“I ain't in her mind, elf. I'm keeping you out.”
The Queen smiled. It was the most beautiful smile Diamanda had ever seen.
“And you have some power, too. Amazing. I never thought you'd amount to anything, Esmerelda Weatherwax. But it's no good here. Kill them both. But not at the same time. Let the other one watch.”
She climbed on to her horse again, turned it around, and galloped off.
Two of the elves dismounted, drawing thin bronze daggers from their belts.
“Well, that's about it, then,” said Granny Weatherwax, as the warriors approached. She dropped her voice.
“When the time comes,” she said, “run.”
“What time?”
“You'll know.”
Granny fell to her knees as the elves approached.
“Oh, deary me, oh spare my life, I am but a poor old woman and skinny also,” she said. “Oh spare my life, young sir. Oh lawks.”
She curled up, sobbing. Diamanda looked at her in astonishment, not least at how anyone could expect to get away with something like that.
Elves had been away from humans for a long time. The first elf reached her, hauled her up by her shoulder, and got a doubled-handed, bony-knuckled punch in an area that Nanny Ogg would be surprised that Esme Weatherwax even knew about.
Diamanda was already running. Granny's elbow caught the other elf in the chest as she set off after her.
Behind her, she heard the merry laughter of the elves.
Diamanda had been surprised at Granny's old lady act. She was far more surprised when Granny drew level. But Granny had more to run away from.
“They've got horses!”
Granny nodded. And it's true that horses go faster than people, but it's not instantly obvious to everyone that this is only true over moderate distances. Over short distances a determined human can outrun a horse, because they've only got half as many legs to sort out.
Granny reached over and gripped Diamanda's arm.
“Head for the gap between the Piper and the Drummer!”
“Which ones are they?”
“You don't even know that?”
Humans can outrun a horse, indeed. It was preying on Granny Weatherwax's mind that no one can outrun an arrow.
Something whined past her ear.
The circle of stones seemed as far away as ever.
Nothing for it. It oughtn't to be possible. She'd only ever tried it seriously when she was lying down, or at least when she had something to lean against.
She tried it now . . .
There were four elves chasing them. She didn't even think about looking into their minds. But the horses . . . ah, the horses . . .
They were carnivores, minds like an arrowhead.
The rules of Borrowing were: you didn't hurt, you just rode inside their heads, you didn't involve the subject in any way . . .