.

Lachlei glanced back to see Redsil press his horse to a gallop. A dozen white wolves materialized behind them. Release the second horse! She mindspoke to him. He needed no further urging and cut the reins to the second horse. His horse shot forward in blind panic, freed from its burden. The other horse turned, and the Yeth leapt at it, tearing it to pieces. Still, other Yeth filled in the gaps. Lachlei spurred her horse forward, hoping to avoid the demons. She heard Redsil’s scream, but did not look back. She knew the Yeth had caught the Redel soldier.

Up ahead, she could see the Redel army. Archers were already scrambling to ready themselves along the lines as she rode towards them. She hoped none of them would take aim at her. She glanced back and saw that the Yeth were rapidly closing on her. Lachlei urged her horse onward, but she knew that her warhorse was stretched to its limits.

Fire! Damn it! Fire! She shouted in mindspeak as she came into range. A volley of arrow flew overhead, and she saw some of the Yeth go down. Adamantine-tipped arrows, Lachlei realized. While their archers did not have the range of the Lochvaur longbow men, Lachlei knew that the Redel archers could be as deadly in short range.

Lachlei rode through the lines and reined her horse. The Yeth halted in dismay and turned back as a hail of arrows greeted them.

“Lachlei?” spoke a familiar voice. Lachlei turned to see a handsome Redel with gold hair and eyes approach her. His surcoat showed a golden sun on a blue background. “By Sowelu’s rays, is that you?” he asked incredulously.

“Redkellan?” Lachlei said. “Thank the gods you are here. Those were Yeth Hounds…”

Redkellan nodded. “I know. We heard that the Lochvaur were in our territory, but I didn’t expect an army, and I didn’t expect you. Where’s Fialan?”

Lachlei stared at the Redel prince. “Didn’t you hear?”

Redkellan frowned. “Hear what? There’s been rivalry among the Redel princes for the throne—I’ve been busy.”

Lachlei gazed at him for a moment before answering. How would the Redel act towards a Lochvaur queen? “Fialan is dead…”

“Dead?” Redkellan stared. “Who’s king now?”

She smiled. “I am.”

Redkellan’s eyes widened for a moment and then he laughed. “Come with me,” he said. “We must discuss this.”

“But the demons…”

“My warriors will take care of them,” he said. His gaze narrowed. “I believe we have some matters to discuss.”

Redkellan led Lachlei into his tent and they sat down in two chairs next to a table. A portable woodstove burned next to a cot, and Redkellan motioned a servant to fill two flagons with mead.

Lachlei raised her hand. “As much as I would like to drink with you, I fear I must pass,” she said.

Redkellan nodded. “You’re first-blood—I forget,” he said with a smile. “It amazes me how those with gods’ blood in them have no resistance to alcohol.”

“The first-bloods’ curse,” she remarked, and he chuckled.

Lachlei at one time might have considered Redkellan with interest. He was young—no more than fifty years old—and like his father, had achieved his position through combat, not blood. He was handsome in a rough way, with braided gold hair and golden eyes. His nose was broken and a large scar ran from cheekbone to throat. Although his father had been king, neither Redkellan nor his father had any godling blood, which made his achievement remarkable. But Lachlei did not doubt that there were first-blood challengers among the Redel princes who were causing friction.

He removed his gauntlets and Lachlei smiled as she saw the mark of Sowelu on his forearm: a many-rayed sun. “I see the sun god has chosen you as his champion,” she said.

Redkellan glanced at the mark and nodded. “The combat wasn’t easy. Some are still contesting my right.”

“Indeed,” Lachlei said. “But that doesn’t explain what you are doing on Lochvaur lands.”

Redkellan leaned back and took a draught of the honey-wine. “Darkling Plain has always been under contention between our two kindreds. My father, Redhael, gave up that right for the sake of peace with the Lochvaur , but with the current contention for the throne, it would seem that the old treaties are invalid.”

“But you’re Sowelu’s champion,” she said.

“Not all recognize me as such.”

“They didn’t argue when Redhael took the throne.”