Avallac’h was close to collapse, his chest heaving with every breath he took. He’d run as far and as fast as his legs would carry him, not daring to open a portal lest he be tracked to yet another world for Eredin to chase him through. He was thankful for the woods; the horses could not follow, and there was a stream he could cross so that the hounds would lose his scent.
His only comfort was that if they were on his heels, they were far and away from finding Ciri. It meant they needed him for information, and though he shuddered to think what might befall him should they catch him, they were desperate. She was safe, for the moment.
He did not escape unscathed, though. An arrow protruded from his arm, near the shoulder. It was enchanted, of that he was certain. He could feel the icy cold seeping deeper and deeper into his flesh, and he was beginning to lose feeling in his fingers. If it wasn’t removed soon...
A voice from behind made him go rigid. For half a breath, he thought that perhaps they’d managed to track him down anyway; Eredin was a hunter for a reason, after all. But reason won out; this was not the distorted voice of one of the Red Riders.
Not stupid enough to throw caution to the wind just yet, he turned slowly to face the speaker. Human. Temerian, a soldier judging by his appearance. Not of those he’d been fleeing, but still no less dangerous.
Thinking quickly, he lied, “Bandits. Attacked me as I made camp. I just barely managed to escape them.”