There was no awkwardness, no uncertainty. The sisters lay on either side of Elias because it had become the safest way to sleep, not just physically, but mentally. Elias positioned himself between them with controlled care, ensuring they felt secure without being crowded. As the fire dimmed, Nielli whispered, "Do you think they'll attack at night?" "No," Elias answered." Riders wait for daylight.
They want to see the fear they're causing." Aiona exhaled slowly, accepting the truth without flinching. Then we meet it in daylight. Exactly, Elias said. The wind outside shifted, carrying long stretches of quiet. The homestead held its breath, bracing for what was coming.
Elias closed his eyes only when he felt both sisters settle against the warmth of the bed rolls, not relying on him, but sharing the strain of what lay ahead. The land outside was no longer silent because it was empty. It was silent because someone beyond the ridge was watching the homestead, waiting for the right moment to return. And inside the cabin, three people prepared themselves with a unity that hadn't existed before. Steady, unspoken, and stronger than anything the riders expected to find.
The riders came just after dusk, settled into the hills. The first sign was the sudden stiffness in Elias's posture as he stepped out to bring in the last bucket of water. The horses near the corral lifted their heads at the same moment, ears pointed toward the ridge. A distant, uneven echo of hoof beats followed, slow at first, then steady enough to reveal intention rather than chance. Aiona and Nielli stepped out of the cabin behind him, their faces tightening as they heard the same sound.
Elias didn't need to say anything. His hand drifting toward the grip of his gun said enough. The questions that had lingered, "How soon would the riders come and in what numbers?" Found their answer in the dark silhouettes, moving down the ridge. Inside, Elias said quietly. The sisters didn't argue.
They moved back into the cabin while Elias closed the door behind them and barred it. He stayed near the window, peering through a narrow space between the shutters. Three riders approached first. More shadows followed behind them at a slower pace. Five total, maybe six.
Not a full gang, but enough to test the homestead if they believed it. Undefended. Nielli stood near the wall, her breath short, but controlled, repeating what Elias taught her. Steady air, steady hands. Aiona stayed close to the rifles, ready to pass one to him if needed.
Neither panicked. They had already accepted that this moment would come. The riders circled the corral before stopping in front of the cabin. Their horses snorted and stamped the ground. One man dismounted, tall with a scar across his cheek, and walked toward the door with a slow, deliberate confidence.