Iron Elf - A Race Reborn (Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

said. “The woods are lovely, are they not?”
     
    I grunted. “They are remote. Not a single farmhouse for hours. You ask me, this would be the perfect place for an ambush…” I stopped and turned in the saddle. “Everyone, count off!”

    The shouts went down the line. Eleven men plus myself made twelve. “Lyrion. Where’s Lyrion?”
    “He was bringing up the rear!”
    “Well, fetch him!” Feanaro said.
    “Wait—” I said. Three men cantered off.
    “Goddammit, Feanaro, they could be heading into a trap!”
    “Don’t be ridiculous. They’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    Five minutes passed.
    Ten minutes.
    “Dammit, dammit. Everyone, we’re turning around!”
    BOOM
     
    The explosion tore through our column, scattering men and pieces of men. Suddenly I was covered in blood. I lifted an arm and barely deflected an arrow. “Attaaack!” I screamed.
     
    Our mages cast fireballs in all directions, saturating the area. Trees shattered. Snow turned to steam. The air thundered with sorcerous energies. We put spurs to our horses and went back the way we came. Unfortunately, the ambushers had closed the trap.
     
    A pit opened up on the trail. We leaped over sharpened stakes.
     
    “Aaaugh—ughk!”
     
    Marcanon wasn’t so lucky. I hope he died quickly.
     
    We tried to watch the ground but arrows kept coming and we were going too fast. Igwazhen didn’t see the wire until too late. It was at neck-height for a mounted man, and as a mage he wore no armour.
     
    “Come on! Come on!” I said. “Airadan, where’s Feanaro? Airadan? Why are you slowing down?”
     
    He looked at me. Blood spilled from the wound in his armpit. “Fen’s not… can’t trust…” He slumped onto his horse and slid out of the saddle. I reined in my mount to pick him up, but hooded figures burst from the trees. They carried long stakes that they butted into the ground so the points faced me. My horse reared. Cursing, I balanced in the saddle and fought for control. I saw one of the killers raise a hammer over Airadan.

    “Meerwen, help!” Then his skull was crushed in its helmet.

    Almost weeping, I turned and galloped down a side path. But they’d planned for that too. I leaped the pit, ducked the wire, and crashed into the fallen tree. I was thrown forward. I landed rolling. My horse—her front legs were broken. She screamed and thrashed. The woods were alive. I could hear taunting laughter. I didn’t have much time.
    “I’m sorry.” I drew my knife and did what was necessary. Then I ran.
    I wasn’t thinking clearly. The explosion, the deaths of my entire command. Also, it seemed that the Elendil Order was after me.
    My father told me about them. They had always been enemies of the aristocracy. They had hunted dragons and rogue wizards when both were common. Father had told me not to worry, but never said why. I always figured we had been ennobled too recently to be targets. Seems I was wrong.
     
    I was running downhill. I tripped on a rock and tumbled into fresh powder. My pursuers whooped. I kept sliding. I didn’t stop till I skidded onto a frozen lake.
     
    I pushed myself up and panted, the fog from my breath blowing over my hands. There were shapes in the distance. They were transparent, but snow kept settling on their shoulders. The invisibility cloaks flickered. They were liquid water, after all, and this was winter.
     
    The Elendil assassins dropped their cloaks, which fell off them as ice. They threw back their hoods to show their painted metal masks. They wore leather armour and tactical harnesses like I did, except they also carried swords. I got to my feet, or tried to. It was hard to move. I was getting dizzy. The assassins glided onto the ice and started dancing.
     
    I stared. I distinctly heard one say, “Aaand one. Aaand two!” They shuffled toward me, moving to a silent beat. Their masks seemed to leer as they swung their hips and waved their arms. Their hands, I saw, held weapons. I tried to get