Rovers

Chapter 5

Morning light breaks through the trees, waking us from our restless sleep.

Christian is already up, gearing the horses. I walk over to him, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“How did the horses not get called too” I ask.

He looks at me and smiles faintly. “They did. They tried every possible way to get loose, but we have the team to thank for tying them up properly.”

He pauses, studying my face.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I guess,” I say with a soft smile.

“We’ve got to get going. Go wake up the others.”

I hurry back into the tunnel, but to my surprise, everyone is already awake and hard at work, packing and securing the rest of our gear.

Before long, we are mounted and moving.

But once we reach the open trail, the sun beats down without mercy. The heat is scorching. With every step the horses take across the vast, endless landscape, it feels as though we are riding aimlessly into nowhere.

Then

“I think I see water!”

Tyrone’s sudden shout cuts through the suffocating heat.

“It looks like a dam!”

“Yes!” I yell, a burst of adrenaline cutting through my exhaustion. “Our stop!”

We surge forward.

As the shimmering heat haze finally clears, a massive reservoir comes into view, its deep blue water stretching farther than I can see.

The moment we reach the bank, everyone dismounts. We lead the exhausted horses to the water’s edge, and they immediately lower their heads, drinking deeply.

The rest of us spread out, scanning the surrounding terrain.

“This place is perfect,” Sammy says, her eyes widening as she takes everything in.

She turns toward the rest of us.

“Perfect. We can bring our people here and build bigger walls. This is where the village needs to move.”

Christian says nothing.

He stands apart from the group, arms crossed, his dark eyes moving slowly across the tree line and the water.

Then Tyrone suddenly breaks through a patch of tall brush.

“There are apples!” he calls.

He holds up a cluster of bright red fruit.

“Apples?” I echo, almost unable to believe it.

He nods and points toward a lush orchard hidden beyond the brush. He hands one to each of us.

I take a bite.

Juice bursts across my tongue, crisp, sweet, and bursting with flavor.

For a moment, I’m transported back to a life that no longer exists.

They taste just like the apples from before everything changed.

A wave of relief passes through the group.

Smiles spread across our dust-streaked faces, and for the first time in what feels like forever, laughter fills the air.

“We’re camping here tonight,” one of our teammates announces, dropping their heavy pack onto the soft grass.

Everyone begins settling in.

Everyone except Christian.

He hasn’t moved.

His gaze remains fixed on the quiet landscape.

“It doesn’t make sense,” he says quietly.

The laughter slowly dies.

“A place like this…” His eyes narrow. “Why is no one here?”

Before his words can fully sink in

THWACK!

A black-feathered arrow slices through the air.

It whistles past my ear, missing my face by inches.

I freeze.

The arrow buries itself deep into Christian’s thigh.

He drops to one knee with a strangled gasp, blood quickly staining the fabric around the wound.

“Christian!” I scream.

I rush toward him, but he throws up a hand.

“Get on the horses!” he roars through gritted teeth, forcing himself against a nearby rock. “Go! Now!”

Chaos erupts around the dam.

Panicking shouts echo across the water as everyone scrambles for their horses.

Another arrow tears through the air.

Then another.

They hiss through the tall grass, striking the ground around us.

“Kelsea, go!”

Christian’s eyes lock onto mine.

There is something in them I’ve never seen before.

Fear.

Not for himself.

For me.

I can’t move.

My limbs feel like lead.

Then Samantha rides straight toward me, reaches down, and grabs my wrist.

“Move, Kelsea! Move!”

Her strength snaps me out of my paralysis.

I haul myself into my saddle.

My horse leaps forward, galloping alongside the others as we race away from the dam.

But something inside me refuses to leave.

I glance over my shoulder.

Shapes are emerging from the dense tree line.

Shadowy figures sprint toward Christian, weapons drawn.

He stands alone.

One man against an entire group.

He draws his blade, planting his feet as though he has already accepted what is coming.

My heart stops.

I turn toward Samantha.

She is riding hard beside me, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear.

And suddenly, everything becomes strangely quiet.

The pounding hooves.

The shouting.

The wind.

It all fades beneath the roar of my heartbeat.

I look at her and give her a small, gentle smile.

“It’s been a pleasure working with you.”

Her expression changes.

“Kelsea…”

“Protect them, Sammy.”

My voice trembles, but I force the words out.

“Go back home.”

“Kelsea, no!”

She reaches for me.

But I am already pulling hard on the reins.

My horse rears before twisting around.

The others disappear into the distance.

I don’t look back at them.

I look toward Christian.

Toward the figures closing in around him.

Toward the place I know I shouldn’t be going.

Then I dig my heels into my horse’s sides.

And I ride straight back into the ambush.

Straight toward Christian.