Chapter 176

She continued with the odd lesson. “Some men are happy here in the mountains. Rue and his brothers will be happy here because they are allowed to learn new things, for instance. They will do well here. Other men are happy because they are allowed to enjoy us physically more frequently.”

Nu-reeh pointed to my family. “There are times when you will find a family will not be happy here, no matter what. Those men cannot be kept here in the mountains. Their anger infects the other men. They start fights. It is very disruptive.”

“Yes, Mistress,” I said remembering things I hadn’t known.

In my mind, I saw that Damien and his brothers had been trouble makers when they were first here. Until the first time they saw me, they had been very difficult and sullen.

“I foolishly used them as payment, so I could not send them back immediately. It was a mistake,” Nu-reeh said. “They found a way to make themselves happy, though, so I let them continue to visit with you. I had h