Page 64 of Vale of Dreams

“Nia? Are you armed?” Serana asks.

“I just have a dagger.”

“Here.” She hands me the curved blade.

“You don’t need it?” I ask.

She pulls out two nasty-looking maces and grins at me. “I feel like breaking some bones.”

“I think I’m going to hang back for this one,” says Tana. “But I’ll cheer you on.”

“You do that, hon.” Serana eyes the door.

“That’s much appreciated.” I smile at her.

All of us stand, prepared.

“When, exactly, are they coming, Nia?” Serana says.

“I don’t know. Sometime during the night.”

“And you’re sure it’s tonight they’re coming?”

I hesitate. “Pretty sure.”

“Because if we wait here awake all night like twats and nothing happens, I’m going to feel a bit miffed.”

“I can’t be?—”

The door handle starts turning slowly, and all of us fall silent, tensing. I hold my breath. The door shudders.

“It’s locked,” someone says outside.

“Never mind,” another voice answers. “Those old locks won’t withstand a few kicks.”

Darius glances at me, the grip on his axe tightening.

“Ready?” the voice from outside says.

A second later, the door thumps and shudders. Then it booms again. Before it happens a third time, Serana smoothly turns the key in the lock and yanks the door open.

A masked man stumbles forward into the room, the open door catching him by surprise. Serana’s mace whooshes, slamming into his arm with a sickening crunch. He screams, and a second man follows him through the door. I hurl one of my knives at him. It sinks into his side, and he staggers, falling back.

By then, three more men barge inside, one of them hurling himself at Darius. Serana is fighting another, her maces flashing as she swings them. The third guy tries to catch her from behind, and I sink my sword into his thigh. He screeches in pain, tumbling to the floor.

Darius manages to disarm the guy who’s fighting him, but another man leaps at him, stabbing him with a nasty knife. Darius grunts, falling back. He’s clutching his side, tumbling to his knees.

In a fury, Tana screeches, throwing a teapot at the man. She follows it with a barrage of teacups, all shattering.

And then, just as suddenly as they came, they retreat, falling over themselves to get out of the room. They drag one of their wounded away, kicking the door shut as they go. Serana is ready to run after them, but I grab her arm. “Darius,” I say.

“Right.” Her eyes flash, and she turns around, rushing to Darius.

He’s in the fetal position now, grabbing his side. Tana kneels next to him, and she rolls up his blood-soaked shirt. I’m relieved to see it looks like a shallow gash.

“I don’t think it’s too bad,” Darius says, wincing with pain. “Ugh. I shouldn’t have let him get me like that.”

“You were fighting two of them.” Serana yanks open her desk drawer and pulls out a first aid kit.