AllFreeNovel
Share Us
My eyes, adjusting to the dim light, made out the figures.
Onshev stood in the center, his men flanking him.
Shockingly, the farmer and his family were right there with them, looking neither scared nor defiant.
There was an unsettling camaraderie between them.
I felt Madison’s hand, cool and reassuring, grip mine.
Her eyes, wide and alert, a mirror to mine.
The world outside was gradually lightening, the first hints of dawn casting its orange-pink hue.
The sounds outside became more distinct: the gruff voice of Onshev, the scuffling of boots, the rhythmic breathing of the Hiikas.
Their pungent odor reached me, blending strangely with the earthy fragrance of the barn.
Onshev’s words, edged with a tone of mock concern, reached us again. “If you don’t come out willingly, I assure you, we’re more than equipped to come in and get you.”
The farmer added, his voice filled with greedy anticipation:
“Best do as he says. No need for any more trouble than you’re already in.”
I felt a rush of anger.
How could they betray us like this?
Had their hospitality been a trap all along?
Madison’s fingers tightened around mine, her touch conveying a silent message:
We’re in this together.
“We can’t just stay here,” whispered Aznai.
His face was drawn, lines of pain etched deep from hisrecent ordeal, but his eyes burned with determination. “They’ll be expecting that.”
“We need a plan,” I murmured.
The coolness of the barn’s floor against my bare feet brought a fleeting clarity.
I could feel the energy of the material, its resonance echoing in the very air around us.
Madison pointed to a corner of the loft. “There, a trapdoor. Maybe it leads to the other side. We could make a run for it.”
It was a slim chance, but it was all we had.
Moving stealthily, we approached the trapdoor, the rough texture of the wooden beams under our fingers guiding our way.
The door opened to reveal a narrow ladder leading downward.
Aznai descended first, his movements swift and sure.
Madison followed, and then it was my turn.
We found ourselves at the back of the barn, hidden from view by a thick grove of trees.
The moist grass beneath our feet felt revitalizing, and the distant chirping of birds eased the tension of the moment.
