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one shoulder.
Amthros surveyed the fight one final time and licked his lips. We have enough as a
group. He nodded to himself. To the boats!
The remaining elves dropped from the trees and converged around them, sliding into
formation. The storm-readers swarmed after them, unrelenting in their assault. The elves
advanced in an arrowhead formation with Jakkobb holding Kaleb in the center and Amthros on
point. Those in the rear fought the chemmen behind and took their steps cautiously backward.
Many elves shot their eyes up into the trees for a brief look, and strained to hear the reloading
crossbows. The formation was not advancing fast enough.
Thalon tried to squeeze further inside the overturned canoe. He felt the wood scrap
against his cheek, and his neck bent sideways. Outside, narrow, sharp hooves stabbed the
ground around the canoe. He heard something sniffing loudly.
In his hand, he gripped and gripped again the long knife he d found on the ground. So
many people were so suddenly dead, and they d left behind all their earthly weapons. Inside
his mind, he heard is mother s voice, because she had explained to him many times that taking
other people s things was wrong. He sniffled and fought against crying. His dad always said
that crying was weak, even silent tears.
A hoof smashed through the canoe s hull. It struck the dirt below, missing the boy by
inches. He wound himself tighter into a ball. More hooves followed, pounding like rain.
He twisted the long knife in his hands, so that the tip pointed upward. He closed his
eyes and waited for the monster to just go away.
All Things Impossible Crown of the Realm Dalton 138
The calvar s hoof came crashing through again, and Thalon heard a deep throated
gurgle. He gingerly released his fingers from the hilt of the knife. The hoof had driven the
pommel deep into the soft mud below, and the blade disappeared up into the frog.
Then, the calvar screamed. The shrill cacophony was louder than the river s rage.
Through the holes in the canoe, the boy watched as the beast thrashed, and pounded its hoof
into the ground to try to dislodge the blade, but that only drove it deeper.
The calvar s head exploded. Only after the spray of blood cleared, he saw a shape
standing there with a sword in one hand and a knife in the other. The figure bent over the
canoe.
Thistle kicked off the remnants of the boat and lifted the boy up in one hand.
Dad! Thalon grabbed him as tightly as he could and refused to relinquish his grip.
Tears bubbled and he couldn t control them, weakness or not.
The formation of elves didn t stop their advance as the calvar scrambled in between
them and the canoes. One of the beasts turned around and trampled a canoe, tearing it to
splinters. It was so immersed in destroying the boat that it did not notice the rest of the chaos.
Amthros leaped ahead, his sword flashing. He cut a deep gash in the shoulder of the
canoe stomping beast. It screamed and hobbled back. Another two replaced it. The elves
marched shoulder to shoulder with him. Those in the rearguard matched blades against the
chemmen. For every blade they parried, three more dove forward.
The elves in front lunged simultaneously. Many of the calvar screamed and bit and
kicked. Several reared, flailing with their deadly hooves. Amthros cut deeply into the exposed
underside.
Jakkobb held his axe before him, ready to cut down anything that got past the other
elves. Nothing so far touched them. The prince on his shoulder hadn t stirred at all. He
scowled. Next to him, Peyna dedicated his attention and hands to the prince and whatever
mysterious vials and powders he carried.
They continued their slow advance toward the canoes. Only a couple of feet now.
Wait for us! Der waved with her bloody sword and dashed forward. Kelin nearly tripped
himself running at her heels.
They charged into the calvar between them and the canoes. Luckily for them, the
numerous chemmen were on the other side. Der leveled her sword. Remember! Straight
thrust or your sword bounces off!
Kelin s sword tip barely punctured the skin on the rump of one of the horse beasts, but it
was enough of a surprise. The calvar reared.
Der stabbed at it, and didn t even stop running.
Kelin didn t dare stop running either, suddenly finding himself lost in the middle of a herd
of those things. He kept poking. If these monsters weren t confused, he realized, they would
kill him. He and Der had to keep them off balance and keep moving.
Suddenly, they were through and nothing was between them and the elves. Already, the
elves were backed up against the rapids, but it wasn t a barrier, it was an escape.
The river roared so loudly behind her she could not hear the splash of the canoes onto
the river. Der just concentrated on fighting the chemman behind her. Close by, Jakkobb
carefully but quickly lowered Kaleb into one of the canoes. Peyna wasn t a step behind. The
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