Accustomed to being at the centre of things, Adrina was disoriented. There was action all around her. Warriors bearing the emblem of the goddess hacked at soldiers with sun god crests. Morgon's men were in retreat. Nothing stood between the tribesmen and victory. But, it was a victory which had no place for Adrina. She looked to left and right, searching for a role to play.
She felt cheated. She had brought the Sky Warrior into their realm and recruited him to their cause. Now, at the very moment of triumph, she was ignored. Her spirits slumped. She reigned in her horse and looked disconsolately around, wondering where she had gone wrong. Then, on the far side of a marshy creek, she saw a standard ... a double-headed eagle on a pole. The emblem of the Sky Warrior.
Tom saw Adrina waving. Amongst the confusion and carnage the young woman looked more like an apparition than a real person. She wore a white dress and was mounted on a white horse. For a moment he wondered if she was real. Then he saw the assassination squad. He reeled his horse and shouted to a detachment of his guard.
'Get over there.'
He pointed to the other side of the creek.
'Get to the princess before those bastards kill her.'
A dozen of his men jumped into the mire and started to wade across. A mountain man plunged in after them. The naked savage hurled himself forward and slithered over the mud on his belly. He arrived first and scrambled up the bank towards Adrina.
An arrow struck him. He ignored it and kept running. A second arrow passed over his head and slashed through the throat of Adrina's horse. The animal reared up and collapsed onto the ground. The mountain man caught Adrina as she fell and set her down behind the fallen beast.
The first of her attackers lost his head. Blood sprayed on Adrina's white dress. She grabbed the dead man's shield and held it above her head. On the other side of the creek, Tom was surprised by how poorly she was coping. He'd expected more of her. Alison would have done far better. It was clear that Adrina knew nothing about fighting. Alison would have adopted an aggressive pose, like he'd taught her in his martial arts classes.
By good luck, the mountain man was there to protect Adrina. The painted savage was a born fighter. He had a captured sword and was using it with deadly effect. One attacker fell after another. Tom glanced towards his own men who were sprinting forward.
Rescue seemed certain. The primitive ferocity of the mountain man and the combat skills of his highly trained force would overcome all opposition. Tom steadied himself. A mighty victory was assured. He had defeated Morgon and was about to receive the princess into his protection. His triumph would silence the clan chieftains and everyone else who had questioned his strategy.