It was a chance she would have to take, for to turn back would mean heading straight into their arms.
And still no watch, she thought, wishing a squad would see her running and try to accost her for her suspicious appearance. What better way to get rid of those three?
She was only a short distance from the front gate of the Darowdryn estate when the woman in the purple pants and magenta vest appeared in front of Emriana. The girl knew the woman had used magic to cut her off, and she didn't have to turn around to know that Lak and bear-man weren't far behind. They had her cornered.
"Not much room to move," the woman said, strolling toward Emriana. "You're a slippery little minx, I'll give you that," she added, pulling something from a pouch at her belt. "But your luck's run out, I think."
"Don't bet on it," Emriana said, eyeing her pursuer. "You haven't caught me, yet." She had no idea why such bold words were coming out of her mouth; she was terrified.
"A trivial matter," the woman said, smiling as she drew closer. The smile was not warm. "Think fast," she added, gesturing with both hands.
Emriana did not wait to see what arcane attack erupted from her foe. She turned and sprinted toward the wall of the estate, leaping as high as she could at the last moment. She could not reach the top of the wall, which was more than a full story high, but she had spotted a protruding stone in the work that she just might be able to grab hold of. It was her only chance.
As the girl sailed through the air, a trio of glowing darts shot forth from the fair-haired caster, whistling as they passed through the point where Emriana had been a moment before. She grimaced as she hit the wall and slipped the tips of her fingers over the protruding stone, knowing that the three missiles would double back on her.
She managed to claim a sufficient hold on the wall then hung there helplessly as the three magical darts slammed into her back. The pain from those horrid, burning missiles made her gasp, and she nearly lost her hold as she jerked, tears brimming.
"Bitch," she sobbed.
There was a sudden, soothing coolness flowing through Emriana then, and the pain receded sufficiently that she could concentrate once more on scaling the wall.
Hurry, child, Hetta's voice commanded, though it sounded weak and weary. I can't do that for you again.
Thank you, Emriana thought. She began to clamber higher, reaching the top a moment before Lak arrived down below then she pulled herself into a sitting position and glanced back.
"Get back down here!" the diminutive man growled, obviously frustrated. He eyed the wall, looking as though he was going to try to follow, but Emriana's attention was still focused on the female. She began to cast again.
Emriana rolled backward, slipping down the inside of the wall, evading whatever spell had been intended for her.
The girl found herself in a thicket, mostly underbrush and vines, but she could see open field just a little toward the interior of the estate. Behind her, muffled by the wall, she could make out the sounds of people arguing, and she did not want to wait around to see if the trio of pursuers maintained the chase. She pushed through the foliage and into the field beyond, which stretched for quite a distance toward the main house, easily seen atop a central hill.
Perhaps a hundred paces away, a contingent of mounted soldiers were headed straight toward her. They had weapons out.
There was a crash behind Emriana, and she turned back in time to see Lak dropping to the ground at the base of the wall. He rolled to his feet as the woman settled easily to the ground beside him. Both of them began to advance on her.
Run to the soldiers! Hetta insisted. They will know your name and protect you. Go now!
Without hesitating, Emriana darted into the open, running with the last reserves of her energy right toward the soldiers, all but one of whom wore red, black, and gold livery. The one exception was an immense man sitting atop a huge destrier, both he and his horse sheathed in polished mail from head to toe. He brought up the rear, his mount laboring to keep up with the smaller, faster horses of the House guards. Behind Emriana, she could hear a hiss of vexation, but she didn't bother turning around to see if anyone followed. Her eyes were focused on those weapons before her, bearing down on her position.
"I yield!" she cried out, keeping her hands in the air as she ran. When she was only a few strides away, she stumbled and knelt in the grass, holding her hands high and to either side. "I yield," she repeated, thoroughly spent.
The soldiers encircled her on their horses, leveling spears at her head or aiming crossbows from the saddle. Emriana flinched, but otherwise all she could do was pant in exhaustion.
"You are trespassing, girl," one of the guards said, eyeing her. "We normally flog for that offense."
"Please," Emriana said, looking fearfully at the guard. "I must speak with Ariskrit Darowdryn. She will know me."
The soldier snorted in derision. "I seriously doubt that," he said. "Lady Darowdryn values her privacy very much, so you can just turn around and hop back over the wall."
"Please!" Emriana repeated. "I promise that I am not lying to you! My name is Emriana Matrell, granddaughter of Hetta Matrell, and I must see the lady!"
The soldier was shaking his head, obviously unwavering in his resolve to keep riffraff away from the lords and ladies of the manor, when the huge mounted knight arrived. He threw a leg over the saddle and slid to the ground, huffing and puffing. The guard leader turned and saluted. "She claims to know Lady Darowdryn, m'lord, but she is obviously just a common street rat, looking for a handout. I was about to give her a chance to bolt, but she is pushing her luck."
The huge man strode past the soldier, staring straight at Emriana, slipping his gloves off his hands before removing his helmet. Great white mustaches settled down past his chin as he gazed intently at the girl kneeling before him. It was Tharlgarl "Steel-fists" Darowdryn.
"Em?" the man said. "Emriana Matrell?" He turned and waved away the soldiers. "She speaks the truth. Let her up."
Immediately, the contingent of guards withdrew their weapons and allowed Emriana to rise. She did so on shaky legs, feeling a rush of emotions coursing through her as she approached the man.
"I–I was afraid you wouldn't remember me," the girl said, greatly relieved. "I hoped, but I wasn't sure."
"Goodness, but you're a mess," Tharlgarl said, holding out a hand to help steady her.
The dam of emotions broke then, and tears flooded Emriana's eyes. She tumbled into the huge man's arms, hugging him tightly.
He wrapped his steel-clad arms around her gently and let her cry. "Easy," he said, over and over again. It felt so good to the girl that she stayed there for a long time. When she had regained her composure, Emriana pulled back and drew a filthy sleeve across her face. She sniffed once and looked at Steelfists.
"I've had the worst day," she began.
CHAPTER 15
Vambran followed the woman with the piercing emerald eyes without saying anything. They walked together along a path that paralleled a watercourse through the heart of the Nunwood. The lieutenant still wasn't certain why she had returned later that day and fetched him from the cage, but when she had asked him to stroll with her, he had accepted quickly, though it meant leaving the others behind for a while. He wanted every chance to convince her to avert a war.