guess you’ll die with him.”
He backs away with a feral grin. When he gets to the horse’s stalls, he looks back at me. “Shame about the horses.”
With those words, he reaches into his chest pocket and pulls out a box of matches.
A blood curdling scream erupts from my throat, but it comes out a low rumbly mess.
Everything slows as he lights the match and tosses it onto a bale of hay. I watch the match arc through the air, land on gasoline fueled straw, and ignite. Flames lick at the straw.
With a slow wave, Felix turns and runs out the back of the barn.
The fire spreads like lightning, filling the barn with smoke.
I struggle, but can’t free myself. When I slump in defeat, the tip of my boot touches Asher’s shoulder.
“Ungh!” My scream of frustration rips through my throat and goes nowhere, but Asher rolls toward me with a groan.
He’s alive.
I toe him with boot, kicking harder until he stirs. He rolls over and slowly opens his eyes. I’m the first thing he sees and his brows pinch in confusion. Then he jerks, realizing his hands are tied behind his back.
His nostrils flare when he smells the fire, then his attention snaps to the rope around my wrist. He staggers to his feet.
I give a shake of my head. We’re running out of time. My eyes flick to the ground and I lift my foot. I have no idea if he understands and repeat the gesture, mimicking climbing a step.
His eyes widen and he goes to his knees at my feet. I step onto his back, which gives me the height I need to finally lift the loop of rope off that damned peg.
Jumping down, I yank the belt from around my face and pull the rag from my mouth.
“We gotta get out of here,” he says.
I pat my jeans. “I don’t have a knife.” There’s no way I’m opening that barn door myself.
Flames lick up the sides of the barn, growing more ferocious by the second. The horses scream, terrified of the smoke and flickering light of the flames.
“Back pocket.” He leans back on his knees.
I reach inside his back pocket and draw out his pocket knife. It takes but a second to slice through the sturdy zip tie, but he’s free.
Asher runs to the barn door and leans his bodyweight into pushing the heavy door open. The rails screech and it slowly slides on its tracks.
Knight kicks against his stall in terror. The smoke and flames engulf the walls and reach the roof. The acrid smoke makes it difficult to breathe.
Asher gets the door open just enough to squeeze through. He waves at me. “Evelyn come. Get out of there.”
“Not without the horses.”
They’re behind us, behind a curtain of flame with no escape. Asher gives one look over my shoulder, nods, then leans into the door widening the gap.
I don’t hesitate. Turning around, I search for a gap in the flames. I’m getting good at getting out of fires. Let’s hope my luck holds out.
Knight’s stall is the furthest back. I want to get to him, but the chestnut mare and Arabian are closest. I grab a bridle and put it on the chestnut, then do the same for the Arabian. I need to lead them through the flames and they’re going to fight, too terrified of fire and incapable of understanding they must go through the flames to survive. I rip off my shirt and wrap it around the Arabian’s head, blinding it. Then I grab a blanket and throw it over the chestnut mare as I leap onto her back.
I’m an accomplished English rider, trained for years in riding horseback, but I’ve never ridden bareback before.
Where is Asher?
I can’t leave Knight to die.
But then a shape appears through the flames, Asher covered in a thick horse blanket. He glances at me, gives a nod, and races to open Knight’s stall.
I don’t hesitate. The crackling flames reach the ceiling, licking along the wood. Blinding smoke fills the barn and I can’t see my way out, but I know if I head straight I’ll hit the barn door.
Hopefully, that door is open. That has to be what kept Asher.
The chestnut mare stamps her feet, but I dig into her flanks and force her into a gallop. The Arabian’s lead yanks my arm and my shoulder nearly dislocates. I hold on to the Arabian’s bridle, and he follows the lead.
Blinded, the horses can’t see the flames, but they hear