Meanwhile, Lenardo fought with the guards below in the narrow gateway, Julia beside him, both knowing that time was against them as more guards came running in the direction of the struggle. They would be surrounded and taken if Torio didn't get those gates open…

Torio backed his opponent against the tower railing. With sword at his throat, he pushed the guard over. Secundus, unarmed, nonetheless lunged at Torio, who cried, "Let me go, Secundus. I don't want to hurt you."

"You're a traitor," the man cried, trying to grasp Torio's sword arm.

Between a gasp and a sob, Torio said, "Not by my choice. You don't understand what is happening. I'm sorry." He swung his arm high, bringing the sword hilt down on Secundus's head, knocking him unconscious.

Now Torio turned back to the pulleys, straining to turn the wheel meant to be turned by two men. As the bar creaked and began to rise slowly from its brackets, the guards on the walls, who had been looking into the melee by the gate and trying to decide where to shoot, suddenly realized that someone on the tower was raising the bar. A shower of arrows rained about Torio. Miraculously, none hit home. He ducked down and tried to turn the wheel from there, but he lacked leverage. Reading the archers, he stood, drawing their fire, and then he ducked. While they drew new arrows from their quivers, he gave the wheel one more turn. The bar hung free above its brackets. By their own weight, the massive gates creaked outward a handspan. Lenardo and Julia spurred their horses, surging toward the guards to drive them against the gates, shoving.

The mighty bar was now dangling by its ropes just over the guards' heads.

Torio climbed out atop the gate, shielded behind the pulley mechanism from the rain pf arrows, and with a swift swing of his sword-cut through the ropes. The bar fell on the guardsmen, and those it didn't hit were knocked over like toy soldiers by those it did. The gates swung wide open. Torio clung giddily to his perch as Lenardo and Julia struggled over bar and bodies. Lenardo swerved to ride directly under Torio, shouting, "Jump!"

The boy did, landing behind Lenardo on his horse, clutching for a hold, finding it. And then they were riding madly for safety as spears and arrows filled the air about them.

A shattering burst of pain, a single scream, and then Torio's dead weight slumped forward against Lenardo, an arrow through his body.

Chapter Eight

Lenardo dared not stop. Behind them, the guards left alive and uninjured were gathering for pursuit on horseback. Torio had fainted from the pain, but he was alive.

The arrow had gone through the boy's left shoulder, narrowly missing the top of his lung. Still he might bleed to death or fall off the horse before they could ride beyond pursuit. Lenardo clutched at Torio's arms, aggravating the wound but keeping the boy in place as he spurred the horse forward. Now they were out of range of the bowmen on the walls, but mounted guards were pouring through the gateway. Did I bring him with me only to have him die?

The brief stretch of smooth road meant that Lenardo could hold the horse steady while he tried to waken Torio. //Keep going,// he told Julia, who had slowed to the pace of the doubly burdened horse. //Ride ahead. Get help.//

The child did as she was told, fumbling in her saddlebag for something. Lenardo had no time to concentrate on her. The guards were gaining. There were woods ahead; they could try to hide, but with more than thirty men, the guards could spread out and comb the woods easily. Lenardo could never hang on to Torio during a ride over such rough terrain, and so he rode determinedly straight ahead, glad to come to the rutted, uneven part of the road, where his Reading could guide the horse to sure footing while the guards had to go by whatever they could see. The uneven pace, though, jarred Torio, increasing the damage the arrow was doing. Pain brought Torio semiconscious, and he clung to Lenardo with what strength he had.

//We'll get help for you soon,// Lenardo assured him, although he could not imagine where.

Desperately, he Read ahead and to his astonishment found rescue on the way. Men were running along the road toward him, some armed with bows and arrows, a few with swords, but most with pitchforks, clubs, knives, or other sharp implements lashed to tool handles-whatever they could find to defend their land. And their Lord.

For they bore Lenardo's ensign, the red dragon on the field of white. The pennants and ribbons given out at the festival had become the banners under which his people marched. They fluttered from poles, were glued to shields, and decorated the shoulders of troop commanders.

Directing the enthusiastic throng was Julia, wearing on her brow the golden fillet that marked her as the daughter of the Lord of the Land. "My lord!" They gave a great shout as they saw Lenardo. He raised his hand in greeting, consummately aware of the brand on his arm, seeing them look at it in awe. Then they rushed past him, at the oncoming Aventine guard. The guard might be mounted and better armed, but they were outnumbered three to one by men fighting to protect a lord they loved and were willing to die for.

I don't deserve such loyalty, Lenardo thought as the emotions of his people swept over him. Then Torio was saying in awe, "I have never Read anything like that, not even when the Emperor passes," and Lenardo realized that it was safe to stop now, draw the arrow, and treat the boy's injury. If only Sandor were here.

As he drew to a halt, several people approached to help ease Torio down from the horse. A motherly woman said, "My lord, I have healing powers."

"Thank the gods," Lenardo exclaimed. "This is Torio, a Reader. We need his help."

"Yes, my lord." She knelt beside Torio, who was being supported by two men, and frowned as she looked into his milky eyes. "You are blind?" "It doesn't matter. I'm a Reader." "Oh. Then can you Read your wound for me?" she asked as she placed a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder.

Lenardo Read Torio's astonishment as his pain disappeared. The "sorcery" was merely stopping the sensation through the nerves. Lenardo now knew it to be a simple and basic technique, but recalled that the first time it had been done to him he had been as awestruck as Torio.

The boy adjusted quickly and began explaining the injuries the arrow had created.

"It is good you didn't have to ride farther," the healer said. "You haven't lost enough blood to weaken you seriously, so the rest can be healed to prevent further damage until you can sleep and heal completely."

"Just do as… what is your name?" Lenardo asked the healer.

"Fila, my lord."

"Do as Fila says, Torio. Fila, you have my gratitude and will have more than that after we have driven our enemies from the land," he promised her, and turned his attention to the battle down the road. Three of Lenardo's men were dead, but so were seven of the Aventine guard, and the rest were retreating, sure now that they had lost their quarry.

Julia had ridden to watch the rout, and now she came back, laughing in glee. "They're running away. They're scared of us now, Father." Then she dismounted. "How's

Torio?"

"He'll be fine. You did well again, Daughter."

"Should we ride ahead?" Julia asked.

Although he was itching to ride on, Lenardo told her, "Sit do,wn and rest until we know whether Torio can travel." Torio's injury reminded him of how quickly a single Reader could be put out of action. If possible, he wanted both of them to guide the Adepts in Zendi.

Torio had all the Reading ability necessary to guide Fila, and so Lenardo sat down on the grass and Read to Zendi. Battle still raged, but the Adepts' part was over for the moment. They had worn themselves out. It was a typical pattern. Savages began with a battle of Adepts, but after they had used up their strength, their armies continued to fight. Hron and two of his cohorts were now deep in recovery sleep; the fourth Adept was tired but awake, ready to answer any further attack.