Sky Woman: Book One of The Empress Saga

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

"What do we want to avoid more?" Enfri asked, "a legion of soldiers or the assassins?"

She rode west, knowing that each step brought her closer to her pursuers. Every instinct Enfri had urged her to turn around and go east, because she knew with absolute certainty that Jin was waiting.

"Don't be silly, Enfri," Deebee scolded from ahead. She led the way through the countryside once again, always being conscious of if her charge could keep within sight. "We avoid both as much as possible."

"But we're heading back towards Jin and the others," Enfri insisted. "We'll run right into them."

Deebee swooped in a wide circle to turn around. She landed on the horn of Enfri's saddle. "Stop here a moment, girl. Remember what we spoke of earlier? We must think like the hunters to evade them."

"What good does that do us when we're heading towards them?"

"Trust me. The assassins are hoping we'll go blundering into the village and get snapped up by the Merovech. Either that, or that we'll try to hide on the outskirts until they sniff us out."

Enfri put a hand to her brow and suppressed an anxious moan. "Doesn't that mean they'll be wary of us doubling back like this?"

"Quite so," Deebee agreed, "but we're not going to do it like they think we would. Right now, there's likely an assassin already in the village. They'd be sent ahead to inform the Merovech to be ready for us. That leaves five behind us, but we have an advantage."

"What advantage?"

"The size of your father's awarded land. The assassins will be worried that you may have boltholes, concealed places you or I have kept stocked with supplies for an emergency."

Enfri perked up. "Are there any?"

"If only there were. With the ward in place, I thought there wouldn't ever be a need for one. Besides, in a flat area like this, there isn't much in the way of hidden corners to hide in."

It was probably too much to have hoped for a safe hideaway to miraculously become available. Enfri motioned for Deebee to continue laying out her plan.

"Boltholes or no," Deebee said, "They won't leave the possibility to chance. The assassins will spread out to cover a wide area. They'll be searching for tracks, hiding places on your property, or any sign that we're near."

"They'll certainly find our trail," Enfri said. "I was crashing through the brush like a bull."

"Find our tracks heading east, yes," Deebee said with a wink. "Once they follow them to the village, they'll already be behind us."

"Unless we walk right into their net."

"I'm confident that won't happen."

"Why not?" Enfri asked. "You seem proud of yourself, but I don't understand."

"Haven't you noticed where we are?" Deebee asked.

Enfri narrowed her eyes as she peered into the surrounding darkness. Where could they possibly be that she'd recognize it? Enfri was about to give up and ask Deebee to be more plain, but then she caught sight of the ground beneath them. It wasn't brown grass or loose topsoil. They rode on hard-packed dirt.

"The road?" Enfri asked in disbelief. "You brought us back to the road?"

"The assassins wouldn't dream of looking for us here."

"Because that would be insane."

Deebee nodded happily. "Yes, exactly."

"Why not just light a fire or start singing bawdy songs?"