Spotlight on Traveler by Arwen Dayton, Plus Giveaway!

Something flashed across Quin’s line of sight, about twenty yards away. As she reached for Yellen’s reins, an oak tree near the dairy barn burst into flame. She glimpsed a torch high up in its branches, and now she could see the person who had thrown it, a figure in dark clothing and a mask, riding away across the commons on horseback.

The weather had been dry for many weeks, and with a roar, the tree began to burn fiercely, sending the horses into a terror. One bolted wildly, crashing through the others. Quin was caught in the crush of bodies as all of the animals, Yellen included, took off for the forest.

She fell, but someone was there, catching her. “Quin!”
“Shinobu!”
There was ash in his hair and smears of it across his face. “Come on,” he said. “We have to get to

the woods!”
Through a cloud of smoke, they ran until they reached the trees. Then they paused beneath the

branches, coughing.
“A cottage is on fire,” he told her. “Yours, I think. I saw it across the commons.”
Like her, Shinobu had his whipsword at his waist. An old crossbow that looked about to fall apart

and a quiver of bolts were slung across his back. He had raided the meager weapons supply in the training barn.

“Who’s attacking?” She asked the question, thinking of hordes of shadowy victims coming to the estate to get revenge upon them. But of course there was no mysterious answer. As soon as the words had come out of her mouth, she knew who was attacking. She felt a sick twinge in her stomach. Even though he’s kicking me out, John had said, I have to find my way back. Quin realized some part of her had been waiting for him. But not like this. Was he really burning down the estate?

“We’ll get a better look from the other side,” Shinobu told her, not meeting her eyes.
“My mother?”
“I haven’t seen her.”
She started to run again, but Shinobu caught her arm. “Wait,” he said. “Wait. What do we want to

do?” “We’ll find my mother, and then our fathers—” “Why?” “What do you mean, why?”

“I agree we should find Fiona, but why do we want to find Briac and Alistair?” he asked.
“We’re under attack! They’re better fighters than we are.”
“We’re not under attack. They’re under attack. Which means they’re distracted.” He stared at his

feet, a lifetime of loyalty making it difficult for him to finish the thought out loud. At last, he looked directly into her eyes and said, “We don’t talk about it, Quin, but why should we stay, after what they’ve made us do?”

Quin struggled for a moment with an automatic instinct to follow her father. But Shinobu was right. He was saying the words she should have said. He was suggesting they do what she should have done a month ago. The estate might burn, but this was not a home anymore.
She said slowly, “We could find Fiona and get away.”

“If we’re lucky, Briac and Alistair will think we were killed,” he told her. “This is a chance for us. A perfect chance. It won’t come again.”

She nodded her agreement. “All right. Let’s get my mother.”

They ran until they had circled around the edge of the commons and were nearer the cottages. There they came to a stop, crouching behind a fallen tree. The men on horseback were setting fire to the buildings. Her own cottage was burning. Behind it, farther away, she could see Shinobu’s, also ablaze. And the others, the cottages deeper in the woods, many of which had not been used for decades. All burning.

“Do you see her?” Quin asked. “No—yes. She’s there!”
Halfway across the commons, heading toward the pastures beyond the dairy, was Fiona. Her beautiful face was twisted in a look of terror, and the ends of her hair were on fire, orange flame upon redhair, streaming behind her as she ran. Why was she running across the meadow instead of into the woods? With a sinking heart, Quin noticed her mother’s wobbly gait. She was drunk.

Quin started to go after her, but Shinobu put a hand on her shoulder, holding her still. “They see her too!” he whispered.
He was right. Three of the men on horseback were galloping after
Fiona.

“Look,” Shinobu said.

The lead horseman was now clearly visible. He wore a mask, but they would have recognized him anywhere.