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The sin-eater smiled again. “Could you? I think not. Your honor will not allow you to take an innocent and I have done nothing wrong.”

With that, the sin-eater dematerialized out of Darius’s hold and re-formed on the side lawn. “I wish that female a lifetime of suffering. May she live long and bear her burden without grace. And now, I shall go anon and deal with my son’s body.”

The symphath disappeared, gone as if he had never existed . . . and yet the ramifications of his actions were borne out as Darius looked through the open door: The male of the great house was weeping upon the shoulder of his servant, the two taking comfort from each other.

Darius breached the arch of the grand entrance, and the sound of his boots brought up the head of the family’s patriarch.

Sampsone broke away from his loyal doggen and he didn’t bother to stop his tears or obscure his sorrow as he came forward.

Before Darius could speak, the male said, “I shall pay you.”

Darius frowned. “For what?”

“ To . . . take her away and see that she is provided with a roof o’er her head.” The master turned to the servant. “Go unto the coffers and—”

Darius stepped forth and took Sampsone’s shoulder in a tight grip. “Whatever are you saying? She lives. Your daughter is alive and she should well render herself under this roof and within these walls. You are her father.”

“Go and take her with you. I beg of you. Her mother . . . could not live through this. Permit me to provide—”

“You are a scourge,” Darius spat. “A scourge and a disgrace to your bloodline.”

“No,” the male said. “She is. Now and evermore.”

Darius was momentarily stunned into silence. Even knowing the debased values of the glymera, and having been subjected to them, he was as yet shocked anew. “You and that symphath have much in common.”

“How dare thee—”

“Neither of you has the heart to mourn your offspring.”

Darius headed for the door and didn’t stop as the male called out, “The money! Permit me to give you the money!”

Darius did not trust himself to respond and dematerialized back unto the wooded glen he had left mere minutes ago. Taking form by the carriage, his heart was afire. As one who had been discarded, he knew well of the hardship of being rootless and unsupported in the world. And that was without the extra burden the female carried, literally, within her body.

Although the sun was threatening to break free of the earth’s edge, he required a moment to compose himself and formulate what he could say—

The female’s voice emerged from behind the carriage’s window drapery. “He told you to keep me away, didn’t he.”

Indeed, Darius found that there was no manner of expression with which he could cast what had transpired in better light.

He laid his palm on the cool wood of the carriage door. “I shall care for you. I shall provide and protect.”

“Why . . .” came the aching response.

“Verily . . . it is right and proper to do so.”

“A hero you are. But what you seek to save cares not for the gift you offer.”

“You will. In time . . . you will care.”

When there was no reply, Darius hopped up onto the driving seat and took the reins. “We shall go unto mine home.”

The jangle of the horse’s tack and the clapping of shod hooves on packed dirt accompanied them out of the woods and on their way. He took them a different route, keeping them far from the mansion and that family whose social expectation was thicker than blood.

And as for the money? Darius was not a rich male, but he would have sooner cut off his own dagger hand than accept a pence from that weak-souled father of hers.

SIXTY

As John went to sit up on the gurney, Xhex helped him and he was amazed at how strong she was: The instant her hand went to the middle of his back, he felt as though his entire upper weight was totally supported.

Then again, as she’d often said, she wasn’t just your normal female.

Doc Jane came over and started talking to him about what was doing under his bandage and what he needed to