The lieutenant smiled, “Thank you, I would. But I’m afraid we must get back. Good evening to you all.” He turned and his little troop fell in behind him as they headed off through the trees back towards the encampment.
There was a cautious silence as they listened to the sounds of the retreating soldiers gradually fade away. String looked around the shuttered faces of Harkell’s family and said heartily, “Right. Anyone for tea?”
Before they could reply, twelve arrows speared in from all sides to land in a perfect circle around the fire, all exactly the same distance from the next. The new sorcerers convulsed in fright and again, as woodfolk appeared all around them, grinning and congratulating them on a job well done.
“What was that all about?” demanded Sorath, justifiably incensed.
Tre
