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“It’s a hover carriage,” he told her.
“But the horses,” she said. “If they’re actually real, maybe—”
She didn’t get to say the rest as he dragged them all back toward the front, where the carriage was parked.
A second drone had joined the first in the air. They circled above, sending out the occasional blast, ignoring everyone else.
They’re here for me.
“Get them out of the harnesses,” Gage yelled to her, running to the less friendly of the horses and swinging poor unconscious Athena onto its broad back.
Once the dog was settled, he moved to help Naomi. Together, they freed the horses while dodging blasts.
“We’ll go back to the castle,” he told her. “If anything happens to me, keep going. Do not stop. Do you understand?”
“G-Gage,” she stammered.
“Say you understand,” he yelled, his eyes flashing furiously.
“I understand,” she said.
He lifted her onto her horse, and she tried to memorize the feel of his big body against hers, just in case it was the last time. She realized that their attraction was not the thing she would miss most. It was the sense of belonging, the bond that tied them together.
Please let us get through this…
He slapped her horse’s flank, and it jumped forward.
She grabbed its silky mane and held on for dear life as the drones above redoubled their efforts.
The stallion ran for all it was worth, as if it knew what was at stake. She felt terrible that it was frightened of the blasts and even more awful that it was in danger because of her.
Everyone in this Center is in danger because of me.
It felt like her heart was being torn to pieces as she envisioned the huge line of employees, all of them vulnerable to the drones and whatever came next.
A moment later, she heard a second set of hoofbeats on the path.
When the trees closed in overhead, she felt a momentary relief. It would be harder to hit them in here, and harder for the drones to maneuver.
“What’s happening?” she called to Gage.
“This is an invasion,” he shouted. “We have to get back to the castle. It should be easier to defend.”
Naomi glanced up and swore she could see a red electric eye flickering above the trees as they fled.
“If it’s an invasion, why aren’t there more of them?” she asked.
“The electromagnetic pulse,” he replied. “Anything that was too close would have been taken out by it.”
“But there are at least two here,” she said.
“These two are speed scouts,” he told her. “They were probably sent in right after the pulse went off. They’re taking a few shots, but their main purpose is to report back and inform whoever or whatever is coming next.”
“That’s why they haven’t hit us yet,” she realized.
“Exactly,” he said.
“I think I know why they’re here,” she told him, feeling like she wanted to throw up.
