“No! Don’t!” Yelena yelled at the warper. “Let the children go and I’ll come with you.”
“I know you will,” the warper said. The point of his spear touched Yelena’s throat. “I am more concerned about the Ghost Warrior.” He met Valek’s gaze. “Put your weapon down.”
Anger sizzled in Valek’s veins. He’d like nothing better than to run the man through with his scimitar. However, Yelena and the children locked in the barn depended on him. He bent over and set the sword on the ground, then palmed a couple darts with his left hand. When he straightened, he threw them at the warper. One hit the man’s neck, and he jerked in surprise.
“Move,” Valek ordered Yelena.
She twisted. The spear’s point cut a line across her throat. It didn’t look deep, but Valek planned to kill the warper regardless. He stepped closer as the man turned. A loud woosh sounded as bright orange flames spread under the barn’s door. The warper finally succumbed to the sleeping potion delivered by the dart. Too late. Smoke filled the air.
“Valek, go!” Yelena waved him toward the building, then whistled for the horses.
He ran to the doors. Fire consumed the dry wood and peeling paint with alarming speed. Once the roof caught, the ten children and two adults trapped inside would be unable to escape. The metal latch burned his hand as he unlocked the doors and wrestled them open. Smoke billowed ominously from inside. Did the warper set another section of the barn on fire?
He rushed in and skidded to a stop. Another structure had been built inside the barn. This one had fresh wood and new locks. Yelena appeared with Kiki and Onyx.
She took one look at it and shouted over the fire’s roar. “Tell them to move to the left side!”
Banging on the door, he yelled at those trapped within to move to the left side.
“Now!” he yelled.
Then he ripped off his tunic and yanked his switchblade from its sheath. He sliced the seams of the garment, freeing his hidden lock picks. Tossing the shirt and knife aside, he set to work on the locks, racing the flames that now galloped through the roof’s thick beams as if they were mere matchsticks.
A loud bang sounded to the right. Then another, as the horses kicked through the new wood of the interior structure. At least, that’s what it sounded like. Valek popped the locks and swung the door wide. Smoke filled the room as flames licked the walls and zipped across the ceiling. It burned his eyes and lungs with its acrid odor, but he waded into the room.
Heat roared in his ears and dulled the cries of the children. Valek found hands and helped them through the hole in the right wall. One of the adults helped, counting kids as they left.
“That’s eight,” he yelled in Valek’s ear. “I’ve the last two.”
“And the Stormdance woman?”
“Got hit by a broken plank,” he gestured to the left. “I can’t carry her. Too weak.” He coughed.
An ominous snap sounded above them, and a beam fell to the floor. No time left.
“Go,” Valek ordered.
Staying low to the ground to avoid the thick smoke, Valek searched with his hands until he found the unconscious woman. He pulled her over his shoulders and stepped toward the hole. A loud crack rent the air. The barn shook and then roared as the roof crashed down on them. A flaming beam hit his temple as they punched through the floor. Darkness consumed Valek before he hit the ground.
* * *
Valek woke sometime later. The fire raged about two feet above his throbbing head. Dirt walls surrounded him. He’d been buried alive! Panicked, he drew a breath to scream,I’m not dead, but it immediately set off a strong coughing fit which ignited the real pain. Agony shot through his ribs, and it sucked the air from his lungs. His throat burned, and the ache in his head intensified to nonstop hammering. Gasping, panting, he longed to return to unconsciousness.
A light breeze of fresh air caressed his face as a hand touched his shoulder. Yelena?
“Relax,” a strange woman rasped near his ear. She lay next to him. “You’re safe.” Then she gave him a tired half smile. “For now.”
Memories rushed back. The barn. The fire. The Stormdance woman. A fist-sized bruise marked her forehead.
“What…how…” Talking over the fire’s roar required too much effort.
“I’m a bit fuzzy on the details,” she said, touching her temple. “I woke up here with you and the fire—” As if on cue, the flames shifted and burning debris rained down.
Except the breeze strengthened. It extinguished the debris and swept the burned pieces away from them. They landed on a pile. By the size of the mound, Valek guessed she’d been keeping them safe for a while with her magic.
“Can you…” he gestured weakly “…blow all the fire out?”
“I wish. My magic is not that strong. Besides, each time I bring in fresh air for us or use it to blow out the sparks, I’m adding fuel to the fire.”
