green earth!” He reach ed a filthy hand up and, grabbed hold of her chin roughly . “Yes, what a rare find we have stumbled across! When I am don e with you…well best not speak of that now .”
Anger washed over Shiovra and she kicked the shins of the man who held her captive with all her strength . With a hissed cruse, the man released her and she was free. Moving quickly, her hand lashed out and struck Árdal full across the face.
Árdal stumbled back from the surprising force of the blow. “Why you little … you’ll pay for that! Seize her!” he bellowed in rage. “We ’ll make her learn.” A smug laugh passed his lips despite the anger evident in his voice.
Shiovra dodged the men’s grasps as they reached to seize her once again. She needed to draw upon the energy created by the storm to defend herself, but first she needed to get further away from them. Breaking into a run, Shiovra wove her way through the trees . It took her a moment to realize that the rain had let up and the lightning was becoming less frequent. And , without so much rain, the moon had begun to peak through small breaks in the clouds making it much easier for her to see, but also easier for her pursuers as well .
A voice shouted to her over the wind, “Be a good little wench, and come back here. Your punishment will be less severe if you do as you are told!”
She glanced back over her shoulder to find that Árdal pursued her alone now, his men no where to be seen; a matter which began to worry her more. She could hear their sho uts as well as those of others co ming from off in the woods to her le ft. There were torch lights behind Árdal, dim but there, and Shiovra knew oth ers aside from his men lurked in the trees .
Suddenly, a chill of warning raced up her spine. Shiovra stumbled over a fallen tree and fell to the ground, rolling and narrowly missing an arrow that Árdal had shot at her. She crouched there for a moment, catching her breath and fearing that any movement would allow him to target her better.
“Dana protect me…” she muttered as she tried to rise to her feet, but p ain seared through her body and she feel to her knees. Touching her side, she pulled her hand away to realize that she hadn’t missed the arro w entirely. Shiovra glanced over to see Árdal stalking towa rds her with the same wicked smile upon his lips .
Shiovra knew she needed to do something, and quickly. She rose unsteadily to her feet and focused on Árdal as she began gathering the energies around her, calling upon the elements of fire in a desper ate plea. Small flames spra ng to life around him, small at first then quickly becoming a broad belt of fire. The flames crackled despite the rain and stretched, burning white hot as it encompassed him. The y fire leapt at Árdal, reaching for him. It did not burn his flesh, merely held him in place.
Leaving Árdal trapped, Shiovra turned and hastened as quickly as she could away . It grew nearly pitch black as she ran into the deepest part s of the forest where t he trees grew tall, their leave thick and branches intertwined. Passing through some thick brush, Shiovra stumbl ed, feeling weak from the injury she had sustained , and fell to her knees once more.
Breath came painfully hard and her wound stung terribly . Taking a deep breath, she sighed and rested th ere for a brief moment, a heaviness to her body. She knew she would need to treat the wound and bind it, but first she needed to be sure Árdal and his men would not be able to find her .
“Cousin , ” c ame a soft male voice.
Shiovra let out a startled cry , and looked up.
Thunder rumbled lowly .
In the fleeting flash of lightning, she could see Daire leaning against a tree. He carried a bow in one hand and an ar row in the other.
Slowly, painfully , Shiovra made her way towards her cousin. Standing before him, she offered him a tight smile. “You could have followed me sooner, cousin , ” she told him, t hen winced sl ightly in
Anger washed over Shiovra and she kicked the shins of the man who held her captive with all her strength . With a hissed cruse, the man released her and she was free. Moving quickly, her hand lashed out and struck Árdal full across the face.
Árdal stumbled back from the surprising force of the blow. “Why you little … you’ll pay for that! Seize her!” he bellowed in rage. “We ’ll make her learn.” A smug laugh passed his lips despite the anger evident in his voice.
Shiovra dodged the men’s grasps as they reached to seize her once again. She needed to draw upon the energy created by the storm to defend herself, but first she needed to get further away from them. Breaking into a run, Shiovra wove her way through the trees . It took her a moment to realize that the rain had let up and the lightning was becoming less frequent. And , without so much rain, the moon had begun to peak through small breaks in the clouds making it much easier for her to see, but also easier for her pursuers as well .
A voice shouted to her over the wind, “Be a good little wench, and come back here. Your punishment will be less severe if you do as you are told!”
She glanced back over her shoulder to find that Árdal pursued her alone now, his men no where to be seen; a matter which began to worry her more. She could hear their sho uts as well as those of others co ming from off in the woods to her le ft. There were torch lights behind Árdal, dim but there, and Shiovra knew oth ers aside from his men lurked in the trees .
Suddenly, a chill of warning raced up her spine. Shiovra stumbled over a fallen tree and fell to the ground, rolling and narrowly missing an arrow that Árdal had shot at her. She crouched there for a moment, catching her breath and fearing that any movement would allow him to target her better.
“Dana protect me…” she muttered as she tried to rise to her feet, but p ain seared through her body and she feel to her knees. Touching her side, she pulled her hand away to realize that she hadn’t missed the arro w entirely. Shiovra glanced over to see Árdal stalking towa rds her with the same wicked smile upon his lips .
Shiovra knew she needed to do something, and quickly. She rose unsteadily to her feet and focused on Árdal as she began gathering the energies around her, calling upon the elements of fire in a desper ate plea. Small flames spra ng to life around him, small at first then quickly becoming a broad belt of fire. The flames crackled despite the rain and stretched, burning white hot as it encompassed him. The y fire leapt at Árdal, reaching for him. It did not burn his flesh, merely held him in place.
Leaving Árdal trapped, Shiovra turned and hastened as quickly as she could away . It grew nearly pitch black as she ran into the deepest part s of the forest where t he trees grew tall, their leave thick and branches intertwined. Passing through some thick brush, Shiovra stumbl ed, feeling weak from the injury she had sustained , and fell to her knees once more.
Breath came painfully hard and her wound stung terribly . Taking a deep breath, she sighed and rested th ere for a brief moment, a heaviness to her body. She knew she would need to treat the wound and bind it, but first she needed to be sure Árdal and his men would not be able to find her .
“Cousin , ” c ame a soft male voice.
Shiovra let out a startled cry , and looked up.
Thunder rumbled lowly .
In the fleeting flash of lightning, she could see Daire leaning against a tree. He carried a bow in one hand and an ar row in the other.
Slowly, painfully , Shiovra made her way towards her cousin. Standing before him, she offered him a tight smile. “You could have followed me sooner, cousin , ” she told him, t hen winced sl ightly in
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