Free The Snowy Tower by Belinda Murrell Page B

others.’
    There was a small window at the back of the room. It was closed with barred wooden shutters. Ethan wriggled the bar free from the supports, cautiously pushing open the shutters and peeping out. There was no-one to be seen at the back of thecottage. Ethan climbed out and dropped quietly to the ground, followed by Lily. They crept around the back of the cottage, then slipped away into the forest.
    When they were far enough away from the cottage they risked whispering to each other.
    ‘Our packs are still somewhere in the cottage,’ Lily sighed, thinking of the thick jumpers that Fox had given them and the gloves lovingly knitted by her mother.
    ‘I know, it can’t be helped,’ Ethan agreed. ‘But Sniffer might be back at any time, and we should find Roana and Saxon. I think we should head back to the clearing where Sniffer caught us and try to follow their trail.’
    Together they set off, slipping through the forest in the shadows beside the track.

    Saxon heard the sound of Sniffer’s running footsteps, threw off the blanket and leapt to his feet, brandishing the sword that George had given him. Saxon enjoyed feeling the familiar weight of a sword in his hand once more. Roana was on her feet in seconds, an arrow nocked in her bow, her eyesnarrowed in concentration. Aisha struggled into the clearing from behind a log, limping on three legs, teeth bared, hackles raised, barking furiously. Sniffer stopped immediately, his face pale and bloodless.
    What had gone wrong? Instead of ambushing the escaped children, the escaped children had ambushed him. Sniffer evaluated the weapons, the ferocious dog, the determined expressions on the children’s faces and the sound of soldiers in the forest behind him. He was no swordsman, no fighter. He was a tracker. Sniffer turned and fled, dodging and weaving, off into the cover of the forest.
    Saxon briefly ran after him, sword in hand, but soon stopped, determined to protect Roana above all else. Moments later the clearing was filled with green-garbed rebels, dragging trussed Sedah soldiers behind them. The last to be brought into the clearing were Captain Malish and Lord Mortimer, their arms bound behind their backs. Roana started with surprise when she saw her father’s cousin.
    ‘Lord Mortimer,’ Roana cried. ‘What are you doing here with the Sedahs?’
    ‘As you know, your highness , I am a prisoner ofthe perfidious Sedahs,’ replied Lord Mortimer, attempting an ingratiating smile.
    Captain Malish snorted by his side.
    ‘So this is your blushing bride, Mortma,’ sneered Captain Malish. ‘I wonder that you were in such a hurry to marry the hoyden, even if it did make you king. Surely there are maidens in Tiregian that aren’t quite so grubby?’
    Roana flushed with anger and mortification. Lord Mortimer scowled ferociously.
    ‘That’s enough of your chatter,’ growled the rebel escort, pushing Captain Malish in the back. ‘Keep moving.’
    ‘You murderous traitor!’ shouted Roana at Lord Mortimer, her furious words echoing through the clearing. ‘How could you betray us all?’
    Lord Mortimer ignored her shout and was herded over to the side of the clearing with the other prisoners. There was a moment of embarrassed silence. Saxon gave Roana a rueful smile.
    ‘Well, we caught most of them,’ boasted Sam, the rebel leader, changing the subject.
    ‘All except for that blasted Sedah tracker,’ grumbled George, the burly blacksmith. ‘He’s as slippery as an eel.’
    ‘Perhaps the tracker can become the tracked,’ Sam grinned. This was his first victory against the Sedah invaders, and he thrummed with exhilaration.
    ‘Sam, our friends Ethan and Lily are being held prisoner by the Sedahs,’ reminded Roana imperiously. ‘We must set forth and rescue them immediately.’
    Sam was brought back to the situation with a jolt. In fifteen minutes, Saxon and Roana were riding back towards the woodcutter’s cottage, accompanied by Sam and George, and