The first volley struck before the Iron Jackals understood that the village was awake.
Crossbow strings snapped almost together.
Bolts flew from the darkness and crossed the illuminated ground before the men near the gate had time to react.
The first attacker fell backward with one hand still reaching toward the wood. Another spun sideways when a bolt entered beneath his raised arm. A third dropped his shield with a scream.
The road erupted into confusion.
"Cover!"
The command came quickly.
The Iron Jackals recovered faster than ordinary bandits would have.
Shields rose.
Several men immediately moved toward the edges of the road to avoid bunching together.
Their bowmen searched for targets.
They found darkness.
The lamps Lucien had placed outside the village worked exactly as intended. The light illuminated the attackers while leaving the defenders difficult to distinguish behind the wall.
Another volley followed.
This time, more bolts struck shields.
