The Song Of The Lioness Quartet - In The Hand Of The Goddess Part 11

"Tortall!" The cry was loud and fierce over the crash of weapons and men's screams. "Tortall for Trebond!"

Alanna's attacker glanced at Jonathan, who was battering his way toward Alanna. Taking a chance, Alanna sent the big sword flying, wounding the knight in the shoulder in the same thrust. She pushed on to Jon's side, placing herself between him and Myles. The men formed a circle around them all, keeping the enemy back.

Alanna scanned the area for more trouble. In spite of the men and knights around her prince, she felt real danger was nearby. Something glinted in the trees, catching her eye. An archer stood in a maple, his arrow already on his string. His target was Jonathan!

Alanna yelled and threw herself to one side, knocking Jon half out of his saddle. The arrow glanced off the Prince's s.h.i.+eld, and one of the Tortallan archers picked the enemy bowman out of the tree. Alanna pulled herself upright, feeling dizzy and tired. Her left arm-her s.h.i.+eld-arm-hurt terribly. Jonathan hauled himself back into his saddle with Myles's help, looking at her with grat.i.tude. "Thanks," he said. "You-"

He was interrupted by the sound of blowing horns. Hundreds of fresh men in Tortallan colors poured into the clearing, led by Duke Roger. The new troops pushed the enemy back into the woods and onto the point, leaving Jonathan's people to catch their wind. When the Duke of Conte returned, his neat hair was mussed and a b.l.o.o.d.y scratch ran down one side of his face. "They took to their boats," he said with a grimace. "We can't follow; remember my uncle's orders."

The men began to disperse, to look after the wounded and the dead. Alanna waited where she was, s.h.i.+fting anxiously in her saddle. It was time to look for one man in particular. Her shoulder gave a sharp, agonized pull, and she nearly fainted with pain. Its source was a deep gash down her arm; someone had wounded her without her realizing it. She needed to bandage the cut soon, but right now it was more important to attend to business. She spotted the watch captain among the healers and wounded and made her way over to him on Moonlight.

"Where's Big Thor?" she asked bluntly.

The grey-haired man looked up at her. "I'm afraid something happened to him, Squire Alan. I've been searching-" He gestured to the battlefield around them. "There's no body, nothing. Jem Tanner wandered into camp at the start of it all with a lump on his noggin. He says Thor knocked 'im out."

Alanna steadied Moonlight, who was fretting at the scent of blood from the wounded. "Jem Tanner accused Big Thor of going over to the enemy?"

The captain nodded grimly. "I don't believe him. I know Thor; he's served under me these five years. Thor don't have a treacherous bone in his body. Jem Tanner does."

Alanna frowned. "Find Jem Tanner and hold him, on my orders."

The captain bowed. "As ye say, Squire Alan."

Alanna glanced at the stand of trees, holding her wounded arm. Thor hadn't been with the enemy, or she would have heard of it by now. What if Thor had been the one betrayed, not Jem? She thought hard. If Thor was dazed or hurt, where would he go? Toward the camp-along the riverbank, perhaps?

She urged Moonlight up to the point, where still more wounded and dying men lay on the ground. Thor would be noticeable from size alone. He wasn't there. Carefully she scanned the ground until she saw what she was looking for. Something heavy had been dragged down to the river near the sentry post. Guiding Moonlight down the slope to the water's edge, she found a clump of bushes where the heavy thing had come to rest. Moonlight sniffed the dark stain on the earth there and s.h.i.+ed away with alarm. Dismounting with difficulty, Alanna picked up some of the stained dirt and smelled it. Lately she had become too familiar with this smell: it was blood.

Dizziness made her grab Moonlight's mane, fighting to stand upright. Clenching her teeth, she found the brandy flask in one saddlebag and opened it, taking a large swallow. The harsh mouthful made her cough and sputter, but her head cleared again. She put the flask away, thinking. Thor was hurt, she knew. If this blood was his, he was badly hurt, and she couldn't waste time. Closing her eyes, she reached inside herself for the fire of her Gift. She opened her hand and let the magic flow into her palm, making it glow with a brilliant white-purple light. Opening her eyes, she nodded with grim satisfaction. The light s.h.i.+ning from her hand was far brighter than any torch, throwing the scene around her into high relief. The effort made her head spin, but she hung on. There would be plenty of time to collapse after she found Big Thor. Footprints were dark holes in the earth in front of her, leading north along the river to the camp, as she had suspected. With her free hand Alanna tugged on Moonlight's reins, leading the mare forward as she strained to see the prints. Once she stopped to bind up her arm. She was losing a dangerous amount of blood and the use of magic was tiring her more quickly than usual: but she was afraid that if she stopped looking, someone less kind might find Thor and kill him.

