Afterblight Chronicles 5 : Arrowhead by Paul Kane

Author:Paul Kane [Kane, Paul]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Action & Adventure, Fantasy, General, Science Fiction, Adventure, Fiction
ISBN: 9781905437764
Publisher: Abaddon
Published: 2008-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

Rudakas hated having to leave the girl, especially at such a crucial point.

He knew De Falaise would not want a woman who would spit and fight back - he preferred them to be docile. If he could tame this one, he'd be in his Lord's good books for weeks, or at least until he grew bored of her too. Not that it was always a good thing to be among De Falaise's most favoured, mused Rudakas. Just look at Javier. He'd brought their leader the last girl, and in return had been rewarded with a very 'special task'.

Rudakas wondered absently how well he might have fared in the forest against the Hooded Man. Surely he would have done better? He pushed such thoughts aside, concentrating on the here and now, on the fact that the woman back there was not as alone as she seemed. He looked down at the pistol he held in his hand. "They were my father's," she'd said, and he'd assumed the man was dead, just like most of the population. But what if she'd meant him to think that? What if her father had seen them approach and hid, maybe in one of the barns? Maybe in that rickety old garage joined on to the house? Or perhaps a brother or cousin, if the father was no more? Anything was possible and someone was certainly causing a ruckus outside.

The door had swung to again, so Rudakas pulled on the handle to see what was happening. Once more he heard gunfire. He looked outside and couldn't believe what his eyes were telling him.

His unit was under attack, but not just from one man - or even a couple. Gunfire emanated from the bushes that ringed the fields, from behind the barns, even from behind their own vehicles. They were being hit by an organised and motivated group. One of his own soldiers dropped, falling from a shoulder wound. Another was hit by something much cruder - a stone, flung with force.

"Pick your targets," shouted Rudakas. "Watch for muzzle flashes and-"

Something embedded itself in the wood of the door jamb, inches away from his head. He examined the arrow, obviously handmade, but lovingly fashioned and extremely deadly. Then he traced its trajectory back to the person who'd fired it. He was standing on top of their truck, head down, a hood covering much of his face. The bow he was holding - a strong wooden longbow - was still reverberating from the shot.

Be careful what you wish for. You wanted to know how you'd fare against The Hooded Man - well, now you will find out.

The figure on the truck, set apart from the rest of the battle, and barely seeming to take much notice of the bullets flying back and forth, raised his head. From beneath the cowl Rudakas saw two of the most penetrating eyes he'd ever had the misfortune to gaze into. It was as if the man had fixed on him, and him alone, for his prey.

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