Free Jalia At Bay (Book 4) by John Booth Page A

community and help each other. I’m willing to give it a try if the others are.”
    One of the older of the women pointed straight at Hala. “I cannot stay unless I can settle my score with that one. She had me whipped for daring to speak to her.”
    “That is a problem easily solved,” Dell said. “In fact, it will solve another problem I have.”
    Hala’s face paled as the implication of Dell’s words became clear. She turned to run away and was caught by Pald, who held her tightly so she could not escape.
    “Sorry Hala, but Dell is our Lord now, and his word is law,” the boy said, sounding only slightly apologetic as he held the frantically struggling girl. Pald had also suffered at the Hala’s hands and was enjoying the thought of her being punished.
     
    Donal, Daniel and Jalia rode back towards Sweetwater as the light began to fade. They left a new community trying to get to grips with all the changes being wrought.
    “The boy seems to have turned out all right,” Jalia mused to Daniel. “I’m glad I didn’t kill him.”
    “Only time will tell,” Daniel said carefully. Answering Jalia’s musings could be a tricky business.
    “His father was a good man and the legends say that the Taldons were once a noble family,” Donal said. “And Malda is a good woman and a great healer. What are we going to do in Sweetwater when we need a healer, now she has gone?”
    “It’s only a two hour journey,” Jalia pointed out, as if traveling for two hours was of no consequence.
    “You could arrange a signal fire for when you needed her,” Daniel suggested. “Or perhaps arrange a loud summoning sound like a drum makes.”
    “Of course, Daniel,” Jalia replied dismissively. “As if something like that would ever work.”

11.         Death Comes Stalking
     
    Attala, sixteen years old and pretty as a picture helped her mother prepare provisions for their departing guests. Attala was feeling safe for the first time in months and for reasons she could not fully define, a little disappointed. For all the time she had been tense with worry, Attala had been certain that Adon was going to force her to have relations with him. Knowing how dangerous the man and his clan were, she had been playing him along to protect her family. By not giving him what he wanted, but not denying him completely.
    Now Adon was dead, along with his family, and she was safe. More importantly, her father was safe, not lying dead with a knife in his back for having the temerity to try to protect her honor. So why did she feel that there was suddenly a big hole in her life? Walking in the woods or across the village, no longer had the feeling of danger or the excitement it once had.
    “Take these to Jalia,” her mother commanded and Attala picked up the bag that held preserved meats and hard bread that would stay edible for days.
    Jalia was alone in the barn when Attala walked in.
    “We have prepared food for your journey,” she said. Jalia grunted and carried on grooming her horse. Attala put the bag down on top of the horse’s saddle and turned to leave. Before she reached the door, Attala found herself spinning around and going to stand a few feet from Jalia.
    “Can I ask you something, Lady Jalia?”
    “It seems to me that you already are,” Jalia pointed out, her voice a little harsh. Attala flushed and turned to walk away again.
    “I’m sorry,” Jalia said more warmly and smiled at the embarrassed girl. “I didn’t mean anything by that. It’s just my way of speaking. Tell me, what do you want to know?”
    “Does it feel good, to travel the world as you do and…” Attala paused as she didn’t want to sound as if she was insulting the woman.
    “…kill people?” Jalia finished. Attala nodded, though those were not quite the words she had in mind.
    “Adon told me he was going to… ravish me. I was scared he would kill my father if I told him,” Attala blurted out.
    “And you were wondering if being like me