Page 40 of Lucie
Chapter Nineteen
Explanation
“She’ll need to ride with you,”Attyinformed her son. “I’ll help you tie her onto the saddle so she won’t fall off.”
Lucien thanked his mother and gently liftedJohnainto his arms to carry her over to where a soldier had brought out his horse for him. Another soldier came up behind him with Lucien’s sword he’d removed fromtheMutah, wiping it off before handing it back to the battle prince. Lucien was also vaguely aware ofPaastrotting up toAttyto hand her the arrow she’d used to shoot the otherMutah. His mother had always been frugal in that regard, and reused her ammunition whenever possible.
Yulenwas already mounted and waiting for them to join him. As Lucien hoisted himself into his saddle,he noticed his father staring back at the injuredMutahwho hadn’t moved from where he’d fallen.
“I’m impressed.”
“Oh?” Lucien noticed the smile on his father’s face, and wondered what had put it there.
“I want you to know I highly approve of your decision. You showed compassion, yet at the same time, you condemned the man for his actions and intent.”
“It wasn’t my first decision,” Lucien admitted.
“Of course not. Very rarely do we ever get the luxury of acting on our first impulse.”Yulenturned to him and cocked his head. “I’m still confused as to why you threw your sword at him.”
Lucien shrugged. “That was definitely an impulse. He was usingJohnaas a shield. I felt that if I tried to cut him down,I’d hit her instead. Besides, he’d beat my ass within seconds if I tried to face him in hand-to-hand combat. Not to mention what his good buddy might try to do.” Seeing a strange expression cross his father’s face, he hurried to add, “I know you and Mattox and everyone else have repeatedly told me time and again never to give up my sword, and I apologize. But I—”
“I think it wasa wise move, and the only option you had,” his father countered, ignoring his son’s astonishment. “I don’t think I’ve ever thrown my sword at someone, and I certainly haven’t used it like a scythe, but in this instance it worked.”
“Maybe his skill is not so much how well hewieldsa weapon, but how heusesit,”Attyremarked, and climbed up into her saddle. She gave Lucien a smile,then glanced at the woman tied behind him.Johna’scheek rested against his back; her arms hung limply by her side.
“Do they remind you something, beloved?” she asked, turning toYulen.
He gave his son a bewildered stare, when it dawned on him. “When Liam and I took you away from Wallis.”
“Funny how the past repeats itself,” she quipped, and urged hermare forward. Chuckling,Yulenfollowed her, with Lucien taking up the rear. He didn’t have to ask his mother what she was talking about. He’d already heard the stories about how his parents met, and what they’d been forced to endure in order to be together. Even though he’d never asked them directly how much of it was true, and how much was elaboration, Madigan, Liam, Paxton,Mastin, and Fortunewere more than willing to share their experiences with him whenever his curiosity got the better of him.
As they slowly advanced into the woods and toward the seemingly abandoned compound ofWhiterock, Lucien took one final glance behind him at the lone figure still sitting by the stream. He wondered if they would ever see the angryMutahagain. He didn’t regret his decision notto outright kill the man, but at least he knew there was a slim chance the man would survive long enough to reach a place of safety.
After a while, he no longer thought about it, and concentrated instead on their mission ahead.
* * *
Her head throbbed. Gradually,Johnacame to realize the slow swaying she felt was because she was on the back of a horse. Shecould also make out the sound of many hooves making their mark on the soft earth, and the sharp tang of metal filled her nostrils.
Groaning, she lifted a hand to her cheek, when another hand encased in a glove touched her arm. A voice softly whispered, the deep voice resonating against her chest, “How do you feel?”
Lucien. It was Lucien.Wow, I must really be out ofit if I couldn’t tell it was him I was leaning against.
“Johna?”
“I’m…” She started to tell him about her dizziness, when her stomach revolted. She automatically leaned over the side of the horse and retched. Miraculously, Lucien kept a firm grip on her, preventing her from falling off. That, and she felt a rope of some sort circling her waist. The gelding never stoppedas she threw up a second time. With her stomach emptied, she spat and wiped her mouth with her sleeve.
A water bag was pressed into her hands. “Here. Sip slowly.”
“Thanks.” Her voice croaked. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. A blow like you took to the head will do that to you. Any dizziness?”
She assessed herself. “There was at first. It seemsbetter now.”
“How about your vision?”
Blinking, she carefully looked around. Each person glowed like a small fire as their armor took on their body heat. The animals they rode radiated more heat, since their temperatures were higher. A check of their surroundings revealed a patchwork blanket of blues and purples, and grays and blacks. It was still nighttime, but a vaguebrightness in the distance told her dawn wasn’t too far away.
