The cursed towers 209
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spare horses was led out for her. She clambered up quite nimbly for someone of her immense age, the
little donbeag clinging to her long gray plait as usual.
The cavaliers trotted down the road, talking lightheart-edly. The sun fell dappled through the canopy of
leaves and birds sang all around them. It was hard to remember they were riding to battle and not on a
hunt for sport, particularly with Stormwing the gyrfalcon perched on Lachlan's wrist, a leather hood tied
over his head.
By mid-afternoon the forest was thinning and there were signs of human society—a few felled trees, a
great patch of blackened ground where charcoal burners had been flaming, a hunters' hut. The road ran
through an avenue of tall trees, with a rocky cliff to one side.
Suddenly Iseult reined in her horse, sensing the brush of hostile minds. "Lachlan, leannan!" she cried. "I
fear—" Behind her she heard Meghan calling a warning.
Lachlan wheeled his horse around, scowling, and called to his men. "Back, back! An ambush, by the
Centaur!" With a quick tug he released the ties of the falcon's head and flung the bird into the air.
Startled, his men pulled in their horses, a few drawing their swords from their scabbards. Duncan Ironfist
cried, "Call the retreat!" and the startled herald raised his trumpet to his mouth and blew.
On the narrow road all was confusion. Lachlan spurred his horse back, shouting to the men to retreat.
Then the quiet forest sounds were torn apart by the zing of longbows being let loose. A blizzard of
arrows fell upon the cavaliers, piercing leather armor, bone and flesh. Men screamed and fell from their
horses. The birdsong was drowned by a cacophony of shrieks, shouts and terrified whinnies. Everywhere
Iseult looked she could see wounded men and horses floundering. She drew her dagger and looked for
the enemy but there were only the deadly rain of arrows, the dying men and horses, the great trees
towering overhead. The falcon shrieked and she looked up, seeing archers hidden in the branches and
along the top of the rocky crag. She yelled orders but no one listened. All were too busy dying.
She pulled her reil from her belt and sent it whizzing into the trees. Screams and a falling body showed
she had hit her target. It came back to her hand and she flung it again. An arrow caught her in the arm
and she dragged it from her flesh with a curse. Ignoring the throbbing pain, she wheeled her horse
around, looking for Lachlan. Her heart thudded painfully as she saw his black stallion lying on its side,
legs thrashing, a dozen or more arrows studding its breast and side. "Lachlan!" she screamed.
She saw Duncan Ironfist swinging up into the trees and threw her dagger straight through the heart of a
Bright Soldier about to plunge a sword into his back. The Tirsoilleirean fell with a scream. Without taking
the time to acknowledge her, Duncan clung to the tree trunk with one hand and laid about him with his
sword. Three more Tirsoilleirean fell and he swung from the trees onto the rocks and began to fight a
duel with three archers hidden there, his great claymore whistling with deadly grace.
Iseult called back her dagger and used it to kill a Bright Soldier trying to drag her down from her horse.
As she stabbed him, another of the enemy used his mace to smash her horse's skull. The mare dropped
like a stone. Only quick reflexes saved Iseult from being trapped beneath her horse's weight. She
somersaulted high over the head of her attacker, landed lightly on her feet and killed one soldier with the
reil in her left hand and another with the dagger held in her right hand. She gave a small smile of
satisfaction, lashed out with her foot and knocked down another Bright Soldier. Then, as three tried to
rush her from the bushes, Iseult somersaulted high over their heads and into the trees.
Looking everywhere for her husband, she unhitched her little crossbow from her back and wound it on
with the hook on her belt. Though small, the crossbow was powerful and Iseult deadly accurate. She was
able to kill or wound about fifteen Bright Soldiers in the branches about her before she ran out of arrows.
