“Momma, no. You know he was a tyrant. You were afraid of him too.” I step in front of momma, shielding Geraint from the shotgun with my body. I hear a sharp intake of breath behind me and I know that Geraint is furious with me, but I don’t care.
This day is not ending with him dying, no matter what. He still has something he needs to do for Trefor.
Momma stares at me, fear turning her face into a mask. The gun is pointed right at me and she doesn’t lower it.
Geraint goes on in a forcefully level voice, addressing momma. “Ma’am. Put the gun down. I’m not armed. I don’t want anything from you, except Branwen.”
I hear him take a step toward us, but stop when Momma takes a tighter grip on the shotgun.
“Momma, he killed Cora. I know you don’t believe it but it’s true. I saw him do it. She didn’t deserve to die.”
Her face flickers and I know I’m getting through to her. She liked Cora. She always said we looked so alike.
“The Cavalieri Della Morte will leave you in peace to run things yourself. The way you want, without your husband.”
Momma’s eyes narrow speculatively and she looks past me to Geraint. After a moment, she says, “You won’t send men to spy on us? You’ll leave me and my sons alone?”
“I swear it.” Geraint’s voice is a little louder, as if he’s stepped closer to me. All I want to do is turn around and throw myself into his arms, but I don’t dare look away from momma, my eyes pleading with her.
Slowly, she lowers the gun and steps back, afraid to get too close, because men, as she’s experienced, are liars.
Geraint grabs me from behind and pulls me away, turning around so he’s shielding me from momma, the house, everything. “What the fuck was that? You think I wanted you to do that?”
I look up at him frantically, needing to be sure he is really okay. “I had to do it. I couldn’t see you get hurt.”
“I can’t fucking see you get hurt either,” he growls. “So don’t you ever do anything like that ever again.”
He kisses me so hard it feels as if the heavens have opened and the angels are singing. My heart is singing too.
“You called out for me, babygirl,” he whispers in my ear. “You broke your vow for me.”
“No, I didn’t. I swore a new vow last night, remember?”
Geraint smiles and smooths my hair back from my face. “So you did. Are you al
ways going to be obedient to me? Let me protect you from now on, and not the other way around?”
“Always, daddy.”
“Then I think it’s time for us to get the fuck out of here.”
The smile fades from my face. “Not yet. I need to show you something first.” I turn to momma. “Will you let us do what needs to be done?”
She looks up out of her reverie, her mind clearly on things other than me and Geraint. “What? Oh, yes. Fine.”
I take him by the hand and lead him up around the fence and behind the property. It’s a long walk and he holds my hand tightly the whole time.
Down among the trees, I point at a patch of dirt, recently disturbed. “Momma told me where.”
For a moment, Geraint doesn’t understand what I’m talking about. Then, slowly, he falls to his knees. This is where Trefor is buried. He’s silent for a long time, looking at the unmarked grave.
“He can’t stay here. Not in the shadow of Avallonis. I need to bring him home.” A moment later, he stands up and wraps me in his arms. “Thank you for what you did for me last night. You showed me what he needed.”
He leads me back to the car and takes my face in his hands. “I’m no saint, Branwen. I’m not even a believer. I’ve done things that your God will send me to hell for. I won’t be joining you in your pretty heaven.”
“Yes, you will. Because if you get sent to hell, I’ll come down and get you.”
He grins at me. “You’re my light in the darkness, babygirl. Keep burning bright for me?”