Read Online Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Samantha Sotto
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gushed out. Julien stained his white shirt crimson and plunged into the chaos outside.
The sun erased the shadowed corners that had sheltered Julien. It left him with only one place to hide: in plain sight. The Versailles soldiers had little interest in bloodied corpses slumped against walls, and Alessandra’s blood made it easy to pretend to be one of them.
Julien watched the army sweep through the makeshift barricades with brutal efficiency. They tore through walls of houses, outflanking the barricades and killing all defenders and whoever else had the misfortune of standing nearby. By midday, all of the roads to Isabelle’s home were blocked by the carnage. He could do no more than to stand shoulder to shoulder with the city’s defenders and keep his daughter safe for as long as he could. Shots flew over the barricade. Julien’s shirt turned a brighter shade of red.
ACROSS THE CITY
I sabelle! Get up!” Stephane knelt beside the bed and shook his wife awake.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Isabelle was unsure if she was still asleep. Dawn had barely crept into their small bedroom. Stephane’s hand trembled against her skin, but the dark kept her from seeing the terror in his blue-gray eyes.
“We have been betrayed.” Stephane choked on his anger. It hardened the angles of his plain face, erasing the gentleness that Isabelle had fallen in love with. “The army breached the walls last night. Soldiers are pouring into the city.”
Isabelle closed her eyes. This was the nightmare her father had warned her about, the one from which the morning could offer no escape. Sheshut her eyes and hoped that when she opened them again, she would be curled in Stephane’s arms.
“The council is assembling at the Hôtel de Ville.” Stephane stood up and grabbed his coat.
Tears seeped under Isabelle’s eyelids, forcing them open. She rose from the bed. “I’ll get dressed.”
Stephane shook his head and held her firmly by the shoulders. “Stay here. Keep the windows shut and lock the door.” He turned to leave.
Isabelle grabbed her husband’s arm. “Please let me come with you, I beg you. Do not leave me alone!” Her nails dug into Stephane’s arm while the rest of her froze with panic.
“Your father will be here soon. He will keep you safe,” Stephane lied. He did not know where Isabelle’s father was or if he was even still alive. What he did know was that Isabelle was safer in their home than in the chaos outside. Once the Versailles soldiers were pushed back, he would come back for her. He had to. He kissed the small swell of her growing belly and ran out of the room before his tears could wash away his resolve.
Isabelle curled into the shape her husband had left on the sheets of their bed. It was still warm from the night he had spent lying on his side, stroking her belly until she fell asleep. She ran her fingers over her stomach. She would not follow Stephane to take up arms with his comrades, but she would do whatever it took to protect their child. Parents were supposed to keep their children safe. Her father had taught her that.
She reached for the gold locket beneath her nightclothes. It was far less elegant than any of the other jewelry her father had given her, but there was nothing she treasured more. The charms inside it tinkled softly when she walked, whispering that they were always close by, keeping her from harm. Perhaps today, Isabelle thought, she would find out if they truly worked. Her father had never given them the chance to protect her. That was his job. He had always hovered close enough to scoop her up before she scraped her knees and rescue her from towers guarded by fire-breathing footstools during her childhood games. But her father was notwith her now, and all she had to protect her was the faith he had clasped around her neck.
Stone and wood clattered beneath her window. Isabelle cracked the shutters open and peered outside. Tables and chairs were being dragged across the
The sun erased the shadowed corners that had sheltered Julien. It left him with only one place to hide: in plain sight. The Versailles soldiers had little interest in bloodied corpses slumped against walls, and Alessandra’s blood made it easy to pretend to be one of them.
Julien watched the army sweep through the makeshift barricades with brutal efficiency. They tore through walls of houses, outflanking the barricades and killing all defenders and whoever else had the misfortune of standing nearby. By midday, all of the roads to Isabelle’s home were blocked by the carnage. He could do no more than to stand shoulder to shoulder with the city’s defenders and keep his daughter safe for as long as he could. Shots flew over the barricade. Julien’s shirt turned a brighter shade of red.
ACROSS THE CITY
I sabelle! Get up!” Stephane knelt beside the bed and shook his wife awake.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Isabelle was unsure if she was still asleep. Dawn had barely crept into their small bedroom. Stephane’s hand trembled against her skin, but the dark kept her from seeing the terror in his blue-gray eyes.
“We have been betrayed.” Stephane choked on his anger. It hardened the angles of his plain face, erasing the gentleness that Isabelle had fallen in love with. “The army breached the walls last night. Soldiers are pouring into the city.”
Isabelle closed her eyes. This was the nightmare her father had warned her about, the one from which the morning could offer no escape. Sheshut her eyes and hoped that when she opened them again, she would be curled in Stephane’s arms.
“The council is assembling at the Hôtel de Ville.” Stephane stood up and grabbed his coat.
Tears seeped under Isabelle’s eyelids, forcing them open. She rose from the bed. “I’ll get dressed.”
Stephane shook his head and held her firmly by the shoulders. “Stay here. Keep the windows shut and lock the door.” He turned to leave.
Isabelle grabbed her husband’s arm. “Please let me come with you, I beg you. Do not leave me alone!” Her nails dug into Stephane’s arm while the rest of her froze with panic.
“Your father will be here soon. He will keep you safe,” Stephane lied. He did not know where Isabelle’s father was or if he was even still alive. What he did know was that Isabelle was safer in their home than in the chaos outside. Once the Versailles soldiers were pushed back, he would come back for her. He had to. He kissed the small swell of her growing belly and ran out of the room before his tears could wash away his resolve.
Isabelle curled into the shape her husband had left on the sheets of their bed. It was still warm from the night he had spent lying on his side, stroking her belly until she fell asleep. She ran her fingers over her stomach. She would not follow Stephane to take up arms with his comrades, but she would do whatever it took to protect their child. Parents were supposed to keep their children safe. Her father had taught her that.
She reached for the gold locket beneath her nightclothes. It was far less elegant than any of the other jewelry her father had given her, but there was nothing she treasured more. The charms inside it tinkled softly when she walked, whispering that they were always close by, keeping her from harm. Perhaps today, Isabelle thought, she would find out if they truly worked. Her father had never given them the chance to protect her. That was his job. He had always hovered close enough to scoop her up before she scraped her knees and rescue her from towers guarded by fire-breathing footstools during her childhood games. But her father was notwith her now, and all she had to protect her was the faith he had clasped around her neck.
Stone and wood clattered beneath her window. Isabelle cracked the shutters open and peered outside. Tables and chairs were being dragged across the
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