Mouth tightening, Iliana hurried to the man’s side. Thankfully, this arrow had gone right through. This time there would be no having to push the arrow through. The end merely had to be broken off. Remembering the trouble she had had breaking the earlier arrow, Iliana glanced at Elgin as he knelt on the man’s other side. “Are your hands strong, Elgin?”

“What?” He glanced at her in confusion and she shook her head.

“Never mind. Doubtless they are stronger than mine. Help me sit him up.”

“I don’t need help.”

Iliana rolled her eyes as the stablemaster forced himself to a seated position. It seemed men’s pride came before their good sense. Pressing her hands to either side of his shoulder, Iliana glanced at Elgin. “I need you to break the end off the arrow.”

Elgin and the stablemaster both winced, and Iliana nearly sighed aloud.

“It must be broken to remove it, else we shall have to pull either the arrow or the flights through the wound. ’Twould cause more damage.”

Rabbie began cursing and Elgin quickly joined in, even as he reached for the shaft of the arrow. Their cursing reached a crescendo as he snapped the arrow in two; then they both fell silent.

Casting a sympathetic glance at the stablemaster’s pinched face, Iliana stood to replace Elgin as he got out of the way. Kneeling again, she glanced toward the stairs, relieved when she saw her mother hurrying toward her. Giorsal, Janna, and Gertie followed, bearing salves and bandages.

Casting a reassuring smile at the man, Iliana quickly removed the arrow and grabbed for the bandages Janna rushed forward to hand her. She was pressing the bandages against the wound to staunch the flow of blood when another shout drew her attention. Even as she saw that another man had been hit, a third stumbled backward from the wall, an arrow in his chest.

Crying out, Iliana jumped to her feet, hurrying forward to stop his backward movement. But she was too late; he tipped off the wall, tumbling backward into the bailey far below. Cursing, Iliana left Rabbie to Gertie’s tender mercies and rushed to the second man, relieved to see that he still lived. She knew that the third man had not been so fortunate.

She grimaced as Elgin knelt across the injured man from her, then glanced toward the stablemaster as he regained his feet. His injury had been tended and bound, and he was moving toward the wall again. “Nay, Rabbie! You should rest.”

“Rest’ll not keep these bastards from our gate. And what good will rest do if it sees me dead later?” And with that, the man moved back to his post.

Iliana sighed. It would be a long siege; she only hoped they could hold out.

Chapter Nineteen

“Iliana?”

She raised her head slowly from where she was resting, her eyes slightly bleary as she peered at her mother.