War King's Captive by Lacey Thorn

Author:Lacey Thorn [Thorn, Lacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Lacey Thorn Publishing
Published: 2022-02-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Jo pretended to glance around, but her gaze kept wandering back to the child who sat huddled against the wall. Dirt smudged the young one’s pale cheeks. Scabbed knees peeked through holes in the leggings. It was the tear-reddened eyes that called to her, though. Sadness spilled from the child, and Josephine couldn’t keep away. Glancing back at Theo, she squatted in front of the child and felt her heart break at the fear that filled those big eyes.

“Hello,” she whispered softly, not wanting to scare the child more. At a closer look, they couldn’t be more than four or five summers. “What’s your name?”

The child shook their head, frantically glancing around as if searching for someone.

“Are you lost?”

Another shake.

“Scared.”

A vigorous nod.

“Are your parents here?”

Tears slipped down, tracing new paths down the dirty cheeks. That wasn’t good.

“Did something happen to them?”

Another nod and the little shoulders shook with silent sobs that managed to break Jo’s heart even further. What had this child gone through? What had happened to separate them from their parents? A hundred scenarios went through her head, each one worse than the one before it.

“I can help you,” Jo whispered. “See that big guy over there.”

She nodded her head toward Theo and watched the child’s eyes grow wide.

“I’m with him. He won’t let anyone hurt you. I swear.”

It took a moment, but finally the child slipped quietly to their feet and tugged Jo toward a hidden alcove beside the stairs. Jo glanced back once, vividly recalling Theo’s warning to stay within his sight, but this was important. A child’s life could be at stake. Surely, he wouldn’t fault her for that.

Once they were in the dark and quiet, the child stopped, glancing all around before tugging on Jo once more. Jo immediately went to her knees.

“I’m Alice.”

A little girl. Jo hadn’t been sure with the amount of dirt covering the child. Plus, the hair looked as if it had been hacked off with a knife.

“Nice to meet you, Alice. I’m Jo.”

“They killed my mama,” Alice whispered as more tears fell. “My papa was gone.”

“How old are you?”

Her speech indicated she was older than Jo had first thought.

“I’ll be eight this summer.”

Alice was definitely tiny for her age.

“They hurt my mama. She screamed and cried. Then she was silent. I wanted to go to her, but they wouldn’t let me. The big one changed my clothes, pinching me. Then he cut my beautiful hair. Then the mean-eyed one hit me. When I woke up, we were here, and I was alone. I tried to leave, but I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where to go.”

A sniffle was followed by a choked sob.

“I want my papa.”

“Oh, honey.” Jo wrapped the little girl in her arms, squeezing her close. “We’re going to find your papa. I promise you.”

A hard hand clamped over her mouth, and Jo was jerked up, her back pressed against a male chest, her feet barely touching the ground. Alice’s eyes were wide, and Jo knew she was being held by one of the men who’d taken the girl.

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