Justina stood motionless for a long moment, the dagger lifted high above her head, staring into Aurora’s eyes. Shock and then fear passed in Aurora’s wide blue eyes. Then she lifted her chin and Justina could have sworn she saw acceptance. Acceptance for what? Her death? Being so stupid! Justina wanted to kill her. She wanted to take her life for Adam. She wanted to drive the dagger into her heart, so her murdering husband would feel the same pain she felt when he took her father’s life. Her hands trembled. She gritted her teeth.
Aurora bowed her head.
Justina let out a cry of frustration and lowered the hand holding the dagger. She couldn’t do it. She couldn’t kill her. Adam’s death was not her fault. Her father’s death was not her fault. Aurora was innocent, and she couldn’t kill her.
Justina stalked away and then marched back toward Aurora, pacing. Anger, anguish, and sorrow all swirled inside of her. She wanted to sit on the ground and sob; she wanted to run and run and run; she wanted to scream. But she knew none of that would be enough. Not enough to right this. Not enough to bring her brother back. A numbing sadness swelled through her. She had no one left. She was alone. And then, one person suddenly came to her mind.
Gawyn. She thought of his embrace and how it would make her feel warm and secure. All she could think about was being held in his arms. She scowled. That was preposterous. Ridiculous! He couldn’t make this right. But he could make this better. He could make her better. Tears entered her eyes and her shoulders slumped.
“I’m sorry.”
Justina looked at Aurora. She knelt on the ground where she had been a moment ago. Justina couldn’t say anything to her. Aurora had shown remarkable courage trying to bash the Hungar’s skull in. The red mark on her chin was testament to that. And Justina had to admit she probably would not be standing there if Aurora hadn’t done that. And that made her angry, too. She didn’t want to be alive when her entire family was dead.
“I’m very sorry, but we should get back to the castle now.”
Everyone Aurora had been with had been killed in the attack. Her ladies, the soldiers. She was hurting too. Justina clenched her jaw. The last thing she wanted to do was feel sympathy for her. Still, she had been kind to Adam. And Adam had thought he loved her.
Justina shook her head as tears threatened to blind her again. She moved forward and grabbed Aurora’s arm, pulling her to her feet.
Suddenly the snapping of a twig sounded, and she froze. She looked toward the sound but could only see dappled sunlight through the thick cover of the forest. As her gaze swept the forest, she saw the trampled dirt of the forest floor, footprints ground into the fallen leaves. So many footprints. She glanced at the ground beneath Aurora and all around her. The entire area was filled with footprints and trampled brush, almost as if an army had come through. Justina’s grip tightened on Aurora’s arm. An army of Hungars. “We have to get out of here.”
Justina led her quickly away from the trampled forest. She paused to glance back at Adam. She couldn’t think about him now. She couldn’t. She would collapse into a pile of useless wailing. It wouldn’t get them back to the castle. It wouldn’t get her to Gawyn. Gawyn. She was amazed at how much she ached to see him, despite his profession of being a killer. A killer like his brother.
“This isn’t the way to the castle.”
Justina glanced over her shoulder at Aurora. Through everything she had endured, she looked amazing. Her hair was braided and barely a strand was out of place. Her dress was not ripped. Justina couldn’t imagine whatshelooked like. “No.” She continued walking at a quick pace.
Aurora grabbed her arm, stopping her. “I have to get back to the castle.”
“The Hungars went that way. They are between us and the castle.”
Aurora glanced toward the castle in horror.
“We’ll have to find some other way.”
“My people...”
“Will have to wait. If those Hungars find you...”
Aurora’s face drained of color. She had seen what they would do.
Justina nodded. “We’ll stay in the forest as long as we can. These are your lands. You know them. Is there somewhere we can go? Somewhere safe?”
Aurora looked at her and there was sadness in her eyes. “The waterfall.”
“There’s fresh water there?” Aurora nodded, and Justina continued, “I worry the Hungars would go there looking for water. Where else?”
Aurora looked down in thought. She opened her mouth and then closed it, scowling. “I thought my entire kingdom was safe. I just...”
Justina grabbed her shoulders. “We don’t have time for doubt. The Hungars are out here. We have to find somewhere safe to hide.”
Aurora shook her head. “I don’t... I just...” Then her eyes lifted to meet Justina’s. “Not far from the castle. There’s a copse of trees surrounded by boulders.”
“Boulders?”
“There are a lot of hiding places tucked in the boulders. The children like to play on them.”
“How is that going to help us?”
