The Guardians

Chapter 38

The group had stayed in the cave for two days to make sure Grace was going to be able to make the journey and give Lyra time to recover from the drawing spell. Once they both were able to continue, Kara dropped the illusion and they emerged from the cave.

"We'll just head back the way we came," Neve said. "It will be the easiest path."

"Should we take the easiest path?" Aiden asked. Lyra walked ahead of them a few paces. "Others could be on those paths as well and I would hate to run into them."

Neve looked over at Grace. "Will you be able to do any kind of climbing?"

"If I have to."

"If we have to, I can carry her," Orin said.

They heard a grunt and a thump. They all turned to see Lyra on the ground, her bow in her hand and an arrow nocked. She released the arrow.

"We have company!" she cried.

Aiden sprinted to her side as she released a second and third arrow. An arrow barely missed him as he grabbed Lyra under her arms. Before her and advancing on them were men in Arlan's colors. Three lay on the ground, Lyra's arrows having hit true. But there were many more that were still standing, four with arrows nocked. Lyra used his leverage to mostly regain her feet. Aiden cursed when he saw the arrow in her side, the bloodstain on her armor slowly growing around it.

"Lyra's been hit!" he cried.

"Who is attacking?" Neve asked.

"Arlan's men," Lyra said. "Must be a patrol from Atevora. I didn't see them until I'd already been hit."

"We need to make for the Silent Hands' sanctuary!" Orin cried.

Aiden immediately scooped Lyra into his arms while Orin took Grace into his. Lyra's hand went to the arrow, blood immediately staining her fingers. She cursed under her breath.

"Kara! We need an Illusion!"

"On it!" They began their sprint, following Orin.

"Sorry, Lyra."

"For what?"

"Causing you more pain."

"I've felt worst."

~~~

"How long do you think those doors will hold?" Aiden asked.

Orin led them to the Silent Hands' sanctuary less than a league from where they were ambushed. Unfortunately, it looked as if it hadn't seen a soul in months.

"The sanctuary was made to withstand years of siege," Orin answered.

A pained gasp from Lyra brought Aiden's attention back to his friend. She was sitting against a wall with Kara on her knees next to her. Lyra's fingers were wrapped around the arrow embedded in her right side.

"Stop trying to pull it out."

"I can't heal anything with it in."

Aiden knelt on her left side. He'd been impressed with her pain tolerance. While Aiden had carried her from the ambush site, she never once cried out, even with his sprinting jolting her. Until now.

He gently pried her fingers off the arrow and held her bloody hand in his. "Let Kara pull it out. She'll be able to remove it straight."

Kara placed one hand on Lyra's abdomen and the other around the arrow. "Are you ready?"