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As they scrambled downhill, she caught the sound of rushing water. There must be a stream in the valley.
They cleared the forest, and she stopped in dismay. It was more than a stream; it was a wide, rushing river.
Tenzen wiped sweat from his brow. “The path that went south probably has a bridge.”
She approached the riverbank, weaving around stones and fallen trees. A month ago, when the snows had melted, the river must have plowed through here with enough force to move large boulders and rip trees from the ground. The river was lower now, but it was still moving fast. Her nerves tensed at the thought of the boys trying to cross.
“I found something,” Tenzen called from downstream.
She rushed over. A fresh footprint by the muddy shore. A small foot. “They came this way?”
He nodded and pointed at another set of footprints.
She heaved a sigh of relief. “They’re going downstream.”
Tenzen motioned for her to follow. “They’re probably looking for a safe place to cross.”
After ten minutes, the narrow valley flattened out into a wide pasture. The river slowed down and widened till it was only a foot deep.
“There!” Tenzen pointed.
Her heart swelled. Farther downstream, Norjee and Xiao Fang were wading across the river. The water lapped against their legs.
Neona ran toward them. “Norjee! Xiao Fang!”
They stopped and looked back.
“Norjee!” She stepped into the river. “Please come with me. Come home.”
He hung his head. “Nobody wants me there.”
“I do! Lots of us want you there.” Tears filled her eyes. “I love you! Would I have come all this way to find you if I didn’t love you?”
Norjee’s chin trembled. Xiao Fang rested a hand on his shoulder.
“Come back home.” She waded toward him, then stopped with a gasp. On the far riverbank in the forest, something metallic had reflected the light from the lowering sun. Swords. There were soldiers in the forest.
Tenzen muttered a curse behind her.
“Hurry!” she shouted at the boys.
A troop of soldiers on horseback burst from the forest onto the far riverbank.
The boys ran toward her, splashing through the water. Her heart froze. How could she and the boys outrun mounted soldiers? When the boys reached her, she grabbed their hands and sprinted toward Tenzen.
“Keep running.” Tenzen handed her his backpack and drew his sword. “I’ll hold them off.”
One man against a troop? Neona glanced back as she swung his backpack over her shoulder. A dozen horsemen were charging across the river.
She dashed with the boys to the forest. Maybe she could hide them in the trees while she led the horsemen away. She looked around frantically for a tree the boys could climb.
The sound of clashing swords came from the riverbank.
She spotted a good tree. “This way.” She grabbed the boys.
Norjee’s gasp made her glance at the river. Tenzen was down. Four soldiers lay dead next to him. With a bloodied hand, he pulled a knife from his chest, then his hand fell lifeless by his side.
She swallowed hard. The poor man hadn’t had a chance. The eight remaining horsemen headed straight for the forest.
“Hurry.” She tugged at the boys, leading them toward the tree she’d selected. “I want you to hide up here.” She lifted Norjee so he could catch the lowest branch.
“I don’t want to leave you,” Norjee protested.
“I’ll be fine.” She gave Xiao Fang a boost, then dug through the backpack. The sat phone wasn’t there. Tenzen must have kept it.
She handed the backpack to Norjee. “There’s food and drink in there. Hide behind the leaves. Don’t come out till it’s safe.”
The ground beneath her feet vibrated as the horsemen charged toward her. She ran eastward. An arrow whizzed past her head, lodging in a nearby tree. She ducked behind another tree, but within seconds, she was surrounded.
“Where are the others?” a soldier demanded. The extra stripe on his sleeve made her suspect he was the leader.
“I was with one other.” She glared at him. “And you killed him.”
“He attacked us.” The leader urged his horse closer to her.
She backed up as the tip of his sword came close to grazing her chest.
“Where are the others?” he repeated. “There were two boys in the river.”
“Why are you attacking us?” she asked. “We’re just local farmers.”
He scoffed. “With swords?” He motioned to one of his men. “Take her weapons. Tie her up.”
The soldier dismounted and approached her.
She jumped back and drew her sword. “Leave me be. Go on your way, and I will leave you alone.”
The leader laughed. “Are you threatening us?” He motioned to his soldiers. “What are you waiting for?”
Six more men dismounted and stalked toward her.
She backed away, swinging her sword at them. If she could occupy all of the soldiers in her capture, they might forget about the boys. Three of the soldiers slipped around behind her. She whirled, slicing the air with her sword. They circled her, closing in.
“Very well.” She stabbed her sword into the ground. “I surrender. Take me to your master.”
One of the soldiers lunged toward her, his fist aimed for her face. She blocked the punch and kicked him in the balls. With a cry, he doubled over.
“I said I surrender,” she hissed. “I will ride with you to your master.”
Two soldiers grabbed her. They were definitely supersoldiers. She couldn’t break their grip.
“Hold her still.” The soldier she’d kicked in the balls came at her again. “Bitch!” He slapped her hard.
She kicked at him, but he jumped back and sneered. “Maybe we should have some fun with her before we take her back.”
She tensed. The sun was lowering in the sky, but it could still be an hour before sunset, when the vampires woke up.
The soldier unzipped his pants. “Hold her still.”
She gritted her teeth. She would make it through this. She had to.
A blast of fire shot from the tree where the boys were hidden. The soldier screamed as he was engulfed in flames. He ran away, screeching, then fell to the ground, where he flailed. The stench of burning flesh filled the air. His cries died down to whimpers, then he was quiet.
Neona tugged hard, but the two soldiers held her fast.
The other soldiers cautiously surrounded the tree. The fire had burned away some of the leaves, and now the two boys were visible.
The leader nudged his horse forward. “Amazing. One of them must be a dragon. Or perhaps both.” He waved his hand. “Come on down. We won’t hurt you.”
Norjee and Xiao Fang exchanged looks but didn’t budge.
The leader sighed. “They need motivation. Now.”
“Yes, sir.” One of the soldiers holding Neona pressed a knife to her throat.
“All right, boys,” the leader said. “Come down, or we slit her throat.”
Norjee and Xiao Fang climbed down.
“Tie them up,” the leader ordered. “I want to get them back before Lord Liao wakes up.”
Neona and the boys were tied up and tossed onto horses like sacks of rice. They headed back toward the river. She caught a glimpse of Tenzen lying in a pool of blood, and her eyes burned with tears. He’d died for nothing.
After a long ride, the men pulled the horses to a stop and shoved her and the boys onto the ground. With a gasp, she realized where they were. The monastery. Lord Liao and his army of fifty had taken it over.
The soldiers hauled her and the boys to their feet and marched them through the gate into the courtyard. Her stomach twisted at the sight of the two elderly monks lying in pools of blood. Norjee cried out, and Xiao Fang trembled.
She pretended to stumble so she could lower her head to their level. “Don’t say a word to them,” she whispered. “Stay strong.”
Norjee nodded with a whimper.
A soldier jerked her upright and shoved her toward the buildings on the right. Another soldier opened the first door, and they were all pushed into the small room.
It was the same room she’d visited only two nights before. She said a silent prayer for the monks. No wonder they had been so eager to send Norjee away. Hopefully, the other monks had safely evacuated before Liao’s arrival.
