Chapter 71: Fallen Hero

Camilla wasn't even able to respond to Sarai. She simply ran. She ran blindly through the yew grove, as if trying to outrun the hateful words. She couldn't go far, though. The pain in her belly grew until a wave of nausea overwhelmed her. 

She stopped and found herself holding on to the trunk of a nearby tree as the vomit rose up her throat. Her eyes filled with tears and the sour taste of bile filled her mouth as she heaved over and over again. Her belly cramped painfully, nearly bringing her to her knees. 

After what felt like an eternity, she was able to straighten up shakily, blinking her burning eyes. She took a few deep breaths but the pounding in her chest continued, Sarai's falsely sweet voice echoing in her mind.

Camilla felt as if her heart had been crushed into the dust. She had never dwelled on the specifics of her family's deaths, deliberately refusing to fill in her mind's blanks. She preferred to remember their many happy times together instead.