The two riders dismounted from the dragon’s back, then off-loaded packs and supplies. There was some cover—the low stone wall separating the fields, and the scatter of trees that ran with it.
Nothing stirred in the rain.
Dragon turned to man, and Larkin scooped both hands through his dripping hair. “Filthy day all in all. You saw the goal right enough?”
“Two-story cottage,” Blair answered. “Three outbuildings, two paddocks. Sheep. No smoke or sign of life, no horses. If they’re there, they’d have guards posted, a couple in each building, most likely. Taking shifts while the others sleep. They’d need food, so they may have prisoners. Or if they’re traveling light, they’d have what they need in canteens—water bags.”
“I could risk a look,” Hoyt said. “If she sent along any with power though, they could sense it, and us.”
“Simpler if I take a run at it.” Larkin paused to crunch into an apple. The long trip had hunger gnawing at his belly. “They wouldn’t put up the shield, as they have around their main base. Not if they’re hoping to snatch some of us if and when we come along.”
“Go in small,” Blair reminded him. “Cian had a good point about that.”
“Aye, well.” He stuffed some bread in his mouth. “A mouse is small enough and worked before. It’ll take longer than it would as wolf or deer.” He slipped off his cross. “You’ll need to keep this for me.”
“I hate this part.” Blair took the cross. “I hate you going in without a weapon or shield.”
“Have a little faith.” He cupped her chin, kissed her. Then stepping back changed into a small field mouse.
“Can’t believe I just kissed that,” Blair muttered, then closed her hand tight over his cross as the mouse streaked across the grass. “Now we wait.”
“Best if we take precautions. I’ll cast a circle.”
Larkin was nearly to the first outbuilding when he spotted the wolf. It was large and black, crouched in a thicket of berries. It paid no mind to him while its red eyes scanned the field and the road to the west. Still, he gave it a wide berth before squirming under the doorway.
It was a rough stable, and there were two horses in the stalls. And two vampires seated on the floor having a game of dice. The mouse cocked its head in some surprise. Larkin hadn’t considered vampires would game. The wolf, he deduced, was their outlook. A signal from it, and they’d come to action. But for now, they were too involved in the dice to notice a small mouse.
There were swords, and two full quivers with bows. Inspired, he dashed over to where the bows rested against a stall. And busily gnawed at the strings.
One vampire was cursing his fellow’s luck when Larkin scrambled out again.
He found similar setups in each building, with the main body of the troop in the cottage. Though he smelled blood, he saw no human. In the cottage, four vampires slept in the loft while five others kept watch.
He did what could be done by a mouse to sabotage, then hurried away again.
He found Hoyt and Blair where he’d left them, sitting now on a damp blanket in a circle that simmered low. “Fifteen by my count,” he told them. “And a wolf. We’d need to get past that one for any chance at taking the others by surprise.”
“Have to be quiet then.” Blair picked up a bow. “And from downwind. Hoyt, if Larkin can give me the exact position, is there a way you can help me see it?”
“I can give you the exact position,” Larkin said before Hoyt spoke, “because we’ll be going together now. You won the round to come, b
ut you won’t go into that nest of demons alone.”
“She won’t, no. Of the three of us, you’ve the best hand with a bow, so you’ll take the shot,” Hoyt told Blair. “But we’ll be covering your flank while you’re at it. I’ll do what I can to help you get a clear shot.”
“No point in arguing that one moves faster and quieter than three? Didn’t think so,” Blair said when she met stony silence. “Let’s move out then.”
They had to circle widely to keep out of sight, and prevent their scent from carrying. But when they came up behind the wolf, Blair shook her head. “I don’t think I can get the heart from here. Moira, maybe, but I’m not that good. Gonna take more than one shot.”
She thought it over, saw how it could best be done.
“You take the first one,” she whispered to Larkin. “Get as close as you can. If it rears or rolls, shifts around, I can take it. One, two,” she added, using her fingers. “Has to be fast, has to be quiet.”
He nodded, pulled an arrow from the quiver, notched it in his bow. It was a long shot for him, and the angle poor. But he took aim, breathed out, breathed in. And let the arrow fly.
It took the wolf between the shoulder blades, and its body jerked up. Blair’s arrow struck home.
“Nice work,” she said as black smoke and ash flew.