The Gypsy Queen by Samuel Solomon

when the y arrived, that led them into a large, decaying building. They all dismounted, so Yana did the same.
      The man who had opened the doors departed, and closed the doors behind him. Once he had done so, Bastion and one of his men took hold of a wall and it swung open like a door, to Yana ’s surprise. The opened wall revealed a tall tunnel, pitch black.
      Bastion took the reins to Yana’s horse and handed them to one of the other riders, and then took Yana’s hand. “Walk with me,” he whispered. Yana did not like any of this, but she remembered her friends and the burning wagon she found, and pressed in with Bastion into the tunnel.
      She could see nothing, and wondered how anyone else could. She could only assume they all knew this passage by heart. Down the winding tunnel, they made their way, as she clutched Bastion’s hand and set her steps carefully. It seemed slow going, and Yana could not tell how long the tunnel was.
      They finally emerged into the night sk y, on what she figured to be the other side of the mountain that Jedikai was embedded in. The passage opened into a trail with tall rock walls, and after winding through the rocks a bit, it opened into a meadow. Yana realized... this was the gentle valley just west of the city that was coveted by the gypsies. They had tangles with the city folk who did not welcome their presence there in the lush meadow.
      The black riders all mounted, and Yana eagerly mounted as well. Her horse was perfectly well behaved, and she patted his neck in appreciation. Bastion began riding in the direction he knew to go, and Yana was right beside him. Almost immediately, the horses broke into a run.
      It was all she could do to hang on at first, until she acquainted herself with the gait of Bastion’s horse. It was immensely powerful; she had never ridden a beast so grand. Her black cloak flowed behind her, as she allowed her young, lithe body to find rhythm with the horse.
      Every bit of this moment, this ride, this run... was a new sensation for Yana . Streaking through the darkness with the black riders, well-armed , headed for a rescue, and straight into a fight...
     
    it was absolutely thrilling.
     
    They rode until near daybr eak, running at top speeds most of the way. The first tendrils of sunrise were encroaching into the sky, with the morning c alm introducing what seemed a pleasant smell.
     
    Campfire.
     
    Yana pulled her reins up and stopped. There was light ahead that wasn’t sunlight. She pulled out t he telescope that she had easily stolen from the foolish gatekeepers when she entered the city, and had a look. It was in the immediate direction of where the burning wagon had been found. It wasn’t a wagon, she realized. It was the whole forest! Just as the telescope revealed this horror, the smoke of it finally engulfed them completely, leaving no doubt.
      “Hurry! It’s all burning!” Yana shouted.
      “Then they are all lost ,” Bastion said. “Hold fast. We cannot charge directly into a forest fire! It moves too quickly!”
      “Like hell they are lost,” Yana protested. She would wait no longer. She snapped the reins against the horse’s flank and launched directly for it. She was grateful the horse was obedient so as to not shrink away. She clutched the leather in her hands without any idea what else to do, looking for some signs of life.
      Bastion was furious. He was unaccustomed to being defied. His men were always faithful to his lead. He was frustrated with himself for admiring her courage in spite of his anger with her. He cursed under his breath.
      “Protect her at all costs,” he commanded his men. “Let’s go!” They headed after her, the horses all seeming to love the chase, trying to catch her as though even they had understood Bastion’s orders. 
      The smoke obscured the landsc ape, making it difficult to see… yet at the same time, the light of the fire illuminated what was otherwise a dark, dense