Freedom's Horizon (WLW) (Full Trilogy - Ongoing/Editing)

Book One: Part Two: Chapter Twenty-Six

August 1106, San Vito Lo Capo Beach, Sicily, Italy

Talia stumbled as she and Isidora made it to the water. She tasted blood along her lips and felt her strength quickly dwindling. They fell to the earth and she felt Isidora's hands shaking her to attention. Suddenly, her hands disappeared and she was yelling at someone, but Talia couldn't discern the origin of her ire. Her eyes and mind had grown so hazy. After blinking a handful of times, she squinted past the murk that still muddled her view. She watched as Isidora held the amulet up like she was having her yelling match with it. Tears formed in her eyes, then she grew silent and gazed out at the ocean with understanding coating her features.

Turning her gaze back down to Talia, Isidora placed her hand on her chest. "I will save you, Talia. No matter what, I will save you." She took the necklace off. Isidora held it against the water, but kept her other hand along Talia's chest. Hesitantly moving her hand to the large gash along her neck, Isidora grasped it tightly. Pain surged throughout her neck and chest.

"I know it is agony, but bear the pain. Reponere carnes!" She called, repeating it in quick succession several times as the wind around them whipped more fiercely. The water sloshed against Talia's side. The water was even rising! She turned her bulging eyes back toward Isidora as she heard her scream over the whipping winds, "Ligare!"

Soon enough, she was submerged and felt heat at her throat. Isidora released her as a bright light shone around them. It cut off all sight of anything else as voices could be heard carrying toward them in the distance. As the light dimmed, a new surge of energy hit Talia's chest. She leapt to her feet and shuddered under the weight of her newfound strength's encompassing force. She watched as the water trickled off of her. It illuminated with little bits of what appeared like starlight along its trickle and slunk back with the morning tide.

Feeling along her neck, Talia found no trace of the wounds as she heard Isidora yelling in anger. She spun around to find her being subdued by more sentries and leapt into action. Before she could get any closer, however, she was hit over the head. Talia slammed against the sand beneath herself. She grunted as she fought against her captors and turned over. The moment she did, she caught the astonished gazes from the men surrounding her. They pulled back her hair and ran their eyes and hands along her neck as if in awe.

"Do you see the power they possess? They are demons!" Talia heard someone say from Isidora's direction. She watched helplessly as she was yanked to her feet by her hair. The magistrate pulled her in toward himself with a face full of disgust. "And this is the bitch to blame. They will bring nothing but peril into our land and must be purged, their filth made pure by our Gods' grace if they so choose. I doubt they will come to the aid of those who consort with demons."

Talia wriggled about, fighting to break free from the soldiers above them as her uncle made his way to her. He gruffly hoisted her from the ground. "How dare you go against those to whom we are indebted. You disappoint me niece and you will pay for your traitorous acts. I will not and cannot save you now. Goodbye."

* * *

"We were tortured, berated to denounce our false idols, hung and eviscerated by evening time. Then we were left on display outside the city gates. I am not sure how, but the demon within the amulet was released upon Taria's death, but only for a very short while. It did not carry the strength to do more than revive me with water and explain my life force was now tied to it as if it were a constant tether. Then, it disappeared within the amulet once more, unable to sustain itself any longer and completely debilitated of all the power Isidora had given it over their centuries long journey. In truth, I never needed the herbs and they only enhanced what I'd already been gifted the day of my first death." Esme continued and Aimee stared at her in disbelief. "You think I'm lying to you?"