Free A Warlord's Heart by Michelle Howard

off
following the others outside. She grabbed the sides of her dress
and headed after him. Outside Serel stood on the walkway atop the
gate and blew into the horn again. Below, Tolan worked the gates,
lifting the bar that kept others from entering the compound without
permission.

Chapter 9
     
    When the alarm sounded, Vaan froze. Ramar
broke off what he was saying mid-sentence. Vaan waited to see if
the alarm was in error but again the horn blew and his blood
chilled. Ramar exploded into action and left. Jumping to his feet,
Vaan burst through his office door right behind him, unmindful of
who he knocked aside in his haste. He scanned the dining hall,
searching specifically for two of his Warlords. Their absence in
the melee sent his heart thudding against his chest.
    Vaan darted through the Raasa gathering
around in fear and shoved a few more from his path. When he lunged
through the main front door, his Warlords outside shouted and
pointed. Vaan scanned the horizon and their surroundings for
danger. Nothing caught his eyes. His gaze traveled to the gate as
he leaped down the stone stairs, hitting the ground in a crouch
before straightening.
    Ramar came up behind Vaan, sword in hand.
Fear pulsed in beats filling Vaan’s blood with dread. He had to
concentrate to ask Ramar, “Where are Balal and Amrod?”
    Let them be somewhere within the safety of
the home he’d fortified.
    “Kiel said they were last seen going to the
stables with the youngling, Sire.”
    The only flaw in Mikayla’s father’s design
was the hapfe stables. They were located on the outside of the gate
that surrounded the Raasa compound. Vaan studied the elaborate
structure his mate spent a large sum of money keeping up to date
for the animals that meant a great deal to her. Perhaps he worried
for naught. But the alarms had signaled intruders.
    Vaan faced Ramar and dragged in a deep
breath. “We will check the stables.”
    A loud boom vibrated on the air. Vaan jerked
his head back around. Flames shot from the red tiled roof as the
stable caught fire then the empty pen next to it. Horror morphed
into agony, ripping apart what little composure he’d maintained.
Vaan roared and ran as if his life depended on it. His Warlords
fell in step behind him and he heard bits and pieces of their
shouted speech.
    “Fire hashi .”
    “The Raasa say they saw riders leaving.”
    “No warning.”
    Every nerve stood on end. All of their words
meaningless. Tolan had the bar up as Vaan blazed through, feet
pounding. He cut across the distance to the single building, the
spreading fire acting as a beacon as he lunged through the wooden
double doors, banging them back on their hinges and withdrew his
sword. As soon as he crossed the threshold, Vaan came to a halt and
raised his palm, gasping for breath. His Warlords stopped behind
him. The acrid odor of smoke billowed out. The crumpled body of
Wessel, the stable master, partly blocked the entrance.
    His youngling. Where were his youngling?
    Vaan charged forth, yelling behind him,
“Sulon, check Wessel.”
    Sweat beaded on his brow and the knot in his
throat would not loosen. Vaan stormed deeper into the stables,
choking on the pungent air. The hapfe trumpeted in agitation and
kicked at their stalls. They shook their manes as he passed by,
thudding paws against the doors in a bid for freedom. Vaan managed
to flick the latch on each door, releasing them as he ran past. The
floor shook as they stampeded by.
    When he reached to the fifth stall, the
coppery scent of blood reached his nostrils. Vaan’s very breath
froze in his throat as he raced forward to kneel by the still body
of Amrod. His Warlord’s chest moved, the coccar armor gleaming
brightly in a sheen of green. Blood seeped from his temple and
matted his hair. “Hanson, see to Amrod.”
    Vaan rose to his feet. Fire licked at the
walls, piles of straw adding speed to the blaze. He couldn’t delay.
His mind had one goal, one focus only and it was for his