Burnt by Lyn Lowe

Sojun. You know that. Maybe she’d be quiet when she was supposed to, but chances are she’d have a bad moment and bring the soldiers down on them.”
    “I’m not leaving them behind, Da. Right or wrong, I won’t do it.”
    “So that’s it then. You’ll risk death for all of us, for your sister, to stay by the Lemme’s side? She’s just an old woman, son. I know what we say. I know what she’s supposed to mean. But, in the end, she’s just an old woman.”
    Kaie nearly spoke out then, furious at the implication. Sojun beat him to it. “She’s the heart of our tribe! She’s the voice of our god! And I know she’s the reason we are allowed to trespass here!” His friend drew in a deep breath, volume dropping again. “And she’s not the reason. I’m not leaving Kaie. If I’m going to die, it’s going to be keeping him alive for one more minute.”
    “That cocky brat? What’s he ever don e but gotten you into trouble? He’s not your family, boy! Alma made that clear enough! Don’t you throw your life away for her whelp!”
    “He is my family. He’s my heart’s brother. That means a lot more to me than the blood ties between us. If you make me chose, you’re going to lose.”
    “Gods forsake you and this stupidity! I will drag you out if I have to!”
    That was enough. Kaie didn’t know what Toman was talking about – his mother would never say Jun wasn’t family – but he knew exactly what would happen if the man tried to force the matter. Sojun was not one to be cuffed into obedience any more than he was. It was time to put an end to the confrontation.
    He wanted to confess to eavesdropping and demand answers, but Kaie knew that would hurt Sojun. There was enough of that going on lately. So he played dumb.
    He yawned loudly and stretched, noting with some satisfaction that the action didn’t make him nearly as dizzy as before his nap. With luck he might not be the dead weight Toman thought. “Gods. I was hoping it was all just a nightmare. Is there any more food?”
    “You ate half my supply already,” Toman growled from just outside the circle of light. It was twice as large, now that they were using the lamp the older man carried with him, but still didn’t encompass even half the cave.
    Kaie pointed to the Lemme, breathing heavily even in her sleep. “For her, not me. Jun shoved enough of those crackers down my throat to last the rest of my life.”
    Devin, curled up beside him to keep warm, giggled. “Crackers?”
    Sojun looked down at both of them and smiled. Kaie couldn’t help but notice how old his friend looked. Far too old for fifteen. “Yeah, Dev. Crackers. Rosy doesn’t seem to understand how lucky he is that you shared them. He doesn’t know you’re a cracker monster.”
    She giggled again. It was the light, careless laughter of a little girl oblivious to the dangers growing up in every corner of her world. “Grr! Cracker monster!”
    Kaie chuckled as she poked at him, because not playing along with Devin was akin to kicking a dog. She would be devastated, and would never understand why.
    Toman muttered something so low he couldn’t hear and went rummaging in his pack. Kaie pretended to fend off Devin’s pokes while crawling over to check on the Lemme.
    Before he got there, every one of them froze. A shout from a distant tunnel shattered the silence of the vault. Devin kept giggling. Reacting on instinct, he threw his hand over her mouth. Her face scrunched and tears sprang to her eyes. Kaie knew what was coming next.
    “No!”
    Kaie wasn’t sure which of them shouted but the word held no power. Devin ripped her face away from him and let out a shriek that could pierce the veil to the Abyss. The soldier appeared in their cavern like magic, as though the cry summoned her into being. She was tall and her armor gleamed in the lamplight. The white fur tuft on the top of her cat helm fluttered just a bit with the gust of air accompanying her arrival.
    She took the helmet