The Watched: A Foot In Two Worlds

This is chapter 20 of The Watched: A Foot In Two Worlds. Find all the chapters published so far here. Download the entire novel from a major retailer here.

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Barric fell backwards. Aralyn fled the furs and cowered in the corner. She sat on her heels, knees pulled up to her chest. Her shift rent from top to bottom and her skin already bruising. Not his dohter. Not the cild he’d prayed for.

Barric got to his feet and gathered Lynna in his arms. “Hush, it’s fine now. Aralyn is safe. You did well.”

“She was screaming, but you wouldn’t come.” Lynna sobbed against Barric’s shoulder.

He held her face in his hands. “You saved her.”

“No, the man with the sword saved her.”

How much more could Lynna see that he could not? It was not fair to give the burden of such a gift to a child. “What man?”

“He said his name was Onur. He was big, bigger than you. His sword had a light inside it.”

A Slegna. Barric sagged with relief and hugged Lynna again. His prayers were heard. “You did well. Run and fetch Nara for me.”

The child hesitated, but Barric pointed toward the door. “Go. I need Nara. Tell her to bring some light and the clothes she offered me.”

Edric stood behind him. Aralyn gathered the torn edges of her shift together and turned away. She rubbed her arms and legs as though she scrubbed dirt from her skin.

Barric stood. “Out. Everyone out.” A small crowd had gathered behind him in the doorway. It was clear what had happened, that Feer had infiltrated their camp and violated Aralyn.

“This is not done,” Edric said. “We were right here. How did this happen?”

Barric stared at his friend and saw the horror likely evident on his own face. He refused to think of the possible consequences of this night. The devil warriors spawned by forcing themselves on women, but it had not been allowed in a very long time. It was nearly myth even among the King’s people.

Nara appeared and lit the small brazier near the door. Light danced on the walls inside the tree. She forced everyone else back, including Edric, and stood at the entrance facing out to give them some privacy. “Cilix sits with Lynna. She is safe,” Nara said over her shoulder.

Barric focused on Aralyn and on helping her heal. He lifted Lynna’s favourite blanket from the bed and draped it around Aralyn’s shoulders. “It’s all right, cild. You’re safe now.”

She turned her face into Barric’s chest. He held her close though he had no words. What could he say to erase the humiliation and disgrace this had brought her? Words were poor comfort in times like this.

Instead, a lullaby his mother favoured came to mind. He hummed the tune and sung a line here and there.

Barric glanced at the bed where Aralyn had lain. There was no blood on the sheets. How did it work? Was it possible she’d been violated physically or had it been only in her mind? He didn’t know.

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