linger a moment
in a gentle caress before easing it away. “I cannot stay, my love.”
He ran his fingers across her cheek to wipe away a tear she hadn’t
noticed had fallen. “The Council doubts my loyalty; your mother
most of all. If I were to stay, she would find us. I have no doubt
she tracks me somehow through the accursed sigils she set within my
skin.” He held his arms out so she could see the dark swirls that
discolored his arms. “I will not put you further at risk, nor will
I endanger our child.” A soft smile broke against his lips. “You
must trust that Donlen and Fulrik will see you safely to your
destination, where you will find the help you need.”
“ I can’t do this alone, Victor.” She
entwined her fingers about his, bringing his hand to her breast.
She had never felt so lonely. The only home she’d ever known was
miles away and unwelcoming, the forest no less so. “Stay with me,
please.”
He shook his head with somber conviction. “I
cannot.” He disengaged his hand from hers. “You know full well what
would happen to our child—our son—should Deborah find you. They
will take him from you…from us. He can be nothing but an
abomination in their eyes. They will slaughter him, Emerald, as
though he were no better than a beast.” She could feel the heat of
his words.
Emerald drew back, her tears flowing
free in warm trails across her cheeks. She knew he spoke the truth
but hated it, knowing her own mother would gladly tear the baby
from her womb to bathe in its blood; his blood. It would make the woman happy to see
Emerald suffer, believing it would make her stronger, more fit to
rule. So unlike her mother, Emerald wanted none of that. If
kindness was a weakness, she would rather suffer its pall than
become like her mother: hard and cruel. She would never let that
woman take her child.
Her stomach churned at the thought, and she
turned away from Victor and scrambled to the edge of the shelter to
purge the vile truth. She hunched just inches above the ground, her
sides wracked with spasms as her meager dinner spilled onto the
earth. She fought to remain quiet, uncertain of her success.
Through the haze she felt a strong hand at her back, its stroking
touch soft, yet insistent. After a few moments, she drew herself up
and wiped the spittle from her lips with her sleeve.
“ I’m sorry,” Victor told
her.
She waved his words away, swallowing to find
her voice. “It is for the best, my love.” She drew in a deep
breath, the air sour from her sickness. “You speak only the words I
need to hear. It is my fear that speaks for me, my thoughts twisted
by it. I know what we do is right. We cannot be caught.”
Victor crept closer. “You need not fear,
Emerald. While I cannot remain with you, I am always close.” He
reached behind his back and retrieved a leather-bound package,
which he held out to her. “And with this, I am assured of your
safety.”
The package settled lightly into her hands.
She plucked at the tie and pulled the leather apart to reveal what
lay inside. Nestled within was a short dagger. The golden hilt
curled delicately to end in a pommel carved to resemble a griffon.
Red rubies stood out as its eyes, glistening even in the night’s
darkness. She set her hand upon the chilled hilt and tugged the
dagger free of its simple, unadorned sheath and gasped when she saw
the blade.
It shined silvery, as if possessed of its
own illumination. Like liquid steel, it undulated and rippled. She
could feel the power that wafted from it. Emerald tore her eyes
from the mesmerizing blade and met Victor’s amused stare.
“ No one would dare to stand before a
quicksilver blade.” He smiled. “You remember your
lessons?”
She nodded numbly, Victor teaching her the
ways of the blade seemed so long ago.
“ Good. Keep it well hidden, but close
at hand, on you at all times. Use it as you must, but only then.
More importantly, it is attuned to my blood. I will know when it
has
in a gentle caress before easing it away. “I cannot stay, my love.”
He ran his fingers across her cheek to wipe away a tear she hadn’t
noticed had fallen. “The Council doubts my loyalty; your mother
most of all. If I were to stay, she would find us. I have no doubt
she tracks me somehow through the accursed sigils she set within my
skin.” He held his arms out so she could see the dark swirls that
discolored his arms. “I will not put you further at risk, nor will
I endanger our child.” A soft smile broke against his lips. “You
must trust that Donlen and Fulrik will see you safely to your
destination, where you will find the help you need.”
“ I can’t do this alone, Victor.” She
entwined her fingers about his, bringing his hand to her breast.
She had never felt so lonely. The only home she’d ever known was
miles away and unwelcoming, the forest no less so. “Stay with me,
please.”
He shook his head with somber conviction. “I
cannot.” He disengaged his hand from hers. “You know full well what
would happen to our child—our son—should Deborah find you. They
will take him from you…from us. He can be nothing but an
abomination in their eyes. They will slaughter him, Emerald, as
though he were no better than a beast.” She could feel the heat of
his words.
Emerald drew back, her tears flowing
free in warm trails across her cheeks. She knew he spoke the truth
but hated it, knowing her own mother would gladly tear the baby
from her womb to bathe in its blood; his blood. It would make the woman happy to see
Emerald suffer, believing it would make her stronger, more fit to
rule. So unlike her mother, Emerald wanted none of that. If
kindness was a weakness, she would rather suffer its pall than
become like her mother: hard and cruel. She would never let that
woman take her child.
Her stomach churned at the thought, and she
turned away from Victor and scrambled to the edge of the shelter to
purge the vile truth. She hunched just inches above the ground, her
sides wracked with spasms as her meager dinner spilled onto the
earth. She fought to remain quiet, uncertain of her success.
Through the haze she felt a strong hand at her back, its stroking
touch soft, yet insistent. After a few moments, she drew herself up
and wiped the spittle from her lips with her sleeve.
“ I’m sorry,” Victor told
her.
She waved his words away, swallowing to find
her voice. “It is for the best, my love.” She drew in a deep
breath, the air sour from her sickness. “You speak only the words I
need to hear. It is my fear that speaks for me, my thoughts twisted
by it. I know what we do is right. We cannot be caught.”
Victor crept closer. “You need not fear,
Emerald. While I cannot remain with you, I am always close.” He
reached behind his back and retrieved a leather-bound package,
which he held out to her. “And with this, I am assured of your
safety.”
The package settled lightly into her hands.
She plucked at the tie and pulled the leather apart to reveal what
lay inside. Nestled within was a short dagger. The golden hilt
curled delicately to end in a pommel carved to resemble a griffon.
Red rubies stood out as its eyes, glistening even in the night’s
darkness. She set her hand upon the chilled hilt and tugged the
dagger free of its simple, unadorned sheath and gasped when she saw
the blade.
It shined silvery, as if possessed of its
own illumination. Like liquid steel, it undulated and rippled. She
could feel the power that wafted from it. Emerald tore her eyes
from the mesmerizing blade and met Victor’s amused stare.
“ No one would dare to stand before a
quicksilver blade.” He smiled. “You remember your
lessons?”
She nodded numbly, Victor teaching her the
ways of the blade seemed so long ago.
“ Good. Keep it well hidden, but close
at hand, on you at all times. Use it as you must, but only then.
More importantly, it is attuned to my blood. I will know when it
has
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