The Pendragon's Challenge (The Last Pendragon Saga Book 7) by Sarah Woodbury Page B

know. What Penda will need from us is their numbers and disposition.”
    “I don’t relish the idea of entering a city about to be under siege.”
    “Nor I.” Bedwyr shrugged. “Our orders are clear: to scout the situation, but to leave the fighting to Penda. His is a lost cause, and Cade wants us at Caer Fawr. I want to be at Caer Fawr.”
    For a moment the two men looked at each other, and then they nodded in unison, knowing that whatever they did, hurrying should be the first order of business. As one, they ran towards the woods to their right and then headed north, towards the Northumbrian army. The sun still hadn’t risen, but it was coming. When they reached the next rise, they crouched at the top, and the light was enough to begin to make out the Northumbrians’ numbers.
    Bedwyr cursed under his breath. “This is only the leading edge.”
    Hywel pointed with his chin to a line of men carrying a ladder. “They know that Chester isn’t defensible and don’t intend a siege. They’re going to go right over the walls.”
    “We need to get back before the sun rises, and we’re caught,” Bedwyr said.
    They skirted the army to the east and ran to where they’d left their horses. They’d approached the Northumbrian lines from the southeast and now followed a parallel track to the path the Northumbrians were forging across the fields and pastures to the northeast of Chester. Once the track intersected the main road, they urged their horses into a gallop, heading for the eastern entrance to the city.
    But as they turned onto the Roman road, before they crossed the last few hundred yards to the city, Bedwyr pointed southwest. “That’s a sight that brings some cheer. Cade has come!”
    Hywel shook his head in disbelief, even as he turned towards Gwynedd’s banners. Cade’s party was just crossing the bridge to the south of the city. “Cheering to us, but he said he wasn’t coming. I fear what has caused him to change his mind.”
    “How is it that you’re so gloomy all of a sudden? We’ve faced worse odds than this and won.” Bedwyr directed his horse past the coliseum, along a minor road that would intersect with the south gate road. “After Cade’s crowning, I’ll be seeing about finding you a girl to bring a smile to your face.”
    Hywel growled back at his friend, but even so, he felt his spirits lift. How could they not at the sight of the dragon standard streaming in the wind ahead of them? When they reached the crossroads, they pulled up to wait for Cade’s company, and the moment Cade was in earshot, Hywel said, “Northumbria comes.”
    “We knew they would.” Cade reined in. “How many?”
    “Two thousand,” Bedwyr said flatly.
    “Too many to feed for long.” Cade’s jaw clenched as he gazed northeast, though from this position, even if the sun had risen, the Northumbrian soldiers wouldn’t yet be visible. The area around Chester as a whole was flat—far flatter than almost any region in Wales. That could be attributed in part to the winding of the River Dee. In fact, Chester’s west gate was a water landing for boats with trade goods traveling south from the sea on the Dee.
    Hywel nodded his assent. “Oswin isn’t planning a siege.”
    Rhiann’s attention had been drawn to the southern gatehouse where a dozen soldiers had gathered to look down upon them. “Taliesin is sure that Penda will die?”
    “He is sure,” Cade said, “though he was clear that it wouldn’t be by Oswin’s hand today.”
    Rhiann lifted her chin to indicate the city. “Will they have shelter for you?”
    “I’m tempted to wear the mantle, just to confound my uncle and make him think I sent you without me, but that would be petty.” Cade looked beyond the city to the eastern sky, which was lightening in advance of the dawn. Then he looked the other way and canted his head. “It won’t matter soon if Penda does have shelter for me. Rain is coming.”
    Because of Cade’s sensitivity to the sun,