The Silvereye Chronicles: The Lightshield

Chapter 25:

Waking up with a throbbing headache, Elsa didn't feel strong enough to open her eyes yet. Slowly, as she became more cognizant of other people near her, she heard the low murmur of voices. One was a woman's, the other, a heavily accented voice of a man. Listening carefully, she realized they were talking about her. "Do ye think she'll be alright?"

"Perhaps. Or perhaps not. That was a mighty blow she took. Her mind might have been addled by such a blow. I hope not, at any rate. If what you're saying about her is true, she was traveling with the prince. Maybe she has word on his whereabouts."

Elsa groaned unintentionally at the mention of Daren. The events of the previous day came rushing back to her, and she felt too weak to hold back the flow of tears. Instantly, the man was speaking to her. "Silvereye! Be ye alright? Come now, answer me, love. What happened to ye?"

She forced herself to open her eyes and saw a pair of clear eyes looking back at her in return. The face they belonged to was familiar, scruffy, and admittedly, good-looking. "Gerald Hunt?" she said, her voice a little choked from her tears.

The mercenary smiled, showing off his missing tooth. "Aye, love. Glad ye recognized me. Are ye alright?"

Elsa thought it was rather obvious that she wasn't alright, but she didn't say that. "What happened?" she asked, trying to sit up. Waves of pain and nausea threatened her and convinced her to remain where she. "How did I end up here?"

"A demon attacked you from behind," the unfamiliar woman said. "Knocked you unconscious and probably gave you a nasty concussion as well. Sir Juliette, knight of Vordelle, at your service, Lady Silvereye."

Elsa stared at her. "You were my father's last squire," she said.

Juliette nodded grimly. "No burden lays greater on my mind then the death of your parents, Lady Silvereye. Your father left me with a final wish; that I protect you and your sister."

Elsa bit her lip. "Well, you failed."

Juliette and Gerald exchanged shocked looks. "Failed?" Gerald repeated.

Still holding back tears, Elsa told them everything. She had nothing left to hide; there was little point. She explained it all, right from when Elaine had been kidnapped by Brody to Cora's confession of planning Apollo's death. By the time she had finished, Juliette looked grim, while Gerald looked confused. "That don't make sense—" he began, but Juliette spoke over him, paying him little mind.

"I'm sorry, Lady Silvereye. I had no idea. But you're ... you're sure Prince Daren is dead?"

Elsa nodded. "I saw him get shot myself. And the arrows ... had blood on them."

Juliette stared at her feet. "Then I have failed in two ways. To protect your sister, and to protect my prince."

"Hold on," Gerald said.

Elsa shrugged, ignoring Gerald. "I was the one who was supposed to protect Elaine, not some random knight I haven't seen in ten years. Maybe Daren's death is on your conscience, though how it could be, since you weren't even with us, I don't know. What I do know is that you were in no way responsible for myself or Elaine."

"That's kind of you to say, Lady Silvereye, but I swore an oath to Sir Joseph and failed to keep it," Juliette replied. "The fault lays on my shoulders."

"Would the two of ye just listen to me?" Gerald yelled.

The two girls turned to him, Juliette frowning. "What, you don't like us directing our attention on something other than you?" she snapped.