What would they make of me? An outsider in so many ways. Once again, the tiny voice in the back of my mind whispered that I was getting ahead of myself, but I shut it down quickly.
A flash of light split the sky, followed by an atmospheric rumble, and my stomach dipped. Chester had said the storm wasn’t due until later tonight.
Another flash and rumble were followed by the hammer of rain on the roof and windows.
Shit.
We were still miles from the Border House, and if the wards went down… No, it was fine.
Chester said it had been quiet recently. Not much activity in the forest. There was nothing to worry about.
The storm intensified, a living thing fuelled by ire and intent, surrounding me in its wrathful embrace until the squeak and rumble of the tram was buried beneath its elemental voice.
Was it my imagination, or was the tram slowing down?
Long minutes passed. Wards were still holding. I’d be fine. I’d barely relaxed into my seat again when movement outside the carriage caught my eye. Before I could get a good look, the whole carriage shook violently, and I was thrown against the wall.
What the fuck?
Across the aisle, a dark shape hurtled toward the window and smashed into the wards.
CHAPTER 4
Elemental beings made of earth are proof of the life that permeates nature. Sentient yet of low intelligence, mudarks seem to have only one goal. To feed.
THE COMPENDIUM OF HORRORS
The wards spat blue sparks as the huge rock slammed into them.
I barely had time to register what that meant before another rock hit. The wards fizzed, enraged, and the hairs on my nape stood as the temperature dropped.
So far, the windows had held, but that didn’t mean that another assault wouldn’t break them. I needed to know what was hurling the rocks, but the storm and the tinted windows significantly reduced visibility. Seconds dragged by before I forced myself to move closer, framing my eyes with my hands and pressing them to the glass to peer out.
Shit! What was that thing lumbering along the tree line? It was hard to make out details, but it was huge and blocky and…was it made of mud? A mud man?
The carriage rocked, and I almost lost my balance.
Another hit, farther down the tram this time. My breath plumed in front of my face.
The creatures were going to take down the wards.
Think, Ana, by the Trinity, think. There had to be a fail-safe. Some kind of alarm,something. I scanned the walls and the area by the door, staggering on my feet and bracing when another blow shook the carriage.
Nothing here.
I grabbed my pack and ran through to the next carriage, wildly searching, moving faster and faster through the tram, until I burst into the driver’s cab, where winking buttons and flashing lights greeted me, along with what looked like a radio coms unit.
I grabbed it and pressed the button. “Hello?” I let go of the button for a beat. Static crackled. I tried again. “Can anyone hear me?”
“This is Border House Nightsbridge,” a gruff male voice informed me. “Who is this?”
“My name is Anamaya. I’m on the tram, and it’s under attack.”
“Anamaya Onyx?”
“Yes! Please send help.”
Static followed.
