excerpt

         Distracted by the horrific sight before her and the sound of raindrops beating the ground, she didn't realize they'd returned. As she picked up her sword and wiped it against her muddy clothing, she suddenly sensed a presence behind her and spun around. She gasped when she saw men on horseback lined up across the road just forty feet away. Instinctively, her eyes darted side to side looking for an escape. They were dressed in dark clothing and wore capes with deep hoods. A dozen strong, they were all armed with blades, and most carried crossbows. She thought of diving behind the burning wagon to buy her enough time to sprint for cover in the forest. 

      Just then one of them raised his crossbow and fired. Her reaction was swift and automatic. Time seemed to slow as her body responded without conscious thought and she brought her sword up. Through the rain, her eyes locked onto the bolt in flight as her sword crossed its path, deflecting it with a mud-muffled clang. While some of the riders straightened in their saddles, she heard the sounds of two more shots. Again without thought, her body simply reacted. She crouched with her weight on one leg and the other extended, swiftly moving her blade to deflect one bolt while letting the other fly past harmlessly. She stood and turned to flee but was startled by a shout. 

      "Hold!" a deep, throaty voice resounded ominously. 

      She first thought the command was meant for her, but then saw the riders lower their weapons. She paused as the row split and they moved their mounts to the sides. Then a man approached from the darkness, riding a black warhorse, its wet hide glistening. He wore a black cloak over black armor. And even with a helm concealing his face, she could feel his eyes boring into her as his impressive animal slowly plodded through the mud. Finally he reined it to a stop barely an arm's length away. 

      She'd controlled her fear till now, her actions merely a conditioned response to the threat. But now she found herself unable to move as he silently, eerily sat there, his breath escaping his helm in rhythm with that from the flared nostrils of his mount. Squinting in the rain, she managed to rip her eyes away from the narrow slit of his helm to survey his cohorts. They silently held their positions on mounts shifting their weight restlessly. Returning her eyes to the leader, she swallowed hard to quell the fear that had at last gripped her. 

      She knew who this must be. The Shadow Knight . . . all right, if it is to be, she thought, defiantly raising her sword. She was ready to fight, and ready to die if that was to be her fate this night. 

      Then, inexplicably, the knight pulled back on his reins, slowly turning his huge horse away. She stared in disbelief as he nonchalantly turned it around with his back to her and coaxed it away. Without another word, he slowly rode between the split ranks of his henchmen and into the darkness. As if on cue they reined their mounts around two by two into the widening gap and followed him, disappearing into the stormy night.