Mercy stared at Abbey in disbelief. “What could I have done?”
“Kill him,” she snarled. “You promised. You promised me.”
Shocked, Mercy opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
“Get away from me,” she snarled.
“Abbey –” Mercy reached out to her.
“Go home.”
Mercy stood numbly as Abbey stumbled past her. Her hands were still outstretched for her friend. Abbey was just upset, as she should be. But Mercy couldn’t stop feeling guilty.
She turned and locked eyes with Eoos! He stood in the shadows just beside the baker’s house with his horse. Frightened he would be discovered, she made her way to his side.
His stoic gaze was leveled down the street, on the path the bishop had taken. His jaw was clenched. “This shouldn’t be allowed.”
Sympathy and resolution washed over her. She took his arm and leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked back to the cottage, leading his horse.
“What does he do with the children?”
Mercy shook her head and shrugged. “No one knows. They are never seen again.”
“Has anyone spoken to the bishop?”
“And said what?” She shook her head. “No. Everyone is afraid of him. He says this is punishment for our sins.”
“What do you think?”
“I think I will do anything to save Kit. I won’t let him go.”
His gaze swept her. “How long has the bishop been taking the boys?”
She looked away at the rising moon, thinking back to the first time she arrived in Goodmont. “Since I married Dean. When I came into the town, it was already happening. I remember the first boy I saw the bishop take. I remember the mother was numb, almost as though she were drunk. She just let the bishop take her son. Her husband held her tightly in his embrace. The child was a beautiful boy with blonde hair and blue eyes, bright and always with a smile.” She looked down. “I can’t blame her really. She had other children. She couldn’t deny the bishop.”
“And the fathers? They don’t fight? They don’t protest?”
“Against the bishop? Against one of the church?” She half laughed. “No. They wouldn’t dare. They’ve convinced themselves that the bishop needs the boys.”
“Needs children?”
“Perhaps they are servants working for the church. Perhaps they…” But she couldn’t think of anything a five-summers-old child could do that a grown man couldn’t do better.
Silence spread for a moment until Eoos uttered the words, “Kit will be five soon.”
Despair swept through Mercy and she felt a weight in her chest. She could only nod.
“What will you do?”
“I will find a strong knight to stop him,” she whispered and lifted her gaze to lock with his. “I will ask him to help us. To save my son.”
