The cursed towers 221
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The Bright Soldiers were gradually retreating before the advance of the forest faeries, fighting obstinately
every step of the way. However, with the shadow-hounds writhing at their back and the great woolly
bear at their side, Lilanthe and her companions were not challenged.
There were so many dead soldiers that it was difficult to make progress. They had to climb over the
bodies as if they were logs swept downstream after a flood. There were many among them that Niall and
Dide knew, and their faces were rigid with grief and horror. Lilanthe knew only a few, but she wept as
she clambered and staggered through the corpses, seeing the contorted limbs and faces of violent death
everywhere she looked.
Suddenly they heard the clatter of many horses traveling fast. Round the bend of the road came a
company of Bright Soldiers, whipping their horses into a lather. They rode unheedingly over the bodies
lying on the road, not caring if any they trampled were still alive. The sa-tyricorns turned and charged
them with shouts of glee. Without slackening pace, the soldiers laid all about them with their swords.
Many of the horned women fell beneath their blades or were knocked down by the galloping horses. A
few of the riders fell but none of their company even looked back, disappearing around the corner.
"Did ye see!" Lilanthe cried. "They carried someone wi' them. I think . . . I'm afraid . . ."
"Aye," Niall answered somberly. "It was the old seer. Even above all their bonds I could see him. This is
bad news indeed."
Around the next bend, Niall and Lilanthe came upon great piles of dead and dying. Niall saw the mangled
bodies of Bald Deaglan and Barnard the Eagle and could not help crying aloud in distress. "These are
Blue Guards," he said. "His Highness must be near!"
Lilanthe said urgently, "I can sense Meghan. Quick! They are hard pressed, I can feel it."
Meghan threw up her hand and caught an arrow only inches from her breast. With a curse she flung it
from her, catching another with her other hand. As she ducked her wild gray head, three more zinged
through the air and stuck quivering into the rock behind her.
Then a Bright Soldier charging them suddenly and inexplicably tripped, his pike falling from his fingers.
With a rustle the pike slithered across the ground and into Meghan's hand. The old sorceress used it to
stab a soldier who had leapt over the pile of boulders. He fell back with a cry and Meghan threw the
pike with unnatural strength, spitting the tripped Bright Soldier who had just managed to regain his feet.
They crouched down again, Iseult only just managing to ride out the waves of dizziness threatening to
overcome her.
"Look, there is Iain!" Meghan cried. She sent a bolt of blue lightning from her hand, sizzling two soldiers
about to split the prionnsa's skull with their swords. They fell in a scatter of ashes and Iain looked round,
bemused.
"T-T-Thank Ea!" he cried. "Or rather, thank M-M-Meghan o' the Beasts."
He ran to their side, ducking and weaving through the scatter of arrows still falling from the trees. He was
wounded in the leg and side, but his sword was clotted with blood and flesh.
"Where is Lachlan!" he cried. "Is His Highness s-s-safe!"
