Olive stumbles from the tent, just as Solma skids to a halt by the tree stump in the center. Olive pins her with a torch beam, eyes flashing. “Where the hell were you?” she demands. “You got my pistol?”
No time to argue. Solma hands Olive the pistol and tugs her hunting knife from its sheath. Other torch beams flicker to life as the Whisperers emerge. The Keeper children huddle together outside their tent, gathered around Roseann as she hunches over the prone figure of Dyl. He’s sprawled in the grass, woolen hat askew and a nasty bruise blooming just above one eye.
Cobra and Mamba appear beside Solma, looking stricken.
“Who called the alarm?” Solma demands.
“It was Ana,” Cobra confirms. “She was sleeping in the tent with the Keeper kids. Said she heard a scuffle. Found Dyl unconscious
