Part 7 (1/2)

Her stallion surged forward, ears pinned back, foam flecking his mouth, but Kath knew the race was already lost. She scanned the horizon, desperate for a defensible position, but the steppes were a trap, flat and vulnerable with nowhere to hide.

A black-fletched arrow thrummed past her, skewering the rump of the packhorse. The horse's rear leg crumpled. Squealing in pain, the packhorse fell, hooves churning in terror.

Zith turned in the saddle, shock on his face.

Kath screamed at the monk, ”Ride!” She knew what Duncan was doing, offering the h.e.l.lhounds easy meat. Las.h.i.+ng her stallion pa.s.sed the flailing horse, she prayed for the sacrifice to work.

Wild baying drew near.

Duncan pulled alongside her, the black gelding streaked with sweat. Neck and neck, the horses stretched for speed. Kath risked a glance behind, catching a glimpse of dark forms racing through the gra.s.s. ”They're coming!”

The baying deepened, close and hungry, like a hot breath on the back of her neck.

Kath cursed their ill luck, asking the stallion for more speed.

The wild baying stopped. A sudden eerie silence descended, loosing a threat that s.h.i.+vered down her spine.

The horses kept at the gallop, eyes showing white, sweat soaking their flanks. Kath crouched in the saddle, feeling death at her back.

A dark streak raced past. s.h.a.ggy fur, tan and black, larger than a wolf, the beast ignored the other riders, closing on the lead horse.

Fear knifed through Kath; the beast hunted like no natural animal! Wolves always culled the weak, taking the easy meat...but these hounds sought the leader. Kath screamed a warning, ”Danya, lookout!”

Blaine swiveled in his saddle, but the hound raced pa.s.sed, leaping onto the hindquarters of Danya's mare. Teeth and claws ripped into horseflesh. The mare skidded to a halt, kicking and squealing in terror. Danya clung to the saddle, staring back at the beast, her face twisted in fear.

An angry snarl raced through the deep gra.s.s. Bryx vaulted onto the tan beast, teeth flas.h.i.+ng. The two predators tumbled into the gra.s.s, a snarling ball of hate.

”Kath, behind you!”

Kath whirled to see a second beast leap onto her stallion. A snout like a wolf and teeth like a sabercat, it lunged for her face. Her sword flashed a cutting stroke. The beast snarled and fell back, claws raking her stallion's flanks. The warhorse squealed, a kick of iron-shod hooves dislodging the hound. Kath wheeled the stallion, controlling him with her knees. Trained to war, the horse reared. Iron shod hooves lashed out, but the beast evaded the stallion. Kath sheathed her sword and reached for a throwing axe. The h.e.l.lhound circled, keeping low to the ground, trying to flank the stallion. The warhorse pivoted, a dual of hooves against claws. Kath saw an opening and loosed the axe. Her steel bit deep. Blood gushed from beast's throat. Her warhorse plunged for the kill, smas.h.i.+ng the beast's head to a b.l.o.o.d.y pulp.

Kath reined the stallion to a stop, trying to make sense of the chaos. Zith fought on foot, retreating from a snarl of fangs. His quarterstaff whirled, barely keeping the beast at bay. But as she watched, the monk slipped! The h.e.l.lhound pounced. Zith screamed.

Kath reached for her second axe, a whirl of steel...but the timing was off. The axe struck a glancing blow.

Unharmed, the beast whirled, a snarl of saber sharp teeth. Kath urged her warhorse to attack. Rearing, her stallion lashed with ironshod hooves, but the h.e.l.lhound leaped away. The warhorse pivoted but the beast moved lightning-quick. For half a heartbeat, she lost it in the tall gra.s.s.

Slavering teeth rushed toward her. The h.e.l.lhound leaped on her stallion's flanks, attacking the rider instead of her horse. Claws scrabbled against horseflesh. A slaver of jaws snapped at Kath's face. She jerked away, trying to pull her sword from the scabbard. Pain lanced through her left thigh, the h.e.l.lhound's claws piercing leather. The stallion bucked and plunged, squealing in panic, desperate to dislodge the beast.

Kath pulled her sword free. Bright steel slashed down. She stabbed at the hound, frantic to hold the teeth at bay. An arrow thunked into the beast. She felt the h.e.l.lhound shudder, a gleam of hate in its yellow eyes. A second arrow confirmed the kill. Kath pushed the carca.s.s away, shaking from the fight, her stallion quivering beneath her.

