Chapter 18
KALLIE
The ground quaked, and the horses reared. Kallie flattened herself against her horse’s back. A couple seconds later, Winter’s hooves pounded the ground, the jolt so violent it vibrated across the vertebrae running down Kallie’s spine.
With labored breathing and shaking hands, Kallie looked at Ellie. The same fear that undoubtedly shone in Kallie’s eyes was reflected in Ellie’s own wide, dilated pupils.
That was not a natural quake. She would recognize the sound of the Frenzian explosives anywhere. Even though they were likely miles away, Kallie could almost taste the metallic tang and acrid bite of smoke.
"We can’t," Ellie said, righting herself. Wisps of white hair floated around her face.
"We have to," Kallie pleaded, her hands flexing over the reins.
They hadn’t left Tetria yet. These were Ellie’s people, Medenia’s people. If civilians were in danger, they couldn’t abandon them.
"We don’t even know what we’re up against. What if it’s Domitius' army? What if he lied? We can’t—"
"If people are in danger," Kallie interrupted, knuckles blanching, "we need to find out. We need to help them. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?"
Ellie’s mouth formed a flat line. She twisted the reins around one of her hands, and the rope dug into her skin.
Kallie broke eye contact, her attention turning toward the woods. Her power thrummed inside her core. She bit her bottom lip, debating.
"Fine," Ellie gritted out at last.
Kallie sunk into the saddle, thankful she didn’t have to persuade Ellie or abandon her.
With a tug on the reins, Ellie steered her horse toward the blast. "But whatever happens, you stay by me, got it?"
Kallie nodded. Then they were off, riding toward the dark smoke billowing in the sky.
Flames consumed the small village, untamable and enraged, as they whipped across the crumbling roofs. The black smoke swallowed the blue sky. Kallie coughed and pounded her fist against her chest, the smoke still thick and rough, even hundreds of yards away.
On the outskirts of the village, where the ash was only a sprinkling of snow, the survivors huddled together.
Parents cradled their children as they watched their homes crumble to rubble.
The flickering flames shone in their horrified eyes as they cowered together, unable to stop the catastrophe from spreading. The fire was too far gone.
Ellie and Kallie jumped off their horses. Kallie held her arm against her mouth as they ran to the crowd.
"What happened?" Ellie asked, her gaze darting across the blazing sight.
The closest villager, a small, stout woman, swiped her ash-covered curls away from her face and smeared soot across her brown cheek. "It all happened so fast," she said through the tears running down her face. "I—I don’t even understand what I saw."
Wood splintered. The woman choked on a cry as the roof came crashing down, and the small house flattened from its weight.
"They came from the skies," a man said, pulling the trembling woman against his chest. They shared the same golden brown eyes. He must have been her son.
"The skies? What are you—"
Kallie sucked in a sharp inhale, and Ellie’s gaze smacked into hers.
The war had already started. They were too late.