The drums didn’t stop. They vibrated through the soles of my feet, a rhythmic thumping that seemed to mock the frantic beat of my own heart. The torches on the horizon were closing in, but the immediate threat was standing right in front of us.
Leo, the boy who shouldn't exist, watched me with eyes that were too old for his face. Beside him, the lion let out a low, mechanical purr that rattled the loose stones beneath my boots.
"Run," Razack whispered again, his voice cracking. He didn't have his gun. He didn't have a plan. All he had was the raw instinct to keep me and the children alive. "Christine, when I tell you, take the children and head for the ravine. Don't look back. Even if you hear me scream, don't look back."
"I'm not leaving you, Razack," I hissed, clutching the children’s
