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A shape flies out of the dark, barrels into h my skull as red blotches my vision Blood fills my mouth I turn to spit, to breath, but hands wrap aroundthe life from me
My mouth opens and closes, as if the s Blackness narrows le point of focus; my attacker’s delicate face and chin, his wild, not-quite-Joyan eyes Franco
Sos so fast I al, ers
"Mula!" Mara screa beneath hi ets there first One hand on the back of Franco’s head, one on his chin, and snap! Franco topples over
Mula lies on the ground, uners thunk into the dirt beside es Soles in her unnaturally concave chest
No No no no no no
Rosario said so a little of Mula, but ht now, I place my hands on Mula’s crushed chest "For my love is like perfume poured out," I say, and I send all the power of the earth into her
Her tiny body arches beneathtoo much into her? But I can’t seem to stop
When I’m as dry as deep desert, I collapse on top of her
16
I wake to the warmth of sunshine and the scent of rabbit stew I’ a cheery fire Mara’s iron cook pot steams beside it
"Elisa?" Hector’s worried voice
I sit up, rubbingbeside ers are splinted and wrapped in linen strips "She’ll be fine Franco kicked her ribs in But you’d never know" His voice holds a touch of wonder
"And Storm?"
"He appeared soon after Franco I think he’s upset with et to my feet My muscles burn, andfingers I stretchup, surprised and grateful to have co injury
Hector jumps to his feet when I do, fro when one’s queen stands, but I hate that there is any formality between us I reach out to take his hand, but he flinches away, and I drop my arm Hurt wells up into appear nonchalant It’s a s Was it Hector who carried aze has not leftMara found a stand of blackberries; Mula is with her Stor only that he’d be back Everyone deals with the aftermath of battle in their oay"
Hector’s left eye is purple and still nearly swollen shut His hair is wild andtorn, his nails cracked and crusted with black dirt I ache to wrap my arms around hi better to say
"I’ll be fine in a day or two" Then he adds, "Thank you for co for me"
His words are kind, but his tone is bland and his expression rigid He is near enough that I could reach out and grab his shoulders, but I have no idea how to close the vast distance between us
He was angry with htly so I deceived and dishonored his
"We’re betrothed," I blurt, at the same moment he says, "There is another bearer"
"What?" we both say
He runs a hand over his ers, the curve of his thurime
"I would never hold you to it," I say in a rush "It would build up support in the south I’ the announcement has stalled Eduardo’s efforts But I won’the was sitting on is a giant fallen tree trunk that stretches across the edge of the clearing, half buried in sod and wind trash One end is jagged and black fro Hector plunks back down onto it and sluer be borne
I sit beside hih I want to, ers as one born to it And your odlike You’re--you’re one of them now"
I’m not sure why his words cut so deep, but they do "No," I whisper "Not like one of them I’m much s, right?"
He turns to peer at ood eye narrowed
"The truth, Hector, is that it scares hts me"
His beard twitches, and he alers aside," I say, "you should also know that I found hwayht "
And then he does se it hurts "I hope you broke his foot," he says
"I’m certain of it" And because I have no patience for disse bad is better than not knowing at all, I say, "So, about our betrothal--"
"That was a very ro is better than a flat-out rejection "I should have thought to bring flowers on this wretched journey And a minstrel to compose an ode to your virility"
He turns away, and I stare at his profile, recognizing the fiercehard Just when I’ve decided I can bear the silence no longer, he reaches out and grabs my hand "Do you wantpiece?"