Free Before the Fall by Sable Grace Page B

they’d let the wrong sort in?
    Zach pointed at the wall above the entrance where the Witches who’d been chanting earlier now stood, their intense concentration focused on the entry. “Looks like it. If they succeeded, they’ll be able to warn against any intruders as they pass through.”
    Well that was all fine and dandy, but the fort was going to get overrun unless someone came up with a way to stave off the enemy for a few minutes, giving the guards a chance to finish lowering the drawbridge to let them inside in the first place.
    An idea niggled her mind. Reaching into her pocket, Shanna pulled out one of the shotgun shells. As the crank began turning again, she shoved her way around Zach, acting on her barely-formed plan before sanity could talk her into staying huddled behind him.
    Sprinting to the Ravelin, she ignored Zach’s yells for her, dodged his clawing hands as he tried to keep her at his side.
    â€œGive me your shirt!” she screamed, jogging up the steps as he followed.
    â€œWhat? Get back to the fort, Shanna. Now!”
    â€œGive me your fucking shirt!”
    Instead of waiting for him to obey, she gripped the V below his throat and yanked, ripping the fabric down the middle and off his body. She dropped the fabric to the ground and fumbled to set the shotgun shells in the middle of the cloth. Turning, she looked for something she could use as shrapnel. Spotting a quiver, she yelled at Zach—who stood screaming above her, his words unheard—as she concentrated, thought, planned . . .
    â€œGet me that quiver!”
    He grabbed her arm and tried to pull her to her feet. “You’re going to get yourself killed, damn it!”
    â€œI can help.” Shanna fought against his hold. “There are too many of them, Zach. We need something to slow them down. This will give us all a chance to get inside.”
    He released her and returned with the quiver. His gaze doubtful, he watched her empty the quiver and stack the arrows on top of the shells.
    â€œHere!”
    She looked up to find Zach holding another quiver and a handful of lethal-looking knives. Shanna didn’t allow herself to think about what might have happened to the owners of the weapons. She placed the items on top of the others, then began rolling the shirt as tightly as she could.
    Shanna looked around, hoping to find some kind of detonation device. Another round of flaming arrows whooshed overhead, and she couldn’t force herself to look away as they avoided the terrified humans to find their targets.
    She faced Zach. “What are they using to light those arrows?”
    Zach grabbed the archer closest to them. “What do you need us to do?”
    â€œCover this in whatever you’re using to light your arrows. Then throw it at that mass heading this way so they’ll slow long enough to let the guards lower the bridge.” She glanced at Zach. “And a few prayers to your gods that this doesn’t kill anyone human wouldn’t hurt either.”
    The archer turned to retrieve a container of foul-smelling goop. He covered the bundle, then slotted an arrow. He nodded at Shanna. “Find shelter with the others.”
    Like hell. As if sensing her determination to stay at his side, Zach eased her behind him. “Let’s do this,” he said.
    When the archer drew back on his bow, and the tip of the arrow sparked to life, Zach took two steps and tossed the parcel into the air. He didn’t wait for the arrow to fly; he grabbed Shanna’s hand and began running toward the drawbridge. The clank of it settling in place was instantly followed by the pop-pop-pop of shotgun shells igniting as a burst of fiery light filled the sky.
    Zach grabbed her around the waist, lifted her off the ground, and carried her inside. Only a dozen or so people had made it in before the barrier began to rise again. The anguished cries of humans pleading for entrance filled