Chapter 102: No Sleep
Lily couldn’t sleep. The new bed was comfortable, softer than anything she’d had before, but her mind refused to rest. Thoughts of Zayn lingering at the door, the pack, and her new responsibilities swirled endlessly.
Outside her window, the first hint of dawn colored the sky.
Her stomach growled loudly. Dinner had been tense, now hunger clawed at her from within. Unable to bear it any longer, Lily threw back the covers and got out of bed. She dressed quickly, not bothering with anything elaborate.
The hallways were silent as she made her way downstairs. Her bare feet padded softly against the wooden floors. When she reached the dining hall, she found it empty as expected, chairs still neatly tucked under tables from the night before.
Lily headed toward the kitchen door, but paused.
Something wasn’t right.
She sniffed the air. It wasn’t the pleasant aroma of breakfast being prepared. It was something sharper. An acrid odour.
Smoke.
Frowning, she followed her nose through the dining hall and out the side door. The moment she stepped outside, her eyes widened in alarm. Thick gray smoke billowed up from the rear of the packhouse where the storage area was located.
Heart pounding, Lily raced across the grounds. As she rounded the corner, she gasped. The large wagons containing the confiscated rations were engulfed in flames. These were rations they desperately needed for winter!
She wanted to scream. To call for help. But she was mute, what could she do?
Zayn.