Chapter 2

He pushed the redheaded woman to the ground with a hard shove. A blonde woman put her arms around the Red as Alaric pulled Mirella away. He took the little girl by the shoulders and shook her gently.

“Mirella, you know better than to leave my side. Did she hurt you?”

Mirella shook her head, staring with wonderment at her index finger. Where once there had been a long, swollen cut, there was now only smooth unbroken skin.

Alaric’s expression softened and he smoothed her hair back from her face. She was still looking at her finger and he took her hand and examined it.

“Look at that—your cut has finally healed. That’s good news. Torren was getting ready to cut it off,” he teased.

Mirella didn’t smile, just looked at Elowyn with wide eyes.

Alaric took her hand and led her back to the three women. “Which of these women would you like as your nanny?”

Mirella stared up at them for a moment before looking back at Elowyn and Seraphine. “I want her.” She pointed at Elowyn and Alaric sighed.

Alaric looked down. “Mirella, do you...”

“No, Mirella. You must pick from these three women here.”

“I want her.”

Alaric glanced at the man who was idly swinging his ring of keys from one finger. He shook his head.

“No, m’lord, you don’t want that one. She is contentious and disagreeable. You know how the Reds are.”

Alaric looked back at Mirella. She was still staring at the redheaded woman and he frowned.

“Stay here, Mirella.”

He returned to the Red. She stared unblinkingly at him as he looked her up and down. She was wearing a dirty, grey dress that was too large. She practically floated in it. Her feet were bare, and her legs and arms were covered in grime and grass stains. Her hair hung halfway down her back, a cascade of fire-colored locks with twigs and leaves stuck in it. Her light green eyes regarded him with a cool sort of haughtiness that belied her dirty and disheveled appearance. Her face was as dirty as her arms and legs, and he wrinkled his nose at her smell.

“Do you have any experience with children.”

She shook her head. “No, m’lord. But she does.”

She dragged the small blonde woman out from behind her and pushed her toward Alaric.

“Elowyn, no,” the girl whispered.

“Hush, Seraphine,” Elowyn said fiercely, and the girl quieted immediately.

“Have you nannied before, girl?” Alaric asked her.

The blonde girl blushed and stared down at her bare feet, and Alaric rolled his eyes with barely-concealed impatience.

“Well, have you?”

“No, m’lord,” she whispered.

Before he could turn away, Elowyn said, “She’s had plenty of experience with our younger siblings, my lord. She practically raised both our younger brother and sister. She has a comforting touch with babies, and she can read and write. She taught our brother to read when he was only three.”

Alaric stared at the trembling girl and then at her older sister. “Are you that eager to rid yourself of her?”

Elowyn flushed. “I want nothing more than a better life for her, my lord.”

“And what makes you so certain I will give her a better life?” He arched his eyebrow at her.

She looked around the room and, in a voice filled with desperation, said, “Anything is better than this. She is too bright and too beautiful to live her life in a cage. Please, take her with you. She will serve you well. I swear this to you.”

Alaric frowned. The woman’s impassioned plea had moved him more than he cared to admit.

“Very well then—we’ll take the girl.”

Elowyn nodded with relief, but Seraphine let out a loud wail. “No, Elowyn! I will not leave you!” She threw herself into the redhead’s arms, sobbing brokenly.

Rather than soothe her like Alaric expected, Elowyn grabbed her upper arms and pushed her upright. She shook the young girl harshly.

“Seraphine, enough! Stop your crying right now.”

The woman struggled to obey, sniffing and hiccupping as a stray sob escaped.

“Elowyn, please don’t send me away.”

He watched as Elowyn cupped her face, wiping away her tears with dirty thumbs.

“Seraphine, listen to me. I love you. I will always love you. I do this for you. Do you understand?”

Sobbing quietly, Seraphine nodded, and Elowyn hugged her hard before kissing her on the mouth. Dry-eyed, she pushed Seraphine toward Alaric who took her upper arm and led her toward Mirella. He stopped when Elowyn dropped her hand onto his arm. He could feel the heat of her hand through his shirt. A shiver went down his back and he stared at her as she stepped closer.

“Keep her safe,” Elowyn demanded, her green eyes staring into his.

His eyes dropped to her mouth and then to her breasts. They were well-hidden beneath the sack of a dress she wore, and he looked back up at her, flushing a little at the wry look on her face.

“Promise me you’ll keep her safe.” She frowned at him, and with a small jerk he yanked his arm free.

He pulled Seraphine toward Mirella. Already the girl’s relentless sobbing was beginning to grate on him, and he was regretting his impulsive decision.

“Come, Mirella. Let’s go,” he said brusquely.

The little girl shook her head. “No. I want that one.” She pointed again at Elowyn.

“No, Mirella. I do not have time for your games.”

The small, dirty man gave an ugly laugh. “Listen to your father, girl. The Reds are all witches or whores. No one with half a mind brings a Red into their household. They bring nothing but death and destruction they do.”

He picked his nose, staring at the green smear on his finger with interest before wiping it on his pant leg.

Alaric stared at him with disgust, and then at Mirella as she took his hand in her small one. She was staring up at him, her dark eyes large and wet with unshed tears.

“Please, Papa. I want her,” she whispered.

Mirella never called him papa. She kept her distance and referred to him as “my lord” or “Alaric” when prompted to interact with him. Hearing her call him papa made it difficult to resist her.

As though sensing his weakness, Seraphine said, “Elowyn is also very good with children, my lord. And she is excellent with plants. Your garden will thrive and provide plenty of food for your children’s bellies.”

Alaric scrubbed his hand across his face. “Fine. I’ll take her as well.”

Seraphine gasped with happiness, and Mirella grinned triumphantly as Elowyn joined them. Seraphine hugged her and Elowyn kissed her cheek before taking her hand. The four of them joined the others and as they filed out the door, the man grabbed Alaric’s arm.

“Perhaps you would care for one more, m’lord.” He looked down at Alaric’s bare left hand. “Perhaps a fine wench to warm your bed?” He pointed to a dark-haired woman who was wearing a dress that left little to the imagination. She smiled slowly and invitingly at him.

Alaric pulled his arm free. “I have no need for a bed warmer. Let us agree over the price so I can leave this wretched place.”