Varelie screamed and bolted from her warm bed into her father’s lap. He
was snatched from sleep in the armchair nearby first by her scream and then
awakened fully by her frantic struggles.
‘Varelie, hush, love,’ he murmured, wrapping her into his warmth. ‘A
dream, sweet...’
‘It’s burning!’ she shouted in her high-pitched tones, squirming away
from the embrace. ‘Daddy, it will all burn!’
Dante stared at his daughter.
‘They’re coming!’ she screamed.
There was a crash in the outer chamber...and a loud cackle. Every atom
of Dante’s blood froze in terror.
‘Hide,’ Varelie whispered in his ear.
It was already too late for that. He rose swiftly and set her down.
Pushing her back towards the bed, he said: ‘You must hide, Varelie, right now.
Quick, under!’ He drew his sword as she slid out of sight. ‘Quiet now, hear?’
Dante drew breath. ‘Sweetheart, when you can do so safely, run...’
And then it was too late for that also.
They came.
From Gathering of Rain, available free right now! Find it here on Smashwords
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