A Loyal Heart by Jody Hedlund

Author:Jody Hedlund [Hedlund, Jody]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Northern Lights Press
Published: 2018-03-06T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter

14

Izzy hugged me as though she never meant to let go.

I returned the embrace wholeheartedly, relieved for the opportunity to be with her again—an opportunity I thought I’d lost forevermore.

Sir Darien waited nearby looking discreetly away, allowing me the opportunity to be with my sister.

We stood at the top of the dungeons’ stairwell in a deserted hallway. Wrapped in the blankets Aldric had provided for me, my limbs were regaining warmth. Though the castle passageway was drafty, it was warmer than my cell and reflected the heat of summer.

Determined, purposeful steps drew nearer. Aldric’s steps.

I suspected he was behind my release. But what was to become of me now? I had no desire to return to the cold hovel where, save for the rats and spiders, I was alone. Not only had the cold seeped into my very bones, so had fear. I’d never considered myself an easily frightened woman, had always believed myself to be strong natured. But my imagination had too much time to spin tales and had run away with every possible outcome and punishment.

I’d prayed as I never had before. During the prayers, I sensed God’s displeasure for how I’d conducted myself. I’d justified my lying and plans to steal because of my desire to help Charles and please my father. I’d told myself what I was doing couldn’t be wrong if I was doing it for the right reasons, especially because I believed taking the chalice wouldn’t hurt Lord Pitt. After all, he had so many treasures and wouldn’t miss one little thing.

But the more I contemplated my actions, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if the whole of civilization lived by my principle. Where would the wrongdoing stop if everyone acted out whatever moral code felt right in the moment?

If I felt I could justify stealing, then someone else might justify killing or lying or cheating. Where would the justifying stop? After all, a person’s heart could often be deceptive and greedy, lulling them into doing something that might feel right in the moment, but ultimately was driven by mixed motives.

As altruistic as I believed my motives were in finding the Holy Chalice, underneath the desire to help my brother and family, I was also doing it for selfish reasons. I wanted to be my father’s favorite child. I wanted his approval and love so that I could feel better about myself.

All this time, I’d told myself I was being a loyal daughter. But maybe I didn’t really know what true loyalty entailed.

Whatever the case, I was grateful to be aboveground. But I wasn’t naïve enough to think that I was being freed, nor was I fool enough to believe my punishment would be suspended. In fact, I’d come to the conclusion I deserved to be disciplined for what I’d done. I just hoped Aldric could convince Lord Pitt to spare Izzy any trouble. This was my fault, not hers.

I gave Izzy a final squeeze and kissed her cheek before I pulled back.

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