Malina’s legs ached and her lungs were soon burning with exertion. The three stumbled along and almost fell several times as they stumbled through the darkness. Suddenly, they became aware of a whizzing sound in the air around them. It took a horrifying moment to realize the Goblins were loosing arrows at them.
Theuli made a short, sharp sound, a choking cry of pain. She had been hit in the back. Falling to her knees, her voice full of blood, she cried, ‘Run! Get yourselves away and run!’ Turning to go back and assist the Elven woman, Deborah felt something white-hot strike her in the thigh. Turning around, as though in slow-motion, she landed on her back. A strange feeling came over her and she felt wondrously calm and warm. Falling downwards into unconsciousness, staring up at the stars, feeling the cool night air against her face and wondering why she felt no pain, she thought she heard screaming.
In the distance, they began to see a flickering guess. The Elf soldiers stiffened.
Torches!’ Dornal shouted. ‘Loriman, take your archers and cover us.’
Pran, as though he were still a member of the cavalry, plunged after them, drawing his bow. Without thinking about what he was doing, Ralph rode at his side, having drawn a weapon he had never used. Pran seemed about to shout something to the big Human, but the sound of fighting drew all of his attention, and he spurred his mount into a hard gallop.