Page 37 of Brighter Than Gold

“Don’t utter another fucking word, you monster,” Callan stopped him.

The man shifted uncomfortably in the doorway. “We’re leaving.”

* * *

Callan

Reyah rode with me when we left the cabin. Lazio’s men had put her mare out of its misery after the hatchet to her leg left her useless.

I held her close as her limp body slumped with the horse’s heavy steps, and when she began to shiver, I pulled my cloak down around her. My own broken body seared and begged for rest. I was certain there were broken ribs as pain lanced through my side with every breath, and the strain of keeping Reyah upright was agony, but physical pain was always easy enough to ignore.

It’s what was happening to Reyah that terrified me, and I felt utterly helpless and wholly to blame. The implications of Reyah carrying this child were enormous, and the implication of her losing the child held just as much weight. I whispered every prayer I knew to the Gods to keep that baby alive inside of her. Getting her to run was too brash, too risky and I reprimanded myself endlessly for making such a stupid decision.

Two of Lazio’s Rats rode a fair distance ahead of the rest of us, scouting for more royal guards. Cloven Bay was obviously not used to such an incursion of palace officials, and it had been a blend of dumb luck and negligent oversight that the lieutenant had not recognized Lazio at the logger’s cabin, another thing that I cursed quietly.

The town came into view slowly through the winding roads of the glen, and before long I was helping Reyah down from the horse outside the brothel.

Verosa came out immediately and whisked Lazio away while another member of the house brought Reyah and I back to room six. We were flanked closely by three blood-thirsty Rats just waiting for me to do something impulsive.

I lay Reyah’s limp form on the bed and turned back to the suited young man who had unlocked our door.

“What is your name, boy?”

“Eamon, sir.”

“Eamon, my wife needs a doctor.”

“I’m afraid that won’t be—”

I shot my hand out to the man’s throat and held him up against the wall, feet dangling above the floor. The Rats unsheathed several sharp weapons and held them threateningly against my throat.

“Don’t be fucking stupid,” I said turning a lazy eye in their direction. “Lazio has forbidden you from touching me, or the girl. You’ll be signing your own death warrant.”

It was a risk to call their bluff, but I was confident that she and I were untouchable in Lazio’s eyes, now that he’d learned the truth about her.

Eamon had begun to choke and sputter, his face turning a crimson red. I released him and he dropped to his knees heaving deep breaths. The Rats lowered their weapons.

“Find my wife a doctor,” I said down at the gasping boy on the floor. With that I closed the door between us and heard the lock slide into place a moment later.

I sighed painfully and lifted my blood-stained tunic to see the garish blue and purple bruising around my injured ribs. I lightly pressed my fingers along the bones, and the pain that resulted made the edges of my vision shimmer with an excruciating pang.

Fuck. It was bad.

Reyah lay on the bed exactly where I had placed her. I stepped closer to her and sat on the edge. I sat there a long while not knowing what to say to her. The blood had stained right through the dress and petticoat leaving a conspicuous and heartbreaking reminder. I flipped the cover over her, perhaps for her modesty or perhaps so I wasn’t met with a constant reminder that this miscarriage was my fault.

The guilt churned in my gut.

“Can I get you anything, Reyah? Is there anything I can do for you?” I said, leaning closer.

At first I wasn’t even sure she’d heard my question, she lay so motionless.

Then a low cracked voice said, “Can you hold me?”

I fought against the feeling of my heart being sliced open. “Of course.”

It was painful to lay my aching body on the bed beside her, but my discomfort seemed to melt away as Reyah took my hand and wrapped it tightly around herself. I could smell the sweet notes of lavender that lingered in her hair, and the salty earthiness of her sweat-soaked skin. I pulled her in tighter, as though I could absorb the shock and fear she must be feeling. And both of our broken, spent bodies took comfort in one another, and sleep found us.

Chapter8

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