In Her Shadow(31)

The man's mouth stopped working when he realized what – who – Lucius carried in his arms. The man stood, slowly, using the table beside him to balance. The children and mother cried after him, begging him not to go to Lucius, but the man ignored them. Lucius passed Britta's broken body to the man who took her with ease. He glanced down at her head then back to Lucius.

How could Lucius convince the man he hadn't been the one to inflict the injury? "May She hide you in Her shadow," he said.

The man smiled, weary but understanding. "Go," he said.

It tore Lucius's heart away to leave Britta with strangers as a war raged outside, but he had no choice. It would be worse if they stayed together. If his cohorts could hold the line until reinforcements arrived, she would be safe inside this home, but if the cohort were forced to retreat, he'd be abandoning her to fate.

"May She hide you in Her shadow," he said again, and slipped out into the chaos.





Chapter 14


Where was that sound coming from? A long, loud banging that ricocheted from inside her head as much as outside it. Was someone drumming? Shouting?

Britta groaned as she reached for her head. Someone grabbed her wrist. "Don't touch it," said a friendly, feminine voice.

"Uh?" Britta squint her eyes, trying to get them to focus. The world seemed fuzzy, unreal, made worse by the throbbing.

"You took a nasty – Well, I'm not sure what exactly. Blow to the head."

"Rock," Britta said. "It was a rock. Why is it so dark? Where am I?"

"In my home. Mariza, my name, priestess. It's a blessing to have you."

"How did I get here?"

"A Regnal soldier. He kicked in our door. I thought he was going to kill us, but instead he left you in our care."

"He left me? He just left me?"

"Don't you know what's going on out there?"

Mariza took Britta's hand and guided her to the window. Britta parted the window and looked out to the street below. Everything outside was a blur.

"See?" said the woman.

"No. Mariza, I can't see anything."

"What?"

Britta shook her head. "I mean, I can see some. It's not all darkness but. . ." She trailed off. She felt as if she should cry, or be upset or something, but nothing stirred inside her. Numbness. Why had he left her?

"A blow to the head can do bad things to a person's mind. The damage isn't always permanent, though. Maybe you'll see again soon."

"Yes," Britta said turning to the voice. "Maybe." But that's not how she felt. Mariza hadn't bothered to explain what she'd wanted Britta to see, but from the sounds of clashing below, she had a good guess. Was that why Lucius left her with these people? He'd said he was a man of duty, and she knew it to be true. He wouldn't abandon his men. Instead, he'd abandoned her.

Britta shook her head to tell herself no, but also hoping it might loosen the ache from her injury a little. The pain clouded her judgment, made it hard to think straight. It wasn't fair of her to think of Lucius had abandoned her. He'd probably put his career on the line just getting her somewhere safe before rushing back into danger. He wasn't a coward. Dux Lucius didn't run away. He was down there, fighting.

And here she was, standing by a window she couldn't see out of nursing a lump on the side of her head. He hadn't abandoned her, but if she didn't act, she would be abandoning him. Dux Lucius was brave, yes, but this wasn't his city. It was hers. And it was hers to win back before the whole thing crumbled. But how? The people had rejected her once already. Was the black cloak that had once protected her and her sisters now dangerous?

Her knees wobbled as a wave of nausea overcame her. Britta swooned, leaning against the wall next to the window.

"Ma'am?" Mariza asked.

"I – I have to go."

"No! You can't! You're hurt."

Britta tried to muster up a smile but the pain made her wince. "I'll be okay."

"It's not safe. Anyway, you just told me you can't see. How do you expect to make it there safely?"

"I don't know," Britta said, her voice low, defeated. "I don't know, but I have to. Before. . ."

"Before what?"

"Before Ankshara burns to the ground."

"I'll send my daughter with you," said Mariza.

"No, don't."

"I will. She'll guide you to the abbey."

"You don't have to."

"I do. It's my city too. I'd go myself but she's faster. If there's trouble, she can run away."

"Please, don't risk your child."

A cool hand touched the side of Britta's face. "You're getting a fever. The wound might be infected."

"Your daughter–"

"Might die anyway, if nobody acts," the woman said, a tinge of anger boiling beneath the surface of her words. "Do you understand?"

Britta's mouth bobbed. No citizen had dared talk to her like that before. Of course, none had thrown a rock at her head either.

"I'm sorry," Mariza said. "It's just–"

"No," said Britta. "I understand. Get her."