Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [57]
In this body, Maudi, I can handle a horse.
And I suppose you have learned to wield my sword as well, while I wasn’t looking?
There was no hesitation this time. Actually, no. I haven’t learned that yet.
Then as soon as we switch, unseat the riders. Can you get them all on the ground at once?
One would hope so…
Good. On my count. She gave him no more room for thoughts. One, two, three!
It was unfortunate that she had no way to speak directly to Shane’s mind. She’d tried on a few occasions, but it was like tapping on a tree trunk—alive, sturdy, yet impenetrable. She couldn’t see in, let alone transmit anything. Fortunately, the man caught on quick. The moment Rosette felt her limbs fill out her human form, she drew her sword. ‘Would this be what you’re after, mi capitán?’ she asked, the sun glinting off the steel tip as she held the hilt high over her head with both hands.
She sent a boost of energy up her arms, through the lapis and silver hilt and into the sword blade. Fending off the guards, she turned slowly in a circle, staring down each rider. Their expressions were shocked, faces blanched. The horses were prancing about, barely controllable. These guards are useless, Dray. Unseat them!
Instantly, Drayco tore around the circle, nipping at the horses’ hocks, sending them rearing and bucking like broncos. Eight of the riders were unseated, while the others were engrossed in trying to restrain their steeds. Shane drew his sword seconds after Rosette, the sing of it ringing out over the trample, snorts and shouts. Good man. The last thing Rosette wanted was for him to stand transfixed in the middle of the chaos, a sure target for the captain, who seemed reluctant now to tackle her. What was their problem with women warriors?
She didn’t bother to work it out. Instead, she lunged towards the captain, dropped to one knee and sliced the air in a short arc towards his horse’s near shoulder. It was a close cut. She severed the taut reins, nicking only a few grey hairs from the animal’s throat as she did. The captain, who had been tugging wildly on his mount, was flung backward by the sudden release. He rolled off his horse’s rump and landed hard on his spine. He was winded, by the look of his vacant eyes and open mouth.
‘That’ll teach you to hang onto your reins,’ she said. Drayco! Run this one.
Her familiar slammed to a halt and sprang back over his haunches. In one leap he was beside the captain’s horse, swatting a massive forepaw along its flank. It needed little encouragement to bolt, even though the feline’s claws were all but sheathed. The animal lowered his head and shot out a hind foot before tearing off into the woods, back the way they’d come. Aimed at the feline, the iron-shod hoof missed its mark as Drayco swerved, and caught the captain square in the chest as he struggled to rise. He hit the ground a second time, unable to draw breath. Rosette was not impressed. ‘Whoever taught you lot to ride is in desperate need of a review,’ she yelled out, unseating the two remaining guards with a blast of energy from her sword tip. Their horses bolted after the captain’s.
None of the men responded. They were too busy trying to avoid being trampled by the hysterical steeds or sliced by each other’s waving swords. Rosette had the reins of one black mare in tow and was reaching towards the other as it trotted past. Drayco was backing several men towards a tree, and Shane had disarmed three others. Good swordsman. She calmed her mounts with a waft of soothing energy and sent a blast of confusion to the rest, both man and beast. She felt like she was in the middle of a ghoulish merry-go-round, the horses stricken, terrified, neighing and screaming, the riders faltering, swords pointing every which way like scattered toothpicks.
‘Mount up,’ she shouted to Shane, handing him the reins of the nearest black mare.
He looked at her, his face enraptured. ‘You’re amazing.’
Rosette sheathed