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"Conrad would not risk the entire kingdom with such a reckless alliance This is only uide Theophanu and her army into the safety of the walls Be on alert" He shook his head "Theirs is not the only scent that rides the wind today"

Before the gate they readied their arht Sibold handed hion helm When he fixed it over his head, acrowd He adjusted his mail so it lapped over his belt, loosened his sword in its scabbard, then twisted his lance, checking for any warp or crack It seemed only moments since the whispered "to arate, yet after all an internal

What if he rong? Perhaps her ared hernot to support him The outcome of this day turned on the fealty of his sister

The sound rose faintly, but clear, a long low horn call resounding across the valley, followed by three rising notes Men strained at the ropes as they opened the gates Within the walls, a horn lifted its voice in alar reply In the citadel, a bell took up the call, h-pitched wails of the lesser horns

Sanglant put spur to Fest The gelding pressed eagerly onto the field The sun stood high over all, barricaded on all sides by a glowering wall of dark clouds The valley lay in brightness, and the forest beyond, in shadow

Answering true works, which ell constructed against a charge Pickets of stout, sharpened poles and half-dug trenches guarded the bulwarks, with Sabella’s and Conrad’s banners stationed deep within There were but two flaws They had anchored their right flank upon the steep northern slopes but had not yet set defenses there, perhaps thinking the slope itself sufficient to reject a charge Some trenches were partially excavated to their rear, but nothing was complete The other flaw in Conrad’s defense was, of course, that he had to defend frolant wheeled his force to the left and made for the slope Soh their own defenses so they ed across their front Even as they did so, infantry advanced at double tih and their own archers behind, letting fly as they closed the range The Varren archers who had come out before the lines scrambled back to their defenses A few fell

Where the Varren line gave way to hill, Sanglant leaped the farthest and most shallow trench A pair of archers rose to ht eye even as that man tried to nock a new arrow The otherhis ar up to free the lance, he kicked the second archer in the throat He reset his lance, but it was hard work The chase, the thunder of hooves around him as his troop smashed into the Varren flank, the first screaave him flashes of vision of Bloodheart’s hall in Gent, all these roused the fury that drove hinant He was captain The one who led He pushed on as his riders scythed the ground behind him They must push forward, no respite for those in front and no tiard’s cavalry pressing the line on either side of Kassel’s h the lines and reach the Hellweg at the base of the ra in fro would have a clear descent into the fray

Wind churned the heavens A battle outside the hall, Hanna shuddered as a cold rain drove over her, but athunderheads warned of the loo storm The sun shone above the valley of Kassel, yet nowhere else

"Sorcery!" the Saony guards whispered

She wiped rain fro out in all directions The e slope where, moments before, ax-men had toppled a dozen trees Sixto alert those trapped with Kassel Their faces were caught in the sun, but their backs were still in shadow

"Eagle!" Theophanu eed from the hall, ar her helle, make ready Kinship demands arn Conrad and Sabella of the Eika We reater threat You’ll be brought a fresh horse"