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Falan careened around a curve in the road, the poor lanced over her shoulder again, and there were her pursuers, still gaining One had a crossbow

Da into the woods to make it more difficult for the bowman to aim, but she saw no likely spots to enter

A bolt skittered along the road ahead of her lifting puffs of dirt Falan spooked but Karigan steadied her and kicked her on The boould not be able to reload at a full gallop She watched the roadside for an escape route that would not involve trees scraping her off Falan or tu down a steep eh in the woods, she could use her ability as the sun crept down in the west She did not like to think ould happen if the ht her

Even as she renewed her deter in the woods, Falan failed her

Onefull tilt, the next she stu Karigan froh the air

Ti in the air forever, awaiting the inevitable And then—

She slaravel and hard dirt in front of theherto rise, but she could not The an had ever heard from a horse

Gradually she beca pain in the palazed at her pal chewed flesh e blood She knew it must be the sa hurt, all her joints andappeared to be broken Unlike poor Falan

The ruffians slowed their approach and careat cloud of dust She couldn’t outrun them on foot even if she could make her limbs obey her

Training took over, Drent screa too much She needed not to think, but to act She drew the knives fro hands The first she threw did not hit the lead man as she intended, but ide and hit the man next to him He tumbled from his saddle Before the ruffians recovered their wits to respond, she threw the second knife and took out another an was surprised as well Fergal, she thought, would be proud of her

Men diset her addled mind to count how many there were Didn’t matter anyway There were too many of them, and only one of her

The leader walked over to her “It appears, my lady, you have teeth”

“Who is she, Sarge?” another asked “That ain’t the real lady, is it?”