“Incoming soldiers,” Fet warned from his position by the door. “Four. Wait, four and a rider.”
Having collected extra bridles, Jasher and Farfalee sat astride their horse.
“Go,” Aram urged. “I’ll claim the inbound horse.”
Nia climbed onto the third horse. Jasher and Farfalee led the way to the far end of the stable. Aram, Fet, and Thag crouched into position at either side of the stable door. As he rode down the central aisle of the stable, Jason noticed that not all of the stalls had dead horses inside. Some had been empty. He idly wondered whether the soldiers had saved their own horses, sending them off into the night to be collected later.
As Jason reached the door at the far end of the stable, soldiers came through the door near Aram. “We have a problem!” the lead soldier cried, hustling into the stable, trailed closely by the other three. “Fugitives fleeing on horseback!”
Fixated on the fleeing horses and the bodies in the aisle, the new arrivals did not see the danger lurking at either side of the door. Aram, Fet, and Thag attacked from behind, dropping all four effortlessly. Just before Jason lost his view into the stable, he saw Aram heading out the door, presumably to find the man on horseback.
The gate to the large corral hung open. They trotted over to it. Del stayed with them on foot, sword in hand, eyes roving the night. Jasher leaned down, studying the ground beyond the gate with a glowing strand of seaweed in hand. Behind them, from a distance, Jason heard the clamor of weapons and the shouts of many voices. Dockside flames rose above the rooftops.
Thag and Fet came running from the stable. Del climbed up to ride double with Nia. Aram rode around the side of the stable, looking too large for his newly captured horse even though it was the biggest of the four.
“They messed up,” Jason told Corinne. “They were trying to make sure we didn’t have any horses, but they left just enough for us to keep moving. Nobody will be chasing us on horseback. Not from here.”
She nodded. He noticed that her hands were trembling. It took him a moment to realize that the shock of her combat with the lurker must still be setting in. She had been so brave.
“You sure you’re okay?” Jason checked.
“I’ll be fine,” she replied. Her voice didn’t sound very convincing. “The swordplay wasn’t too hard. The mental side of it was . . . very taxing.”
“Thag and Fet,” Jasher instructed, “follow us on foot. Hopefully, we’ll find enough mounts for all of us.” The seedman picked a direction, and they took off at a canter, forcing Jason to drop his conversation with Corinne. He enjoyed the wind in his face and the feel of Corinne’s arms around him. A guilty part of him hoped it would be some time before they found more horses.
They did not encounter any of the scattered horses quickly. The noise of battle receded. Behind them the town was silhouetted against raging sheets of flame. Beyond the blaze, too many ships crowded the modest port, red highlights reflecting off sails. Jason felt bad for any innocents who would have to rebuild their homes or businesses.
Jasher repeatedly leaned down to check the ground. Three times he dismounted to study the tracks more closely. Once they doubled back a short distance, having lost the trail.
Eventually they found seven horses grazing together. Apparently, the terror of the torivor had left the horses, because they did not shy away as the group approached.
Aram claimed the largest, transferring his saddle. With some rearranging, they soon each had a mount. Jasher, Farfalee, and Del were prepared to ride bareback. And they had four extra horses for Thag and Fet to choose from.
They had not ridden their horses hard from the stable, since three were carrying double and one was carrying Aram. Plus, they had paused a few times, and there was no sign of pursuit, so they decided to wait for Thag and Fet to catch up. Before long they heard the drinlings approaching at a sprint. A moment later they heard a galloping horse.
“One horse?” Farfalee asked.
“I only hear one,” Jasher confirmed.
“Could Thag or Fet have found one?” Del asked.
“I heard two runners,” Jasher said.
“Heg or one of our crewmates?” Del wondered.
“Maybe,” Jasher said.
“The soldier at the stable named one other mounted man besides the captain,” Aram reminded them. “A mercenary.”
Farfalee slid off her horse and set an arrow to her bowstring. Aram dismounted and drew his sword. The hoofbeats of the approaching horse slowed, then stopped. Thag and Fet ran into view. “A lone rider,” Thag called. Then he pitched forward to the ground, a long arrow in his back.
“Take cover,” Jasher warned, dropping from his horse, putting the animal between himself and the archer. Jason did likewise. After Jason landed, his horse walked forward. He hadn’t kept hold of the reins! Lunging, he grabbed them and held the horse still. Near him, crouching behind her horse, Corinne pulled out her sword. Aram and Farfalee took positions behind boulders.
Jason’s horse sidestepped restively. He patted the animal and murmured soothing words. Shield held ready, he stayed low, peering under the neck, worried about getting hit by an arrow. He still couldn’t see their enemy. Glancing over at Corinne, he drew his sword.
“I’ll ride him down,” Del volunteered.
“No,” Aram said. “You’ll be an easy target. You won’t get near him.”
Running low, Thag and Fet reached them. The arrow still jutted from Thag’s back.
“Hold fire so we can speak?” a deep voice called from the shadows perhaps fifty yards away.
“Your arrow told us all we need to know,” Farfalee replied.
“I am alone,” the voice responded. “Truce for a moment?”
“He just wants to learn our numbers,” Jasher whispered.
“I count nine,” the deep voice said. “One injured. All with horses. Shall we speak?”
“He’s stalling us,” Jasher whispered more quietly.
“We have nothing to discuss,” Farfalee answered. “We must hurry. Run away, leave your horse, and we’ll not harass you.”
“You have plenty of mounts without claiming mine,” the deep voice replied bitterly. “I despise incompetence. They should have left all their men at the stables until every horse was dead. Instead, they ran to the dock to fight the fire and watch the incoming ship.”
Fet and Del were creeping toward the unseen speaker. A sudden arrow took Fet through the throat. Del fell flat behind cover. Jason pressed a little closer to his horse.