Page 37 (1/2)

"The horses co smoke obscured Auron’s view, and still another explosionthe aim of the crossbowainst this moment, for the towers suddenly doubled their fire Flame and iron rained onto the line of horse," a deep voice from the southern river-tower boomed

"Every dwarf to the north wall!" Djer shouted He stood on a barrel to see the attack, still with a pipe in his hand "Let the towers take care of the river"

So forith ropes and hooks Others fired curved bows fro the dwarves; the riders were betterstill Another pig exploded, this ti horses as well as dwarves A few of the latter jumped off the wall and ran for the nearest tower The toere sending theirback the attack by the on lurched over, spilling a dwarf as it was dragged from the wall Horses of the Ironriders pulled at the wheels with ropes and hooks, hauling it out of the barricade by main force More horns sounded from the attackers, and another rain of steel fro the pullers The wagon stopped ten paces from the wall, and riders with spears and curved swords spurred their rabbed tarves running for the towers toward the gap "Fill the breech!" he yelled, waving dwarves over fro all around the dwarves’ triangle now; the dwarves at the other walls worked bow, crossbow, and sling to keep them off Each side traded shots; dwarves to either side of Djer toppled, sprouting feathered shafts With a cry a body of horse, black-feathered spear--charged the gap Auron caught a wild look of fear in Djer’s eyes as he stood alone at the breech without even a shield, working the lever of a crossbow

Auron roared His call rose above the clamor, not the sound of dwarf, man, horse, or even swine Perhaps a lion could make a sound like that, but it would lack the truon-dashed straight for the gap and the charging horses, griff extended so his head rese raside his friend he loosed his foua, spreading a long arc of liquid flaon alike The superheated wood exploded with a crackling fshoosh

A horse and rider braved the inferno; Auron turned his head toward the away skin andin its death Its rider, also afla his ar heap Other horses shied away fro the walls, their riders desperately striking at dwarf heads along the barricade

Auron stood in the breachhis neck and tail withhis head Another wild rider, cape flying out behind, juon-trek-toith a moon-white horse He held a kitelike banner in a muscular arm, the sharp end pointed for Auron’s breast Auron’s neck as caed behind; a crossbow bolt buried itself in the man’s broad chest, and he toppled backwards off his horse The beast danced around Auron, away from the flames and into the darkness of the dwarf compound

"Reload this!" Djer barked at a dwarf beside hi over the crossbow that had felled the bannerit like a spear, and stood beside Auron

"The fire was a shock for therimly

Arrows arced overhead "Build up the bonfire," Auron said "Have your dwarves throw barrels, anything on it The horses don’t like it"

"I don’t like ittheir way "But we’ll do it" He shouted orders, and dwarves ran up to throw anything they could lay their hands on, ap in the wall

The Ironriders charged again, braving the fire of the towers The horses turned away at the last moment Some of the riders, in their battle fury, juht the dwarves on the walls with fist and dagger, but were met by a wave of hard-arht on the walls A third charge broke almost as soon as it started, when the first missiles from the towers rained down on the front ranks

By the time the sun o diameters off the horizon, it was over Across the river, looted barges and warehouses, wagons and stalls burned, putting an invertedsky Djer retrieved the white horse that had bolted past Auron and rode up and down the walls like a horse the beast’s back as the ed from its belly He still pointed with his pipe as he shouted

Auron found hi as the riders retreated The Ironriders still blew horns and whistles defiantly, covered by archers who let it be known that they were leaving at their own pace, still fighting--a dho stood up to jeer fell with an arrow through his cheek; he lived but never shook his fist at anyone again--as they quit the field