She Who Has No Name (The Legacy Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

withdraw the horses once they’re done and ready the defence,’ Anthem responded.  ‘General!’ he called and strode over to give his advice.  When he was finished, looking contented that his suggestion had been accepted, he strolled back, placing his palm above his eyes and peering to the distance.
    ‘Do you think they’ll attack again?’ Samuel asked.
    ‘They’ve no other way,’ Anthem replied, eyeing the valley slopes.  ‘These hills are steep and treacherous in all directions, covered in rifts and crevices.  Unless they want to spend a week crossing them, they need to come through here.  It’s just a matter of how soon.’
    Distant horns blew from the Gartens, sounding thin and faded, but it was enough to make the horsemen in the valley turn from their task and begin galloping their mounts back up the rise.
    Anthem peered towards the distance.  ‘It looks like they are coming already.  They are impatient to meet their deaths.’
    At the same time, General Canard’s commanders started barking orders and one of his signalmen drew a thin , patterned flag from its cover and began waving it high overhead.  In immediate response, the Imperial forces readied.  Hundreds of squads, each of a hundred men, raised their shields and drew their swords.  Rows of lancers and axeman and pikemen readied.  Packs of archers and javelin throwers checked over their weapons one last time.  Behind that, more and more men awaited, packed together, promising violence.
    If the Gartens knew what lay waiting beyond the rise, they would perhaps have given up their assault and fled, for the sight of the Turian army, primed to be unleashed, was truly breathtaking. 
    Far behind, the town of Rampeny waited quietly while its fate was decided.  Tiny figures could still be seen fleeing at its edges and , hopefully , most of the inhabitants would soon be away, but Samuel knew the old and the infirm were often left to fend for themselves in times like these, barricaded away inside their homes.
    ‘We shall meet them here,’ Anthem explained, never taking his eyes from the ir foes in the distance.  ‘This rise will be the deciding point of the battle.’
    ‘Will we win, Grand Master?’ Goodfellow asked nervously and , with that , the old man actually smiled.
    ‘Of course, young Master Goodfellow,’ he assured.  ‘But , unfortunately, this is the kind of battle that could drag on for some time if they stand their ground.  It makes little sense for us to waste our resources trying to drive them away, so we have nothing to lose by waiting it out.  We are near to fresh provisions, while they have vast supply chains to maintain.  Feeding their army will cost them dearly and I doubt they will be able to sustain their men here for too long.  When that army begins getting hungry, dissent will begin running through its ranks.  When we are reinforced with General Warren’s remaining forces, our position will be even more secure.  Once they break their position and start their retreat , we can harry them all the way back to Garteny.  Shame on them for not obtaining better intelligence !   If they had known how defenceless the town was up until now, I am sure they would have hurried their plans and everything would have worked out differently.  I understand it was your illusions that may have kept them at bay—luckily for us all.’
    ‘But why even bring the army to battle?’ Eric asked.  ‘With you and the other Lions here surely we have won already?’
    ‘I wish it were so, Master Pot, but we can only do so much.  The wild men of the north are easily routed once their might has been challenged, but the core of the Garten army is more disciplined and will fight on valiantly.  They are experienced in fighting against magicians and will , no doubt , have brought many of their own.  No, the Lions are certainly a boon for this battle, but the armies will decide its outcome.  We will bide our time before we assist.  If