Right in front of her eyes. Matthias was in front, alone, presumably talking to his wife inside, judging by the way he kept yelling and turning his head to the side.
The moment of inaction lasted no more than two seconds, but it was a lifetime which threatened to never end.
She'd have given her wings to have stopped time.
Returned of her bodily functions she yelled to stop. Three arrows had been loosed. One belonged to Winter. It wasn't her fault, she couldn't have known, the second, Sarah's. Now she was at fault, she knew, she absolutely knew! The third arrow didn't know either but… had seen her react. The wooden missile owned by Blade had had the most potential to stop.
Only it hadn't, Heather screamed for all the world to stop.
Still they flew.
Winter's hit home, cutting the horse's life short. The second landed next to Matthias. A warning shot, but although Blade fired last. His missile caught up.
Matthias was slammed into the front of the carriage. The arrow disappearing past him. Heather's eye caught his every twitch. He was frozen in time, staring at the exact spot he'd first seen the second arrow.
"No, no, NO!" Heather screamed, sprinting.
To her surprise Matthias's lips moved. Almost immediately, Merriam burst out, Judge in her arms, making a break for the cliff.
Heather ignored her, going straight for Matthias, pulling him to the ground and applying pressure. She screamed, her lungs contracting to the point where they ached so hard, she thought they'd shrivel and die. Sobbing harder than she'd ever sobbed before, she wailed but the shock, the pain. The vacuum his dead body formed in her person created a violent pull, centring on her lungs, pulling on her every muscle, ripping flesh from bone and forcing her away from him even though he was locked in her arms.
She screamed against the pain forcing strength back into her as she tried, beyond reason, to pull him back. She stared into the sky and cried out to the Goddess. The other Black Air Raiders held their breathed as one.
Then, quite suddenly, she paused, her grief, her devastation slowed as a raging river may pause when it passes over a deep pit. It was behind her, just over her ear, out of her mind but held.
Someone, Winter if she remembered right, had picked up another arrow and was eyeing Merriam as she continued to run.
She didn't know whether she ran or flew because when she blinked, she was in front of Winter, her sword raised.
She was tackled to the ground.
"Leave me! Leave me!" Heather screamed.
Qondile and Fury didn't let go. The pit in her had filled, caved in from the pressure.
She fell limp.
"I'm okay. I'm calm." she whispered.