Page 9 of Spoils of war
“A month,” I responded. “Everyone thinks you’re dead.”
Kera closed her eyes and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. She stepped back and waited, and I resisted the urge to knock again, out of respect for her. This moment belonged to Kera.
If she needed time, we would wait.
Then we heard movement inside the house, and a man’s voice.
“Who in the world… at this hour…”
The lock clicked and the door opened.
Her father stood in a robe, holding a lantern in hand.
And then… he saw her.
“Kera?” he gasped.
She let out a broken sob and ran into his arms.
“You’re home,” he breathed. “Oh gods, Kera—what happened? Are you hurt?”
Then he shouted, wild, hoarse, a voice that hadn’t screamed in weeks.
“SARA! SARA, SHE’S HERE! SHE’S BACK—SHE’S ALIVE!”
Her mother came tearing into the hallway, barefoot in her nightdress, eyes wide and glassy. She skidded to a stop when she saw Kera and just stared at her.
“Kera?” she whispered, like she couldn’t believe it. ”I told them. I— told them you could swim. That you wouldn’t drown.”
Kera took a step forward. Then another.
Her mother met her halfway, sinking to her knees as she pulled her into her arms.
But then she recoiled.
She’d felt it, the wet, sticky fabric clinging to Kera’s body.
Her fingers trembled as she reached out again, running her fingers over the dress. The entire back of it was stained dark.
“Kera, what is—baby, is this blood?”
Her voice rose with panic. “Are you hurt?”
She was already tugging at the dress, lifting the hem with shaking hands, her eyes darting over every inch of her daughter, her arms, her back, her ribs, her thighs.
She found nothing. No wounds. No bruises. No cuts or scrapes. Just blood contrasting her pale skin.
Kera’s mother sat back, stunned, her hands hovering in the air.
“But all this blood…” she gasped. “Where did it come from?”
“I don’t understand—there’s nothing,” she whispered. “Where did it come from? What happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”
“I’m okay,” Kera said, her voice trembling. “Licia found me.”
“Found you?” her mother echoed. “Found you where? Where were you—what happened to you—oh, Kera, I thought you were dead, I thought you were gone—”
Then Einar came into the hallway, rubbing his eyes. He blinked at the mess in front of him.
