WALL MEN: A Haunted House (The Wall Men 1)

“What the hell is that thing?” I mutter, watching Tiago take aim at the Flier nose-diving straight for us.

“Go back into the water closet, Lake,” commands Gabrio. “This will only take a moment.”

I might actually listen to the giant if it weren’t for the fact I can’t look away. Ohmygod. It’s a dragon. A real-life dragon. The long tail has sharp spikes, and its eyes are soulless and black. Its open mouth is filled with rows of shark teeth. “Please tell me that fucker doesn’t breathe fire.”

“Breathing requires life.” Tiago pulls the trigger on his crossbow.

I watch the harpoon sail through the air and hit the creature’s wing.

“In the water closet!” Gabrio yells at me, taking aim at the creature, too.

No. Wait. Gabrio’s aiming at something else. High in the sky are two more dark shapes.

“Looks like we will have plenty of meat for our supper,” says Tiago, sounding delighted.

“Shut up and go reload. Bring five more arrows,” says Gabrio.

Tiago heads for the room, no urgency in his steps. He is either insane, or he’s done this enough times to be immune to it.

“Go, Lake!” Gabrio yells again.

I begin walking backward toward the water closet, my eyes locked on the sky the entire time. Now there are more. Twenty? Thirty?

Tiago appears with a bundle of those spears in his arms. The moment he looks up, he drops them. “Where did they all come from?”

“They know she’s here,” Gabrio says.

Hold on. They know I’m here? Why would those things give a crap about me?

I go into full panic mode. “What’s happening?”

“We’re under attack.” Gabrio points to the water closet. “Go inside. Look for the lightest gray stone panel on the wall and push hard. On the other side is a passage. Wait there until I come for you.”

I nod compliantly. “Push stone. Hide. Wait. Got it.” Do not stare at the big shrieking dragon falling from the sky. It’s the Flier Tiago shot. But from the looks of it, he’s going to have to take down hundreds of them.

The sky above us is now eclipsed by a swarm of jet-black dragons flying in a tight circle like a swarm of angry bees coming in for the attack.

I step back into the water closet but continue watching. I can’t look away. Dragons are real. A few hours ago, I was standing in the main house of River Wall Manor. Now I’m in some giants’ fortress being attacked by creatures found in movies or fairy tales. Only these ones are terrifying. True monsters.

Gabrio and Tiago abandon their crossbows and run into the armory. The door closes behind them, and then I hear the scraping sound of stone on stone followed by the cranking of metal chains. Clank. Clank. Clank!

I look to my side and watch pieces of the big wall fall away. Every fifty or so feet, as far as I can see, harpoons reveal themselves like cannons in the belly of a pirate ship.

The Fliers above the courtyard don’t seem to care about the harpoons because they’re still coming.

“I said get into the keep!” I’m grabbed from behind by a large hand around my waist. I glance over my shoulder to find Gabrio’s angry face and long flowing golden locks.

“Hey! Put me down!” I yell.

“No.” He slams the outer door shut and carries me toward a new door to the right of the waterfall.

“Put me dow…” I’m gasping for air. “Too…tight…”

I push on his fingers, trying to loosen his grip, but he’s strong.

“Cease your struggle, woman; it is no use,” says Gabrio.

He’s probably right, but telling me not to fight when my mind’s sounding the alarm is like telling the gazelle to stay calm when it sees a lion emerge from the brush. Survival instincts aren’t easy to overcome for a reason. They’re there to keep your ass alive.

Gabrio carries me through a dark labyrinth of torchlit hallways and staircases. Some go up. Some go down. Some turn right, then left. Despite my panicked state and pounding heart, I’m starting to think he’s purposely disorienting me. He doesn’t want to make it easy to escape.

We finally enter a room with a soaring arched ceiling, a fireplace, and an enormous bed covered in furs.

Gabrio tosses me like a ragdoll onto the bed, which is large enough for a family of fifty.

“You will remain here, Lake.”

“Or?”

Gabrio blinks his golden lashes. “Or…I will hurt you.”

I frown, propping myself up on my elbows. “Hurt me? Didn’t Alwar put you in charge of my safety? I think he’ll throw you off the keep wall if you lay a finger on me.”

Gabrio narrows his green eyes. “Why are you so annoying?”

“A better question is: why am I here, Gabrio? Why are those things attacking?”

Gabrio the golden can’t seem to hide his emotions because he shines his shame-filled eyes down at his bare feet.