Eighteen – 03

Phelan grabbed Jacqueline and Cameron and spun them toward their horses.  “Go!  While she’s distracted!”

Jacqueline seized his arm.  “Not without you!”

“Someone’s got to distract them,” Phelan said as he shoved them away.  “Go!”

Cameron opened his mouth to argue with both of them, then swore as he caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eye.  “Phelan, get down!”

The warning came too late.  The Dirae landed on Phelan’s back, claws cutting deep.  Cameron darted forward, leading with Caliburn’s tip, the blade slicing deep into the creature’s neck.  It reeled back, gasping and bubbling out its last breath and life’s blood, stumbling away from Phelan, who’d gone down to one knee, eyes wide.

Oh hell.  Cameron sheathed Caliburn and hauled Phelan to his feet.  “Jac, grab his bag.  We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Here.”  Leinth thrust the bag and Phelan’s dropped staff toward Jacqueline.  “I’ll guard your escape.  Ride hard, and quickly.  I’ll catch up if I can.”

The Hecate gave a shout of rage and triumph.  Cameron winced, half carrying Phelan the last few steps to the horses.  The once-druid’s face was pale and he was already shaking, already in shock.  Cameron waited just long enough for Jacqueline to haul herself up into the saddle before starting to boost Phelan up behind her.

“On the horse, Phelan,” Cameron said as he helped him mount.  “Just hang on.”

“Was that one of the—”

“Just shut up and lock your arms around her waist,” Cameron growled, shouldering Phelan’s pack himself as Jacqueline concerned herself with making sure Phelan stayed mounted behind her.  “Don’t worry about anything else.  Let us worry about it.”  His gaze flicked toward Jacqueline.  “Keep him on your horse.”

“Trust me,” she said quietly, “I will.”

She kicked her horse into motion as Cameron swung up into his saddle.

“Seamus would be proud,” Leinth said from near his stirrup.  “Ride hard and don’t stop until you get them to safety.”

Cameron swallowed hard and nodded.  “I—I have to know.  How many…?”

“At least seven generations,” she said.  “Descended from our son.  Now ride, Dragon.  Ride.”

She slapped his horse on the flank and the creature leapt into motion, headed down the roadway as she spun away.

“You’re mine, you waning bitch.  You made a mistake today when you showed up here, when my power is at its zenith and yours is waning at best!”

Cameron shuddered at her words and leaned close over his horse’s neck, pushing hard to catch up with Jacqueline and Phelan, already a hundred meters and more beyond him.  He didn’t know when they’d be able to stop and if Phelan had any of the special poultice they’d used the last time the Dirae had attacked them, but he had to hope that he did and it wouldn’t be too late by the time they got to flush the wounds and pack them.

I reacted quickly when they hit me, and he’s full-blooded.  This is going to be bad.

They were another two hundred yards down the road when Phelan slumped off Jacqueline’s horse and into the snow.

Liked it? Take a second to support Erin on Patreon!