THE FIRST scream came before the dawn. It tore through the compound like a blade through silk, sharp and absolute, and Lily’s stomach clenched before her mind could catch up.
She had been expecting it, had slept fitfully with one ear tuned to the faintest vibrations in the walls, but expectation didn’t dull the shock.
Gunfire answered the scream immediately. Blinding muzzle flashes illuminated the dark edges of the compound, reflecting off shattered windows and splintered wood. Lily sat up from the mattress she had barely touched, heart hammering.
“They’re here,” she said, voice low but steady.
Jeremiah was already on his feet beside her, silent, eyes scanning the hall outside their safe room. He didn’t tell her to stay. He never did. His presence was a shield, not a cage. Lily drew c
