Darkspur

Chapter 26 - The March

It was the next day they found the first body. He sat, his back to a tree, throat cut; the black Sendrach cloth tied round the trunk above his head.

"Thoughts?" Hanian said, looking at Cass.

"I'm guessing our stealthy friend is tracking them to, remember all the cloth tied back at the tree house. I haven't seen any sign of him since we started heading away from Quellarin, I'm very impressed," Cass said, kneeling next to the body.

"Well, that's one less to worry about I suppose. I just hope he doesn't antagonise the Darnach too much and end up causing a problem."

The group had kept up a good pace and Cass was confident they were gaining but not as fast as he had hoped.

"If Mother Kell is with them then I don't know how she's keeping pace," Cass said, shaking his head. "They have slowed, carrying two children is going to delay them, but I would have expected more."

"Well, we have no time to dwell on it, lets get going," Hanian said.

The next day there were two more dead Darnach, both killed in exactly the same way. This time Cass did find some tracks but they ended at the foot of a large oak.

"He's using the trees, Hanian. That's why I can't track him," Cass said, he was smiling, amazed.

"What, actually in the branches rather than down here? How can he move so quickly?' Hanian asked.

Cass just shrugged. "I don't know but I'm pretty sure that's what's happening."

After yet another day of effort, everyone was struggling. They had now been running for days and with minimal rest, it was starting to wear them all down. The group stopped for a short break and Peryd came up to his leader.

"Sir, we cannot keep up this pace, even with all the magics it's simply not possible," he said.

Hanian looked at his men sprawled on the ground around him, fatigue etched on every man's face.

"We are so close, though, we are catching them by the hour," he pleaded. "How far do you think, Cass, a day, half a day?"

"Six hours," a voice said from the trees above. "But you are too late."

Everyone scrambled to their feet, drawing weapons, straining to see into the shadow of the branches.

A figure, dark cloak billowing, silently dropped to the ground in front of Hanian. The tall, slender figure of a female elf stood staring into his eyes, but this elf was not like any he had ever seen before; there were absolutely no markings at all on her pale, bald scalp. She was smiling, head cocked to one side.

"Now gentlemen, if you wish a fight, I will give you one but I must warn you, at least half will not survive," she said, both hands moving to the hilts of her twin daggers.

Hanian gestured for his fellow knights to lower their weapons.

"Who are you and what do you mean we are too late?" Hanian demanded.

"You seek the children, Sam and Milly?" Lyet replied. "You are too late, as I was to late, they have reached the main Darnach force, we cannot possibly get them back now."

Hanian felt what energy he had left spill from his body. His legs started to shake and he sank on one knee, leaning on his sword. Cass stepped forward to catch his brother but Hanian didn't fall, he just knelt, shaking his head.

"I tried but with the best will, I ran out of time, I am sorry," Lyet said. "You have been sent from Darkspur to retrieve them?"

"I am, Hanian Arborn, Sam's father," he replied, looking up at the elf.