Blood for her Crown

Chapter Five

Not far, apparently.

Just when he was able to see two of them, an arrow scratched his left cheek. He hissed through clenched teeth and turned away again.

"They have arrows," he warned the others, while he wiped away the blood on his cheek.

He only overheard a quiet curse from Jamie.

Grace looked back, then pulled something that looked like a folded stick out of her saddle bag. As she stretched out her arm, the stick unfolded and revealed a bow. She fastened the bowstring that was already tied on one end of the bow on the other side. Then she grabbed arrows wrapped in a piece of fabric out of her saddlebags.

Letting go of the reins of her horse, she turned until she sat the other way around. Despite having to dodge the approaching arrows, she shot hers and hit her target every time. Jysra stayed on track with Makhi and Calimir flanking her. It was a wonder the arrows didn't hit them.

Jamie and Ciden couldn't do anything but watch Grace, and make sure nothing was in their way. Occasionally they had to avoid arrows that weren't well aimed.

Ciden was impressed by Grace's archery skills. Jamie, however, only watched her, as if he'd seen her doing that a million times already.

She dodged every arrow with natural grace. Some got really close to her, but she moved out of the way with an elegance that made Ciden wonder if this wasn't more of a dance than an attack to her.

Just when he thought the men had run out of arrows, two of them shot their arrows at the same time, both aiming for Grace. It was impossible for her to dodge these two. Her powers couldn't help her in a case like this, either, so Ciden let Calimir fall back a little.

Then time seemed to slow down.

One arrow was aiming for her head, the other one would hit her right in the heart. He locked eyes with Grace, who had a calm expression on her face, although she must have known she couldn't avoid the arrows this time.

The arrows came closer, now, not more than seven inches away.

Reflexively, he stretched his left arm out, reaching for the one, aiming for her heart. He caught it, without any effort, one inch away from her chest.

She looked at him with wide eyes, forgetting about the other arrow. Ciden tried to catch that one too, but wasn't fast enough.

Grace was just able to lift her right arm to stop it from hitting her head. She suppressed a scream and squinted her face in agony.

The arrow had gone right through her forearm.

Their horses stopped. Jamie, who was at the front, turned around.

She hadn't let go of her bow, and pressed it against Ciden's chest.

Two riders were left, now much closer. Fortunately, these two arrows were their last, but they still had swords. And they were getting closer.

Grace pointed to the arrow he had caught.
She couldn't get a word out, but he knew what she meant. He just wasn't sure if he could do it. He had never learned how to use a bow.

He breathed in, aiming the arrow.
The men were only about thirty feet away. It was too late for them to flee, especially with Grace's arm.

He breathed out and let the arrow fly.

It hit one of them right between the eyes.
He had actually been aiming for the chest, but at least he'd hit him. Grace already had one of her own arrows ready for him.

He took it.
Breathed in.
Aimed.
Breathed out.
Let go.
And hit.
This time right in the heart.

Jamie stared at the man falling off his horse approximately fifteen feet away from them. "Wow. So that's why people vanish in these woods. I told you guys."