Master of Chains - Jess Lebow [63]
Ryder turned to her in amazement. "You speak Giant as well?"
Giselle shook her head. "I can read it, but I've not the vocal chords to pronounce the words."
"There will be plenty of time for you two to get to know each other after the giants are gone," said Nazeem.
Ryder got the hint. "How many of them are out there?" he asked.
"We've counted at least three, but there could be more," replied Jase.
"And how many warriors do you have left in camp?"
Giselle spread her arms. "You're looking at them."
Ryder looked down at the group of Broken Spear warriors. Including Giselle and Jase, he counted only a dozen. He and Nazeem brought the total up to fourteen, but considering their foe, those weren't the best odds.
"If we help you, will you grant us our freedom?" asked Ryder.
"Will you try to leave?" replied Giselle.
"Yes," said Ryder.
"Then the answer is still no."
Ryder headed down the stone toward the steps.
Giselle grabbed him by the arm. "I could have left you locked in that cage."
Ryder pulled away from her and continued toward the stairs.
"Ryder, please," said Giselle.
He stopped, not turning around.
"People's lives are at stake here," said Giselle.
Ryder looked down into the courtyard. There was only one way out. If the giants breached the walls of Fairhaven, they would be trapped.
"I'll need a sword," said Ryder, turning around.
Giselle shrugged. "I don't even have enough for all of my warriors."
"What about the weapons the guards in the caravan were carrying?" he asked. "Surely you took them with you."
"And now more of my warriors are equipped with good steel," replied the bandit leader. "All that is left is the gold in their chests. But if you think throwing handfuls of coins at the giants will help, I am more than happy to show you where you can get all you need."
Ryder looked down at the shackles he carried. He swung the chain side to side, feeling the weight of the cuff. They worked well enough while he fought Cobblepot. They would have to do the same here.
Nazeem's sling seemed even punier than it had earlier. The little rocks would be little more than mere annoyances to a trio of undead giants.
"So," asked Ryder, looking to Giselle, "what's the plan?"
"We wait in the shadows just inside the door," said Giselle, lifting the rope off her shoulder. "When the first one enters, we pull this taut from both sides. We can take out one before they even know what hit them."
"That's it?" asked Ryder. "That's the whole plan?"
Giselle started down the stone block toward the stairs. "That's the whole plan." She stared at him. "Unless you've got something to add?"
The Broken Spear warriors, all began to file off the stone, following their leader. Nazeem looked to Ryder.
"Yes," said Ryder. "Yes, I do."
Everyone stopped.
"Well, spit it out then," said Giselle. "We haven't much time."
Ryder nodded. "Nazeem and I will sneak out the front door and hide behind the statues," he explained. "The rest of you stay here with the rope. As soon as the first giant passes, the two of us will attack from behind, taking him by surprise." Ryder looked into each person's eyes in turn as he spoke. "Once we have the giants' attention, we'll try to draw them away from the gate. At the very least, this will buy you some time. At best it will distract them, and you'll be able to attack when they turn around. If we play our cards right, we might be able to confuse them enough to constantly attack their backs."
The Broken Spear warriors seemed to roll the idea around in their heads. Giselle's glare turned to dubious optimism.
"What if they don't come after you?" asked Jase.
Ryder scratched his chin. "Then you go through with the original plan, and we'll follow up from behind."
"Well," said Giselle, "it's not much better than my plan, but it's not any worse either."
Ryder would take that. He turned to Nazeem. "Good?"
The Chultan nodded. "Good."
"All right, then, if no one else has any objections," said Giselle, sarcasm dripping from her words, "then I suggest we get on