Page 81 of Ties of Legacy

“Leave him right here,” she commanded the archer. “Don’t move him any further out. Don’t touch him at all until I return.”

“Wait, merchant, you can’t…” The archer put Elliot down, trying to catch at Avery’s arm, but she evaded him and fled into the cave.

Elliot propped himself on one arm, staring after her as a whole new burst of fear flooded through him. Avery had come! How had Avery come? What had he been thinking? He should have stopped her from running straight into the midst of the battle.

But it was too late to do anything but watch in fear as she skipped first to one side and then another, ducking through the battle that was raging from one side of the cave and back to the other.

When the creature lunged in her direction, she ducked, barely escaping one of its claws as she scuttled onward. The archer who had been dragging Elliot stood watching her, mouth agape, and another of the archers came to join him, full of questions. Apparently, none of them knew Avery well enough to expect her to behave recklessly if someone else was in danger.

A flash of movement in the corner of Elliot’s eye suggested someone else was lurking close, clothed in shadow. But when he turned his head to look more closely, he couldn’t be certain there was really someone there. None of the archers had reason to hang back out of sight, and he had seen no sign of any townsfolk trailing behind to spectate the battle.

He shook his head. Paranoid hallucinations were a new level of symptom and not a welcome one. His eyes flew back to Avery.

She had reached the back of the cave and the abandoned lamp. Elliot’s breath caught as she scooped it up with a cry of triumph, turning back toward him. But her voice—higher-pitched than the men in the cave—drew the creature’s attention, and it lunged toward her.

Elliot called out in wordless horror as a brightly colored flash streaked past his head.

“Mangy canine!” Frank squawked as he flew straight at the beast’s head, pecking at his eye.

The creature spun, his claws flashing through the air as he tried to slice the parrot. But Frank was far too quick for him, darting out of the way, only to dive in toward his other eye.

“Weak as noodles!” the bird squawked, making Elliot want to cheer.

“I think he got that one right,” he said to no one in particular.

But his breath caught in his throat again as Avery ran forward. Every step brought her closer to him, and his symptoms lifted slightly with each second. But his legs were still weak and helpless when she paused her progress toward the cave mouth to wave the lamp over her head.

The beast turned toward it, snapping and snarling, distracted for a moment from Frank. The bird instantly dove again, causing the creature to twist back on itself, growing more enraged and less coordinated with each turn.

Avery shouted again, darting to the side as she waved her lamp and called the beast’s attention back to her. As it turned yet again, Corbett gave a shout, and the remaining swordsmen drew short spears that had been strapped to their backs and threw them in a coordinated movement.

The tips pierced the creature from all directions, and it slumped forward, giving a horrible high-pitched whine. Two of the men ran forward with their drawn blades, bringing the creature the quick mercy of death.

Stillness fell through the cave as they all stared at the felled beast, only panting breaths able to be heard. Then someoneshouted triumphantly, and the rest took up the cry, their jubilation ringing off the walls of the cave.

Elliot managed a smile which grew in strength as Avery resumed her path back to him. They had succeeded in bringing the creature down, and from what he could see, none of the men had been killed in the process. It was a victory all around.

The archers ran forward to join the jubilation of the swordsmen, all except one who seemed to be lurking in the shadows of the cave mouth, presumably to keep an eye on the wounded in the clearing outside. But Elliot was no longer among the wounded’s number, not with the lamp so close.

He jumped to his feet, his full strength restored as a beaming Avery reached his side. She didn’t stop, however, instead seizing his wrist and dragging him with her out of the cave.

“I need to get away from that stench.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m surprised that creature wasn’t felling people from smell alone.” She turned to Elliot, a hint of concern creeping into her face. “But are you really all right? You weren’t injured?”

Elliot shook his head. “I was just dazed for a moment.” He looked significantly at the lamp. “But I’m fine now.”

Avery beamed before her face suddenly darkened, and she turned a glare on him.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” she demanded. “You’re the one who changed the time of the expedition and told them to keep it a secret?”

“I was trying to prevent you throwing yourself into the middle of battle for my sake.” Elliot gave her an ironic look. “I can’t imagine why I feared you might do that!” But he couldn’t hold his stern expression for any length of time. “But on this occasion,” he said with a grin, “I’m glad you did.”

She smiled back before her eyes fell on the lamp still in her hand. She frowned again. Hurrying back into motion, she moved away from the two injured men outside the cave and thecelebrating throng inside, dragging Elliot with her by the hand still clamped around his wrist.

He let her pull him along, his mind jumping to the last time they had been alone. After the terror of seeing her face the beast, he would be happy to have her in his arms again, even if only for a moment.

Chapter 28

Avery

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