Reflection of the night
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– I allow it, Your Majesty, but I warn you that I do not answer all such questions.
Raven chuckled and reached out long, thin fingers to touch her hair. Anna didn't move or even change her position. Gazing into her eyes, he pulled a straw out of his hair.
– Did you sleep in the stables?
– Yes, – the Countess replied matter-of-factly.
Raven clearly hadn't expected this answer:
– Are you crazy? Spend the night here, practically under the open sky, without protection?!
– I have a reliable protector, Your Majesty. He was with me all night.
– And who is he? – the head of state tried to put maximum contempt into his voice.
– You can see it right now.
All three of them looked in the direction indicated. A bay horse pranced along the road. This wonderful creature could not contain its own irrepressible energy. He kicked and whinnied, one brown eye squinting out from under his long bangs.
– That's a wild Liis stallion, – Arthur choked. – They can't be tamed. The strongest and toughest horses, the smartest.
– Well, why not, – said the Countess's melodious voice. – You just need to find an approach to everyone.
– If I touch him, he won't trample me? – The head of the Bear clan asked enthusiastically.
Anna went to the young man, took him by the hand and led him to the horse, which was already snorting with displeasure.
– Flame, let him, – the girl said.
The stallion snorted again, but this time less aggressively, and Anna brought the duke's hand to the horse. Arthur couldn't hide his delight as he stared at the horse.
– You came here in it?
– Yes.
– They are three times faster than normal horses.
– More than that, actually, – the Countess said. And the Flame is the leader, as long as none of the tribesmen can compete with it.
She mounted the horse, which was not even reined in, with surprising ease,and thus once again surprised her companions.
– The Flame knows the way very well, Your Majesty. If you'll excuse me, I'll go first.
The King frowned, but did not object. Soon, the four horsemen disappeared over the horizon.
When they were halfway down the road, a ravine appeared ahead. The horses walked slowly. Anna suddenly stopped. Robin, riding beside her, looked at her questioningly.
– The flame senses danger, – the Countess said.
As soon as the horses stopped, and the sound of hooves ceased to resound over the snow-covered expanse, a dead silence enveloped the gorge. Even the crystal-clear stream in front of them seemed to flow without a sound.
The Countess started as a long-drawn-out howl rang out.
– Wolves of the twilight! Stop it! – she shouted.
Shadows flickered on the cliff tops.
– Dismount quickly! – The king shouted, drawing his sword. – Anna, hide behind a boulder!
The girl hurried to obey the order, at the same time, the young men rushed forward, holding their weapons in front of them. The three black horses, terrified, darted down the ravine and leaped into the hollow, continuing their senseless run. The flame was next to the hostess.
Robin was the first to meet the huge wolf, literally cutting it in half. Approaching the hill, the warriors dealt with twelve large creatures, which crumbled into dust from the blows, leaving no traces. The men stopped at the foot of the cliff and were about to return when a growl sounded from above.
– God, there are hundreds of them, – said Arthur, looking up.
– This hollow will be our grave, – Edward said grimly, brushing a strand of blond hair from his sweaty brow.
– We will fight as long as we can raise our swords, – Raven ordered.
And then a horde of animals leaped from the peaks at the people. The clang of teeth, the clang of steel, and the neighing of horses rang out. The young warriors quickly became isolated and fought off the predators, unable to help each other. Robin managed to deal with a couple of wolves, stabbing one with a straight blow and cutting the other, but two more jumped on him immediately. The last of them knocked the sword out of his hand. The king dodged the beast, trying to reach for the weapon, but it was already clear that the second jump of the predator would be fatal for him. He was staring unblinkingly into the eyes of his death when something whizzed by a centimeter away, and the wolf vanished into thin air, as did the next five. The same fate befell the predators attacking the lords. The young men looked back and saw Anna, climbing up on a high boulder, shooting with a bow, hitting targets with incredible speed. The sight only disconcerted the king for three seconds, after which he grabbed the glittering sword and charged into battle. Heart-rending sounds came from the lowlands. The King's horse was torn apart by the beasts, and the fate of the others was sealed.
– Flame! – Anna suddenly shouted, still firing. – Protect!
Her stallion, obeying the order, jumped into the lowlands and did the impossible. With two blows of his front hooves, he destroyed the huge wolf. The second beast, which had rushed at him from behind, immediately fell from the powerful push of its hind hooves.
– Get them out of there, Flame! – Anna shouted again. – They'll follow you now!!!
The bay stallion heard her again and, trampling down the predators, found a path up. The two horses followed him. Meanwhile, the beasts were already approaching the archer. Seeing this, Arthur hurried to her aid. Anna had shot an arrow through one of the twilight-born in a leap. The faithful steed was already standing beside him again, along with the other two stallions.
– They're coming! – Edward shouted, trying to strike with his magic, which immediately turned into nothing, swallowed up by the rocks.
Anna looked for Robin and saw that the predators were pushing him toward the cliff.
– Flame! – she screamed again.
The horse whinnied.
– Get him out of there! Please!!!
The bay leader quickly took the race and, soaring over the seemingly insurmountable barrier of sharp rocks, in the blink of an eye was next to the Raven. With a single swing, the king cut off the predator's head and leapt into the saddle, and the mighty horse swiftly carried him away from the cliff. Anna put several arrows into the bow at once and fired. The shadows on the peaks reappeared. Seeing this, the girl spoke, and from nowhere, an echo picked up her words.
– Without asking, I call upon the dark lord!
The young men flinched for a moment at the sound of the voice, and the Countess, who was standing on the boulder, continued, lowering her bow.
– You can't handle my power, and you can't handle me!
Edward, who had taken a break, looked at Anna in surprise as she continued to speak.
– One blow will set the water in the stream on fire.
The stallion at the spring unexpectedly pierced the ice-cold water with a hoof, and it burst into a bright fire, incinerating the wolves who tried to cross to the shore.