80AD - The Hammer of Thor (Book 2) by Aiki Flinthart
CHAPTER NINE
At the sound of male voices outside their prison, Jade drew Brynn and Truda close. She pushed them behind her and faced the door boldly, trying to hide a shiver of fear. The rough timber door flew open and a tall warrior stepped through, sword drawn. He glanced at Jade then nodded to someone and moved aside. Jade shoved her charges back against the timber wall and glared at him but the warrior ignored her.
A man stumbled through the door and sprawled on the dirt floor. Jade squinted against the light, trying to see. Two more warriors strode in, bearing a limp body between them. They dumped it unceremoniously on the floor and left, closing the door. Outside, there was a short conversation, laughter then silence.
Inside the hut the gloom was broken only by thin streams of dusty sunlight sneaking through cracks in the door and thatched roof. A sunbeam fell onto the face of one of the young men lying prone on the floor.
“Phoenix!” Jade dashed across the room and almost fell onto her unconscious companion’s chest. Tears of relief started in her eyes as she felt his heart beating strongly beneath her hands. He was alive! She turned to the other prisoner. “Marcus? Is that you too?”
“Yes.” The Roman replied, clambering to his feet to move stiffly to her side.
Jade threw her arms about his strong shoulders and hugged him ruthlessly. He stayed still for a second then returned the embrace briefly before letting her go.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” She sniffed, wiping her wet cheeks.
Brynn and Truda ran up, delighted smiles on their faces. Brynn clouted Marcus on the arm with rough affection before crouching beside Phoenix. Truda smiled happily on all of them as though she had somehow arranged their reunion.
“What’s wrong with him?” Brynn asked Marcus.
“We spent all night leading the troll away from you,” the Roman boy replied. “He’s exhausted.” Fatigue roughened his voice.
“Any injuries?” Jade asked professionally. There was undoubtedly more to the tale but Marcus wasn’t one to brag and she wasn’t going to push him. Phoenix would tell them all the details when he awoke.
Marcus shook his head. “A few cuts and bruises on me. Phoenix did most of the work and took the worst hits. He was limping and I think he’s hurt his ribs.”
“Well, I’d better check while he’s unconscious then.” Jade nodded at an earthenware jug in the corner of the room. “Brynn, bring Marcus some of that water and food the villagers gave us. Truda, get some blankets for Phoenix.”
Jade worked on Phoenix’s injuries, trying to clear her mind but it was difficult. Phoenix was injured and exhausted because she had been reckless and scared and had done something truly stupid. If she hadn’t been so jittery and brainless, she would have at least looked before eating those lily petals. She knew exactly what they did. If she’d just glanced at the flower before stuffing it in her mouth she wouldn’t have eaten it at all.
Was that true, though? After all, she did know that waterlilies contained a sedative and she had been overwhelmingly frightened. Would she really have refused if she’d seen what Truda offered? Would she have had the strength to say ‘no’ when she was desperate to dull the crushing fear? It was awful to admit but she may not have: she might have let fear overcome her judgment. She might have eaten them anyway.
Shivering with self-loathing, Jade wrapped her arms around herself and stared at her tired companions.
Now they were prisoners because of her, too. This morning she’d awoken with a sick headache and guilt weighing heavily on her conscience. She’d allowed Brynn to talk her into following Phoenix’s last instructions to find the village - and regretted it as soon as they’d walked into the hamlet of scattered thatched huts. A dozen warriors had captured them, taken away all their gear and put them in this hut.
They hadn’t even had a chance to explain anything. Truda had tried to speak to them but the burly men had just laughed at the young girl’s efforts. When Truda had stomped her little feet and imperiously told them she was Thor’s daughter, they’d just laughed harder than ever.
It had taken Jade ten full minutes to calm Truda down after that.
She shook herself, focussing on using her powers to heal the worst of Phoenix’s hurts. Without her herb bag she couldn’t cure him totally, but he would mend with a little time. Two fractured ribs; one badly sprained ankle and a broken little finger. It could have been worse but she still felt awful. When it was done, she sat back, drained.
Marcus lay beside Phoenix, soundly asleep on a thin blanket. His eyes were ringed with purple-black circles, his face and hands filthy with soot. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his smoke-scented, grubby furs.
Jade stared at the two for a long moment then sighed. She turned to the youngsters and gestured them closer.
“You two didn’t sleep much either, I know.” She smiled as Truda tried to cover a yawn. “Why don’t you get some rest now? I’ve slept enough. I’ll keep watch.”
Truda nodded amicably and curled up with her back against Phoenix. Her eyes drifted closed and she was asleep in seconds. Brynn reached out and squeezed Jade’s fingers.
“It’s not your fault,” he whispered.
Jade pressed his thin hand gratefully. She didn’t trust herself to say anything. It was and she knew it. It had been pure luck that nothing awful had happened to anyone while she was under the influence of the lily; luck and Phoenix and Marcus’ skills. Next time, she mightn’t be so fortunate. Well, there wouldn’t be a next time. She would never, ever do anything as dumb as that again.
