Chapter 212: Long Live the Queen

RETH

They were only an hour out of the Tree City when the horns began to blow.

Reth's beast had flickered its ears and wanted to ignore the persistent sound, but he'd forced it aside and taken his natural form, sliding to a halt next to Behryn who had halted to listen.

"We have to go back, now!"

"Just a minute. We have a system so they can tell us what's wrong. Just… listen."

The horn blew long and low in the far distance, almost out of hearing, then another, closer, repeated the sound.

"It's an attack, definitely," Behryn said, his knuckles going white on his spear. "They'll tell me where in a moment."

Reth's heart hammered against his ribs and his hands curled to fists. Elia was back there. With their cub. "We need to go back, now!"

"Hush, Reth!" Behryn snapped, putting a hand up to quiet him. The horns sounded again, four short, sharp blasts, then two longer ones.