By the Sword (24 page)

They are dogs.
Every single one of them.

Chrissa clenched her jaw. For the first time in her life, she was free. She relaxed when she reminded herself that she was safe with the people of Sanctus – safe to be herself.

A sword near the tent glistened in the moonlight, catching her attention. She walked over to it, admiring the well-crafted metal handle.

“It’s the general’s,” said Tanel as he came to her side. “I have full confidence that he will be using it in battle tomorrow.”

“I still can’t believe that the Malinorian soldier would come all this way to challenge Edandir. He must have known him well.”

“It was a guard, actually.”

Chrissa gasped.

“Naeshi!” she cried.

“I was not going to tell you. I didn’t want you to be upset. He wanted to get you back, but that is not going to happen.”

Chrissa studied the sword again.

“You’re right. It won’t.”

It angered Chrissa that Naeshi had nearly killed General Edandir. He probably would never rest until he found her.

“I promise you that I won’t let that brute take you back there. You are no one’s property.”

Chrissa smiled at his genuine, youthful passion for her
well-being
. Besides Jalarn, she had never associated with anyone close to her age back home. There had always been a patronizing man nearby that made her feel insignificant or worthless.

An idea formed in her mind, and she looked hopefully at Tanel.

“Do you think the general would let me fight with you tomorrow?”

Tanel’s eyebrows arched in surprise.

“I am well-learned in sword fighting. Ittonifer wanted me to know how, in case the castle was ever attacked and there was no one there to defend me. Or maybe he just did it to pass the time. I don’t know.”

Why he cared enough to show her how to defend herself, Chrissa never knew.

“I don’t know about this,” said Tanel.

Chrissa crossed her arms.

“You must see my skill in action before passing judgment!”

“I trust your capabilities fully, Chrissa, but are you sure you are ready to throw your old allegiance out the window? This is no small thing. You could die tomorrow.”

“Malinor was never a home to me. I will gladly die for a nation that would take me in, despite the fact that I am its mortal enemy’s daughter.”

“I’m not questioning that,” said Tanel.

“Then what is the problem?”

“Are you really ready to die – for any cause?”

“Yes. I may be seventeen and a girl besides, but I have more courage than people realize.”

“Have you ever heard about the Savior – Jesus?”

She shook her head, not knowing where the conversation was going or what it had to do with her fighting against Malinor.

Tanel walked over to a wooden chest and opened it. He grabbed a scroll, holding it as though it were the most precious thing in the world.

Tanel sat down on a log and then motioned for her to sit beside him.

She tried not to notice how the flames from the fire danced off of his handsome, kind face. Tanel stared at her intently and she couldn’t look away.

“So, who is this Jesus person you speak of?”

Tanel smiled.

“Let me tell you about Him.”

Chapter Fifteen

Jalarn ran down the hall that led to his wing of the castle. It was unnerving that the Scripture intrigued him even more than magic did.

He stopped when Ittonifer and two soldiers came around the corner. He put the scroll inside a crevice of his armor.

“Jalarn,” said Ittonifer.

“We haven’t been fortunate to cross paths today, my lord.”

“Indeed. I paid a little visit to the wench you’ve been keeping.”

A knot formed in Jalarn’s stomach. How dare Ittonifer enter into his wing and meddle with his prisoner? Aterun had clearly told Ittonifer about her.

Why haven't I killed him yet?

“The prince has revealed to me that she will be a valuable asset to this empire,” said Jalarn.

“I had been notified of that long before you ever were,” said Ittonifer. “I used some, shall we say, forceful persuasion, but she has still refused to join us. That girl is too headstrong.”

Jalarn did not want to think about what his uncle could have done to Talya. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay in control.

“I will persuade her,” Jalarn insisted. “She saved my life.”

“What you
must
do is lead my army. You weren’t promoted to be my left-hand man so that you could waste precious time on someone that delusional.”

Jalarn bristled at the comment.

“The Sanctus army will arrive soon,” said Ittonifer.

“I will meet you in the field shortly. You have my word,” said Jalarn.

“She has to die, Jalarn.”

“No. I will speak with her. She will listen to me if—”

Ittonifer took a step toward Jalarn.

“Who do you think you are?”

Jalarn decided then that it would be better to keep his mouth shut.

“That wench has refused, after various tortures, to submit to the prince. She has had her chance, Jalarn. The prince does not want us to waste time on a rebel. You know that. Now, be quick and meet me outside.”

Jalarn bounded down the hall toward the prison. He didn’t have any time to spare now. As he obtained the keys from the prison guard, opened the prison’s creaking door, and stood before the small, barred room, he realized that it was not his curiosity about the verse that drove his urgency.

Inside, Talya lay motionless on the cold floor.

He
swallowed,
surprised at the range of feelings he was experiencing for the first time since his mother died.

“Talya?”

She groaned and turned her head wearily to face him. Her one eye was blackened. Blood dripped from her nose. She struggled to get up, but she winced when she put weight on her left arm.

She collapsed back to the floor and lay still.

Then he saw it. An angry red X marked Talya’s slender upper arm. It would be there for the rest of her life.

Anger surged through his veins. Ittonifer had been foolish to try and gain her allegiance through torture. Talya would never want to side with them now.

