Warrior's Heart (Book 1 of The Warrior Chronicles)

Chapter 39

Clouds parted to allow the moon to light the grassy plane they travelled on. The sweet scent of white Lady's Gloves filled the air, telling Leyla that dawn was approaching. She had lost track of how many hours passed since they left the hut, nor could she judge how much longer they had to go to reach their destination. It would normally take them half a day to get to the Healing lands from where they had begun, but Alec insisted on stopping to redress Finn's wound so frequently it was hard to say how much ground they had covered.

She cast a sideways glance at the General of the Warrior Kingdom. His braids tide back tight, his expression grim, he was holding Finn against his broad chest as they rode. After what she heard him tell the boy back in the hut, she thought she understood his feelings. Finn was his little cousin, his family. Leyla had no idea what she would do if it was Michael who was at deaths door.

Her mind wondered to Michael and Delphine. They should have reached the outpost a while back and were probably very angry at her. Although she hated that she had to use force to send them away, Leyla knew she had done the right thing. If Alec and his men hadn't come across the scene of the ambush on their way to the Greenlands, Leyla, along with anyone else who stayed with her, would be dead by now.

Bo and Wolf who were riding in front of them held their hands up, bringing the group to a stop. Alec slowed gently, trying not to rock Finn who was flitting in and out of consciousness. The boy had managed to speak Alec's name when back at the hut, but his rampant fever kept him from lucid speech every since. Leyla hoped they didn't have long to go. With severe blood loss and a raging temperature, Finn wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.

Her eyes wondered over the plain until she saw the reason for their sudden halt; they had reached the boarder of the Giant Tree Woods. Leyla had never been to where the Healing People lived, but had seen many maps of their living areas. From the start of the trees ahead, it would only take them an hours ride to reach the centre of their settlement. Perhaps then, Finn really had a chance.

"What are we waiting for?" Alec growled low at his men. They both looked back apologetically.

"I'm sorry sir," Wolf spoke with his gravely voice. "There are two unidentified shadows straight ahead. We can't move within arrow range."

Leyla spotted the shadows then looked at Finn's perspiring face. He was growing paler every moment, they had no time for this!

Kicking her horse forward, she pulled alongside Wolf, grabbed his bow from his satchel and an arrow from the quiver strapped to his back. The Warrior was too surprised to protest, as she pushed her knees together to get her horse to move two more steps ahead. The distance was long, far longer than most anyone could manage. Leyla looked down the tip of her arrow for aim, then called the Heat. Into her hands it came, stretching towards her from the ground like little invisible fingers, filling her palms. When the tingling reached her wrists, Leyla stopped pulling and took a deep steading breath.

"Lady Alessa?" Wolf spoke her name in question. Leyla ignored him, raised the bow up towards the sky, pulled back and released. The arrow flew, making only the faintest of sounds as it cut across the darkness and struck the tree between the shadows. Though she didn't look, she could feel the surprise radiating from the Warriors in behind her.

"If it's an ambush, you just wasted an arrow," Alec said with no inflection in his voice.

He was right, but she didn't care. The only thing she cared about, was saving Finn.

Another moment passed, then suddenly one of the shadows stepped out from behind the tree she hit. Then the other joined, walking quickly forward. A man and a woman came out to the clearing, their blonde heads glistening in the moonlight as they raised their swords in salute. They were Warrior scouts, protecting the Healing Lands as per the Kingdoms agreement.