Flat on his back in the snow, Matt wheezed, struggling to catch his breath.\u00a0 His shoulder ached, his lungs burned.\u00a0 All the wind had been knocked out of him when he\u2019d landed in the snow behind the wall.<\/p>\n
He could hear Paul frantically calling his name over the sound of his heart roaring in his ears.\u00a0 Matt tried to croak a response, trying to push himself up onto his elbows and finding it hard\u2014breathing<\/i> was hard.<\/p>\n
What the hell hit me?<\/i>\u00a0 An arrow lay in the snow behind his head, one without a tip.\u00a0 There was no blood on his shoulder.<\/p>\n
Matt heard the first peal of the alarm bell and managed to recover his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cPaul!\u00a0 I\u2019m all right.\u00a0 Stop ringing it.\u201d\u00a0 He climbed to his feet and scooped up the arrow.\u00a0 The flight was black with a silver stripe, the tip blunted.\u00a0 Breathing was getting easier.<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s boots made a racket as he jogged through the snow toward him.\u00a0 \u201cShit,\u201d he panted as he drew up alongside Matt.\u00a0 \u201cI saw you go flying and I figured we must ne under attack.\u00a0 What the h\u2014\u201d His eyes widened in the moonlight.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s an arrow.\u00a0 We are<\/i> under attack.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s blunted,\u201d Matt said, handing the arrow to him.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a warning.\u201d\u00a0 He went back to the wall, clambering up to the top again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving another look.\u201d\u00a0 Matt hoisted himself up onto the top of the wall, gaze scything across the open snow pack.<\/p>\n
He froze.<\/p>\n
A broad-shouldered woman stood in the middle of the field of white, blonde hair limmed in silver moonlight, tumbling down over cloak-shrouded shoulders.\u00a0 She held a bow in both hands, pointed at the ground between her booted feet.\u00a0 Her chin lifted as Matt topped the wall and their eyes met across the distance.<\/p>\n
He shivered, not quite flinching under that gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe arrow was a warning,\u201d she called, her voice firm, commanding.\u00a0 \u201cCome dawn, you will produce the Seers who lead your community.\u00a0 I will treat with them and no others.\u00a0 They are to meet me before your gates to speak on what the future holds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean no harm to you so long as long as my request is met.\u00a0 I only wish to talk, not to cause harm, but I will if I must.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have until dawn.\u201d<\/p>\n
Matt found his voice again as the woman turned to go.\u00a0 \u201cWho are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked back over her shoulder at him.\u00a0 \u201cThe Lady of the Rowan.\u00a0\u00a0 Until tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
She turned and walked away, vanishing into the brush.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWake Thom and Marin,\u201d Matt said, feeling like his soul had just been flayed open and left bare on the snow.\u00a0 \u201cTell them we have a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Flat on his back in the snow, Matt wheezed, struggling to catch his breath.\u00a0 His shoulder ached, his lungs burned.\u00a0 All the wind had been knocked out of him when he\u2019d landed in the snow behind the wall. He could … Continue reading