By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,59
you are ready to throw your old allegiance out the window? This is no small thing. You could die tomorrow.”
“Malinor was never a home to me. I will gladly die for a nation that would take me in, despite the fact that I am its mortal enemy’s daughter.”
“I’m not questioning that,” said Tanel.
“Then what is the problem?”
“Are you really ready to die – for any cause?”
“Yes. I may be seventeen and a girl besides, but I have more courage than people realize.”
“Have you ever heard about the Savior – Jesus?”
She shook her head, not knowing where the conversation was going or what it had to do with her fighting against Malinor.
Tanel walked over to a wooden chest and opened it. He grabbed a scroll, holding it as though it were the most precious thing in the world.
Tanel sat down on a log and then motioned for her to sit beside him.
She tried not to notice how the flames from the fire danced off of his handsome, kind face. Tanel stared at her intently and she couldn’t look away.
“So, who is this Jesus person you speak of?”
Tanel smiled.
“Let me tell you about Him.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jalarn ran down the hall that led to his wing of the castle. It was unnerving that the Scripture intrigued him even more than magic did.
He stopped when Ittonifer and two soldiers came around the corner. He put the scroll inside a crevice of his armor.
“Jalarn,” said Ittonifer.
“We haven’t been fortunate to cross paths today, my lord.”
“Indeed. I paid a little visit to the wench you’ve been keeping.”
A knot formed in Jalarn’s stomach. How dare Ittonifer enter into his wing and meddle with his prisoner? Aterun had clearly told Ittonifer about her.
Why haven't I killed him yet?
“The prince has revealed to me that she will be a valuable asset to this empire,” said Jalarn.
“I had been notified of that long before you ever were,” said Ittonifer. “I used some, shall we say, forceful persuasion, but she has still refused to join us. That girl is too headstrong.”
Jalarn did not want to think about what his uncle could have done to Talya. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay in control.
“I will persuade her,” Jalarn insisted. “She saved my life.”
“What you must do is lead my army. You weren’t promoted to be my left-hand man so that you could waste precious time on someone that delusional.”
Jalarn bristled at the comment.
“The Sanctus army will arrive soon,” said Ittonifer.
“I will meet you in the field shortly. You have my word,” said Jalarn.
“She has to die, Jalarn.”
“No. I will speak with her. She will listen to me if—”
Ittonifer took a step toward Jalarn.
“Who do you think you are?”
Jalarn decided then that it would be better to keep his mouth shut.
“That wench has refused, after various tortures, to submit to the prince. She has had her chance, Jalarn. The prince does not want us to waste time on a rebel. You know that. Now, be quick and meet me outside.”
Jalarn bounded down the hall toward the prison. He didn’t have any time to spare now. As he obtained the keys from the prison guard, opened the prison’s creaking door, and stood before the small, barred room, he realized that it was not his curiosity about the verse that drove his urgency.
Inside, Talya lay motionless on the cold floor.
He swallowed, surprised at the range of feelings he was experiencing for the first time since his mother died.
“Talya?”
She groaned and turned her head wearily to face him. Her one eye was blackened. Blood dripped from her nose. She struggled to get up, but she winced when she put weight on her left arm.
She collapsed back to the floor and lay still.
Then he saw it. An angry red X marked Talya’s slender upper arm. It would be there for the rest of her life.
Anger surged through his veins. Ittonifer had been foolish to try and gain her allegiance through torture. Talya would never want to side with them now.
His uncle had lost his mind.
Talya’s body ached so much that she could barely move. She thought that she had seen Jalarn for a moment, but it had to be her mind playing tricks on her. The reality was that she was alone.
Alone until I die and I get to be in Jesus’ arms.
After branding her, Ittonifer had ordered the soldiers to repeatedly punch and kick her. Talya was grateful that no one she loved could see her like this. She was now a pathetic mess left