Horland stood with his sword drawn, shouting at Garlain, “What have you done with Patricia?”
Garlain’s eyes were circled with black as if he hadn’t slept for many days. “She is gone from this world.”
Bree’s heart broke at the sight of her father. She remembered his smile but now his lips were thin and tight; she remembered his loving gaze, but now pain and sorrow filled his eyes.
Horland raised his sword. “You killed her.”
Garlain shook his bent head. “Nay, it was God’s will.”
Horland stepped closer to Garlain, his sword ready to strike.
Garlain lifted his head, sighed, and waited.
“Draw your sword,” Horland demanded.
Garlain didn’t move, he just stood there regarding Horland with wet eyes.
Horland raised his sword high and as he brought it down on Garlain’s head, Bree woke up with a start, her pulse reverberating painfully in her temples.
She sat up—she had to tell Horland the truth. Her gaze swept the small clearing. Horland was gone. The girl stirred but didn’t wake.
Should she wake her up? Gazing down at the child’s peaceful face, Bree decided to leave her. If Horland went too far, she would have to come back and wait for him to return.
She covered the girl with her cloak and got to her feet. She’d stay close enough to hear if the child awoke. Hoping Horland went the same way he did the night before, she hurried along the only path. Stopping every now and again to listen for the child or Horland, she deliberated on how she would tell him.Patricia is my mother and she died. Patricia was very sick and died. I knew Patricia and Garlain because they are my parents, and Patricia died of a terrible sickness.
She stopped and looked over a small lake. The day wasbrightening but the sun still couldn’t penetrate the forest’s canopy completely. The sound of what Bree thought was rock against rock echoed over the water. She couldn’t see anything but deciding it must be Horland, she followed the track circumnavigating the lake.
Halfway around, she spied Horland bent over a large rock. Although Bree stepped lightly, he must have heard her because he turned his head and smiled widely at her. “Good morning.”
Bree stopped in her tracks. “Ah, good morning.”
He stood up and held an open palm above the rock. Crayfish shells were strewn all over and around it, and a pile of cray meat teetered on the edge. “This pond has a bountiful supply of crayfish. Are you hungry?”
“You bet. They look great.”
Holding out his shirt, he scooped the pile onto the material. Bree grimaced. That was going to smell later.
The walked back to the clearing, Horland humming a tune Bree didn’t know.
Once there, he stood over the sleeping girl and said, “Wake up, little one. Briana, you get some water and I’ll renew the fire.”
Although Bree thought some avocado would have been a perfect side to the crayfish, she enjoyed it immensely, so much so, she’d forgotten she wanted to tell Horland the truth. And now that some time had passed and Horland appeared to be in much better spirits than the night before, she wasn’t so sure she should tell him.
They soon put out the fire and continued their journey. The path had once again widened and although the sun still couldn’t penetrate the canopy, the air warmed. Bree enjoyed the clean forest air, breathing in the forest scents. The girl sidled up on Horland’s other side and he took her hand, swinging it forward and backward as they walked.
As soon as she could, Bree walked along beside Horland and grinned up at him. “Are we there yet?”
Horland shot her a perplexed look. “You need not keep asking, I will tell you when we are near. We are getting closer, but there is some way to go.”
Bree glanced at the child who seemed to be content holding Horland’s hand. Who was she? Something told Bree the girl could talk if she tried. After all, she could scream and laugh, so she had to have functioning vocal cords. Maybe she had been traumatized somehow; maybe she chose not to talk. Whatever the reason, Bree hoped she felt safe with her and Horland, and maybe she would come out of her shell and finally talk.
She nudged Horland in his side. “Looks like you got a friend there.”
“I am glad of it. Children are honest and undemanding creatures.”
Bree thought about her cousins and how she kept their parent’s secret from them for years. “Oh, I don’t know, some kids keep secrets and they might lie if they think the truth will hurt them or someone they care about somehow.”
He thought about that for a moment. “In some circumstances, that might be true, but,” he held up the girl’s hand in his, “not this one. She can’t speak so therefore, can’t lie, and she never makes a fuss.”
