Chosen (The Warrior Chronicles #1)(75)

“Then one-hundred on horseback?”

He nodded, eyes swiveling, trying to catch every movement, whether natural or otherwise.

Shanti leaned into Lucius and closed her eyes, drawing power off of Cayan even with the distance. She wasn’t as interested in the sentries as what lay ahead. She wanted to know how hard it would be to get Sanders. She wanted to know what sort of mental capability they had. Even minimal power could still overcome her if there were enough of them.

“Are we close?” Sterling asked in a hush.

Shanti searched, dots of pulsing color laid out before her, sparse at first, then more dense, throbbing points of emotion that signified humans, and other subtler nuances signifying males. She could sense idleness and boredom, no prevailing worries of their troupe, or any other violent group, traversing the road.

“Okay, Sterling, there will be a man to your right. He is off the ground. I’ll know more as we get closer. Behind him will be a man way off to the left. Based on the trees, I am thinking they can both see the road.”

“How do you know?” Tobias was skeptical.

“Because I get my menstrual cycle,” Shanti said in a flat tone.

“Trust her,” Lucius said fiercely. “She knows what she’s saying.”

“How far can you see?” Sterling asked, arrow nocked.

“I can’t see far enough for my taste, even with Cayan feeding me power.”

In another couple minutes Shanti said, “To the right, up ten yards. Male. Bored. Not expecting us. In range.”

Sterling’s eyes followed her directions in perfect trust, waiting patiently for the man she said would be there. Not understanding the nature of her Gift, it was a little too trusting for her taste, but it was how Cayan’s men operated, and since she was correct, she said nothing.

A small wooden circle crouched at the top of a tree in plain view, a man leaning against the edge in utter dullness, asleep while standing up. With a practiced movement that gave Shanti pause, Sterling sighted, pulled, and loosed his arrow in one smooth, clean stroke. The arrow flew true, sticking into the mid-chest and dropping the man out of the tree.

“Lucius, you want the one on the left or shall I take him?”

“I’ll take him,” Lucius said, using his knees to steer the horse. The beasts were well trained. Probably still bit, though.

“Left, forty-five degrees. Male. Aroused—probably playing with himself. They must not see many people come through this way.”

“How the hell do you know—“

“Silence Tobias,” Sterling barked. “The Captain trusts her. That should be enough.”

Lucius spotted the man, but didn’t have the range Sterling did. They got closer, Lucius looking down the arrow as the distance closed.

“He’s spotted us,” Shanti whispered. She had her own bow nocked just in case Lucius missed.

The arrow pinged into the air. They watched it travel until it slid into the neck of a ducking sentry. Any later and it would’ve missed.

“Lucky. One on the right, Sterling. Close to the road. I’ll take the one way left. There must be another road off that way.”

Shanti leaned back from Lucius, nocked her arrow, sighted, waiting until the man came in range, and released, as Sterling did the same. A second later another arrow flew, traveling a similar path as Shanti’s.

“That was a waste of an arrow, Tobias,” Shanti said evenly. “And a bad shot. Make sure you can improve on me before you try to cover for me. Sterling, to the right. They are denser up ahead.”

Sterling was ready, and as good as everyone said. He made it look effortless as he pulled his mighty bow back and sighted his arrow; his form perfect. He topped Shanti in range with the ability and strength to operate that giant bow. She thanked Cayan for sending him.

“Lucius, left. Two coming on the right, in the same tree. Sterling, I don’t know if you can take them both or split the victory with Tobias. We should stop after that. We’re approaching a busy area.”

Lucius drew; so did the other two. A second later, Shanti did too. There were men in trees and on the ground, all active. The area beyond was a sort of hub. Probably an outcropping of the city where people traded or conversed, away from the castle or city walls. They would be citizens, and she had the feeling the Captain wouldn’t want them killed.

“Hold up, here,” Shanti said softly, patting Lucius on the back.

Sterling looked at Shanti. “Should we take the rest on foot?”

She shook her head and relayed what she thought was coming up. Sterling nodded. “We should wait for the others, then. No one else will see their approach?”

“Not at present, no.”

“And beyond the hub, as you called it?”

“My range wavers. There are a few people and a few large mammals. Probably cows or oxen or something like that. A couple dogs. A horse or donkey. I would imagine farmers are on the road leading to the city. There are men and women and children. All mundane types.”

“What are you, a witch?”

Shanti lazily glanced at Tobias. His eyes were hard as he sneered. Before Sterling could react, she shrugged him off. “I am the one who will keep you alive if someone decides to mind-f*ck you, Tobias. If you keep talking like an ignorant simpleton, I won’t bother.”

“I don’t need your help.”