At the sound of male voices outside their prison, Jade drew Brynn and Truda close. She pushed them behind her and faced the door boldly, trying to hide a shiver of fear. The rough timber door flew open and a tall warrior stepped through, sword drawn. He glanced at Jade then nodded to someone and moved aside. Jade shoved her charges back against the timber wall and glared at him but the warrior ignored her.
A man stumbled through the door and sprawled on the dirt floor. Jade squinted against the light, trying to see. Two more warriors strode in, bearing a limp body between them. They dumped it unceremoniously on the floor and left, closing the door. Outside, there was a short conversation, laughter then silence.
Inside the hut the gloom was broken only by thin streams of dusty sunlight sneaking through cracks in the door and thatched roof. A sunbeam fell onto the face of one of the young men lying prone on the floor.
“Phoenix!” Jade dashed across the room and almost fell onto her unconscious companion’s chest. Tears of relief started in her eyes as she felt his heart beating strongly beneath her hands. He was alive! She turned to the other prisoner. “Marcus? Is that you too?”
“Yes.” The Roman replied, clambering to his feet to move stiffly to her side.
Jade threw her arms about his strong shoulders and hugged him ruthlessly. He stayed still for a second then returned the embrace briefly before letting her go.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” She sniffed, wiping her wet cheeks.
Brynn and Truda ran up, delighted smiles on their faces. Brynn clouted Marcus on the arm with rough affection before crouching beside Phoenix. Truda smiled happily on all of them as though she had somehow arranged their reunion.
“What’s wrong with him?” Brynn asked Marcus.
“We spent all night leading the troll away from you,” the Roman boy replied. “He’s exhausted.” Fatigue roughened his voice.
“Any injuries?” Jade asked professionally. There was undoubtedly more to the tale but Marcus wasn’t one to brag and she wasn’t going to push him. Phoenix would tell them all the details when he awoke.
Marcus shook his head. “A few cuts and bruises on me. Phoenix did most of the work and took the worst hits. He was limping and I think he’s hurt his ribs.”
“Well, I’d better check while he’s unconscious then.” Jade nodded at an earthenware jug in the corner of the room. “Brynn, bring Marcus some of that water and food the villagers gave us. Truda, get some blankets for Phoenix.”
Jade worked on Phoenix’s injuries, trying to clear her mind but it was difficult. Phoenix was injured and exhausted because she had been reckless and scared and had done something truly stupid. If she hadn’t been so jittery and brainless, she would have at least looked before eating those lily petals. She knew exactly what they did. If she’d just glanced at the flower before stuffing it in her mouth she wouldn’t have eaten it at all.
Was that true, though? After all, she did know that waterlilies contained a sedative and she had been overwhelmingly frightened. Would she really have refused if she’d seen what Truda offered? Would she have had the strength to say ‘no’ when she was desperate to dull the crushing fear? It was awful to admit but she may not have: she might have let fear overcome her judgment. She might have eaten them anyway.
Shivering with self-loathing, Jade wrapped her arms around herself and stared at her tired companions.
Now they were prisoners because of her, too. This morning she’d awoken with a sick headache and guilt weighing heavily on her conscience. She’d allowed Brynn to talk her into following Phoenix’s last instructions to find the village - and regretted it as soon as they’d walked into the hamlet of scattered thatched huts. A dozen warriors had captured them, taken away all their gear and put them in this hut.
They hadn’t even had a chance to explain anything. Truda had tried to speak to them but the burly men had just laughed at the young girl’s efforts. When Truda had stomped her little feet and imperiously told them she was Thor’s daughter, they’d just laughed harder than ever.
It had taken Jade ten full minutes to calm Truda down after that.
She shook herself, focussing on using her powers to heal the worst of Phoenix’s hurts. Without her herb bag she couldn’t cure him totally, but he would mend with a little time. Two fractured ribs; one badly sprained ankle and a broken little finger. It could have been worse but she still felt awful. When it was done, she sat back, drained.
Marcus lay beside Phoenix, soundly asleep on a thin blanket. His eyes were ringed with purple-black circles, his face and hands filthy with soot. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his smoke-scented, grubby furs.
Jade stared at the two for a long moment then sighed. She turned to the youngsters and gestured them closer.
“You two didn’t sleep much either, I know.” She smiled as Truda tried to cover a yawn. “Why don’t you get some rest now? I’ve slept enough. I’ll keep watch.”
Truda nodded amicably and curled up with her back against Phoenix. Her eyes drifted closed and she was asleep in seconds. Brynn reached out and squeezed Jade’s fingers.
“It’s not your fault,” he whispered.
Jade pressed his thin hand gratefully. She didn’t trust herself to say anything. It was and she knew it. It had been pure luck that nothing awful had happened to anyone while she was under the influence of the lily; luck and Phoenix and Marcus’ skills. Next time, she mightn’t be so fortunate. Well, there wouldn’t be a next time. She would never, ever do anything as dumb as that again.