Brynn slipped out from behind the protection of the wall, so the enemy could see her.Hopefully, they hadn’t noticed Cenric and Snapper in the shadow of the wall.
The two enemy warriors charged for her, one with an axe and the other with the spear.
Brynn retreated with her hands raised, making it look as if she was fleeing.Her heart raced andkaswirled around her in golden whorls that would be invisible to anyone without magic.She wanted to get them away from the others, even if only a few paces.
The man with the axe came first.He didn’t have a helmet, his hair and beard outlined in the light of the fire.
Brynn sent a spell straight for his face.His head whipped back and he went down.
The man with the spear had a shield and seemed at least smart enough to realize she was doing something even if he might not realize she was a sorceress.He raised his shield as he advanced, charging.
Brynn grimaced.She needed to get around his shield for a clean shot at bare skin.It was possible for her spells to slice through clothing, but it would take more effort, and she needed to save her power for…
A dark shape flew out from the wall.Snapper came bounding across the distance, barking at the spearman.
The warrior spun, probably thinking he was being attacked from the other side.He slashed for Snapper, but the dog skirted back, still barking.
The spearman turned his head to the side for just a moment and Brynn took the opening.Her spell slashed toward his neck.
The spearman hissed in pain, but from thekathat flowed from him, she hadn’t struck a lethal blow.He charged her again, ignoring Snapper’s barking this time.
Brynn raised both hands and stood her ground.It went against every instinct, but she forced herself not to move as the man came at her, just his eyes showing above his shield.She focused, aimed her power and sent out a whip ofka.
This time, her spell caught him full in the face, piercing through his left eye.The man stumbled forward, toppling like a pile of stones.
His spear wavered as he went down, and Brynn caught it by the shaft.She pulled it free and grabbed his shield while she was at it.She ran back to the corner of the burning hall where she had left her husband.
Cenric rushed to meet her halfway.He slung the shield onto his left arm and snatched the spear from her.“Magnificent woman!”Cenric crowed, voice flushed with pride even as he dropped into a defensive stance, pushing her behind him and the protection of the shield.“That’s my girl.”
The time for praise was short-lived as the other warriors realized they were under attack.
“Draw them away from the others?”Brynn panted, grateful for the first time that most of these men didn’t speak Hyldish.
“Can you do anything about the fire?”Cenric asked, not taking his attention off their enemies.
Brynn grimaced.“No.”
“You can start fires with your power,” Cenric protested.
“Yes, I canstartfires.”Usingkato create a flame was possible, but turning the flame intokawas another matter.If there was a way to do it, Brynn wasn’t aware.
“Can you make this fire bigger?”Cenric asked.
“Bigger?”
“Yes, bigger.”
“I could,” Brynn answered, not sure where this was going.“But that would endanger the people still inside the hall.”
“Anyone still alive is in more danger from these whoresons,” Cenric shot back.
Brynn realized what he was saying.It had already been too long, and the hall would already be filled with smoke.If anyone had not gotten out through the hole she had made, they were likely dead.She had no friends or loved ones among the Valdari in Ovrek’s hall, but she still felt a pang of anguish.All those people choking to death…what a horrific end.
“Brynn!”Cenric faced down three more men that broke off from the main group.
Inhaling a deep breath, Brynn coughed.Her lungs were still not quite clear of the smoke.She drewkainto herself, calling on the power that lay dormant in the air and the earth around them.
Brynn wrapped it into her own chest until it became its own inferno.She coiled it tight around her heart, focusing, focusing.
