Neil & Raven
Neil
My horse’s hooves pounded against the ground beneath us as I pushed him harder, faster, the wind stinging my face and tearing at my cloak. My muscles burned and my bones ached from riding nonstop for hours, but I did not slow down.
As the first light of dawn filtered through the trees, the remnants of Serena’s caravan came into view. The first thing I saw was smoke rising from an overturned carriage. After that came the scent of burnt flesh and death.
I pulled back on the reins, bringing my horse to a halt, and dismounted. My boots sank into the blood-soaked earth with a sickening squelch.
I had seen death before plenty of times, but not like this. The bodies were strewn across the ground like discarded toys, limbs twisted unnaturally, skin burnt off the
