Return to Me - By Morgan O'Neill Page 0,59

lamentations, there was a chill silence in the room. “Where is everyone?” Magnus demanded.

“Gone,” Leontius sadly replied.

Placidia began to wail. Stunned, Magnus fought for control. “What do you mean?” he shouted. “Be clear, Leontius. Where have they gone, and where is Gigi?”

“She is alive,” he replied, his voice low and for Magnus’s ears alone. “Vana is alive as well. The queen has assured me that when last she saw them, they were unharmed — all of them, and that you would understand the import of this message.”

Leontius held Magnus’s gaze in a hard stare, and Magnus released the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. He nodded.

Leontius nodded back. “No one else must ever know.”

“Agreed.”

Magnus unbolted the door and looked at Wallia. “They were murdered,” he said, letting all of his emotions pour into the lie. “All of the children were murdered.”

The soldiers standing behind Wallia bellowed in protest.

“Luifs Guth!” Wallia swore. “Who would do such an evil thing?”

Without waiting for an answer, Wallia, looking grim, motioned his men inside.

Magnus went to Placidia and knelt before her. He bowed his head. Leontius’s news was beyond his greatest hope, but grief still hung heavy. “My queen, dearest Placidia, I … ” Words failed him. He cleared his throat, struggling for control.

Placidia looked at him. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes swollen and red with sorrow. He glanced at Elpidia. The woman glared back. No overt signs of grief. He wondered if she knew, also.

The queen raised her arms and Magnus gently lifted her to her feet. He held her, rocking her, caressing her hair. He had known her since she was a child, had spent a lifetime protecting her, shielding her, and yet, in her greatest moment of need, he had been absent. He had failed. Her husband was dead.

I failed.

Tears filled Magnus’s eyes as he continued rocking her back and forth, speaking softly, trying in vain to staunch the pain that would never heal. “My little princess,” he murmured. “My dear little princess.”

Wallia and his men suddenly moved into a defensive formation, and Magnus was aware of footsteps fast approaching, the sounds coming from the direction of the bishop’s private rooms. Putting Placidia behind him, he drew his sword.

The door swung open and Gigi burst in.

Upon seeing Magnus, she halted and locked her gaze with his. Pale and stricken as she was, ragged with fatigue and grief, Magnus caught the gleam of triumph in her eyes, and he knew, he knew, the children were out of harm’s way.

“Go, Magnus,” Placidia said. “Go to your wife. Elpidia will see to my needs.”

He kissed the queen’s brow and turned, but before he could move a step further, Gigi rushed into his embrace.

• • •

Gigi held Magnus, breathing in his scent, feeling his warmth. He was alive!

His arms tightened around her.

“My sweet,” he whispered into her hair. His voice was filled with relief, and such sadness.

She drew back and kissed his lips, wanting to convey all the love she felt for him. She realized he would not soon forgive himself for Athaulf’s death, even though he had already admitted that altering the major events of history was probably beyond their capabilities.

“We could not change the path of history,” she quietly said. “But we succeeded, too. Don’t forget why we came here in the first place.”

“Where are they?” he asked her in English.

Gigi shook her head. “I can’t tell you,” she answered in English. “In the off chance Sergeric captures us, torture cannot bring out what you don’t know. It’s little enough, but I’ll protect the kids any way I can.”

His eyes softened slightly, and he nodded approval. “They deserve no less a warrior fighting on their behalf. I’m proud of you.” He looked away for a moment, then grimly added, “You must know something. I was delayed reaching Athaulf. I was ambushed by a Roman soldier named Titus Africanus, the one from Vada Sabatia. We fought and I prevailed. He’s surely dead by now, but his mission was to capture both of us, I’m sure, and take us back to Honorius.”

Gigi was stunned. Honorius! Even now, even here! Would they never be rid of that bastard? Enraged, she swallowed her fear. She couldn’t worry about that now.

“Okay, okay,” she said. “I need to talk to the bishop before we go.”

She turned to Bishop Sigesar and switched back to Latin. “Sergeric is behind this. You need to make it very clear to the people of Barcino, and all the Visigoths, that he has