and as
Reece saw the rope stiffen below, he knew she had hit: the arrow was lodged in
the ship. The rope uncoiled as it sailed through the air, and there were but a
few feet of it left as it finally lodged into its resting place.
Reece
turned and saw hundreds of Tirus’s men shouting, too close now, drawing their
swords and bows and closing in on them.
“The
water’s not getting any warmer!” Matus cried out, looking down at the churning
sea.
As
one, the four them of them grabbed hold of the rope and jumped off the rocks
and into the foaming sea.
Reece
was shocked at how cold the water was; he struggled to catch his breath as he
swallowed a mouthful of salty seawater, bobbing up and down in the raging
ocean. He held onto the rope, not letting go no matter what, and he pulled
himself up, one foot at a time, heading toward the distant boat.
Reece
pulled hard and fast, along with the others, and they all began to move their
way through the water, with each pull getting farther from shore and closer to
the ship.
Reece
heard the muted shouts of Tirus’s men on the shore behind them, and then he
heard another noise which disturbed him—the noise of an arrow piercing water. The
noise came again, and again, and Reece looked over to see arrows sailing
through the air, piercing the water on either sides of him. He realized that
Tirus’s men were firing on them.
Reece
heard a scream in his ear. Stara. He looked over and saw her leg pierced by an
arrow, the arrow protruding from her thigh. He looked back and saw a host of arrows
airborne, whizzing by their head.
Srog
cried out next, and Reece saw that he, too, was pierced by an arrow.
Reece
knew he had to do something fast. He reached out and grabbed Stara, draping one
arm around her as she flailed.
“Hang
on to me tight,” he said.
He
positioned his body over hers so that he was between her and the shore, putting
himself in the path of the fire. Then, as she hung on, he pulled the rope for
them both.
Reece
shrieked as he suddenly felt an arrow pierce the side of his thigh. The pain
was excruciating. But at least he took comfort in knowing that had he not been
in its path, it would have hit Stara.
More
and more arrows sailed by their heads, and Reece wondered how much longer they could
keep this up, how much longer it would be until one of the arrows was fatal. He
pulled for dear life, doubling his speed. Reece knew their situation was
desperate; if they didn’t have help soon, they would all be dead.
Reece
heard another noise, that of an arrow sailing over his head—but this time, from
another direction. He looked up in surprise to see arrows flying overhead
toward shore, launching from the Queen’s ship. At first Reece braced himself,
thinking the Queen’s men were firing upon him. But then, as he saw more and
more of them fly overhead, and as he heard the cries of Tirus’s men, he
realized: the Queen’s men were coming to their aid.
Hundreds
of arrows suddenly flew overhead from the Queen’s ship, killing Tirus’s men firing
at them. Soon, the arrows from the shore stopped landing beside them.
Out
of danger’s path, they pulled harder and harder in the churning sea—and soon,
Reece felt a tug, and realized he was being pulled in by the Queen’s men. Dozens
of sailors grabbed the ropes and yanked hard, and soon they were being pulled, faster
and faster, right for the ship.
Bobbing
desperately in the waves, gasping for air, all of them, wounded, reached the
edge of the ship. A hand reached down for Reece, and as he grabbed it he looked
up and saw one of his own, a MacGil from the mainland, eager to help.
The
sailor looked down and smiled.
“Good
to have you on board,” he said.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Romulus led the way, marching before his million-man army as they
crested the final hill on the approach to King’s Court. As his horse reached
the top, Luanda bound behind him, the vista opened up before him, and his heart
soared with
Reece saw the rope stiffen below, he knew she had hit: the arrow was lodged in
the ship. The rope uncoiled as it sailed through the air, and there were but a
few feet of it left as it finally lodged into its resting place.
Reece
turned and saw hundreds of Tirus’s men shouting, too close now, drawing their
swords and bows and closing in on them.
“The
water’s not getting any warmer!” Matus cried out, looking down at the churning
sea.
As
one, the four them of them grabbed hold of the rope and jumped off the rocks
and into the foaming sea.
Reece
was shocked at how cold the water was; he struggled to catch his breath as he
swallowed a mouthful of salty seawater, bobbing up and down in the raging
ocean. He held onto the rope, not letting go no matter what, and he pulled
himself up, one foot at a time, heading toward the distant boat.
Reece
pulled hard and fast, along with the others, and they all began to move their
way through the water, with each pull getting farther from shore and closer to
the ship.
Reece
heard the muted shouts of Tirus’s men on the shore behind them, and then he
heard another noise which disturbed him—the noise of an arrow piercing water. The
noise came again, and again, and Reece looked over to see arrows sailing
through the air, piercing the water on either sides of him. He realized that
Tirus’s men were firing on them.
Reece
heard a scream in his ear. Stara. He looked over and saw her leg pierced by an
arrow, the arrow protruding from her thigh. He looked back and saw a host of arrows
airborne, whizzing by their head.
Srog
cried out next, and Reece saw that he, too, was pierced by an arrow.
Reece
knew he had to do something fast. He reached out and grabbed Stara, draping one
arm around her as she flailed.
“Hang
on to me tight,” he said.
He
positioned his body over hers so that he was between her and the shore, putting
himself in the path of the fire. Then, as she hung on, he pulled the rope for
them both.
Reece
shrieked as he suddenly felt an arrow pierce the side of his thigh. The pain
was excruciating. But at least he took comfort in knowing that had he not been
in its path, it would have hit Stara.
More
and more arrows sailed by their heads, and Reece wondered how much longer they could
keep this up, how much longer it would be until one of the arrows was fatal. He
pulled for dear life, doubling his speed. Reece knew their situation was
desperate; if they didn’t have help soon, they would all be dead.
Reece
heard another noise, that of an arrow sailing over his head—but this time, from
another direction. He looked up in surprise to see arrows flying overhead
toward shore, launching from the Queen’s ship. At first Reece braced himself,
thinking the Queen’s men were firing upon him. But then, as he saw more and
more of them fly overhead, and as he heard the cries of Tirus’s men, he
realized: the Queen’s men were coming to their aid.
Hundreds
of arrows suddenly flew overhead from the Queen’s ship, killing Tirus’s men firing
at them. Soon, the arrows from the shore stopped landing beside them.
Out
of danger’s path, they pulled harder and harder in the churning sea—and soon,
Reece felt a tug, and realized he was being pulled in by the Queen’s men. Dozens
of sailors grabbed the ropes and yanked hard, and soon they were being pulled, faster
and faster, right for the ship.
Bobbing
desperately in the waves, gasping for air, all of them, wounded, reached the
edge of the ship. A hand reached down for Reece, and as he grabbed it he looked
up and saw one of his own, a MacGil from the mainland, eager to help.
The
sailor looked down and smiled.
“Good
to have you on board,” he said.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Romulus led the way, marching before his million-man army as they
crested the final hill on the approach to King’s Court. As his horse reached
the top, Luanda bound behind him, the vista opened up before him, and his heart
soared with
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