Page 105 of The Twisted Throne

Dippy drew closer, faster than any of the Amaridian mounts by far, and drawing an arrow from the quiver, Ahnna let go of the reins and sat up straight. She’d spent her life shooting from a tossing ship deck. Fighting wind and rain and worse, and with a good bow, Ahnna never missed.

Waiting for the storm to take a breath, she let the arrow loose.

It soared through the air and struck the man at the rear in his spine, what cry of pain he might have made muffled by the storm. He rolled off the back of his mount, landing in a way that ensured his death even if the arrow hadn’t.

Ahnna pressed onward, Dippy gaining on the group with every stride.

But Maven was flagging. The mare was bleeding from the haunches, and the Amaridians were gaining ground.

Ahnna shot another one. Then another.

Dippy leapt over their bodies without losing his stride.

Taking aim at a large man, Ahnna let loose right as his horse stumbled. It made him shift sideways, and the arrow hit him in thearm.

He roared in pain and looked backward right in time for her last arrow to take him in the face.

But his fellows had heard.

Heads snapped around, and two of them broke off the chase to wheel their horses to meet her.

James chose that moment to look over his shoulder. Horror filled his expression, and then he was wheeling Maven around, sword in hand.

What he did next, Ahnna didn’t know, because her focus shifted to the man galloping toward her with a sword in hand.

Her small blade wouldn’t do well against the long, slender sword, especially given he held the blade like he knew how to use it.

Which meant she couldn’t let him get close.

Flipping her knife so that she held it by the tip, Ahnna drew in a deep breath and threw. It flipped end over end, striking the man in the shoulder. He dropped his sword and flew past her, but her eyes were on the second man. Drawing her skirts up so they were out of her way, Ahnna rode straight at him, veering to the left at the last minute.

He tried to adjust his swing, but she was already throwing herself at him.

Ahnna caught him around the waist, shoulders screaming even as her momentum ripped them both off the back of the horse.

They hit the ground and rolled. Their tumble stopped with her on top, and Ahnna smashed her forehead into his nose. As he screamed, she regained her feet, and then brought her boot heel down hard on his throat, and the screaming stopped.

She was shaking.

No…Thegroundwas shaking.

Ahnna lifted her head to see James riding toward her, mouthopened as he screamed something at her, but she couldn’t hear it over the thunder.

Then she understood. Not thunder. A massive herd of cattle racing directly toward them.

Dippy had circled around and was galloping alongside Maven. James caught his reins, hauling him to stop next to her. “Get on!”

She didn’t need to be told twice.

Dippy was running as her ass hit the saddle, and she knew that fear was driving him now. Because all around them were cattle.

“Give him his head,” James shouted above the deafening thunder of hooves and storm. “Run with them!”

Boom!

There was no other choice but to run with the stampede. The Amaridians were doing the same, all interest in trying to kill her and James forgotten as they fought for their own lives.

Ahnna looked over her shoulder, her heart clenching as she watched the circling clouds take on a funnel shape. Like waterspouts she’d seen on the sea, except bigger. So much bigger.

---