Much louder than a heart should ever be capable of.
Caden's head lifted at the same time she realized that sound wasn't coming from either of them.
Their gazes met as a roar ripped through camp, at first low, almost inaudible, but growing in volume with every second until it turned deafening.
Chills raced up and down Eva's back.
It was a sound that tapped into the most primitive and base instincts a human possessed. Ones that had evolved to ensure their survival. Instincts so old and forgotten that most didn't even know they existed. At least until a beast's roar grabbed them by the throat and forcibly reminded them.
"We're under attack." Caden withdrew from Eva, a blur as he reached for his weapon. He didn't even take the time to dress before he was up and out the door.
Eva scrambled off the bed, taking a scant second to grab her sleep shirt and throw it over her head.
It was the only item of clothes she allowed herself before grabbing her dagger from under her pillow.
It was a gift from Caden, and Eva never went without it. It was always with-in arm's length—even when she was sleeping.
Eva paused to stomp her feet into a pair of boots before darting toward the door. She smacked the tent flap out of her way and stepped into a night that had descended into chaos.
The previously peaceful camp looked like an anthill that had been kicked open. Trateri poured from their tents, already armed. The fires lit earlier, coupled with the half-moon, provided enough light to see by.
Voices shouted instructions as bodies pelted to and fro.
Eva paused to get her bearings, knowing rushing headlong into a danger she wasn't expecting would only cut her life expectancy tragically short.
A bellow from Eva's right sent her heart into her throat.
It sounded close. Much, much too close.
Eva whirled to find a beast standing only a few feet away, nothing between it and her. It was big, dwarfing the humans around it as they waved weapons that looked like small sticks next to its massive size.
The beast reared onto its hind legs, swiping at the human in front of it with paws that were the size of dinner plates.
So that's where the red back's mate went. The Kyren would be so pleased to know.
From a distance, Eva could hear the scream of horses. The shouts from humans and the chuffs the red back made, the sound deep and eerie.
Eva felt divorced from the scene, everything happening in slow motion.
Another horse screamed, this time from somewhere much closer.
Caia, her mind supplied. Probably on her way to find Eva.
The stimuli brought Eva out of her fugue, jolting her from her inaction.
Don't just stand here gaping, idiot. Move. Get to safety then find the herd. Panic later.
Eva calmed and backed away.
The warriors could handle this. She didn't possess the skills to go toe to toe with a red back, particularly one enraged by the loss of its mate. Her responsibilities lay elsewhere. Here, she'd only get in the way.
Eva forced down the worry for Caden that threatened to swamp her. Unlike her, he was a walking weapon. Lethal in his own right.
He'd be fine. He would.
Eva broke into a jog. It killed her to leave him behind, but sometimes duty conflicted with personal wants.
This was one of those times.
