Wherever I Am

Chapter 6 - Part 1

The hot afternoon sun beat down on us, and the monotonous plodding of the horse under me tried to lull me into a stupor—Oana and Ellie to my right and Lord Boian several steps ahead.

He froze, putting a hand up, bringing me awake, then suddenly drew his sword. Something furry charged from the scrub with a spear. It hit me hard as the horse reared, whinnying loudly. My rapier cleared its scabbard as I hit the hard earth, and what had to be a Sobeck rounded the back of the horse, then dodged as the horse fell between us.

I pulled my feet over my head, somersaulting up to stand, avoiding the thrashing horse. A second man-beast rushed me from that side, his spear bloody from the horse. I stepped back. Oana lay at my feet, mouth bleeding, but moved, so I stepped forward, parrying his spear thrust.

I drew my dagger with my left hand as I stepped forward, putting my right shoulder into my attacker's chest, using him as a shield against the other. My chest throbbed where that spear struck me, but the invisible armor must've worked, or I'd be blowing bubbles. Instead, I plunged my main gauche into this one's belly.

My blade came free as he knocked me to the side. I kept my balance, but he sprouted an arrow in his chest. His spear came for my head. I ducked and swung my sword, slicing the back of his knee.

He fell.

I came up from my crouch, parrying the spear thrust from the second, larger wolfman. His thrusts were more controlled and focused, keeping me on the defensive. He wasn't in the hurry the other one had been.

He was strong, too, trying to control my blade and keeping me too distant to use my dagger. Definitely not a wolf. Those were human eyes that stared from his snouted face as I fought him. Intelligent eyes. His spear tip hooked my rapier's guard, cutting my hand, and my blade twisted out of my grip. A downward thrust toward my knee followed.

I hopped forward, avoiding the thrust, straddling his spear. Fingers were my target, going for his hands with my dagger. A whimper behind me, a growl from his maw as the haft hit my crotch. Only pressure, like Ellie's kick. My short blade found his hands, and clawed fingers separated from around the haft.

Movement...scrambling behind me. I couldn't focus on that. His hand, some fingers left, wetly grabbed the back of my head and pulled me to him. Hot breath hit my face...my dagger arm pushed away.

We fell.

His fangs ripped into my scalp.

I rolled right as we hit the ground, my arm coming loose. I drove my dagger at his throat and up. He spasmed as the guard hit his jawbone, going still a couple of seconds later. Pushing myself up, I yanked the dagger free as blood flowed down into my left eye, the wounds burning. Blood streamed down my fingers from where the spear had cut.

Oana knelt to my right, my rapier in her hands, blood flowing onto her sack dress from a deep slash on her cheek. She pulled the sword free from under the Sobeck's ankle.

She'd slashed his Achille's through. That's why we'd fell.

"You needed help," she said, swaying on her knees.

I took the rapier from her and turned. Ellie released an arrow, striking the throat of one Lord Boian fought. A thrust from him, and it fell.

I saw no others. Two lay near him and another by Ellie.

She spun toward me, another arrow nocked, and relief, then concern flooded her face.

"You're bleeding...a lot."

"Scalp wound," I said automatically. "They do that. I'm okay. You?"

"Boian took a thigh wound. I'm not sure how he's standing."