to make sure they're alright, or do you want to walk back to the Keep?" Eva knew the answer before Laurell even spoke. No one wanted to travel that distance on foot.
Laurell's eyes flashed. "You're more trouble than you're worth, Lowlander."
"So people keep telling me. Over and over again."
"Stay in the courtyard," Laurell ordered. "It's safer there. I'll take these."
Eva danced back before Laurell could grab her, pointing as she did so at where they'd been tying the rest of the horses off. "Take them over there. I'm getting the next group."
"That's the exact opposite of what I told you to do," Laurell shouted.
Eva waved one hand over her shoulder to show she understood, but she didn't pause as she jogged back to the stable. She wasn't leaving the horses in there.
She flung open another set of doors and tripped back at the sight of a horse crawling with bugs. Pained neighs greeted her.
The horse collapsed onto its side as the bugs, at least ten of them, darted along her body. Large bumps from where she'd been stung riddled her coat.
Even as Eva watched, the mare began to convulse, the poison working its way through her system, her limbs stiffening as they turned to wood and green vines ate away at her from the inside out.
"No," Eva cried, starting for the horse. To do what, she didn't know.
Hard hands grabbed her and yanked her back.
Caden's furious gaze met hers. "You can't do anything for her now."
He dragged her toward the front of the stable as Eva resisted. "You don't know that. I have the poultice."
It was true. She'd handed off the bowl, but she still had the small sachets stashed in her pockets.
He shook her, his furious gaze swinging toward her. "There's nothing you can do."
Her shoulders slumped and grief welled. He was right. There had been dozens of stings. The poultice wouldn't even begin to cover them.
The look he sent her said he knew she knew that too and wasn't going to waste precious time arguing about it.
She gave him that. He'd been right to stop her. "There are still other horses in here."
To that, he flicked open several stalls, barely pausing as he dragged her in his wake. Horses burst out and streamed past them.
"We have to put them on leaders," Eva protested.
"No time. They either survive or they don't. This at least gives them a chance," Caden said brusquely.
His pace didn't slow and they were off again. It took him no time to undo all of the stalls and throw them open, never once losing his grip on Eva.
It wasn't lost on her how many of the horses didn't erupt from the stalls. They'd lost more than a few to whatever these things were.
"That's the last of them," Jason called, rushing over from the other section.
"Good, we're getting out of here," Caden ordered. "Follow us and don't fall behind."
Jason nodded, the younger man's face tense but trusting.
Caden started back toward the front, only making it a few steps before he stopped. Bugs, dozens of them, waited by the door. Two horses galloped toward them, the first was quick to stomp anything that got near him, disappearing into the night seconds later. The second wasn't so lucky. Two of the bugs leapt, stinging him before falling to the ground dead. The horse's scream of pain echoed in the small space. With it came the scent of smoke.
Eva was distracted as the horse galloped after the first. She sniffed. She'd been right the first time. It smelled like smoke. Worse, it smelled close.
Smoke started pouring from one side of the stable, filling the stalls before snaking out into the hall. She grabbed Caden's sleeve and pointed. "We need to get out now or the bugs will be the least of our problems."
She didn't know which was worse, burning to death or becoming one of the woodling spawn. Both scenarios were abhorrent.
"I think there's another way out the back." Jason fled the way he'd come, Caden and Eva racing after him.
It was growing hard to see in the stable, haze from the smoke covered everything. The fire crackled in a thunderous roar, spreading fast, like it had a life and mind of its own, consuming wood and hay as it frantically burned through fuel.
The high-pitched shrieking of the bugs assaulted her ears as they rushed through the low visibility, Jason a barely distinguishable figure ahead of them.
It was becoming hard to breathe as Caden tugged her forward.
They stumbled out of