Garinor decided not to trust Nomwel. He kicked his horse forward and grabbed the man’s arm, keeping him from attacking the woman. She reacted instantly to the diversion and swung her horse behind Garinor’s and cracked her elbow into Nomwel’s face, which knocked him off his horse.
“Good one, friend,” she said to him. “Quick, while the others are occupied, we must take wind.” She turned her horse northeast and sped away, Garinor right behind her.
They raced with furious speed, keeping their heads low, and soon the sounds of the skirmish behind them disappeared. The woman glanced over her shoulder to ensure Garinor was behind her, but she accidentally tugged her horse’s reins in the process. The large beast’s head turned slightly to the side and it lost sight of the rapidly passing earth. One hoof crunched on a stone and the horse lost its balance and went into a tumble.
Nimble as a cat, the woman pounced off the horse’s back and dove into a roll that saved her life. The horse, however, was not as fortunate. It cried in agony under its broken leg and there it lolled about begging for mercy.
Garinor could not watch as the woman dealt a sword blow to quiet the lame horse. She bent behind its head as the light went out of its eyes and she kissed it, tears streaming down her face.
“A dreadful loss,” she said sadly. Then without wiping her eyes she turned to Garinor. “My friend, we must be off. I will ride with you.”
She climbed on Garinor’s horse and took the reins, while he held onto her from behind. Giving her horse one last glance, they pelted off into the afternoon, continuing their hurried pace, though the horse bucked against it at times. They took breaks to rest the beast and to gather themselves some water.
The woman introduced herself as Stout and explained that patrols were being set up in secret across the land, looking for boys his age. “Seems the prince is seeking them and rounding them all up. Trouble is, some of the thugs he’s hired don’t know orders aren’t to kill. Safer if you’re not on your own. But I’ll get you to those who can help.”
Garinor didn’t say anything during the trip, just nodded when she spoke to him. She accepted his silence without question and they pressed onward whenever the horse had the strength.
They were heading in the right direction. The mountains in the north loomed closer and they were progressing eastward as well. Stout even managed to trap a hare, which they ate hurriedly for dinner as the evening blossomed in full. The horse was grateful for the extended rest, but after that, Stout pushed a hard ride and Garinor knew they would reach their destination before the night was through.