might have believed her actions foolish, yet they could not help but admire her courage. Ordinarily hardened to a woman's tears, the men now turned to the one who possessed the Roman survivor and silently implored him to put an end to her suffering.
Caddaric felt the warriors' looks. The lengthening of the sun's rays had wakened him in time to see Jilana crumple to the ground and now he shook his head sadly. Had Jilana heeded his words she would have been spared this ordeal. A fellow warrior offered Caddaric a pouch containing dried meat and a skin of wine, and while Caddaric ate he considered the woman who was now a part of his life. Caddaric rose and, after speaking briefly with one of the Iceni, made his way to where Jilana sat.
The first Jilana knew of Caddaric's presence was when a gentle but insistent hand cupped her elbow and drew her to her feet. She stared silently at Caddaric through tear- filled eyes, her entire frame trembling as she fought to control her weeping.
'"Tis enough, Jilana," Caddaric said quietly, remorse plucking at his heart.
"N-nay!" Jilana desperately tried to shake off his hold. You did promise me that I might search—"
"And search you have, to no avail." Caddaric peered her averted face. "The day is gone, Jilana, and the dead must now be put quickly to rest before the wild creatures can feast upon their remains." He felt her shudder and added gently. "You will not find them, Jilana, though your heart is set upon your task."
"Help me," Jilana begged in a raw whisper. "Together we--"
"Nay, Jilana. I said I would not aid you and my decision has not changed. Now come, before you cause me to lose my temper."
They entered the town through one of the gates now guarded by an Iceni warrior but when Caddaric made to turn onto a side street Jilana held back. "Ahead lies the temple of Astraea. I would go there."
Caddaric's lips thinned. "The goddess of justice? What need have you to pray to that one?"
"That she may intercede with the other gods and see the souls of my family fairly judged," Jilana answered, her hopes sinking at the mocking gleam which entered Caddaric's eyes. "Please, lord, this one last boon I would beg of you. Tis not such a large thing."
'"Tis large enough," Caddaric said roughly, but the pale oval of Jilana's face gave him pause. Would it do so much harm to allow Jilana to mourn in her own way? If speaking to her gods would bring Jilana some portion of comfort, Caddaric would grant her that much. Without giving voice to his opinions of the gods—Roman or Celtic—Caddaric nodded his consent and accompanied Jilana to the temple. He did not set foot upon the stairs, however, and when Jilana was halfway up the steps she turned back to him with a questioning look. Caddaric inclined his head slightly. "Go, make your peace with your god. I will not intrude."
Jilana stared at Caddaric, snared by the clear, sapphire gaze, and he permitted himself a tight smile. Haggard and disheveled as she was, Jilana presented a most alluring picture. Her unbound hair caught the rays of the setting sun, creating a halo of pale flame about her head and shoulders, and Caddaric longed to twine his hands in the silken tresses. Desire flooded Caddaric and through no conscious will of his own, he took a step forward. Jilana must have read his intent, for with a small cry she turned and fled up the steps into the temple. Caddaric sighed. He must bring all his patience to bear on Jilana. She did not know, as Caddaric believed he did, that they were destined only to bring the best of their separate worlds together in a child. 'Til Jilana understood and accepted their fate, Caddaric would have to exercise caution—distraught women gave birth to distraught children.
Her heart pounding as she remembered the look in Caddaric's eyes, Jilana threw herself before the altar and sobbed out her plight to the idol of the goddess Astraea. "My family is beyond all earthly care, so I can but pray that the gods have
Caddaric felt the warriors' looks. The lengthening of the sun's rays had wakened him in time to see Jilana crumple to the ground and now he shook his head sadly. Had Jilana heeded his words she would have been spared this ordeal. A fellow warrior offered Caddaric a pouch containing dried meat and a skin of wine, and while Caddaric ate he considered the woman who was now a part of his life. Caddaric rose and, after speaking briefly with one of the Iceni, made his way to where Jilana sat.
The first Jilana knew of Caddaric's presence was when a gentle but insistent hand cupped her elbow and drew her to her feet. She stared silently at Caddaric through tear- filled eyes, her entire frame trembling as she fought to control her weeping.
'"Tis enough, Jilana," Caddaric said quietly, remorse plucking at his heart.
"N-nay!" Jilana desperately tried to shake off his hold. You did promise me that I might search—"
"And search you have, to no avail." Caddaric peered her averted face. "The day is gone, Jilana, and the dead must now be put quickly to rest before the wild creatures can feast upon their remains." He felt her shudder and added gently. "You will not find them, Jilana, though your heart is set upon your task."
"Help me," Jilana begged in a raw whisper. "Together we--"
"Nay, Jilana. I said I would not aid you and my decision has not changed. Now come, before you cause me to lose my temper."
They entered the town through one of the gates now guarded by an Iceni warrior but when Caddaric made to turn onto a side street Jilana held back. "Ahead lies the temple of Astraea. I would go there."
Caddaric's lips thinned. "The goddess of justice? What need have you to pray to that one?"
"That she may intercede with the other gods and see the souls of my family fairly judged," Jilana answered, her hopes sinking at the mocking gleam which entered Caddaric's eyes. "Please, lord, this one last boon I would beg of you. Tis not such a large thing."
'"Tis large enough," Caddaric said roughly, but the pale oval of Jilana's face gave him pause. Would it do so much harm to allow Jilana to mourn in her own way? If speaking to her gods would bring Jilana some portion of comfort, Caddaric would grant her that much. Without giving voice to his opinions of the gods—Roman or Celtic—Caddaric nodded his consent and accompanied Jilana to the temple. He did not set foot upon the stairs, however, and when Jilana was halfway up the steps she turned back to him with a questioning look. Caddaric inclined his head slightly. "Go, make your peace with your god. I will not intrude."
Jilana stared at Caddaric, snared by the clear, sapphire gaze, and he permitted himself a tight smile. Haggard and disheveled as she was, Jilana presented a most alluring picture. Her unbound hair caught the rays of the setting sun, creating a halo of pale flame about her head and shoulders, and Caddaric longed to twine his hands in the silken tresses. Desire flooded Caddaric and through no conscious will of his own, he took a step forward. Jilana must have read his intent, for with a small cry she turned and fled up the steps into the temple. Caddaric sighed. He must bring all his patience to bear on Jilana. She did not know, as Caddaric believed he did, that they were destined only to bring the best of their separate worlds together in a child. 'Til Jilana understood and accepted their fate, Caddaric would have to exercise caution—distraught women gave birth to distraught children.
Her heart pounding as she remembered the look in Caddaric's eyes, Jilana threw herself before the altar and sobbed out her plight to the idol of the goddess Astraea. "My family is beyond all earthly care, so I can but pray that the gods have
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