Page 111 of Raven's Rise
“Here’s the plan,” Rafe interjected, already nudging his horse to the front. “I’m riding directly there. If I see anyone I don’t like, I’m killing them. You two can follow me.” He kicked once and was off.
“You used to make better plans!” Alric called after him.
Rafe didn’t care. Hitting the top of the rise, he reined Philon in so he could judge the scene before him. The startled horse reared once.
“Stop that,” Rafe muttered. He saw a farm below, where people moved about. He nudged Philon once, and the horse sped down the slope toward the ramshackle clutch of buildings. A small group of people stood near what looked to be the stables, and a few more were emerging from the house. Several horses cropped grass in a paddock.
One of the figures wore a pale blue gown. Angelet. She was being held in place by a huge hulk of a guard. But her eyes were on Rafe.
He picked out the other figures, identifying the irritating Ernald, as well as the maid Bethany, and Goswin. The other men looked like hired soldiers.
Rafe jumped down from his horse, drawing his sword.
“Ernald!” he yelled. “This is your doing?”
The lordling lifted his chin into the air. “You shouldn’t have come after us. You shouldn’t have taken Angelet away in the first place. Made my life quite inconvenient these past few weeks.”
“I offered to fight you before, at Dryton,” Rafe said to Ernald. “I won’t wait any longer.”
“Don’t be absurd,” Ernald retorted. “You’re alone, and I’ve got ten men with me. In fact,” he added, raising his voice, “the first person to kill you will get an extra reward!”
“No,” Angelet protested. But her cry was drowned out by the shouting of others. Some came from the soldiers who stepped forward to fight Rafe. Another was a cry of dismay, howling that two more riders were coming.
Rafe turned to see Alric and Octavian galloping toward them.
“Ah. Reinforcements,” he told Ernald.
“Not enough. Anyway, you can’t do anything while I’ve got Angelet under my command. One word from me and she dies at Ulmar’s hand.” He nodded toward the big man, who stood by Angelet, his blade drawn.
Then Ernald’s expression changed. He was looking at Angelet with puzzlement. “What in hell are you smiling about, woman?”
Angelet was indeed smiling. Though she faced Ernald, her eyes didn’t seem quite focused on him, but rather on a distant point. She lifted one hand and pointed toward Ernald. “I see you,” she said, speaking slowly.
“I’m standing in front of—”
“Surrounded by gold,” she went on, oblivious to his outburst. “Gold as bright as the sun. Like the ocean at dawn.”
Rafe got a twinge in his gut. He’d seen that vacant look before. Angelet must have been under tremendous strain all day, and now another seizure was imminent.
Before he could say anything, Angelet took a step toward Ernald, then another. Ulmar remained rooted to his spot, unnerved by what was happening.
“I see you above this gold,” she continued. “No other but you.”
“And?” Ernald demanded, interested in spite of himself. “What else?”
Her voice was dreamy, disconnected. “Now you’re falling. You’re drowning. You’ll die.”
“Shut up with your rambling!” Ernald snapped. “Get back!”
Angelet didn’t react to his command. Her gaze was locked on Ernald, who appeared truly shaken by her words. Then she swayed on her feet, and crumpled to the ground. Goswin yelped and bent down to check on her, leaning in to see if she was breathing.
Rafe’s first instinct was to get to her as fast as possible, but there were too many other people in the way.
“Damn, she’s having another fit,” Ernald said. “Of all the times to suffer a vision.”
“What’s your order?” the massive guard named Ulmar asked.
“Leave her. She’s not going anywhere for hours. I’ve seen it. Everyone, get these men!”
