?You’re way too optimistic!? She turns toward Elio and Sander. ?This horse can’t stand carrying both of them!?
Sander lifts his gaze from his hands to me.
?M-Mina… I…? His eyes lock onto mine. ?I want to stay with Serena and… and help.?
He’s still uncertain. But I won’t crush that fragile courage.
I nod.
?Good. Then you stay with us.?
Gaia moves closer to my mare.
?Then I’ll ride with Elio to Mirasogno while you three handle the attack.?
I tighten my legs around Lyn as Elio shifts to one side.
?See you at Alba.?
I lift Elio. Gaia grabs him by the legs and, straining, pulls him onto the saddle in front of her.
?Hold on tight. Unlike her, I can’t lift you back up if you fall off Goodfaith.?
Elio squeezes his eyes shut, gripping the saddle horn.
?You named your horse…??
Gaia takes off at a gallop behind us.
I urge Lyn forward and descend the slope, Serena close behind.
I hope her presence is enough to steady Sander.
I glance back at him.
?Sander! There aren’t many of them. We know how to deal with this. No panic.?
A small voice stammers, ?O-okay.?
Terrified villagers stumble across the grass, waving desperately at us.
I pull the reins near an elderly man.
?Where are they??
He points behind him.
?In the central square. The others barricaded themselves inside the chapel.?
I nod.
?Get away from the village.?
A press of my heel—and we gallop toward the first farmhouses.
Gray walls close in around me. Wooden rooftops cast deep shadows.
The steady rhythm of hooves slows behind me.
I enter the dirt road, streaked with black.
Vegetables, iron tools, wooden utensils—everything abandoned beside overturned stalls.
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The square opens before us.
The chapel’s gray steps are littered with bodies smeared in black.
The air is sharp.
The Torments strike the heavy door one last time—then turn.
Their corrupted faces fix on me.
From above, there were three.
Now there are seven.
?Mina.?
I glance at Serena. She points to a red stain on the cobblestones.
Red blood.
There’s another outsider. And he’s wounded.
The Affanni’s steps grow frantic.
First, clear the area. Then find him.
A rope twangs.
A gust of air brushes past me.
An Affanno falls, pierced by an arrow.
I tighten the reins and send Lyn into a gallop. She snorts.
I draw my sword. Iron mail grinds beneath her hooves as my blade slices clean through an enemy’s axe.
Another arrow strikes the watery eye of the fifth torment.
I wheel around just as an orange wave erupts a few paces away—frying the last three still trying to rise.
I look at Sander. Pale. Shaking.
I raise a thumb.
His cheeks flush red as he smiles.
I dismount, holding the reins.
The barrier turns transparent.
Serena dismounts too, handing the reins to Sander while murmuring instructions.
Then she looks at me.
?I’ll finish off the remaining Affanni and check the wounded. You can check the church.?
I nod.
I tie Lyn securely to a hook beside the chapel. I stroke her muzzle; she nickers softly.
I lower my gaze.
The outsider was injured during the attack. He could be infected.
Since it happened recently, it’s unlikely the villagers left him outside.
There are heavy red stains among the bodies on the steps.
I step carefully between corpses, sword raised.
If they’re not fully dead, they’ll rise soon.
Five red handprints stain the massive door.
Slowly.
I peer through a stained window. Beyond the warped glass, I see only restless shadows.
I return to the door and knock.
The wood trembles. White dust falls into my hair.
?It’s Mina! The square is clear. You can come out.?
Murmurs rumble through the door. Then scraping. Thuds.
I press my hands against the panels and push.
They drag inward.
A narrow corridor between pews opens before me. The warm light spills like a carpet across the empty nave.
I slip through the small opening.
A group of people stare at me, motionless, eyes wide.
A slender, dark-skinned woman approaches.
?We didn’t expect to be rescued by you. Did you meet any of our villagers??
I nod.
?You can drop the formalities… um…?
She wears a white silk dress. Emerald eyes.
?Guia.?
Unusual name.
Guia turns.
?Mina, please. I need to show you someone.?
She strides down the nave. Near a column, another woman in humble clothes is being helped up by two girls. Tense whispers surround me.
?During the attack, a foreigner was struck by the Affanni and… his ink is a strange color.?
I nod.
Behind the altar, Elena’s statue towers on its pedestal.
How long has it been since I last saw her like this?
Severe posture. Gold-painted tunic. Dark hair.
My chest tightens.
?Miss??
I snap back to Guia.
?Yes. He shouldn’t be dangerous.?
A male voice cuts in behind me.
?Dangerous or not, one more word and I would’ve killed him anyway.?
I turn.
A teenage boy. A woman slaps him on the back of the head—but a murmur of agreement follows his words.
Not a good sign.
Guia guides me toward a side aisle.
?Yes… he hasn’t been very cooperative. His name is Livio. That’s him.?
She points.
A broad-shouldered man. Glassy eyes. His shirt sleeve soaked red, clutched tightly in a strong hand.
No visible weapons.
Livio.
Elena spoke of him.
?I don’t want to talk about my father, Mina! He’ll never change! Just leave me alone!?
My fists tighten.
My stomach twists.
I don’t like him.
Not at all.