Bab 1000: General Khan's Head - Part 6

For the same reason, Oliver was made to pause. Lombard? Of all people? Was that intentional? It couldn't not be. But Karstly didn't strike him as the sort of man to give orders for sentimental reasons…

The thudding of feet from their rear spurred Oliver towards a decision. Lombard was growing nearer, but he would barely arrive in time for the enemy to already be at their backs. In other words, if they wanted to move, they had to do so now, lest they be under the constant assault of arrow fire.

"We're breaking out of this box," Oliver said with iron certainty. If it was Lombard, then he could trust him to follow. If it was Lombard, there ought not be an issue with them making it back towards the open span that lay to their right. It was only three ranks of shield-wielding men that they had to breach – though such a feat needed to be done under the constant pressure of arrow fire.