"Why you?" someone whined.
"Because when they come out shooting, they'll aim for the light," Zasen told him. "Let's not give them too many targets."
Everyone moved. The carts were led away, the horses secured, and weapons were strapped on. Among the many supplies Reapers carried was a resin that was poured onto the torches, getting them ready to burn for as long as we needed. The whole time, my heart hammered in my chest and the sun shifted lower in the sky.
It was halfway between noon and sunset when everything was finally ready. Then and only then did Zasen have someone light his torch. With that in one hand, his krael in the other, he led the group of us forward.
"Okay, Ayla," he said. "Let's do this."
"What if I make a mistake?" I asked, looking back at the guardians and militia members all ready to risk their lives.
It was Xav who answered. "Then we tried." And he nodded.
Something about that gesture gave me the confidence to do this. Maybe it was Demon sitting beside him. It could've been Holly and Pepper standing with their noses pointed at the door instead of the heaping pile of meat. Even the murmur of voices behind me felt like encouragement.
"Hold your torch this way, Zasen," I said, moving to the keypad.
With the extra light, I could make out the indentations of numerals. The paint or ink that had once marked them was long gone, and the centers of the pads had been worn down enough to make each one into a little bowl.
I double checked the numbers, then reached up and pressed the four. The button clicked. Not only the switch, but there was something else there. Something electronic. I pressed the button again, realizing it was a little hum of power.
Six came next, then the three - and then there was a different click. Zasen tensed beside me. I reached for an arrow out of habit, but I didn't nock it to my bow. Instead, I checked my dogs.
"Dogs, guard," I whispered, because inside, something was humming with power.
"I hear it!" a Reaper said.
And then lights erupted from everywhere. A screeching sound deafened me, rolling like waves of intensity in a way I hadn't realized sound could do. My ears rang, everything else became inaudible, and the steel door before me shifted hard, making puffs of dust on the side as evenmoremetal rods shot out to the frame to secure it.
"Go!" I yelled, but the sound drowned out my words.
Zasen was already waving the fighters back up the hill. Grabbing my hand, he pulled me back and shoved the end of his lit torch into the pile of meat - wrenching it between a boar's front legs to hold it upright. Then the pair of us chased after the others, my dogs rushing on ahead.
The sound didn't fade.
That was the intruder alarm, but I didn't remember it being so loud! Inside, people would be scrambling to protect the compound. Girls would be waking up afraid, huddling together in their rooms. Men would be rushing for their weapons.
We ran for the carts. Halfway there, I heard the first whistles as dog handlers summoned their animals to them. The criesof Reapers and Dragons trying to organize no longer mattered. Someone was waving people to climb into the beds of the carts, and others were racing on ahead.
Retreating was one thing we knew. It was how we got around the Moles and hit them from behind, but this time, we were the ones being chased. I could see Rymar's bright yellow tail leading the way. Kanik was right behind him, but kept looking back to make sure I was keeping up, and Zasen was following behind me.
"Girls, up!" Rymar yelled as he leaped into the back of the last cart and reached out for Kanik
"Get Ayla!" Kanik snapped as he rolled into the empty spot beside Rymar.
"No!" I said, slowing down to turn back. "Take the dogs!" And my feet stalled out. "They'll come out and we'll be able to see the code!"
"No," Zasen growled, hooking an arm around me to toss me up to Rymar. "Hold her. Holly, Pepper, up!" And he patted the side of the cart.
It started moving before he was in, but the moment Pepper was out of the way, Zasen jogged his way close enough, then jumped, landing halfway on me and Rymar.
"Go!" he barked. "We want to be out of sight before they crest that hill!"
And the driver yelled, "Ha!" at his horse, kissing the air quickly.
The cart bounced and heaved. Kanik grabbed Holly, keeping her from sliding around. I managed to secure Pepper. The others in the cart already had their own dogs hugged close.
And behind us, dust drifted up in the bright daylight, looking like a bit of reassurance. The Moles couldn't follow us in this. They'd all be blind.
