animals trailing from their shoulders and gleaming weapons waving over their heads. They screamed and roared, their faces purple. Aghast, she averted her eyes . . . and that’s when she saw Dak at the edge of the pack, axe raised in the air as he ran at full speed toward the fortified walls.
S ERA RACED down the ladders and to the bridge. Waves crashed over the sides, making the stone surface dangerously slick. The north tower on the mainland looked very far away, but that didn’t stop her. Riq called after her, but she didn’t wait for him to catch up. More than once she slipped and fell, wincing as she scraped her palms and skinned her knees.
Over the roar of the rising river she heard the sound of battle just beginning. Through the gaps in the north tower’s metal gate she caught glimpses of men fighting. She clenched her hands into fists, refusing to even consider that she might be too late.
She had to make it to the tower. She had to keep the archers from taking aim at her best friend. She had to find a way to get Dak back safely.
She didn’t want to think about the consequences if she failed.
Stones fell from the sky, clattering around her: the first wave of assaults from the Viking siege engines. A few pebbles struck her shoulder and a massive boulder landed two inches to her left, almost crushing her toes.
She was just approaching the entrance to the tower when Riq barreled into her, shoving her to safety. Behind them arrows whizzed and pots of flaming oil exploded. A few flames sputtered around their feet and Riq leapt to stomp them out.
They stared at each other for a second, trying to catch their breath, both aware that if they’d been any slower they probably wouldn’t have made it without catching fire or getting impaled. As it was, the bridge was already beginning to crumble under the force of the swollen river and the crash of falling debris.
“If the bridge goes, we’ll be stuck on the wrong side of the river!” Riq shouted.
“We have to,” Sera responded. “For Dak.”
Riq nodded and pulled Sera to her feet. Together they raced through the tower. From above they heard the shouts of soldiers trying to fight through bouts of punishing rain.
They’d just started up a set of stone stairs when the wall to their right began to tremble. At first Sera only felt a series of vibrations but soon enough they were strong enough to jolt her off balance. Stones shook loose, pebbles falling from the ceiling.
Men began to stream down from above, their swords drawn and their faces vivid with panic. “Run!” the soldier in the lead shouted. “They’re about to breach!” They raced back toward the fortified island.
Riq grabbed Sera by the wrist and began to drag her across the bridge. She dug in her heels.
“What are you doing?” Riq asked, aghast.
“If they breach, we fail,” she said softly.
“If we die, any hope of avoiding the Cataclysm dissolves.”
They looked at each other as soldiers streamed past them. One man made it only three steps along the bridge before being struck by an arrow. He fell to his knees and collapsed, his sword clattering from his grasp.
There was another loud thud and the ground jolted under their feet, causing Sera to stumble. A tremendous cracking sound boomed as fissures raced through the outer wall of the tower. Streaks of watery morning light began to filter through, accompanied by the sound of Vikings raging.
The tower wall was crumbling.
Sera looked back at the fortified island through the rain. Soldiers ringed the ramparts, their bows raised as they let loose arrow after arrow, so fast their movements were a blur.
She slipped her hand into the sack on her belt. Her fingers tightened around the Infinity Ring, hidden inside. She knew Riq was right; it was smarter for them to retreat.
But Sera was tired of always having to make the smart choices. Just this once, she wanted to make the bold one and follow her gut.
Everything around her trembled and
S ERA RACED down the ladders and to the bridge. Waves crashed over the sides, making the stone surface dangerously slick. The north tower on the mainland looked very far away, but that didn’t stop her. Riq called after her, but she didn’t wait for him to catch up. More than once she slipped and fell, wincing as she scraped her palms and skinned her knees.
Over the roar of the rising river she heard the sound of battle just beginning. Through the gaps in the north tower’s metal gate she caught glimpses of men fighting. She clenched her hands into fists, refusing to even consider that she might be too late.
She had to make it to the tower. She had to keep the archers from taking aim at her best friend. She had to find a way to get Dak back safely.
She didn’t want to think about the consequences if she failed.
Stones fell from the sky, clattering around her: the first wave of assaults from the Viking siege engines. A few pebbles struck her shoulder and a massive boulder landed two inches to her left, almost crushing her toes.
She was just approaching the entrance to the tower when Riq barreled into her, shoving her to safety. Behind them arrows whizzed and pots of flaming oil exploded. A few flames sputtered around their feet and Riq leapt to stomp them out.
They stared at each other for a second, trying to catch their breath, both aware that if they’d been any slower they probably wouldn’t have made it without catching fire or getting impaled. As it was, the bridge was already beginning to crumble under the force of the swollen river and the crash of falling debris.
“If the bridge goes, we’ll be stuck on the wrong side of the river!” Riq shouted.
“We have to,” Sera responded. “For Dak.”
Riq nodded and pulled Sera to her feet. Together they raced through the tower. From above they heard the shouts of soldiers trying to fight through bouts of punishing rain.
They’d just started up a set of stone stairs when the wall to their right began to tremble. At first Sera only felt a series of vibrations but soon enough they were strong enough to jolt her off balance. Stones shook loose, pebbles falling from the ceiling.
Men began to stream down from above, their swords drawn and their faces vivid with panic. “Run!” the soldier in the lead shouted. “They’re about to breach!” They raced back toward the fortified island.
Riq grabbed Sera by the wrist and began to drag her across the bridge. She dug in her heels.
“What are you doing?” Riq asked, aghast.
“If they breach, we fail,” she said softly.
“If we die, any hope of avoiding the Cataclysm dissolves.”
They looked at each other as soldiers streamed past them. One man made it only three steps along the bridge before being struck by an arrow. He fell to his knees and collapsed, his sword clattering from his grasp.
There was another loud thud and the ground jolted under their feet, causing Sera to stumble. A tremendous cracking sound boomed as fissures raced through the outer wall of the tower. Streaks of watery morning light began to filter through, accompanied by the sound of Vikings raging.
The tower wall was crumbling.
Sera looked back at the fortified island through the rain. Soldiers ringed the ramparts, their bows raised as they let loose arrow after arrow, so fast their movements were a blur.
She slipped her hand into the sack on her belt. Her fingers tightened around the Infinity Ring, hidden inside. She knew Riq was right; it was smarter for them to retreat.
But Sera was tired of always having to make the smart choices. Just this once, she wanted to make the bold one and follow her gut.
Everything around her trembled and
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