"He tried to save us."
"Yes, and he knew exactly what he was doing. Are you going to let his sacrifice be wasted? Use your reason."
Selene didn't want to reason. She tried to pull away from Layla's grasp.
"The child," Layla said. "Think of the child. You have no right to risk killing it."
The child.
Haroun.
No one had a right to choose who was to live or die.
She closed her eyes as waves of pain washed over her.
"Come," Layla said. Her hand gripping Selene's elbow was gentle but determined. "It's the right thing to do."
Layla always seemed to think she knew what was right to do, Selene thought dully. How comforting that must be. God knows, she did not.
She let Layla lead her in the opposite direction from that taken by Haroun and Nasim.
______
A few hours later Antonio located a small cave in the side of a hill.
They spent the next hour masking the entrance of the cave with branches. Antonio stationed himself close to the opening. Then their only recourse was to wait and watch.
And worry about Haroun.
"Stop fretting." Layla's gaze was on Selene's face. "This isn't good for you."
"Don't be asinine. How can I stop?" Selene wearily leaned her cheek against the cool stone of the cave wall. "We should have gone after him."
"Then blame me. I made the decision."
"No, I did it. I'm the one at fault. I didn't have to go with you."
"That's true. But then I would have hit you on the head and had Antonio carry you. Either way I wouldn't have let you go after Haroun."
"It wasn't your choice."
"Nevertheless, I made it." Her lips twisted. "It was easier for me. I wanted the babe and you to live, and I've only a small affection for Haroun. Besides, I'm accustomed to making decisions of that nature."
She was speaking of life and death, Selene realized with a shiver. "Have you ever killed?"
"Not intentionally. I told you I could not bear it. Still, things happen." She shrugged. "And I will not hide from it. I'm not like Tarik."
Selene didn't know what Layla meant, but she was too stunned and numb to probe. All she could think about was the expression on Haroun's face in the moment before he had spurred away from them deep into the forest.
"He was terrified of Nasim," she whispered. "Haroun wasn't a brave man."
"You're wrong; to face your fears is very brave."
"It was the babe. He promised he'd take care of me. I shouldn't have told him about the babe."
"And you think he wouldn't have done it anyway?"
"Perhaps." She closed her eyes. "I don't know. He risked his life to come after me at Montdhu."
