Page 22 of A Queen This Fierce and Deadly

“Regner’s soldiers won’t be content with slaughtering everyone here,” he said. “They’re going to come after anyone who runs.”

“I know.”

Screams sounded. The carefully placed tents became traps of rope and fabric as hybrids rounded up their children, calling to friends. Children cried out for their parents in terrified, high-pitched voices.

The crackling of fire accompanied a series of shouts. This, at least, I could do something about. Narrowing my eyes, I spotted the log, kicked from the fire and setting a series of tents alight. Sucking the flames into me, I smothered the fire with a glance.

Men and women tripped over hastily abandoned belongings. Vicer stood on the table and began directing anyone within yelling distance to bring women andchildren to us.

Stillcrest stared at the chaos. “This isn’t happening.”

I barely refrained from taking the sword on my hip and burying it in her gut.

“It’s happening. Sodo somethingbefore I kill you myself.”

Her eyes met mine, and she seemed to break out of her lethargic shock. “We have evacuation points in place. But some of them are on the southern and eastern sides of the camp.”

The directions the soldiers were approaching from. Anyone who headed that way would be the first to be cut down.

“We need to create a distraction on the eastern side of the camp to draw their attention while we get everyone away from those meeting points,” Vicer said. “I’ll make that happen. Madinia, you gather as many people as you can and get them out.”

“I’ll spread the word and tell everyone to head west,” Stillcrest said.

Without another word, we sprinted in opposite directions. The orderly lines of tents were now being trampled as the realization sank into those who had assumed they were safe.

Shouts and screams cut through the air, the terror rising above the clatter of hastily gathered belongings. “Leave them,” I snapped at a woman attempting to pack cooking supplies. I recognized her child from yesterday and thrust the wailing girl into her arms. “Run for your life. Now.”

The blood drained from her face, and she swayed.“You were right.”

Fury and grief battled for supremacy. “Go.”

She nodded, clutching her little girl to her chest, her hand buried in dark curls.

More children clung to the skirts of their mothers, their wide eyes dazed as their fathers kissed them one final time. A woman I’d trained with gave her baby to his father, kissed a child who couldn’t have seen six winters, and pointed for them to go west, her sword already clutched in her hand, eyes dark with horror and grief.

Horses were panicking as people attempted to load them with supplies. One bolted, reins dangling as it galloped toward safety.

Panic clutched at my throat, until I could barely breathe. Darting toward a group of hybrids heading east, I grabbed one man’s shirt, ducking as he swung at me, eyes wild. “To the west!” I roared, and people began to turn.

“To the northwest clearing!” I screamed again and again, until those around me took up the chant. Several elderly women stopped, only for the same man to grab each of their elbows and haul them with him as he turned and ran.

“You.” I pointed at Tralia. “Get to the clearing behind camp and take as many people south as possible.” I closed my eyes briefly, attempting to visualize Vicer’s various routes. “When you get to the lake, head west along the trail until you reach a tree with a blue shirt wrapped around it.” I opened my eyes to find her watching me, clearly memorizing what I was saying. “Listen to me. Take the shirt off the tree so there are no markings for those following you. That’s where you’ll leave the trail.Turn left and keep moving for at least six hours until you find a small clearing with seven rocks in a line. Buried beneath the rocks, you’ll find a warded chest with food, medical supplies, weapons, and blankets. You’ll also find more instructions for the next stop. Repeat that back to me.”

She repeated it, the woman next to her listening and nodding along.

“Take as many as you can. Go.”

She was gone a moment later.

I had enough time to find two other people who would serve as leaders. They began calling names, directing hybrids toward them. And I gave them their own instructions. To our east, more screams began to sound, followed by the clash of swords. My limbs went numb.

Regner’s guards were here.

I scanned the camp. People were moving too slowly. It wasn’t their fault. Their instinct was to take whatever they could with them to make the journey easier. A man and woman were crouched, attempting to haul several dresses with them.

I set the dresses on fire.

“Run,” I hissed as they dropped the dresses with a shriek.

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