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.Blizzard did not even try to follow.She cast a wary look at the jumble of huge rocks, then bounded up the mountainside toward one of the precarious mining trails.A sonorous battle cry rang off the canyon walls, followed by the thunderous clang of a huge axe striking thick steel.Brianna looked past Galgadayle's shoulder and saw Raeyadfourne duck as the fire giant's sword swept over his back.The chieftain drew himself to his full height—which put his head at his foe's midriff—and swung his axe.The giant twisted away and counterattacked, and the two warriors fell into a vicious, clamorous dance of death.Avner scrambled to the seer's side, then caught Brianna's eye and cocked an eyebrow."There's no need for violence, young man," warned Galgadayle."I mean no harm to either your queen or Tavis's son.It's the other twin, the one fathered by the ettin, I want."Avner tripped in astonishment and fell to his knees.Brianna hardly noticed, for she felt as though the seerhad punched her in the stomach.The ettin was the magical imposter whom the Twilight Spirit had sent to court her.His powerful love potion had befuddled her for days at a time.She did not remember being seduced by the spy, and she could not recall much of what had happened during the dreamlike haze.Brianna twisted in her captor's arms and saw Avner slowly rising to his feet.His expression was more hurt than suspicious, for he knew as well as anyone that the firbolg seer could not lie about this matter—or any other."Avner, Galgadayle's mistaken!" Brianna cried.The queen wanted the young scout to know the truth, and not only because he was her best hope of escape.Avner was like a son to her and Tavis; to lose the youth's trust would be to lose all that remained of her family."You were there when Simon divined my womb! I'm carrying only one child!"Galgadayle nearly dropped Brianna onto the sharp rocks."That can't be!" He tipped his head to look down at her.Brianna could barely see his white eyes above the ice-crusted curtain of his long beard."Who is this Simon?""A high priest of Stronmaus," Brianna explained."He said you were wrong."Galgadayle considered Brianna's words for a moment, then shook his head."You're lying.My dreams are never wrong."Brianna glanced back and saw that Avner had started up the landslide again.His expression was thoughtful and enigmatic, but his eyes would not meet the queen's.On the road beyond Avner, Raeyadfourne was slowly giving ground to the fire giant.One side of the giant's steel apron hung bloody and askew, while half a dozen glancing blows had left the firbolg's parka seared and smoking.The rest of the fire giants were only thirtypaces from the battle, and one was already climbing the hillside to flank Raeyadfourne.Brianna's six front riders came scrambling down the slide, the frozen links in their mail coats rattling like bones.They carried their lances at port arms across their chests and did not slow as they approached the queen, obviously intending to help Raeyadfourne with the fire giants.Earl Wynn was ten steps behind the men, clambering over the boulders as best he could in his plate armor."Wait!" Brianna ordered."I need you men here."The front riders clattered to a stop several paces from Galgadayle, politely leaving space for the firbolg to continue up the slide.Brianna and her captor were now so close to the summit that she could see the next bend in the gorge."Stop this firbolg!" Brianna commanded."He's abducting me!"Most of the front riders merely scowled in confusion, but two men instinctively obeyed the queen's command.The seer did not stop until the tips of their weapons were pressed against his belly.Then, as the other front riders moved to surround him, Galgadayle tightened his lips and let out a whistle as loud and piercing as the cry of an eagle.Brianna expected some strange spell to render her men unconscious or helpless, but that is not what happened.Instead, Earl Radborne demanded, "Majesty, what are you doing?" He had stopped behind the front riders and was pointing down the slide, to where Raeyadfourne was diving over the riverbank to avoid being trampled by fire giants."There are more giants coming!""Let them!" Brianna snarled.She let her eyes drift toward the crest of the landslide, then asked, "Where's Gerda? I need my midwife.""We have taken her into our troop's protection," Galgadayle answered."We have done the same for all your courtiers."Brianna felt her abdomen tighten, though she could not tell whether it was another labor pain or a sign of her growing apprehension.She looked at Galgadayle's face."Put me down, or I'll order my men to attack."The seer squeezed her tightly in the cradlelike crook of his elbow."That will do you no good.I have already summoned our warriors," he said."Even if you kill me, you have no hope of escaping.""I'll take my chances," Brianna replied.When the firbolg made no move to put her down, she looked to her front riders."Kill—"Galgadayle flexed the biceps of his enormous arm, forcing the air from her lungs and preventing her from finishing her command.The front riders braced themselves, but Brianna could see by their eyes they were reluctant to attack for fear of causing her death.Radborne pushed his way forward to Galgadayle."You heard the queen! Release Her Majesty." He raised his arms over his head and still could not reach Brianna."Hand her down!"Galgadayle shook his head.That I cannot—arrghhHH!"The seer's muscles went limp.Brianna plummeted into Radborne's arms, and they crashed to the ground in a clamorous heap of steel armor and fur coat.A dull, throbbing ache blossomed deep within her belly.Suddenly, she seemed to smell every vile and sour thing in the gorge: the brimstone stench of fire giant swords, the coppery blood and steaming entrails covering the road below, even the sour frozen sweat beneath the armor of her own front riders.Her gorge rose, and a dry, rasping sound came from her throat.She saw Galgadayle's feet stomping in a circle beside her.From somewhere above came Avner's scream, "Savethe queen! Take her and run!"Brianna looked up to see Avner dangling from his sword, which was planted to half the depth of the blade in Galgadayle's back.The young scout was trying to brace his feet on his victim's hip so he could widen the wound, but the anguished seer was shaking and twisting so violently Avner could not get a foothold.Two front riders grasped Brianna beneath her armpits and pulled her off Radborne.Her belly filled with pain, and she screamed aloud
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