Sharon Shinn - Reader And Raelynx

“Torrin!” Ellynor exclaimed.

“It was careless,” Senneth agreed. “And, although the entire experience was dreadful, I’d go through it again just to see Halchon Gisseltess slaughtered before my eyes.”

Justin charged up and swept her into a hug that took her off her feet. “Someday I’ll describe to you the look on Tayse’s face when Cammon came running up to tell us that you’d been taken,” he said before setting her back down. “It was clear at that point that Halchon would die at the end of Tayse’s sword. But, Bright Mother burn me, I never want to be that afraid again. And all Cammon knew was that the marlord had grabbed you. He completely lost touch with you after that-and apparently he couldn’t read Halchon Gisseltess at all.”

“Then how did you find me?”

Justin nodded toward the Lirren men. “They tracked you. Never saw anyone able to move through the landscape like that, just reading every print and broken bit of bark. They helped sneak us into camp this morning, too. I thought Ellynor was good, but-”

Hayden looked scornful. “Women have their skills, but they are insignificant in battle.”

Justin laughed outright. “I might not be saying that in front of Senneth. Or even your sister.”

Torrin gave Senneth a sideways look. “But Senneth was captured,” he said, clearly intending to provoke her. “How good can her skills be?”

“How did it happen?” Ellynor asked.

“A man wearing Brassenthwaite colors came riding up to tell me Kirra had been injured,” she said and shrugged. “He described the arrow through the lionness’s body. I believed it, and I followed him. But when I got to the place where she was supposed to have fallen, Gisseltess men were there instead.”

“I might have been tricked, too,” Justin admitted.

Tayse joined them at that moment, putting his arms around Senneth from behind. “Nothing here left to do,” he said. “Are we ready to move on?”

She leaned against him, knowing it was a weakness to need his strength, but nonetheless reveling in his presence, his touch, his mere existence. She had not even dared to hope he would be able to find her. All because of Cammon-and Ellynor-and the Riders-and the Lirren men. So many had come together to save her. She felt a moment’s regret. “All these swords were subtracted from the fight because you came after me,” she said. “I hope that loss does not weigh heavily against Amalie’s forces.”

“We brought down as many enemies here as we would have in a day’s pitched battle,” Torrin said with a shrug.

“And Halchon Gisseltess is dead,” Justin added. “I’d count it a good day’s work.”

“But more work ahead of us to do,” Tayse said. “Let’s ride out.”

CAMMONknew the exact instant Senneth broke free of Halchon for the second time. He had felt her first brief, thwarted bid for escape, and so at least he knew she was still alive-until suddenly magic shut her down again, and he could not sense her at all. Therefore, he was so elated he was almost giddy when Tayse’s surge of profound relief woke him early that morning. Tayse had seen Senneth, and she was whole.

A few minutes later, Senneth herself burst back into Cammon’s consciousness, blazing with fury. The swift, brutal fight twenty miles away was clearer to him than the one that had unfolded on the nearer battlefield yesterday afternoon, since he experienced it from Senneth’s point of view, as well as Tayse’s and Justin’s.

He turned to Amalie, who was just sitting up in bed, willing herself to face another day of bloodshed. “Halchon Gisseltess is dead,” he said.

Her eyes widened. “And Senneth?”

“Alive and safe, if a little bruised.”

She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth. “I have to go tell my uncle Romar!”

Indeed, the news flew around the camp within the hour, and more than one individual sought Cammon out for confirmation.

“Halchon Gisseltess is dead?” Kiernan Brassenthwaite demanded. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

“What of my sister?”

Cammon thought it was interesting that Kiernan had asked first after the marlord. “Weary but unharmed.”

“This changes the very essence of the war,” he said, and disappeared.

Indeed, it was a day when their fortunes seemed to shift altogether. By noon, the forces from Nocklyn and Rappengrass had arrived and flung their fresh bodies into the mix. The rebel armies were actually pushed backward for the first time since battle had been joined. Cammon could feel Romar Brendyn’s fierce triumph-indeed, every soldier in the camp exuded a sense of rising optimism. They were all awash with hope.

It was harder to hold on to that hope when the day was spent among the wounded and dying soldiers. With Ellynor gone, healers were in short supply, and Amalie had gone straight to the hospital tents after she had told her uncle the good news. Despite the fact that she had only the most rudimentary powers of healing, her presence had a powerful effect on the hurt soldiers. Cammon could feel them struggling to mend themselves even faster just so they could risk their lives for her again.

“If no more soldiers would fall, I do believe we might be able to save those who have been hurt so far,” Kirra said around noon that day, as she and Amalie and Cammon took a break to eat. “But, gods! This is hard work.”

They were sitting outside a tent on three rather uncomfortable stools. Cammon glanced up to watch the progress of a hawk circling overhead and angling downward. “Donnal has news,” he said.

Kirra gave him a glance of irritation. “It’s annoying that you can tell it’s Donnal even before I can.”

More practically, Amalie said, “Good news or bad?”

Donnal landed a few feet away and shifted into his human shape so quickly they could not follow the changes. “Good, I think.”

“Then this day continues to be the best one we’ve had so far,” Amalie replied.

Donnal came closer, bowed to Amalie, and grinned at them all. “The regent asked me to go to Tilt and check on the progress of the Arberharst reinforcements,” he said. “He wanted to know how close they were and if I could get a more accurate count.”

“And?” Kirra demanded.

Donnal shook his head. “And they’re gone.”

“Gone!” the three of them cried in unison. Kirra added, “What do you mean, gone? Back on their ships? Eaten by wild animals? What?”

“Intercepted by Danalustrous forces and harried back toward the sea.”

They all exclaimed at that, Kirra most vociferously demanding the rest of the story. Donnal dropped to the ground beside her and told his tale.

“I heard the sounds of battle before I was close enough to see anything. Eventually it was visible from the air-the soldiers of Danalustrous fighting the soldiers of Arberharst. I couldn’t count precise numbers, but it was clear there were far more Danalustrous men. The fight was almost over by the time I got there. Looked like maybe six hundred foreigners broke and ran, heading north to where I’d guess their ships are anchored. Half of the Danalustrous army pursued them.”

“This is wonderful news!” Amalie exclaimed. “But-so unexpected! Didn’t your father say he wouldn’t risk Danalustrous in this war?”

Kirra nodded. “Did you ask anyone for an explanation?” she said to Donnal.

“Not in so many words,” he replied, grinning again. “I did take human shape and introduce myself to the captain as an emissary for the princess. I didn’t recognize him, but he seemed to know my name, for he was very civil.”

“Every Danalustrous man is civil,” Kirra said automatically. “What did he say?”