*Cait*
The great hall is too crowded, too violent—and I’m shoved back, stumbling through the narrow corridor. I clutch my dagger tightly, pressing my back to the cold wall, breathing hard.
The sounds of clashing steel and shouted orders seep through the thick stone, and my mind is on Maisy and her bairns. They were in their quarters, alone and unprotected, before the madness began. I dart down the hallway, praying they’re safe. I can’t leave them vulnerable now.
The door to Maisy’s room is cracked, a thin sliver of light leaking out. I shove it open.
Her eyes are full of terror when she sees me. They’re all alive. Her bairns cling to her skirts, crying and trembling.
“Cait, thank God,” Maisy whispers, her voice shaking.
“I’m here,” I say. “We need to get you and the bairns somewhere