Horses whinnied in pain but the snarl of the h.e.l.lhounds' had fallen silent. All around them, the gra.s.s was beaten flat and b.l.o.o.d.y. Three horses were down, hooves flailing in agony...but Kath's gaze sought the leather-clad archer.

Duncan strode towards her, his longbow in his fist. ”Are you harmed?”

Relief washed through her, ”Is it over?”

”For now.” Reaching up, he drew her from the saddle. Pulling her to his chest, he held her close, as if needing to prove she lived. They clung to each other till her heartbeat slowed...and the squeals of the horses intruded.

Kath whispered, ”The others.”

Duncan stepped away...but Kath's left leg crumpled beneath her weight. Duncan caught her. Kath swayed, biting her lip. ”That fight took more out of me than I thought.”

”Let me see.”

”It's nothing.” Kath shook her head. ”The others may need help.” Taking a steadying breath, she limped across the bloodied gra.s.s, pain lancing her left thigh. Gritting her teeth, she made her way toward Blaine and Danya, avoiding the thras.h.i.+ng hooves of Danya's mare. ”Are you two hurt?”

Blaine leaned on his blue sword, a decapitated h.e.l.lhound at his feet. Danya sat nearby, hugging the wolf, blood smeared on her face. Bryx had a tattered ear and a b.l.o.o.d.y gash along one flank, but he looked as if he'd survive. Danya hugged the wolf, a half-crazed look on her face. ”The horses! They hurt! Can't you ease their pain!”

Duncan pulled his dirk. ”I'll take care of the horses.”

Kath nodded. ”Where's Zith?”

The monk groaned, ”Over here.” He struggled to rise, his dark-blue robe torn to b.l.o.o.d.y shreds, a claw mark slas.h.i.+ng his chest. ”That beast almost had me.” He looked at Kath, his face pale. ”My thanks.”

She nodded; relieved her throw had been in time. Sheathing her sword, she checked to make sure the amber pyramid and the gargoyle were both safe, and then grabbed her saddlebag and a water skin and began tending the monk. ”What were those things?”

Zith grimaced as she cleaned the wounds on his chest. ”Abominations.”

”I've never seen anything like it.”

”Soul magic,” The monk spat the words, making the hand sign against evil. ”The Mordant plies the worst sort of magic.”

Quick as a dagger stroke, a squealing horse fell silent.

Zith hissed in pain as Kath poured a measure of brandy on his wounds. ”Do you have another robe?”

He nodded, gritting his teeth.

”Good, because this one's slashed to rags.” Kath tore strips from his robe, using them to bind his wounds.

A third horse fell silent. Duncan returned, striding through the long gra.s.s, silent as a shadow. He helped Zith to his feet. The monk leaned on his quarterstaff. They limped back to the others.

They found Blaine cleaning blood from his blue steel blade. The blond-haired knight seemed unscathed. He prodded a dead h.e.l.lhound with his boot. ”They're ugly but they die like any other beast.”

Danya looked up, tears streaking her face. ”I'm sorry I couldn't help.” She shook her head, her voice breaking. ”But those things clawed at my mind.” She shuddered, hugging the wolf, her dark gaze full of sorrow. ”The poor horses, they did not deserve such pain.”

”Duncan gave them mercy.” Kath handed Danya the water skin and then knelt, studying one of the dead beasts. Larger than a wolf, the s.h.a.ggy fur was an ugly motley of tan and black, but the true horror was the head. Snout of a wolf, the curved teeth of a sabercat, and the cruel yellow eyes of a bird of prey, all combined into a single nightmare. She clutched the crystal dagger, her words a whisper. ”By the nine h.e.l.ls, what are they?”

Danya answered, her voice grim. ”It felt unclean, like something corrupted, twisted beyond the touch of nature.”

Zith said, ”Abomination.”

Kath nodded, her voice full of dread. ”It didn't fight like a beast. It knew to avoid the easy meat and go for the lead rider...almost as if it could think.” She s.h.i.+vered. ”Truly a hound loosed from h.e.l.l.” Kath realized it was the second time she'd been hunted by the Mordant's creatures. First the magic-sniffing goblin man and now the h.e.l.lhounds, she did not like being prey.

Blaine sheathed his blue steel sword. ”We haven't even reached the Mordant's domain and we've already lost most of the horses. Five riders, two horses, it will be a long walk either way. And Valin only knows what other nasty surprises await.” He stared at Kath, a question in his gaze.