Far Horizons: Tales of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Issue #15 June 2015 | Page 64

guards on duty, for they met none as they emerged
into the crisp night air. He carried her through an
empty courtyard and into the garden on the west
side of the estate. Once hidden among the thick
hedges, he paused and set her down.
Eogwen looked as if she wanted to dart off, but she
remained rooted in place, dress clutched in her fists.
“Are you gonna kill me too?” she asked.
“Would I have rescued you if I’d planned to do
that?”
Her voice wavered slightly. “Why didn’t you rescue
my mommy and daddy?”
Khellus crouched to meet her at eye level. “I wish
I could have, but you can’t rescue everyone all the
time. Your mother was a very brave woman. Are
you brave like her?”
She nodded.
“Good. Because what comes next is going to require you to be very brave. We’re going to leave
here, understand? Forever. I’m taking you with me
and going to look after you until you can look after
yourself.”
“Why?”
“I promised your mother I would.”
Her mouth pinched. “I don’t like you.”
“I know. You can hate me if you want. I won’t
blame you. But I can teach you how to be strong.
How to fight so that men like him... ” He jabbed
a thumb back toward the hall where Asmoran’s
corpse hung, stuck to the door. “ ...can’t ever threaten you again. Do you want that?”
Eogwen looked to the northwestern tower for a

long moment. He didn’t doubt her thoughts fixated
on her mother and father’s bodies up in the tower.
She’d be in shock for a good while, and he’d have
to deal with the fallout should she choose to blame
him for their deaths. Whether or not she eventually
accepted him as her true father would remain to
be seen—but he was prepared to handle the consequences either way. Time for him to take true responsibility for his actions. He’d made his choices,
for good or ill, a nd now had to pay the price.
Turning her back to the manor, she reached out
and grabbed his hand. Khellus allowed himself the
slightest smile, and then led her deeper into the garden, where they could seek out the nearest wall and
climb over to freedom.
Like a pair of living shadows, they glided along
noiselessly and vanished into the night.