Chapter 19
Lilliana fidgeted as they waited for Enganar to come back. Her brother noticed and sat beside her.
"Don't worry," he reassured her.
She ducked her head. "I can't help it," she replied. "What if it doesn't work? What if he only said that to make us let him go?"
Reuel shook his head. "Don't worry," he repeated. "I think–"
Lilliana looked at him. But her brother wasn't looking at her; he was looking at her ring.
The princess also looked at it. The emerald eyes were faintly glowing in the dark night.
"Has it ever done that before?" Reuel questioned.
Lilliana shook her head. "No, it hasn't. I've never seen it do that before."
Suddenly there came the sound of shouting from the direction of the Ruins. Swords clashed and men screamed as the melee increased.
The prince and princess snatched up their swords and dashed toward the fight.
~o~o~
Rikkle was starting to panic. The group had barely come to the gate when they had been spotted. The sentries atop the gate began shooting at them as they ran by. An arrow caught Enganar in the back and he dropped like a stone.
Besides all that, the dwarf was having a hard time keeping his friend on Moonbeam's back. The semi-conscious man kept swaying from side-to-side, and every time he leaned too far Moonbeam would stop so that Rikkle could adjust his position.
The gate guards were gaining on the trio, and–save for the sword that they had retaken–Rikkle had nothing to defend them with.
Now, backed up against, Rikkle turned and lifted the over-large sword in his hands. As he prepared himself to defend the first attack, however, something unexpected happened.
Six figures, four human and two animal, came running up from behind. Immediately two of them grabbed hold of the man on Moonbeam's back while the other two joined Rikkle.
"Go!" One of them shouted. "We'll hold them off!"
The other gave the dwarf a push in the right direction, and he started running–but not without many a backward glance.
As he scrambled up the hillside the sounds of fighting intensified behind him. All at once there was a scream, then silence.
He paused at the top of the hill, then walked down the far side and into the small camp. Sitting at a small fire was a woman–and lying next to her was his friend. Rikkle could see bandages wrapped around some of the worst of his wounds, but his face was pale and that worried him.
"Will he be alright?" the dwarf asked.
She looked up at the sound of his voice and smiled.
"Ranger is a strong man," she reassured. "I have no doubt he'll be fine with a few days rest."
~o~o~
Lilliana and Reuel looked up as the two guards who had come with them entered the camp. They nodded in answer to the silent message and took up positions on either side of the fire.
On the morrow, they would leave for Cair Paravel.