Chapter 19: The Tenth

The sword did not touch my neck.

I felt the wind of it pass my ear, and then the whole ridge rang.

Rorik had turned the blade at the last moment, and it came down on the Stone beside my knee with all his strength.

The cracked rock shrieked.

The old split in its side ran up to the top, and a bright line of white light split the night open.

I fell forward on my hands.

Then the Goddess spoke.

It was not a voice.

It was a scream that came out of my own bones, and it went on and on.

Nine places on my body went hot at once.

My throat, my collarbone, the ribs under my left breast, my belly, my back, my side, and the three Rorik had never named.

Each one was an old death, and each one burned out of me in turn.

I heard myself cry out.

I saw every one of them go by, the mud and the rain, the grey eyes above me, the flat voice saying the words.

I saw each of them leave.

The white at my temple went first.

I felt it pull out of my roots, strand by strand, and the black came flowing in behind it.

When it was done, I breathed in, and the air was entirely mine.

Somebody had my shoulders.

"Sabine."

"I'm here."

"Look at me."

I looked up.

Rorik was on his knees in front of me with the sword lying forgotten in the grass.

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