David Gemmell - The Swords of Night and Day

His mouth was dry. He glanced at Askari, who was resting on one knee, an arrow notched to the composite bow. Then his gaze was drawn to the dead Jiamads. In death they looked just as terrifying as in life. Long fangs, wicked talons and dark fur. He shivered. There had been fourteen left, Askari had said, after she had killed the one on the cliff face. Another two were dead here. Oh good, he thought.

Only twelve left.

The moonlight faded. Askari put down her bow and lit the old lantern. A dim golden light filled the cave. Replacing it on the rock shelf she stretched her arms over her head and took a deep breath.

‘It will be dawn soon,’ she said.

‘Perhaps they’ll go away.’

She turned to stare at him, then gave a wide grin. ‘Always jesting, Stavi. I like that about you.’

He was not jesting, but decided to accept the compliment.

Then came a scraping noise from the rear of the cave. He swung to stare at the jumbled rocks and boulders. A small pebble was dislodged and tumbled to the cave floor. ‘What is going on?’ he asked

‘I’d say they have found a blocked tunnel and are trying to clear it.’

‘They can’t, though, can they?’

Askari shrugged. ‘How would I know?’ Bow in hand she ran to the rear of the cave and pressed her ear to the rocks. Then she came back to Stavut. ‘I can hear them tearing at the rock. I don’t think they are far away.’

‘Better and better,’ said Stavut.

‘Can you shoot a bow?’ she asked.

‘Why? How many bows do we have?’

She stepped in close and lowered her voice. ‘We have only one. Our only escape is up there, through the opening, and out onto the cliff face. I need to know if there are more of them still out there. I can’t climb and hold the bow ready to shoot.’

‘I always hate disappointing women,’ said Stavut, ‘but I’d be just as likely to shoot you.

Marksmanship was never my strong point.’

‘What is?’ she snapped, turning away from him.

‘Mending kettles,’ he said softly. Another small stone dislodged itself from the rocks at the rear of the cave and clattered to the floor. Stavut took a deep breath, then walked to the far wall, beneath the opening some fifteen feet above him. The wall was jagged, with jutting sections that made for easy climbing. Something cold settled inside Stavut. His mind cleared. There were twelve beasts left. Most would be needed to clear the boulders from the rear of the cave. How many would be waiting at the other two exits, the narrow tunnel and this high window? Probably only one at each of them. All he needed to do was to climb out, grab the beast and lever himself from the rock face, dragging the Jiamad to its death. That would clear the way for Askari to escape. And without the burden of protecting him she would possibly survive. He began to climb. Askari ran to him, grabbing his arm and hauling him back.

‘What are you doing?’ she said, her dark eyes showing her concern. He told her his plan, and she stood, looking into his eyes. Then she gave a soft smile and stroked his cheek.

‘No, Stavi. We fight for life as long as we can.’

He sighed, then took a deep breath. ‘Very well. When I reach the opening I want you to throw the spear up to me.’

‘You can’t fight with a spear up there.’

‘I don’t intend to fight with it. Now do as I ask.’ Returning to the wall he picked up the spear, and polished the blade with the hem of his shirt. He passed the weapon to the bemused Askari and climbed swiftly until his head was level with the bottom of the opening. Cool air was blowing in from the outside.

Clinging to the rock with one hand, he half turned. Askari flipped the spear up through the air. Stavut caught the haft, then levered himself higher. The opening widened towards the outside, becoming some six feet tall and five feet long. It would make no sense for a Jiamad to be above or below the opening.

From above it would not be able to reach out and grab someone who was swift enough to clamber out and begin a fast descent. And from below it could be dislodged by someone appearing above it. No, the beast — or beasts — would be either left or right of the opening. Or both, he realized glumly.

Leaning in to the rock face, Stavut allowed the spear haft to slide through his fingers until the curved iron head was just below his hand. As silently as he could, he eased the spear into the opening, his keen eyes fixed to the polished head, using it as a mirror. Inching the spear forward he saw the stars reflected on the blade. Tilting the weapon slightly he could just make out the sheer cliff wall to the left of the opening. There was no beast there. He had to withdraw the weapon in order to climb across to the right and repeat the maneouvre. Slowly he slid the spear along the length of the opening.

A massive, taloned hand swept down, grabbing the spear. Stavut jerked and almost lost his hold on the rock. The Jiamad hauled itself into the opening with incredible speed. Stavut saw long yellow fangs and a gaping maw hurtling towards his face. He froze.

An arrow slammed into the beast’s open mouth, driving through the soft palate. It reared up in shock, its head crashing into the rock above it. Another arrow punctured its throat, and it sagged down, its face mere inches from Stavut’s own. He found himself staring into golden eyes. The creature was blinking fast.

Blood gushed from its mouth. Then the eyes closed. The body all but filled the opening. Reaching up, Stavut tried to pull it clear, but it was too heavy. Askari, her bow looped over her shoulder, came up alongside him, and together they hauled the body out. It thumped to the floor below. At the rear of the cave a larger rock came tumbling clear.

‘They are almost through,’ said Askari, levering herself into the opening, and pulling Stavut up beside her. ‘Come on!’

She moved towards the lip of the opening. Stavut followed her and gazed down. The sheer cliff wall fell away for about two hundred feet. Stavut shrank back, nausea almost overwhelming him. He pushed his back against the wall and sat, eyes closed.

‘Come on, Stavi!’

‘Can’t do it,’ he whispered.

‘We’ll die here if we don’t!’

‘I’m sorry. You go. Go on.’

‘You can do it!’

He opened his eyes and sighed. ‘No, Askari, I cannot. My legs are trembling and I can’t move them.

Go! Please just go.’

‘If all else fails I will do exactly that,’ she said, easing back past him and into the cave once more. With easy grace she climbed across to the shelf of rock where Stavut had rested earlier. Here she removed her quiver of arrows, laying them down alongside her. Then she lifted her bow clear and notched a shaft to the string.

‘You can’t take them all,’ he said.

‘Why not?’

‘Please don’t die because of me!’ he begged.

The rear wall suddenly sagged and fell. Dust filled the air. Two Jiamads came running into the cave.

Askari shot the first through the skull. The second staggered back, a shaft in its shoulder. Then eight more swarmed forward. Stavut, realizing that Askari would not leave if he still lived, grabbed the spear, hauled it out, then leapt down into the cave.

Two huge Jiamads charged him. He stabbed the spear at the first, who brushed it away. Then he was flung against the cave wall, striking his head.

Merciful darkness followed.

Emerging from the cave, Skilgannon went first to the body of the dead Jiamad at the base of the cliff.

Judging from the angle of entry, the shafts had been fired from directly above. He glanced up, and, in the pre-dawn light, could just make out the narrow line of a ledge. ‘That is where we have to go,’ he told Harad. The black-bearded logger stared up, his expression doubtful.