Page 4 of The Physician's Barbarian
“When is the draw?” I demanded.
“Now,” he answered, his eyes wide and filled with terror and worry. “He’s got her locked in her room. I tried talking to him, Ambrose, but he won’t listen to reason!”
Growling, I beckoned Sebastian. “Go with Beau to the bakery. I might be back late.”
“But I want to come!” Sebastian argued.
I didn't have time to argue with him. I had to get to Evelyn before it was too late. I pushed him at Beau, grabbing my coat. “Take him. I don’t want him home alone while I deal with this. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”
Beau nodded, hauling Sebastian off his feet when he tried to run after me. I heard him shouting and arguing as I ran toward my family home, but I didn't look back. I would have a lot ofgroveling to do once I handled this. I’d be lucky if he forgave me in the next month.
I heard the crowd of voices as I approached the town square. Every year, they held the lottery, picking an eligible woman at random to send to the barbarian clans in exchange for them leaving us alone. It had been decided a long time ago that one life was better than constantly being attacked and having women stolen from their homes year round. Not all clans were bad—the mayor’s daughter was part of a good one—but there were some that were downright terrifying. It was always a scary thing to be chosen, not knowing what would happen. It wasn’t something I ever wanted for my sister.
“Evelyn McKinley!”
My heart stuttered in my chest, and I came to an abrupt halt as I heard my sister’s name called out over the crowd. I was too late. Now that the town knew she was chosen, there was no going back. The mayor wouldn’t allow it. It would be seen as favoritism, and there would be an uproar.
There was only one thing I could do to save her life, and it wasn’t going to be easy.
After running back to the bakery to explain the plan to Beau and Sebastian, I left them to prepare a carriage while I headed back for my sister. I didn’t go through the front door, knowing Father expected me to come and put up a fight. Instead, I climbed the trellis outside Evelyn’s window, knocking lightly to get her attention. I knew she was alone thanks to the maid who’d warned Beau about what was happening, but I wasn’t sure she’d hear me over her cries. She sounded heartbroken.
When she didn’t answer, I knocked a little harder. I heard her suck in a sharp breath and a second later, the curtains were drawn back and her tear-stained face appeared in the window.
“Ambrose?”
“Open up,” I demanded.
She did so promptly, opening the window for me to climb in. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m getting you out of here. Beau is waiting at the bakery with a carriage. Pack only what you can carry. You’re going to stay with his aunt until the wedding.”
Her face lit up with hope, but it was gone in a second, and she shook her head, her bottom lip trembling. “I can’t, Ambrose. The whole town knows I was chosen. If I’m not here when they show up, the town would turn against us. They’d hurt you and Father. And Sebastian…”
“I thought of that, too. You’re taking Seb with you. I already told him the plan, and he’s waiting with Beau. Just until I can pack up my practice. Then I’ll join you. Father is the one who got us into this mess. He can suffer the consequences.”
She tried to argue, but I refused to listen. I wasn’t letting my little sister get sent away to who knows where just because our father was throwing a tantrum. I helped her climb out the window, watching to make sure she made it all the way down before moving to follow her.
The door flew open, and town guards spilled in, surrounding me. I heard Evelyn’s cry and knew they’d gotten to her, too. Fury filled me, and I threw a few punches in an attempt to get free, but I was outnumbered and quickly subdued. They dragged me out of Evelyn’s room and to the parlor, where Father and the mayor waited. Evelyn joined us a moment later, tears streaming down her face. Swinging around, I glared at my father.
“Is this really what you want? You’d rather hand your daughter to barbarians than let her be happy with the man she loves?”
The mayor shook his head, his face a mask of understanding. “The lottery is random, Ambrose, you know this. Your sister was chosen, and it’s her duty to join a barbarian clan to protect our town. I understand you’re worried, but?—”
I tuned out his little speech. He appeared to be unaware my father had rigged the lottery to punish me and Evelyn. My mind scrambled for something to do, some way to protect her, but only one thing came to mind.
Sebastian was going to kill me.
“I volunteer as tribute,” I said, interrupting the mayor.
“No!” Father bellowed. I ignored him. I could protect myself. Evelyn couldn’t. The plan we’d come up with could still work as long as I got the attention off of her. And the lottery was always second to volunteers. The mayor wouldn’t turn his back on that.
Locking eyes with the mayor, I glared at him. “Take me instead.”
Three
GODR
“That’s it. Easy now,” I coaxed, nudging the young stallion forward. He took a few steps, and I hoped I’d finally gotten through to him, but the thought barely went through my mind before he reared up and took off, bucking until I was tossed off his back and onto the ground.
