I’m not sure how she does it, or how it happens so quickly, but one minute we’re standing in the field beneath a dark blue sky, and the next, we’re in a forest, surrounded by an infinite number of trees.
The sky is gray with thick clouds. I can smell rain in the air. I look behind me, and there’s the gate I’ve seen many times before, the one that cuts off the forest from the castle.
“This way.” Caz turns toward the gate, pushing it open when he’s near it. It creaks on its hinges, then he stops, looking at the dark castle ahead of us. But not only is the castle there. A group of people are too. And not ordinary people. The freaking Trenchmites again.
“Oh, God,” I whisper.
They stand in a straight line, side-by-side, their arms raised. There are at least six of them. Their eyes glow red like Decius’, and they snarl and gnash their teeth, ready to attack.
When one of them takes a step forward, Caz immediately whips out his gun, swapping out the metal bullets for wooden Trench bullets. He does it swiftly, the revolver slinging shut with a satisfied snap. I can’t wrap my mind around how this man is so good with his guns. If it were me, I’d have shot my own hand off by now.
Storing the bullets in his coat pocket, Caz says, “He’s created an army.” He watches the Trenchmites carefully, how they don’t move any closer, just stare, waiting for us to act first.
“Listen to me closely, Willow. The stables across the field,” he says, cocking his head to my left. “Go now.”
“But Caz—”
“Now,” he demands, and I clamp my mouth shut, stepping backwards. I promised to listen.
I look toward the downward hill where I assume the stables are and turn that direction, glancing at the line of Trenchmites before looking back at Caz. He tips his chin just as fat droplets of rain fall from the sky.
When he raises his gun, pointing it ahead, the Trenchmites snarl and run toward him with powerful stride. I gasp, running downhill. I spot one of the black stables ahead and rush to the door. I struggle to slide it open due to the mud, but I manage. I close it as far as I can, then spot Onyx, Caz’s horse, standing in one of the stalls, neighing loudly and rising on his hind legs.
“Whoa—easy, Onyx! Easy! It’s just me,” I whisper. He continues his whinnying, throwing his hooves up and huffing.
Something thumps outside and I gasp, pressing my finger to my lips as I look at Onyx, before moving to one of the empty stalls. I spot a tall stack of hay and hide behind it just as another thump sounds at the door of the stable. I hear sniffing, huffing. Oh, God. It’s one of the Trenchmite. It followed me.
I withdraw my knife, gripping the handle and bracing myself for the creature. If I jump out, I’ll have the advantage. It won’t see me, and it can’t take me. The urge to do it is high, but before I can, a blur of white enters my stall and pounces on me.
“Oh, my God! Silvera?”
She pants raggedly, wagging her tail and nuzzling her nose on my cheek. “What are you doing here?” I whisper. “I almost stabbed your crazy ass! It’s not safe out there!”
Then again…maybe it is. If Silvera is here, that must mean none of the Trenchmite have run toward the stable after me.
I hear gunshots ricocheting and leave the stall, going toward the window. I can still see the roof of the castle here, but I can’t see Caz, nor can I hear him.
“We have to do something,” I whisper. Caz won’t be able to get through all those things alone, and even if he does, Decius will know, and he’ll be waiting. Like Caz said, it’s a trap, and he’ll be walking right into it. And my mate may be a lot of things, but he’s no fool. He’d never walk into a trap without a plan.
My eyes slide to Onyx just as one of his large beady eyes focuses on me. I open the door of his stall and drag a palm along his sturdy back. “Hey, boy. Wanna go for a ride?”
