Chapter Nine

Mufaun's short swords sliced through the pale yellow and brown skin of yet another troll, droplets of the green blood shooting through the air as ripped the blades from the troll's body to parry a strike from another attacker to his left. Steed was still at his side, his shield battered and an ugly gash across his face that nearly took his eye.

The battle was still wicked, but the bodies that fell were mostly those of the enemy. Their stone giant allies seemed more adept to the challenge of fighting these savage beasts than Mufaun could have imagined. There was a fluidness to their engagements that Mufaun guessed had been born in years of conflict between the two races high in the Tambors.

He wished he hadn't put his men right into the middle of it.

Then a battlehorn sounded from deep within the forest. The note was cut short. It hadn't been Rolen's horn. Had he engaged the enemy? If so, why? What had forced him into battle?

The horn's blast had distracted Mufaun's opponent long enough for him to stick his swords deep into the troll's belly, but before he could pull the blades free, he was clubbed from behind.

Mufaun hit the ground hard, grasping at the ribs under his left arm now burning with a piercing pain. When he turned to face his attacker, he found a great, slobbering gray-skinned troll bearing down on him."I think you've spilled enough of my kinsmen's blood this day, human."

The troll raised the killing blow, but just as it fell, Mufaun scrambled out of the way and to his feet.

"Stop squirming around, you puke!"

Mufaun dodged a second swing of the leather-bound bludgeoning device, but the club was caught mid-swing by a mountain-like stone warrior. The giant yanked the troll closer and right into the vice-like grip of his left hand.

The troll released his hold on the club and fought desperately to free himself from the giant's grasp. He failed, and died shortly after the giant crushed his throat. Steed stumbled into the midst, stepping in front of Mufaun and positioning himself to defend his commander.

The giant knelt in front of the two men. "I am Lorn, at your service.""My service?"

But before Mufaun could get any further, Steed called Mufaun's attention to a large group of retreating trolls. They were headed into the forest. So the horn blast had been a troll's call for help.

"Lorn, where are those trolls retreating to?"

The giant turned his great head, just catching a glimpse of the creatures as they disappeared into the forest. "If they keep in that direction, they will find the pathway that leads to Dungheap."

The reality hit Mufaun like the giant club of the troll that lay only feet away from him, this battle had been a diversion. The trolls were after the Seer. He glanced in the direction of the Grand Marshall's camp, then back at the fallen troll. Would Rohn have made a deal with these beasts, a deal that included the slaughter of his men?

"The trolls are after the Seer. We have to move now, or all will be lost."