Manfred turned to glance over the wall. ‘Always wondered what they looked like -’ His eyes widened. ‘Mother of gods!’
‘We need to leave now,’ suggested Erik. Manfred agreed. To the sergeant he said, ‘Burn the catapults, then general withdrawal. Every man for the citadel!’
Word was passed and archers fired down into the streets below, while men with poles pushed over scaling ladders. But as soon as the withdrawal began, ladders were again put up and invaders began climbing.
Manfred and Erik ran down the stone steps to the street. Already chaos was let loose. A few civilians who had been too stubborn or too stupid to evacuate were now in the streets with sacks over their shoulders, running for the citadel. Wounded soldiers were being carried by healthy ones, and a few bowmen kept their heads and fired at the enemy as they came over the wall, but generally the retreat was turning into a rout.
‘Have you seen Greylock?’ demanded Manfred.
‘Not since he went to look over the southern wall.’
‘I hope he makes it,’ said Manfred. An arrow struck the ground inches from his boot and he jumped.
Erik grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him hard to the left, almost yanking him off balance, as three more arrows flew through the spot he had just occupied.
‘Thanks,’ Manfred panted as they hurried around a corner.
‘Archers usually work in groups,’ said Erik.
They ran down a cross street and turned to their right, then left again, and Erik could see the lights from the citadel’s highest tower above the rooftops. The streets sloped upward, toward the old castle, and by the time they reached High Street the thoroughfare was clogged with terrified refugees, out-of-breath soldiers, and men carrying their wounded comrades.
‘Make way!’ shouted a voice and Erik saw Manfred had been recognized by one of Darkmoor’s soldiers. ‘The Baron’s here! Make way!’
Erik stayed close to his half-brother. They bullied their way through the press and made it to the edge of the drawbridge. Soldiers lined the sides of the bridge, frantically waving through those moving across it.
Erik and Manfred both slumped to the cobbles in the bailey as soldiers ran to their aid. ‘Water,’ gasped the Baron.
Erik gasped, ‘I forgot how tired you can get running at this altitude.’
‘I forgot how tired you can get just running,’ said Manfred.
A bucket of water appeared and Manfred drank from it, then passed it to Erik, who gulped from it as it poured over his chest and arms.
Manfred shouted, ‘Sergeant!’
His sergeant appeared, and said, ‘M’lord?’
‘Word to the lookout above. The moment he sees the enemy at the other end of High Street, close the drawbridge.’
Erik said, ‘Manfred, you can’t wait that long. You’ve got to start clearing it now or you’ll never get it closed in time.’ He pointed to the flood of humanity, the civilians with slow-moving carts, the old men and women on foot, who were trying to squeeze through the gatehouse, and who were only succeeding in getting in one another’s way. ‘Look!’
Manfred studied the situation, then said to the sergeant, ‘Clear the drawbridge. Tell those on the other side to hurry to the eastern gate. We can keep that one open a little longer. The others will have to make do as best they can.’
Both men knew that being trapped outside the citadel was a death sentence.
Manfred stood and motioned for Erik to follow. ‘We’d better report to the Prince.’
Erik rose and moved after his half-brother. They trudged through the central entrance to the keep and from behind could hear the angry shouts and tearful pleading of those being forced away from the entrance in anticipation of the gate’s being closed.
Manfred led Erik up the stairs to the office occupied by the Prince.
Patrick looked up and said, ‘Full retreat?’
Manfred said, ‘Everyone is moving back here.’
Patrick looked at Erik. ‘Greylock?’
Erik motioned toward the city. ‘Out there somewhere.’
Patrick said, ‘Damn!’ He glanced out the window and saw fires beginning in the outer districts of the dty. ‘Is there anything good in all of this?’
Erik said, ‘The one good thing is they’re now fighting on three fronts. We’ve got men along the ridges with the dwarves and elves who will be harrying their flanks, and if we can hold out until morning, the bulk of the Army of the East will be here.’
The Prince motioned for them to sit and both men did. Manfred said, ‘Unfortunately, the Army of the East will be on the wrong side of the city walls, and unless someone slips out and opens the gates for them, we may have a serious problem.’
Erik said, ‘Manfred, you have any secret passageway to the eastern gates?’