[This post is from Kailey Astoris’s point of view.]
“No one fires until I give the signal,” Matt said, his gaze raking over the archers on the wall. “Sif has the warning shot.” His voice lowered as he glanced at Kailey, who clung to the wall, pale and shaky.
I never expected it to be like this. She bit her lip, meeting her father’s gaze.
“You said they were armed,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “Yeah. Six of them, looked like they were armed. Couldn’t make out what they were saying, but I know what I saw.”
He nodded, then wrapped an arm around her. “Stay close to me or your mother—no matter what. Okay?”
“Okay, Dad.” The words came as barely more than a whisper. She swallowed hard against the lump in her throat.
She hadn’t seen anything like this since she was a little girl, not since her aunt and uncle had died. Things had seemed to quiet down after that, though she’d never bothered to consider why. Maybe there wasn’t a connection.
Maybe there was.
Kailey looked up and down the wall, taking in grim faces, determined looks. None of them seemed all that afraid.
Why not?
Deep down, she was terrified.
Hell, even right below the surface, she was terrified.
Who are they? Why are they here?
In the distance, she could hear the soft drone of hoofbeats. She held her breath.
Whoever it was, they were nearly here.
