Page 93 of Seized to Sacrifice
Elle watched as Quin and his unit appeared, attacking the warriors that were nearest. Elle was surprised to see Lily with them. One of Lily’s unit was knocked to the ground, and she gave an angry scream, tearing off the necklace she wore and striding forward without a hint of fear.
Elle’s eyes widened as her new friend slapped the warrior’s forearm. She gasped as he looked down and grinned nastily at her. What was Lilydoing?
But before he could strike her, he fell to his knees and then face first into the mud, unmoving. Elle gaped and glanced at Nyx, but he was looking elsewhere.
Maeve came from another tent nearby, brandishing a short sword in each hand. She decapitated one of the Horde easily as if she held a large pair of scissors without breaking her stride, sticking her sword into another.
Quin appeared out of nowhere, clutching his side. ‘There's too many of them!’ he yelled. ‘Fall back to my tent and let the others know … and pray to the gods the witch is watching from Kitore!’
A horn sounded and Elle understood with a dawning horror as she looked around them that it was much more dire than she’d thought. Tents were burning everywhere she looked, and the screams had become less and less. The Horde were killing everyone. And they were trapped here in the middle of the Camp.
She saw Lily and Maeve with six Brothers running towards the tent along with Thorne and Rye. Her relief was palpable. They were safe. Even though she knew they couldn't die, they could be taken and, thanks to the vessel, which she had stowed safely in her cloak, she knew what the Horde did to their prisoners. It didn't bear thinking about.
There was a great roar and Elle clutched Nyx as he hauled her forward to catch up with the others.
She thought it was going to be another earthquake, but instead a portal appeared in front of the Commander’s tent.
‘Go through the breach!’ Quin shouted.
Everyone who could ran for it, and she felt Nyx pick her up, sprinting the final steps passed pockets of fighting.
She looked over his shoulder in time to see the Horde Army marching up the main avenue. There were so many, it was like a swarm. Massive creatures, full of violence, carrying the bloody heads of those they’d killed as trophies.
Nyx dived into the breach, and she screamed.
‘What about the others?’
‘They'll come!’ he said over the booming of the tunnel.
They emerged on a dark hillside, and she turned back as he put her down.
‘Where are they?’ she asked, panicking when she didn’t see their faces amongst those who’d made it through.
The portal closed and her heart practically stopped. Then she saw Rye, Thorne next to him, and she didn’t care that she was angry with them. She ran to them, leaping into their arms and hugging them both to her.
‘You’re safe,’ she said.
They embraced her back.
‘So are you,’ Rye breathed.
‘Where are we?’ she asked, looking around.
‘Close to Kitore by the looks of it,’ Nyx said from behind her.
‘How did we get here?’ Rye asked. ‘Whose bridge is this? There are few who could make a portal to take so many such a distance.’
‘It's a good thing she's on your side then.’ A woman stepped out of the trees, flanked by three Brothers.
‘Ah,’ Rye nodded at the men with her. ‘It's been a long time. Drax, Fie, Priest.’
They each nodded back. ‘This is our Fourth, Eve.’
‘How did you know to open a portal there at that very moment,’ he asked the woman.
‘The First Scholar’s Fourth, Vie, is a powerful witch. We planned this with the Commander in the event of such an attack. How many were we able to save?’
Quin came forward. ‘My thanks for your efforts,’ he said, ‘but it looks as if no more than thirty have survived.’
