Vast Fields Of Light

Chapter 10

"Tamina!"

The attacker swung around to face Dastan and managed to nick him in the shoulder. But the Prince attacked him with full force, and Tamina jumped out of the way as the pair continued to fight. Finally Dastan struck a vicious blow which made the man collapse. Dastan and Tamina turned quickly to see that Garsiv and Asoka had overcome the other attackers, who lay bleeding and motionless on the floor. Their companions stood over them, their chests heaving, traces of blood trickling from a few small wounds.

"Tamina-"

She turned back to Dastan just as he crossed to her, reached out an arm and crushed her tightly to his body. She held on to his waist for a moment and shut her eyes as her breathing heaved against his torso and her heart thudded painfully. Then, aware of the others' presence, she stepped back and took the opportunity to stare at him.

Dirt and blood were smudged over his body and one of the straps at his side had been torn apart, but he was well. His eyes flitted urgently over her, and with a faint grunt he reached out to wipe the blood from her arm.

"I'm fine," she muttered. She turned to the others, glancing at their fallen opponents. "Are there more?"

Several minutes passed as they meticulously searched the rest of the chamber but found nobody.

"Who were they?" Garsiv finally asked, adjusting his heavy helmet.

"They're from the village on the mountainside. I recognise their tribal markings," the Princess said as she exchanged a troubled look with General Asoka.

"I thought you said they had been loyal to Alamut for generations," Garsiv said.

Dastan's brow lined heavily as he looked at Tamina. "The new chief..."

She nodded with a grimace as her eyes darted around the chamber. Their attackers' blood trickled over the stone flooring and into the stream, turning it red.

"The sanctuary of the gods is the most sacred place on earth," she muttered with quiet rage. "And now these fools have - defiled it..."

Asoka spoke up in a deep voice. "This may be a bad sign."

The three of them looked at him sharply.

Dastan addressed her with tension around his eyes. "It's not too late to go back."

Tamina furrowed her brow, closed her eyes for a moment and returned consciously to the sensation she had first felt on entering the chamber; that indefinable presence.

"No," she said in a low voice. "We came here to return the dagger to the rock, and we can't let anything stop us from doing that. It's the only thing which would make all of this death and destruction worthwhile..." She set her jaw and resisted a shudder. "I will not allow any more blood to be shed because of this dagger."

Dastan stared at her for a long moment and then nodded, straightening his back.

"All right then, Princess."

Tamina exchanged a serious look with each of them. Then she turned and crossed to the large rock that was in the centre of one wall of the chamber, at around shoulder height. With a glance behind her she saw Garsiv and Asoka position themselves in the centre of the chamber, standing tall and alert; Dastan was a couple of paces from her side, watching her like a hawk.