Heirs of the Blade_ Shadows of the Apt_ Book Seven - Adiran Tchaikovsky [221]
When they turned again, they saw Ygor strike twice, three times, savage and furious, but not one blow landed, and then Isendter killed him with a single clean strike to the throat, using the same deadly blow that Tisamon had always been so fond of. In that moment Dal made a single choked sound, the only grief to escape his control, then he was gone, his wings lifting him away, and Tynisa was running after him.
Thirty-Nine
The irony was that they had forgone the chance to make camp at nightfall. At Che’s behest they had pressed on after dark because Leose was so close, and now that she had regained the two Wasp-kinden she was anxious to catch up with Tynisa again and try once more to persuade her to return home. Had they simply been content to finish the rest of the journey in the morning, then they would probably have gone overlooked that night. As it was, however, the patrol swooped on them within sight of the castle itself, nine Dragonfly-kinden dropping out of the night with spears and swords and bows, forming a loose ring at a wary distance from the four travellers.
Varmen’s pack-beetle started at their sudden appearance, so he lost valuable time hauling on its leash and trying to keep it to heel. Thalric already had his hands ready, an open palm extended to either side, whilst Che found her sword springing to hand, assuming these were yet more of the brigands Tynisa had been dealing with recently.
Her Art sight leached any sense of colour and, whilst aware that they were well armoured, she could not distinguish their livery. It was left to Maure to state, ‘These are the Salmae’s people.’
By now Varmen had his beast under control, and had also thrust a palm out threateningly. The Dragonflies, having descended on them so swiftly, now seemed to be unsure of themselves, or perhaps unhappy with the odds.
‘What is this?’ Che asked of them. ‘We’re no enemies of the Salmae. We’re travelling towards Leose even now. What’s happened?’
‘You’re the Spider’s sister?’ one of them challenged.
‘Foster-sister,’ Che clarified, for what seemed like the hundredth time. ‘Please, tell me what has happened.’
‘You’re under arrest,’ the man snapped. ‘The princess has ordered you brought to Leose.’
‘I was already going to Leose—!’ Che started, but Thalric interrupted.
‘What’s the charge? Or does Commonweal justice need no reasons?’
Che was about to warn him that he was not helping, but the ring of Dragonflies had widened, slightly but perceptibly, as he challenged them, and she thought she understood why.
‘She has freed the prisoners, the brigands. She has killed our people,’ the leader of the patrol snarled. He gripped his sword in both hands, plainly readying himself to strike. Two of his followers were archers, both women with arrows already to the string and aimed, one at Varmen, one at Thalric, and each of them recipients of the Wasps’ attention in return. Che knew that there was only so long a bowstring could be restrained.
‘Tynisa did that?’ she asked hurriedly and, when the man gave a brief nod, added, ‘And you saw her?’
‘I did,’ one of the archers declared flatly.
‘We have to act now, to get the drop on them,’ Thalric hissed between his teeth.
‘Wait,’ Che said, for everyone’s benefit. ‘Hold, there’s no need for bloodshed.’
‘You have to come with us,’ the patrol leader insisted, but there was now a tremor to his voice, his eyes flicking between Thalric and Varmen. It was a familiar reaction from all through Commonweal lands, the scars the Twelve-year War had left on the minds of the losers. Three-to-one odds were not enough to overcome such a legacy.
Still, something was likely to snap any moment, either one of the archers or one of the Wasps, and things had obviously gone badly wrong at Leose. I have to know what’s happened, Che decided.
‘You