Pagan Siege (Tribes of Britain Book 5) by Sam Taw (10 best novels of all time TXT) 📕

Tallack moved closer and put his palm on her shoulder. “No one could have, Senara. I cast no blame on you. Were you able to find out precisely where they are holed up?”

Nodding she said, “Yes, and no. There are several tunnel entrances from what I could see and many that are blocked. From waiting and watching, I could tell that they are all connected together somehow. Even if you could get close, they can escape through alternative routes.”

“So, attacking from the gorge is pointless?”

Again, she nodded. “There is a small clearing at one of the larger entrances, where they’ve erected defences, but it’s well guarded. They came out of the mines when you had all gone and strung up the rest of our men next to Treeve for the crows. It was a gruesome sight.” She faltered for a moment, trying to hold herself together. “I did creep along the coastal path on the top of the cliffs towards the east though. There’s a small creek that leads down to the gorge from the opposite side. It’s densely forested at the bottom end as far as I could tell, with a track leading from the cliffs that is obviously well used.”

“You think that this is how they are able to sneak out of the mines at night and pick off our watchmen?” I said, desperately searching my memories. It’s possible that there were hidden pathways on the cliffs, although I saw none while I was watching my nephews complete their warrior quest. “I don’t remember there being such a path…”

“It’s there, Fur Benyn. I promise you.”

Tallack rounded on her. “Could you see if there were any ropes across the trees, maybe low down near to the base of the trunks?”

She was already shaking her head. The path is lined either side with rocks at the top. There are no trees until much further down.”

Tallack’s frown smoothed out and a smile reappeared. “Then that’s how we’ll catch them. They won’t be expecting us from that direction.”

“Begging your pardon, Chief, but Kenver will defend all approaches to the mines.” I said, before I could stop myself. “He grew up here, he knows every blade of grass and rock. He will have set traps; you can bet on that.” He wasn’t best pleased with my outburst. The scowl he threw in my direction leeched the heat from my bones.

Just when I thought I’d undone all the good will between us, he chewed his bottom lip and rested his fists on his hips. “You could be right. We can’t risk the rest of the men, until we know for sure.” He said no more. Instead, he grabbed his mysterious grey sword and his water bladder, and charged out of the hut with Senara and I stumbling after him.

Calling out to the men, he picked six of his crewmen out of the crowd and told them to follow him. They were all young and lithe, some having seen fewer summers than our Chief. They were no match for the brute strength of the miners if they should stumble into their hideout. He hadn’t thought anything through. Tallack the Fearless, seemed determined to live up to his name.

“Tallack!” I cried out, but I clamped my mouth shut quickly. He was the Chief and he’d made his decision to go with them. I had no right to undermine him in front of the men.

Senara looked at me and sucked in her lips. She understood my concerns as well as anyone. “Should I catch them up, Fur Benyn? I know the path better than any of those boys.” As soon as she’d said it, I had visions of another ambush, more entrails spilling from guts, broken bones and smashed heads and much worse besides. Without thinking, I clutched the sleeve of her tunic. “We both have to go. Will you help me, child?”

There was a moment’s hesitation from her lips. I could see she thought me irrational and she was right. How could I even begin to keep up with their speed and agility. I set my face to stern, glaring until she nodded. We hurried back to fetch my healing kit and then straight along the start of the gorge to the cliff path beyond. Thank the gods that Ren was not in the hut or he would have stopped us from going.

It was certainly steeper than I remembered. Either I was less fit than during the winter season, or the hot breeze was taking its toll on my strength. Senara led the way, taking me along a lesser used path that came out further along the cliffs. Panting heavily through the pain in my joints, I heaved myself up the last chalky scree slope to the top. The bright sun was almost blinding. Shielding my eyes against the light, I could see across the grassy strip of land where the miners used to graze their goats. It was empty now, save for a shadowy mass of moving figures at the far end of the cliff.

“They’re over there, Fur Benyn.” Senara gasped, pointing to the blurry visage ahead of us. I too was shocked that we’d caught them up so easily. I stood still, squinting until I could see Tallack and the boys laying down on the grass. One was running towards us. We met him half way between the path and the lounging crewmen.

“Why has the Chief stopped?” Senara grumbled at the young man.

Puffing and blowing, the lad caught his breath before answering. “He sent me back to fetch you. We can’t find the creek that you mentioned. You’re to come and lead the way.” It wasn’t long before we were all standing on the edge of the cliff overlooking the bay.

Senara pointed to the ridge top behind us. “It’s not here, but further inland. We need to climb up there.”

I might have known that the route would be awkward to reach. Course grasses and gorse grew thickly between