Dierdre screamed and Frances pushed her frightened friend behind herself.
So much for staying away from mysterious men in dark robes, Frankie thought darkly. The horses were unrelenting, and it appeared that the Mah'jai were heading straight for them.
Dierdre peered around Frances's shoulder and saw the sun glint of the blade of a very large—very sharp, sword. Dierdre screamed again and Frances grabbed Dierdre's hand.
"Run!" Frances screamed, but Dierdre didn't move, Frances yanked Dierdre's arm sharply.
"What?" Dierdre gasped.
"Run!" Frances screamed again, as the two girls sprinted off down the sand. The sand was loose and didn't provide much footing; so by the time the Mah'jai were nearly upon them, Frances and Dierdre hadn't gained much ground.
A hand reached out and clamped onto Frances's arm. "No!" She cried out as she was hoisted halfway up onto the horse and ripped away from Dierdre.
Frances struggled and fought, "let me go!" She cried out pounding on the horses flank. She groped blindly for a moment until her left hand wrapped around the hand of the Mah'jai who was holding her. "Let me go!" Frances screamed, digging her nails into the mans palm.
The guard cried out and released Frances, she grunted as her head bounced off the saddle and she landed unceremoniously on the hot golden sand. She whipped her head back and forth, trying to catch sight of Dierdre. Frances's pushed herself to her feet only to be knocked down again by the hilt of another guards sword.
Frances flipped onto her back and the guard, who's face was masked by his cloak pressed the tip of his curved sword against the hollow of her throat.
Frances gasped and backed away slowly.
"Stop!" The leader of the guards shouted, in a language Frances couldn't understand. He turned to face the two captives. The one who had passed out from fear and the other who had clawed the hell out of his right hand. He pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. "Stop this at once," Ardeth Bay said clamping a hand on the shoulder of the guard who held his sword at the one girls throat. Suddenly Ardeth paused and whipped off his cloak. Frances grimaced and Ardeth mouth dropped open in surprise. "You?" He demanded.
