Witch Fall(52)

A slow smile spread across Lilette’s face. “Oh, yes. We can use this.”

Keeping her movements smooth, Lilette undid the pin that held the bar across the entrance and opened it wide. Pretending she knew what she was doing, she repeatedly slapped the elephant’s shoulder and said, “Lift leg!” To her utter delight, the elephant sort of crouched down and raised her leg.

Fear and a burst of excitement rushed through Lilette. She stepped onto the crook of the elephant’s leg and scrambled up. And promptly slipped off onto the beast’s rear. The elephant looked at her with something close to amusement in her eyes.

Brushing off her backside, Lilette tried again. She hiked her foot up and stepped on the elephant’s leg. Her other foot went in the loop hanging from a sort of harness around Jia Li’s neck. Lilette still wasn’t at the top. Grabbing the loop, she pulled herself belly first over the elephant’s neck and swung her leg around.

The elephant straightened up, a motion that felt like a tree swaying. And Lilette was once again much higher than she liked. But at least it was warm and dry beneath her damp legs.. Scooting forward, she blew out all her breath and nudged the back of Jia Li’s ears. “Go.” The elephant started forward, and in two steps, they were out of the stable. Lilette kicked behind the elephant’s left ear to turn it left—only the animal turned right. “Gah!” She tried again, kicking the opposite ear. Jia Li turned left. In five strides, Lilette could see the entire battle.

She scanned the keepers. “Jolin!”

Her friend broke away and gaped up at Lilette. Jolin’s face was slack with wonder—she’d probably never seen an elephant before.

Lilette pointed back to the stables. “Get the witches on the horses. There are a few stable hands, but they shouldn’t be much trouble. I’m going to break down the gates.”

“What—” Jolin cried, but Lilette was already nudging the back of the elephant’s ears and heading straight for Han. The two brothers were still fighting, their blades carving paths through the rain. Han moved like a shadow, his strikes swift and smooth, but Lilette had the distinct impression he was holding back.

“Han!” she called. “It’s time to go.”

Chen’s head turned at the sound of her voice, leaving himself open and vulnerable for half a second. Sword gripped in his fist, Han punched his brother in the temple. Chen crumpled to the ground. The rain tapped against his leather armor as if to wake him.

Han looked up at Lilette, his face filled with darkness. She reared back and Jai Li came to a stop. The murder slowly dissipated from Han’s eyes, replaced with hopelessness. “If you stay here, you’ll die,” Lilette said. When he still made no move, her voice went soft. “I need you.”

He looked down at his brother. “I should kill him.”

“Can you live with yourself if you do?”

Han slid his swords home. “Not like this.”

She slapped the elephant’s shoulder. “Lift leg!” She reached out to Han. After snatching a bow and quiver from a dead man, he scrambled up behind her.

Lilette turned to see keepers coming out of the barn astride the horses, the women’s dresses tucked up around their thighs. Each woman held the lead ropes of additional horses.

“Leader Geth!” Jolin yelled.

Geth glanced back at her before calling out the order to fall back. His men began retreating toward the horses as the witches’ song held the elite back.

Lilette gripped Jia Li’s harness, her fingers turning white. Han nocked an arrow. “They won’t touch you,” he promised her.

She hoped he was right. The mounted witches pulled back on the reins, slowing their mounts so the guardians could take the extra horses. They spurred forward and took up flanking positions around the elephant.

“Follow me!” Lilette turned Jai Li toward the gates and nudged her ears until she was half trotting, half loping. Elite leapt out of the elephant’s way as they cut toward the gate.

Behind her, the bow twanged as Han loosed arrow after arrow at elite who tried to stop them. “Cursed thing is wet. Range and accuracy are off,” he muttered behind her.

Clearly realizing they had to stop the elephant, the elite sheathed their swords and scrambled for bows. Lilette ducked low to make herself a smaller target. One man swung at Jia Li, cutting her across the chest. The elephant trumpeted in fear and dodged away from any elite who came too close. Arrows rained down on them, but the witches sang from atop the horses. A wind shot out, turning the arrows.

Finally, they reached the gates. Without hesitation, Jia Li lowered her head and charged it. Han swore and pushed Lilette flat against the elephant’s head, covering her body with his own. There was an enormous crack. Splinters and wood went flying.