Kellen had no idea what he meant, but there would be time later to figure it out. “Come on,” he said, getting an arm under Petariel’s shoulders. “Let’s get you out of here. Gesade and Shalkan both would have my head if I let anything happen to you.”
Petariel laughed raggedly, but it ended on a strangled sob. “The worst has already happened,” he said softly.
Kellen half-carried Petariel back up the passageway. He felt a deep pang of relief to see Idalia and Vestakia both there, unhurt—and quickly focused all of his attention on Petariel, lest his worry for Vestakia’s safety turn into something he must not feel right now.
“Ah, another one,” Idalia said lightly. “The stretcher-bearers will be back in just a moment.”
“I can walk,” Petariel said grimly.
“No you can’t,” Idalia said firmly. “Not if you want to be riding again soon.”
Kellen helped Petariel to lie down among the other wounded. There were several Healers working in the narrow space, and a constant stream of the walking wounded were moving out toward the open air.
Everything was moving so slowly! But that was why the Shadowed Elves didn’t bother with guards, Kellen now realized. They were sure no one could attack them in force.
Once he was sure his emotions were under control, he risked a glance at Vestakia.
Vomit stained the front of her surcoat, and she knelt beside Idalia, obviously dazed and exhausted by the presence of so much Taint. Kellen sighed reluctantly.
“Celegaer needs Vestakia,” he said to Idalia.
“Now?” Idalia asked.
“I’m ready,” Vestakia said valiantly, raising her head. There were deep shadows beneath her eyes, and she looked haggard.
“Not yet. Soon. He told me to rest,” Kellen added, trying to make a joke of it.
“As if you would,” Idalia said, handing him a waterskin. “Are you hurt?”
Kellen shook his head, and drank. The water was warm, but it was unicorn-pure. He felt better afterward.
“I think they threw most of what they had at us. Some of them got away, though. We’ll have to find them,” Kellen said.
“That will be my job,” Vestakia said bravely.
“Come on, then,” Kellen said gruffly, sounding far more brusque than he wanted to. But he couldn’t help it. He felt as if he had no energy to spare for anything.
Idalia and Vestakia followed him back into the cavern.
Celegaer and several of the others were waiting for them just past the end of the bodies. All of them had the faintly stunned air of grief about them that Kellen had noticed before.
“Vestakia,” Celegaer said, seeing her. “Are you well?”
“Well enough to do what you ask of me,” Vestakia answered steadily.
“Then find our foe,” Celegaer said.
Without hesitation, Vestakia pointed—not along the corridor, but at the corridor wall.
“The corridor curves,” Idalia said. “That’s the direction of the cavern village. There will be females and young there,” she warned.
“We can leave none alive,” Celegaer said wearily.
“I know,” Idalia said gently.
“Celegaer,” Kellen said. “If I can suggest… now we know where the village is, and Vestakia is too valuable to risk. Send her outside to wait with Adaerion until we think we have cleared the cavern, then bring her in to check to see if we have missed anyone.”
“No!” Vestakia protested.
“Yes,” Celegaer said. “An excellent suggestion, Kellen. Padredor, escort Mistress Vestakia back to Adaerion, and order the rest of the knights to come forward. Idalia Wildmage, will you also withdraw?”
“No,” Idalia said, taking a moment to consider. “I think I can be useful here.”
Chapter Fourteen
Blood and Sorrow
SOON THEY WERE moving forward again. Only about half their original force remained. There were not many dead, considering the savagery of the battle, but there were many wounded, and though some of the wounds were minor, Celegaer had not wanted to take wounded Elves into battle. We’re too spread out, and there’s no way to avoid it in these tunnels. All the advantage is theirs, Kellen thought. We’re going to have to figure out how to fight this kind of battle—fast—in order to win it.
At last the tunnel widened out into the great cavern that Idalia had described, with the narrow pathway leading around the rim, and the stairs going down to the village below. The cavern was so vast that the Coldfire coronas of the assembled army did nothing more than light their immediate surroundings. All they could see of what was below was the faint glow of the central firepit.
With a flick of her hand, Idalia sent her ball of Coldfire out to hover over the cavern. The light was faint, but enough to show that the crude stone village below was silent and still.
“Ambush,” Kellen said with utter certainty. “You can sense them?” Celegaer asked with surprise.
“No,” Kellen said. “But I know they’re waiting for us all the same. Or waiting for us to go away.”
“Either course would gain them a victory, of a sort,” Celegaer answered. “So we go down. But not unwarily. Archers—to the rim.”
Once the archers were in place, the Elven Knights began descending the stair. It would have been the perfect place for an ambush, but the Shadowed Elves did not take advantage of it. When the first group of Elves was at the bottom of the staircase, their combined Coldfire illuminated the cavern, giving Kellen a good look at it for the first time.
It was as large as Merryvale—the entire village could have been dropped down neatly inside it, walls and all. There were scattered small huts, and along the cavern wall, Kellen could see holes—they reminded him uncomfortably of very large rat-holes—in the rock.
The Elves stood, silent, motionless.
What are they waiting for? Kellen wondered. He wasn’t looking forward to this any more than they were, but it wouldn’t get any easier—or any better—if they waited.
And where were Jermayan and Ancaladar?