The Border Trilogy (Book #1) Enemies to lovers, Forbidden love

Part 5 - EDITED

Elder Mincha caught the arrow just as the tip poked the fabric of Elder Genevieve's robe, elegantly stopping her from being killed.

"INTRUDERS!" a man burst through the crowd. "We're under attack!"

"Gather in the stone houses!" Elder Mincha ordered. "Get the children to safety and assume your positions!"

I watched as the people of Theon scrambled around me. My head shot from side to side, trying to make sense of what was happening. I couldn't think- I couldn't move.

I was frozen in place until someone shoved me to the ground. I landed hard on my side but before I could even react, a hand wrapped around my arm and yanked me back to my feet. My eyes shot up to the person responsible for helping me up.

Darien.

He stared at me for half a second looking conflicted. I didn't have time to wonder why as he suddenly turned us around and started dragging me in the direction we'd come from. I didn't argue, just followed instinctively.

Truthfully, if he hadn't touched me, I probably would've still been sitting on the ground. My fight-or-flight response had completely shut off the moment I realized I had escaped a death sentence only to be dropped into something possibly worse.

Darien picked up his pace, then we were running. His grip on my arm never loosened. A few seconds later, he suddenly stopped and thrust me forward. I stumbled, barely catching myself. We were standing at the edge of the woods at a different part of the river. Behind me lay the border, ahead of me was the last row of houses in the village.

"Go." His voice was low. "Run. Get back to your tribe and don't ever find yourself anywhere near that river again. Or I'll kill you myself."

How sweet.

He didn't wait for confirmation or acknowledgment of his words that both threatened and saved me. Instead, Darien turned and ran off in the direction of the battle. I stood frozen in place for a moment, my consciousness slowly coming back to me and that's when my ears almost popped back into reality and all the sounds around me came flooding in.

The screaming.

Taking a few steps away from the woods and closer to the village, what I saw before me was pure chaos.

Parents desperately searched for their children. Protectors carrying weapons ran in every direction, ushering people toward the stone houses. Watchers stood on high alert in case any intruders broke through the first line of defense closer to the council grounds- and then a few did.

Screams erupted around me as the invading tribe pushed deeper into the residential area. All at once, six men with knives vaulted over one of the houses and charged toward a line of fleeing children. Protectors immediately rushed to intercept them, and began engaging in a knife fight.

I should leave.

I should go home.

I've seen enough, and this isn't my fight. I turned to leave but I head a thud- my head snaps back around in time to see a child that had tripped and hit the ground. He was a couple feet away from the closest protector.

He's fine Eva, go home. I thought for a second.

The young boy turned onto his back, propped up on his elbows watching the as one of protectors in front of him is punctured with a knife and falls to the ground clutching his midsection. The attacker then notices that boy and that's when he moves towards him slowly.

My eyes darted around to the other Protectors, they were all engaged in the battle, fighting off one or more attackers. There was no one else to help. The boy stared at the attacker in horror as he advanced on him.