Page 87 of The Huntsman's Heart
“What happened?” he asks, following me to the alarm bell which I ring furiously.
When the noise dies down, the courtyard falls silent again and we wait. I pray there are guards and hunters left in Thornvale to answer the call.
“It was my fault. My curse.” I shake my head.
“I’m sorry we could not get to you sooner.” He touches my arm softly and some of the warmth from his skin seems to seep into me. Mine is already cold and healed after the fire.
“I’m grateful you were there to rescue us. Without you, I do not know what would have become of us.”
Men begin rushing in from the stables and the outhouses. Some are half dressed, some strapping on weapons.
Wilhelm, my most experienced hunter, folds his arms across his broad chest and scowls at me. “So you are back, are you? Are we to have no rest?”
I glare at him. “Say what you want about me after this night, but first come with me to defend the walls. There’s a report of monsters from the woods attacking the guards at the gate. Let us work together to keep the town safe.”
“To what end? To serve a queen who cares nothing for her people?”
Raban steps out of the shadows and the men gasp. “No. To serve your rightful queen.”
Wilhelm’s eyes widen. “What is this? You are bringing monsters into our city now?”
I step between him and Raban. “Raban is a friend of the rightful queen. Queen Guinevere. She has returned to Blackthorn, and Melantha the usurper has been deposed. If youwould follow the true queen then gather your things and join me. If not, tell me now and we can leave you to the monsters.”
A murmur rises. Wilhelm frowns. “The princess is dead. Or is it the witch imposter you speak of?”
I shake my head. “She is no imposter. That I can attest to. Nor is she a witch. It was Melantha who cast the spell to draw the monsters out of the Gloamwald. Who drained our town of resources. Who refused even to let the people grieve for the old king.”
The muttering increases. Another man steps forward. “Melantha is not the rightful queen. It should be Guinevere.”
Another man spits in the dirt. “Melantha stole from the mouths of our children to stuff her table.”
“There is no more time to waste. Join me now or do not. The choice is yours. But know that if you fail me, more people will die.”
I turn away from the crowd without waiting to see who follows. All I know is Raban is behind me as I step my foot in Tharrok’s stirrup. I am more than a little surprised to look behind as we leave the inner gate and see every one of them. Not a man stayed behind.
Even Wilhelm gives me a grudging nod from the back of his gray gelding.
We ride hard, reaching the wall in good time. As we rein in our horses, Raban lands beside us. “I see three dire wolves and a wyrm, plus a tree giant outside the walls.”
I curse. This is not the report I was hoping for. I have only ten men, and it could take all ten to take down a giant alone. Even then we will not escape without injuries.
I had thought to take a party outside the walls, but now I see we’ll have to fight from within. To hold our ground and keep the advantage.
I order the men into the battlements, lingering a moment with Raban. “Fly over the walls. Look for places where they have failed, for weaknesses. I need to know if there are attacks in other places.”
He nods. He steps forward, casting a shy look at me under long lashes. “Be careful.”
He spreads his wings as if to take off, but I grab his arm, stopping him. Not caring who is watching, I pull him close, cupping his cheek for a moment, smiling at the blush that rises there. “And you. I want us all to be together again.”
His grin is infectious. “Then you have come around to sharing our princess?”
“As long as she will share you with me.”
There’s no time for more. I kiss him swiftly and release him. But I catch myself looking for him several times as I climb the steps to the guard post.
Once I reach the top, all my attention goes to what’s below us. Three huge, shaggy dire wolves sniff at the gate. Intelligence gleams in the deep black of their eyes. The largest lifts his head and howls, and the sound chills me.
How many more might be coming on through the woods? When they start digging, I know they are the threat we must deal with first. One dire wolf alone is dangerous, but the worst thing about them is that they hunt in packs. I’m beginning to feel grateful we have the walls between us.