When Moonlight halted, Alanna nearly fell. The mare was nuzzling a huge form lying half in and half out of the river.

Alanna knelt stiffly by the body. "Thor?" she whispered. The man stirred and moaned. It was a struggle to turn him over using only one hand; her wounded arm was useless for anything but her light. Finally Moonlight helped, pus.h.i.+ng with her nose. When they got Thor onto his back, Alanna wished they hadn't.

"Aye." The giant's voice was a whisper. "He blinded me. Have you some brandy?"

Alanna opened her flask and carefully put it to his lips. He didn't have the strength to hold it himself.

"'Twas Jem Tanner that betrayed us," Thor rasped. "I don't know how. He was nervous from the moment we went on watch. There must've been a signal, and he hit me over the head. When I came around"-he touched a hand to his face-"I was like this, and I could hear the horns blowin'." While Thor talked, Alanna examined him with her Gift, feeling the life slipping away from her friend. Even if his wounds had not been serious, he had lost too much blood to be healed by anyone now.

"Can you help me?" Thor whispered. "I'd just like to-go to sleep. I'm that tired."

Alanna trembled. Healing was natural for her, but she had never killed a human being with her Gift. She didn't think she could.

Thor groped until his hands found her arms. "You're hurt," he murmured, touching her already-soaked bandage. "Nay. Look after your own wounds. I'm close enough now-waitin' for the Dark G.o.d a little longer won't matter."

Alanna pressed her good hand to Thor's forehead, her Gift lighting the clearing with a deep violet fire. "Sleep, Thor," she whispered.

She felt him falling away gently, slipping into a long, dark well. Alanna rose. Thor's chest was still, and he was smiling. She smiled back at him shakily, and then the world spun; her knees trembled and gave out.

Great Merciful Mother, she thought with disgust as she fell. I overreached myself.

A huge shadow figure was bending over her.

"Thor," she sighed, recognizing the Dark G.o.d. "You want Thor." Reaching out a hand that was blacker than the night, the G.o.d touched Alanna's eyes. She closed them; if this was death, she didn't care any more.

6: Captured!

THE SUN was s.h.i.+ning when Alanna opened her eyes. Touching her dully aching arm, she found a thick bandage.

''I fixed it myself.'' Jonathan was sitting on a camp stool beside her. He put down his book. "I didn't think you wanted Duke Baird to get that close to you, not while you were unconscious. One of the big muscles in your arm was cut, by the way. It'll take a while to heal, even with the Gift. You're having a bad year with muscles and bones."

Alanna smiled weakly at him. "Thanks. Were you the one who found me?"

"Actually, Faithful did. You know, that cat's more intelligent than most people."

Faithful yawned. Of course I am. He jumped onto the foot of Alanna's bed, lying down beside her. You've been asleep three days, he added.

"Three days!" Alanna gasped. "That's not possible!"

"How-the cat told you?" Jonathan shook his head. "Never mind. I don't want to know. Yes, it's been three days. Why did you use your Gift? You were still glowing when we found you."

Alanna rubbed her head. "I had to find Thor, and there wasn't any light. And then-" Her throat was suddenly tight, and her eyes burned with tears. "I helped him sleep. The Dark G.o.d came." She looked up at Jonathan. "Have they found Jem Tanner?"

The Prince shook his head. "He's vanished. Thor was innocent?"

Taking time for sips of water, Alanna told her friend what had happened. When she finished, the Prince strode angrily around the tent.

"Treachery!" he snapped. "Merciful Mother, we should have guessed!" He sat down, suddenly dejected. "And we can't do anything about it. My father's instructions remain the same. He's even thinking of giving the right bank to Tusaine."

"If they're given the right bank, they won't stop till they have the entire valley," Alanna said frankly.

Jonathan nodded. "But no one can convince my father of that. He takes being called 'The Peacemaker' very seriously."

"He did establish peace after the Old King's conquests," Alanna said fairly.

"Yes, but this time he's wrong!" Jonathan growled. He brooded for a few moments before smiling and taking her hand. "Look at me. You're not awake five minutes and I'm burdening you with my problems. Mithros, I'm glad you're all right!"

Alanna squeezed his hand. "Thank you for taking care of me, Jon."

He reached over to brush a strand of hair away from her face. Suddenly he was very close. Alanna discovered she was afraid to breathe. Carefully, almost timidly, Jonathan kissed her mouth.

Someone's coming, Faithful remarked.

Myles entered the tent to find a very pale Jonathan picking up a book as his very red squire drank from a water bottle. His hazel eyes flicked from Jon to Alanna, and Alanna wondered once again how much Myles knew, or guessed, about her ident.i.ty.

"It's time you came to," Myles remarked, his quiet voice even. "Do you realize you've been asleep for three days?"