His uncle had lost his mind.

Talya’s body ached so much that she could barely move. She thought that she had seen Jalarn for a moment, but it had to be her mind playing tricks on her. The reality was that she was alone.

Alone until I die and I get to be in Jesus’ arms.

After branding her, Ittonifer had ordered the soldiers to repeatedly punch and kick her. Talya was grateful that no one she loved could see her like this. She was now a pathetic mess left to rot. There were so many things that she regretted and would never be able to fix. She used to think that she would have her whole life to make up for everything that she had done wrong. It never would have crossed her mind a week ago that she would die
in a Malinorian prison
.

Now more awake, Talya forced herself to sit up. She leaned against the wall. Both of her sides hurt from being kicked numerous times.

She slipped into a fitful sleep until she heard a quiet voice beside her. She opened her one good eye. Jalarn stood next to her.

Am I dreaming?

She smelled something delicious. He had set down a large bowl of stew beside her. He really had come back. There might still be a chance to reach him before the battle. Before she slipped away for good.

But I am so tired. I can barely keep my eye
s
open. Help me, Lord.

“Jalarn,” she whispered.

Talya hated how weak she sounded.
She cleared her throat.

“Please eat, Talya,” Jalarn said.

She reached for the bowl and moaned. Jalarn went to his knees and handed it to her. She grasped the spoon he gave her and brought a spoonful of chowder to her lips. Her hunger pangs subsided as she filled her stomach with the nourishing meal.

Jalarn remained silent as she ate.

When she was finished with the stew, he handed her a tall goblet of water, and she guzzled it down, relieving her parched throat.

Talya’s mind cleared. Even the pain had lessened a little.

“Thank you, Jalarn.”

“Tell me that you have reconsidered.”

His expression was unguarded, lost. His hair was messy and even the buckles of his cape were askew.

Talya swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Of course I haven’t,” Talya sighed. “I could never turn my back on the God that saved me.”

Jalarn placed his head in his hands as he sat and leaned against the wall. Her heart broke for him. The heartless monster she used to think he was had stepped aside for a moment. This was the real Jalarn now.

“Please, tell me what’s troubling you,” she said.

“When I met you in the battle at Cardamon and then again at the outskirts of Malinor, all I wanted to do was to finish you off like every other worthless rebel. Ever since that night in Hunter Forest, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. It’s maddening. I’m not supposed to feel for anyone, not even for myself. And now… for reasons I cannot even imagine, just the thought of losing you is more than I can bear.”

He cares about me?

Talya could only stare at him. She almost wondered if it was a dream.

Jalarn huffed and looked up the ceiling. He had meant every word, but he was trying to stay strong.

“So, you must understand now why I cannot allow you to refuse the prince.”

“Jalarn, when you trust in my God, you don’t have to fear.”

“Who said anything about fear?”

“You did when you admitted that you couldn’t bear losing me.”

“I never said that I was afraid.”

He pulled something out from his armor. It was her scroll.

“Jalarn, have you been…”

“Reading? Yes. And I was confused about something. Why would God sacrifice His Son? I did not even know that He had a Son.”

Talya’s pulse quickened. Now was the time.

Lord, help him understand!

“God sent His Son, Jesus, down to earth so that He could die for all mankind. He was the perfect sacrifice because He knew no sin. We cannot gain our own entrance into Heaven, because we are all born as sinners, but if we believe that Jesus died for our sins and that He has risen from the dead, then we will become children of God. We can go to Heaven when we die.”

“So, after being sacrificed He rose again?”

“Yes. He did it for everyone, Jalarn. He bore all of your sins on the cross.”

“I just… it’s just that I’ve never heard of that before.”

“It’s never too late to believe,” Talya said gently.

Jalarn’s expression grew dark.

“After all that I’ve done to those that serve Him… He would only cast me away. He hates me.”

“That’s not true. You were deceived then. The Savior died for everyone from the lowliest slave to the greatest king, regardless of what they have done. He did not die for a perfect world.”

“I have done ten lifetimes worth of evil to get where I am now.”

“The first step is recognizing that you have done wrong. Jesus died for every single sin that a human could commit. Humans are born flawed. If you are sorry for everything that you have done, and ask God to forgive you, then your slate is wiped clean.”

Jalarn stared at her.

“It can’t be that simple.”

“It is.”

Jalarn helped Talya stand. She cautiously put her hand on his arm. He whipped it away.

“It’s too late for me!” he shouted.

“Don’t you see? He arranged for me to see those dreams of you so that I would spare your life and
tell
you about the Savior. That is how much He loves you, Jalarn. He wanted you to have a chance to know that.”

“I wish I could believe it.”

“There is
no
sin too great that He didn’t die for. His salvation is a gift that cannot to be earned. I was just as much of a sinner as you before I believed.”

“That’s absurd, Talya.”

“It’s the truth.”

Jalarn paced back and forth.

“Your God turned the black ink on the scroll into red for that one verse so I could see it. He wanted to get my attention.”

“That is amazing. He wants you to see how much He loves you. He wants you to love Him, too, Jalarn.”

“I will lose too much.”

“You will gain everything. You will find peace like never before. Just ask Him—”