Page 34 of The Warrior Priest
“Jac, what’s wrong?”
I bent double, gasping in air. “My uncle. Must hide.”
He hurriedly placed the corpse on the ground then linked his hands to form a cradle.
I placed a foot in his hands and he pushed me up into the branches. I scrambled higher and settled in position, just as the carriage appeared.
It came to a stop as Rhys picked up the body, my cloak wrapped around it with the hood up. I touched the pendant hanging around my neck, and did my best to calm my breathing, but it wasn’t easy when my nerves trembled.
Uncle Roderic stepped out of the carriage. “You! Who are you hiding under there?”
The guards fell into step alongside him and drew their swords. “It’s a priest, sir,” one of them said as he re-sheathed his sword.
The governor squinted. “I know you. You’re Master Tomaj’s deputy, from Merdu’s Guards.”
“I am,” Rhys said.
“Are you drunk?”
“I’m not but my friend is.” Rhys moved the hood aside just enough to show the corpse’s hair. It was darker than mine.
Uncle Roderic made a sucking noise between his teeth. “Did you see anyone run past? A small lad, short fair hair.”
“No. Is he a thief? Vandal? We should alert the constables.”
Uncle Roderic ordered his men back to the carriage. Before climbing in himself, he cast a sneering look at Rhys. “What a disgrace,” he muttered.
Rhys didn’t move until the carriage was out of sight. “Need help getting down, Jac?”
I dropped from the lower branches onto the ground then dusted off my hands. “That was almost like old times. I thought we’d have to escape across the roofs again.”
“Thank Merdu we didn’t. This fellow is getting heavy.” He looked along the street in the direction the carriage had gone. “That was close. Jac, I’m worried about you.”
The last time he’d told me he was worried about me, he’d offered to marry me. That had led to awkwardness and then a retraction of the offer and more awkwardness. I didn’t want to go through that again.
“I’ll be fine.” What else could I say?
I fetched the barrow, and we bundled our corpse into it. The rest of the journey went a little faster. Downstream from the factories, we positioned the body so that it looked as though it had washed up onto the riverbank, leaving the boot with the evidence tucked inside in the water to soak the vine, leaves and berry.
“Thank you, friend,” Rhys said, patting the corpse’s shoulder. He picked up my cloak from the barrow and held it out to me.
“I’m not putting that on,” I said. “It stinks.”
“It’s too good to throw out and I can’t take it back to the garrison with me.”
I took the cloak but didn’t put it on.
“We have to return the barrow,” he said. “Get in. I’ll push.”
Being pushed around in the barrow by Rhys could be fun, and we both needed a good laugh. “All right.”
I climbed in, only to overbalance the unstable barrow. It began to tip, but I was saved from falling out by Rhys. He scooped me up into his arms and held me. Firmly. I felt his chest rise and fall and heard the hitch in each breath as he struggled to steady it. He watched me closely from beneath lowered lashes.
He must see me, and the depth of my feelings for him. How could he miss it?
“Jac.” He winced, as if saying my name hurt. “I can’t.”
“I know.”
