The Sword Maiden

Ambushers

Redwar pointed down the road. "Tell me, Valeria."

Valeria squinted. The road in front of us curved to the right out of our line of sight down a mild hill. Down below the hill it met a small creek. The creek did not have a bridge over it because it was shallow. It was lined with beautiful trees.

"Perfect place for an ambush?" ventured Valeria.

Redwar nodded. "Ideal. The rest of the way to Terreth is open grazing land. If they're going to capture us, that would be the best spot."

He reined Ladine around. "Or they may travel all the way to Terreth and try for us there. Still, it's best not to take chances."

"How would they know we're headed to Terreth?" I asked.

Redwar shrugged. "They might not. Right now they could be waiting on the road to my home. But I'm not about to risk my neck on that."

I slowly nodded. "What're we going to do?"

"The smart thing to do would be to avoid the creek crossing altogether."

"I take it we're not going to do the smart thing," piped up Valeria.

Redwar smiled slightly, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "No. We're not."

Redwar had us cross the creek farther upstream and circle back to the crossing. From far off he scouted it. We couldn't risk the Ravagers spotting us.

Even though I felt the need to go to Terreth to find Derrek, if I was honest, I was eager to capture a few Ravagers. I fidgeted with the end of my reins.

Redwar finally sat up. "You two remember how to hunt?"

We both nodded.

"This is what hunting is. Only your prey is far more wary and cunning than any rabbit or deer. You're going to have to be more careful than you've ever been before."

"This is the way I believe the ambush is set up, if it's there at all. They expect us to come riding through, and they'll probably be two to three of them that would block our path, at least one from behind and one in front."

"They're primarily after me, and know about my skill with a blade. Therefore they'll be one, maybe two archers in the trees. Do you understand?"

We nodded again.

"Go down to the trees. Approach from the side, they won't expect that. Go on your belly whenever you can. Search only the archers out and capture them, if they are in there."

He leveled us with a stern gaze. "I'm going back to the other side of the creek. I'll give you time, but at some point I'm going to ride through there. I can handle the ones who'll intercept me, but I need you to have my back in the trees."

I nodded while Valeria said, "We won't let you down Redwar. But what if there's more than you mentioned?"

"There shouldn't be. Ravagers don't like sending out too many spies in one place, no matter how Thathian they look. The fact that there were so many in Ladris tells you they were planning to raid soon."

I felt my gut twist at that.

"Take your horses with you, but not far. We're taking a big risk as it is, with us in the open. We just have to hope they're too focused on the road to think to look behind them."

My rational side said it was too big a risk. The other side of me, my adventuresome, vengeful side of me, brushed it off. Besides, if Redwar thought it was worth it, then it was worth it.

I resisted the urge to sneeze as I crawled through mid-shin tall grass. I paused to listen. Nothing so far but the wind blowing. I hoped that would help cover the sounds I was making.