B0161NEC9Y (F) by K.F. Breene

The soles of her shoes slid as she took the corner too fast. She crashed into the doorframe.
    “What—?” The chair creaked again, the guard getting to his feet.
    “Move!” she heard Lucius urge. As she swung around the corner, she caught sight of Lucius pushing someone. She could just make out Barus barreling into someone else, drawing the guard’s attention, before she was gone.
    She had to tell the Women’s Circle she’d succeeded in her task. There was only one more plan to put into effect, before they were ready for the Captain and the bloodshed to follow.
    That was when the real danger began.

Chapter Eight
    Sanders refused to feel the ache in his legs and back from their constant riding. The horse under him, as well bred and sturdy as it was, panted from fatigue. But the end was in sight. Already the land was changing, morphing from an acquaintance into an old friend, reminding him of childhood hunts and excursions. They were almost home.
    A shock of fear punched him.
    Junice.
    He gritted his teeth and looked out to the side, clamping down on the stream of worst-case scenarios that rolled through his mind. Junice would be okay. She was a fighter. She had never let Sanders get his way, much less order her around, so there was no way she’d let some stinky Graygual push her around.
    “The Hunter will be civil to his captives unless his demands aren’t met,” Rohnan said in his stupid singsong, caressing voice. It had a calming effect.
    Being too calm could get a man killed.
    “Stop reading my mind, gorgeous,” Sanders said sarcastically. He looked back to the front. He didn’t need anyone seeing how anxious he was. He needed to be the strong focal point of this outfit, backing up the Captain and keeping everyone else confident. That damn twin of Shanti’s was just confusing matters.
    Sanders blew out a breath, feeling both relief and fear as they crossed the first landmark identifying the border of their land. His horse’s head started to droop, and his wasn’t the only one. These horses were near the brink. They’d ridden hard over the last week, and if they didn’t give these animals a break, they’d be walking the rest of the way.
    Another landmark came and went as they moved deeper into the lush trees. The first sentry post loomed on the right. Sanders could tell it was empty. That was normal. Sanders hadn’t stationed people in that crow’s nest for years. It was too far out for the present time of peace with the surrounding lands.
    After this, though, it might be time to stick a Shadow person with mind power up there. Peacetime was over.
    In a hundred yards or so, the next sentry post came up. Also empty. After this, they should be manned, assuming the Hunter hadn’t killed everyone.
    “Let’s halt,” Shanti said in a faraway voice. Her horse pranced sideways instead of stopping. That horse didn’t like to stand still when it sensed a battle coming. “Bloody horse,” Shanti muttered before sliding to the ground.
    She glanced back at Sanders before walking to the Captain’s horse, away from the rest of the men.
    “She wants you with them,” Rohnan said as he swung his leg over his mount.
    “You don’t have to be a mind reader to catch the obvious,” Sanders said, jumping down.
    Daniels joined them, too. The Captain hadn’t gotten down from his horse, though. He looked out toward the distant city with unfocused eyes.
    “The sentries aren’t yours,” Shanti said to the Captain. “I don’t know how good their range is. I don’t want to risk moving any closer yet.”
    “How many can you sense?” Daniels asked.
    “Two. The first two, and just barely.” Shanti matched the Captain’s distant look. “I’m at the very edge of our range, and there is no one in the land who can match us. But those two are strong, and if they have more and they are all merged, they could come close to being able to reach us. Very close.”
    “We’re a long way out,” Sanders said, eyeing the