A woman in a shift came running straight at her with her arms outstretched. A Black Rider swept her head off with a blow of his sword before Dzierżka’s eyes. Dzierżka leaped to her feet but was struck again by a horse and knocked over. A noose jerked her up and she was pinned by iron-gauntleted hands on both sides. She hung between two horses. A third pushed against her.

“Where is the maid?”

Dzierżka spat. Something whistled and she saw stars. She cringed with the pain.

“Where is the maid?”

The horsewhip struck again, lashing her. She howled. Her scream joined others coming from the stables and the barns.

“Where is the maid?”

“You won’t get your hands on her. She isn’t here. She’s far away.”

The Black Rider bent over towards her from the saddle. She saw his eyes. Birdlike and evil.

“I’ve ordered your servants, stablemen, serving wenches and children locked up in the stable,” he said. “I’ll burn them alive in there, roast them with all your horses. I’ll roast them all alive if you don’t tell me where the maid is.”

“You won’t get her,” she repeated, spitting blood flowing from her cut lips. “You won’t ever find her or harm her.”

The rider turned around and issued the order. Soon after, the night exploded in a hot blast, was lit up with the red blaze of a huge fire. And filled with ghastly cries and screams, voices that the roar of the conflagration was unable to drown out. The squealing of animals being burned alive. And people.

God, forgive me, Dzierżka repeated in her mind, burying her head in her shoulders under the blows of the horsewhip. God, forgive my sin. But they would have killed Elencza. And burned the people and horses anyway.

Fire shot up towards the sky. It was as bright as day. But Dzierżka couldn’t see a thing. She was as though blind.

She was knocked over and her ankles bound together with a leather strap. A horse neighed, stamped, the strap tightened, she felt a tug and she was dragged along the ground.

“It’s your last chance, horse trader.” The Black Rider’s evil voice came from somewhere above her. “Tell me where the maid is and I’ll give you a quick death.”

Dzierżka clenched her teeth. I’ll soon be with you, Zbylut, came rapid thoughts. I’ll suffer a little, but never mind, I’ll endure it. And then I’ll be beside you anew.

A shout, a whistle and the horse set off at a gallop. In Dzierżka’s eyes the world became one long, flaming line. The gravel cut her skin like a rasp.

After the third turn she lost consciousness.