Anna Leigh Keaton Time and Again (pdf)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

She shook her head. "Why are you here?" she whispered,
or perhaps her voice was hoarse from lack of use. "You
should not be here, Titus. You must go. You cannot be
caught "
He stepped up to her and pulled her into his arms,
silencing her by pressing her face into his shoulder. "My love,
why?" A sob ripped from his throat on the last word. He'd
fought so hard for composure these past few days, but now,
with her back in his arms, it was impossible not to let the
feelings surface. The anger and fear and despair.
"Why, Wenda? Why did you do this?"
"What would my life be without you? I am but a woman. If
you were put to death, I would be alone "
"Stop lying to me!" He gripped her shoulders and shook
her. "Why did you do this? Is life so horrible here that you
would rather die?"
"Because I love you. I love you and cannot bear to see you
die." Tears streamed down her dirty cheeks. "You are such a
good man. You and your father. You've helped so many of us
who otherwise would not have lives worth living."
Titus pulled her against his chest again and held her tight
as his own tears burned his eyes. "What about Quint? He
needs his mother."
She shook her head against his shoulder. "He needs you to
teach him. Teach him to be a strong, righteous man."
"I..." He swallowed hard. "I cannot let you do this. I will go
to the court and tell the judge the truth."
She pulled back and looked up into his eyes. There was no
disguising the love she had for him, and his heart bled.
129
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton
"The choice is simple, my love. You and your father, or
me. Without you, I have nothing. Quint and I would have
nothing "
"Without you I am nothing!"
She placed her fingers over his lips. "Listen to me, Titus.
Listen."
He kissed her fingers, cupped her hand, and pressed his
mouth against her palm. Her breath hitched, but she went on.
"If you were to die, I would be trapped here at the mercy of
whoever paid the state the highest amount of money. And
who knows where your son would wind up."
Staring into her midnight blue eyes, he could not bear the
thought of living without her. This woman laid down her life
for his and his father's. "I cannot go on this way. I cannot
keep helping these people. If you die, and I am caught, then
our son is at the mercy of the state. He will be sold." He
shook his head. "What am I to do without you? What about
Father? He...he..." His thoughts scattered. His love, his
Wenda, would be sent to death in the morning. He wanted to
take her away from this place, and perhaps Petrovia would let
him or perhaps not.
"Go north to my homeland. Take my ring and find my
clan." She pulled back enough to be able to twist the ring off
of her finger. "Tell them who you are and who our son is. Tell
them you loved Wenda. They will take you in. They are
family."
He shook his head. "You said you had no family left. That
they were all killed."
130
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton
She licked her lips. "Clan is family. I told you this. The
slave traders killed my mother, father, sons and brothers, but
the clan is still there...I hope." She placed the cheap iron ring
in his palm. "Take this and go north. Find them. Find my clan
and make a new home where people do not own other
people. Fight beside them for what is right. Fight and...and
live."
He cupped her dirt-smudged face in his hands. "Wenda..."
"Go before morning. Just go. I know you have a ship in
dock now. Get on it, take Quint, Father and Domitilla, and
go."
"But tomorrow "
"No! You will not watch me die. You will not. Take our son
and go. Do not come to the cliff, Titus. I beg of you. Do not.
In your heart, keep me safe and remember me as we were
just days ago."
"Titus," Petrovia whispered from outside the cell. "The
guard returns."
Titus pulled Wenda into his arms and kissed her hard. Held
her tight. Poured all his love into this last touch. When he
lifted his head, he kissed the tears from her eyes. "You are
brave, and our son will know this. He will know that you died
for his safety."
"I love you, Titus. I have from the moment you sat in the
moonlight and told me I was safe."
He kissed her again, but it was Petrovia's hand on his
shoulder that made him pull away.
"Leave tonight," she whispered as he backed out of the
door and Petrovia turned the lock. "Leave now. Promise me."
131
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton
"I promise, my love."
As Petrovia led him back through the cells, Titus slipped
Wenda's ring on his smallest finger and closed his hand. His
heart was in tatters, and as much as his conscious told him to
exchange places with her, he knew she was right. What he
hoped and prayed would be a quick death for her would be
better than whatever might happen to her at the hands of the
state.
As Titus walked into the cool evening air, Petrovia said, "I
am sorry, my friend. If there were anything I could do..."
Titus nodded. "I know this, friend." He clasped Petrovia on
the shoulder. "And you have been a good friend."
"Will you do as she requested of you?"
"Yes. We will be gone by morning."
"I believe it is for the best. After this..." He waved his hand
toward the prison. "...I am unsure if you could continue on
your quest as you have. There have been too many close
calls, and now you will be watched, your ships searched
often."
Titus nodded, extended his hand. Petrovia clasped his
forearm in a sign of friendship.
"Be well, Titus."
"And you." Titus walked toward home, his eyes burning
from tears he refused to shed, his chest aching from the cry
of anguish he withheld. There would be time to mourn later.
By morning they would be on the ship sailing north. Rutilius
would know where to take them. He prayed that Wenda's clan
still existed, because if they didn't, he was not sure how the
132
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton
four of them would survive in a strange land where their
people were hated.
He was glad, now, that he and his father had learned to
speak Wenda's tongue. It might be the only thing to save
them in the end. That, and the son of one of their own.
[Back to Table of Contents]
133
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton
Chapter Ten
Present day...
Teri's head jerked up at the sound of the pressure seal
being broken on the room. Her heart thundered in her chest.
Tears wet her cheeks. When Camden stepped through the
door, what she saw scared the living hell out of her. Not the
man who had hired her, not even the Scot laird she'd thought
him to be. No, she saw Titus. Her Titus. The man she'd died
in order to save.
She stumbled when she tried to stand, her legs numb from
hours of sitting on the stool. Her heart thumped so hard she
thought it'd break a rib. Her brain was fried. Totally,
unbelievably, screwed. Her back thumped against the wall
when she stumbled away from Camden as he came toward
her. She held out her hand to warn him off.
"Please. Just...stay there."
Camden frowned. "Lassie, what's wrong?"
Her hand shook as she held it out, so she curled her
fingers into a fist and lowered it to her side. Drawing in
several slow breaths, she tried to compose herself and bring
her brain back under control so she could think logically. She
lifted her chin, pushed her glasses up her nose, and was very
proud of herself when her voice came out strong and steady
as she said, "Excuse me, Camden, but I need to freshen up."
And then, without bothering to wait for him to say something
because she so desperately needed to be away from him, she
sidled past him and out the door. Keeping her tread steady,
134
Time and Again
by Anna Leigh Keaton [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

pobieranie @ do ÂściÂągnięcia @ ebook @ download @ pdf