Their horses\u2019 hooves ate up the frozen roadway beneath them for the next two miles before Thordin\u2019s screamed and threw him.\u00a0 As he somersaulted ass over teakettle through the air, he swore loudly, wondering in that fraction of a second before he was rudely introduced to the ground what the hell had made his horse behave like that.<\/p>\n
Then he hit the ground with a bone-jarring crash and blacked out for a moment, coming to in time to hear Thom shouting for everyone to draw their weapons and draw them now<\/i>.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re coming from the left!\u00a0 Brace and hold<\/i>!\u201d<\/p>\n
Ribs aching and head ringing, Thordin heaved himself over and onto his side, staring through the sparse branches of the bush he\u2019d landed in.\u00a0 He could see eyes in the darkness, glowing dots of sickly green-gold light that made his stomach heave.<\/p>\n
Oh hellfire.<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cLight them up, Rory,\u201d he wheezed, then coughed and spat, trying again.\u00a0 \u201cLight them up!\u201d<\/p>\n
Rory darted a look in his direction, then threw himself from the saddle and walked two strides from the others, a glow already beginning to wreath his hands and arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cRory!\u00a0 What are you doing<\/i>?\u201d\u00a0 Jacqueline yelled.\u00a0 She must not have heard Thordin\u2019s weak shout.\u00a0 She was further away than the rest, riding at the rear of the group.<\/p>\n
\u201cDealing with a problem!\u201d<\/p>\n
Rory unleashed a gout of flame toward those eyes that glowed in the darkness and was rewarded with howls of pain.\u00a0 Thordin started to struggle to his feet as Thom swung down from his saddle.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep riding, Jac,\u201d Thom barked.\u00a0 \u201cYou and Cameron keep riding!\u00a0 We\u2019ll hold them here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut Thordin\u2014\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d Thordin roared.\u00a0 \u201cNow ride<\/i>, damn you!\u201d\u00a0 He loosed his axe from the sling across his back and waded toward the screaming skinwalkers.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019re the only hope he\u2019s got now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacqueline gave him a terrified look, then dug her heels into her horse\u2019s sides and plunged into the night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Their horses\u2019 hooves ate up the frozen roadway beneath them for the next two miles before Thordin\u2019s screamed and threw him.\u00a0 As he somersaulted ass over teakettle through the air, he swore loudly, wondering in that fraction of a second … Continue reading