Through one of the loose planks of the wall, Raven saw a shadow shift inside. “There’s someone in there.” Just as she reached the door, it was shoved open.
A shadow emerged, cast in darkness from the hungry, red fire engulfing the barn behind.
Raven drew her sword, preparing to fight. Then she froze. Recognition drained through her as the shadow’s hand dropped to the pommel of her sword.
A man moved protectively forward behind the silhouette.
Raven’s chest constricted. She knew every aspect of the woman standing before her. Her armor, her movements, her outline.
Sage!
“Raven,” the woman gasped.
Raven tossed her sword aside, and the two women lurched to embrace each other tightly. Raven clung to Sage, squeezing her with relief and elation. She never wanted to let her go.
Sage buried her face in Raven’s shoulder.
She smelled of burning ash. But it didn’t matter. It was Sage. Here. Raven hugged her tightly for a long moment before pulling away. Her gaze brushed over her sister’s face with concern.
“Are you well?” both asked at the same time.
Each let out a relieved chuckle.
Raven’s stare swept over Sage. She seemed unhurt. But her brown hair was different. Raven frowned. Sage’s long hair was gone, replaced by shoulder-length locks. “What happened to your hair?”
Behind them, a beam collapsed with a snap, sending embers spiraling into the air.
Raven cringed as a sweltering hot blast of air swept out from the barn to surround them.
The blond-haired man in the barn with Sage put an arm around her waist and guided her away from the building, locking gazes with Raven.
Raven’s protective instincts took over, and she set her jaw stiffly. Who was this man, and why was he touching Sage? More importantly, why was Sage letting him?
Sage clasped Raven’s hand and tugged her with them.
Raven cast a glance behind them to see Landyn retrieve her sword from the ground and follow. As she turned back to Sage, her stare lingered on the man’s familiar hold on her younger sister. He wore clothing that didn’t seem to fit him. His brown tunic was tight around his shoulders. If he moved his arms, it might rip.
What had occurred in the five days that they had been separated? How had this man and Sage gotten so close, so quickly? Then she glanced at Landyn. It had happened to her. How could she fault Sage?
Raven released Sage’s hand, and Landyn handed her sword to her. She sheathed it.
They traipsed through the harvested field to the forest line where two horses were tethered. The horses were only a hundred paces from Raven and Landyn’s horses. Raven wondered how she had missed them.
Sage stopped beside her horse. She glanced at Raven with a grin.
Raven was happy she had found her sister and answered with a smile of her own. Her contentment faded as she glanced at the field and forest around them. “Where’s Willow?”
Sage’s joy vanished. “She’s not with you?”
“No,” Raven explained with growing concern. “She disappeared in the Chateau le Bezu. I thought she was right behind me, but she wasn’t.” Seeing the worry in Sage’s eyes, she assured her, “We’ll find her.”
A large crash sounded from the barn, drawing Raven’s attention. The fire consumed the structure, sizzling and snapping as angry red flames stretched into the sky. Thick gray smoke rolled from the interior of the burning structure.
It wouldn’t be long before the villagers arrived.
“We should leave here,” the man with Sage suggested, staring at the barn.
Raven glared at him. So many questions raced through her mind.
