Chapter 3

“What on the gods’ earth were you thinking, Alaric?” Torren frowned at him as he clucked loudly to the horses.

The wagon started with a jolt and Torren slapped the reins gently on the horses’ backs, encouraging them to move faster. They pulled onto the dusty road, the wagon creaking and groaning as they drove toward their camp.

“What do you mean?” Alaric asked.

“The Red? Are you deliberately trying to curse us?”

“That’s nothing more than an old wives’ tale, Torren,” Alaric scoffed derisively. “I didn’t know you spooked so easily.”

“I don’t,” he protested hotly. “But it’s bad enough you’re bringing more humans into the household. Did you have to bring a Red as well?”

Alaric rolled his eyes. “Afraid she’ll cast a spell on you?”

“You laugh, but my mother used to tell me tales of the witches when I was still a small pup. Terrible tales they were. Women with flaming red hair, chanting and casting spells as they danced naked around their fires. Humans and paranormals alike have been destroyed by them, Alaric.”

Alaric snorted with disdain. “You sound like a dithering old woman, Torren. Tales of the witches are a human thing.”

“You forget my mother was human.”

“I haven’t forgotten. Human blood runs within your veins, and yet you seem to loathe them.”

Torren refused to answer, staring forward moodily as Alaric glanced behind him at the back of the wagon. Mirella had insisted on joining Elowyn and Seraphine in the back of the wagon and she was sitting on Elowyn’s lap, her small hand stroking the Red’s hair repeatedly.

“Besides, Mirella has taken a liking to her.”

“You don’t need two nannies, Alaric. It’s just another mouth to feed,” Torren argued in a low voice. “Tonight, after Mirella falls asleep, I’ll take her to the outskirts and abandon her. You can tell Mirella in the morning that the Red ran away.”

“That’s a death sentence and you know it,” Alaric said. “If the faeries don’t capture her, the leeches definitely will.”

Torren shook his head. “I’ve never seen you bend so easily to a woman’s will before.”

“Mirella is my child. She has just lost her mother, and a father she barely knows is taking her to a home she does not remember. I will do whatever it takes to make her feel comfortable.” He paused and gave Torren a hard look. “I value your opinion, brother, but the woman stays. Do you understand me?”

“Of course, I do. But when she’s murdering our chickens and using their blood to write spells on our bedroom walls, you’ll owe me an apology.”

Alaric laughed. “Fine. When that happens, I’ll apologize.”

Seraphine smiled at Mirella. “How old are you, Mirella?”

Mirella looked up from Elowyn’s hair. “I’m seven.”

“Seven. Wow. And can you read and write?”

Mirella shook her head. “No. Can you?”

Seraphine nodded. “I can. Perhaps I could teach you? Would you like that?”

“Yes. I have a little brother you know. His name is Theo.”

“And how old is Theo?” Seraphine asked.

“He’s seven moons old. He’s sick a lot.”

Seraphine glanced at Elowyn. “What kind of sickness?”

Mirella shrugged and stroked Elowyn’s hair again. “He sneezes and coughs a lot. He’s always throwing up his milk. Mrs. Everleigh says it’s the air. She says my mother should never have lived in the city.”

She frowned, her hands tangled in Elowyn’s hair. “I don’t like Mrs. Everleigh. She has bad breath, and she says mean things about my mother when she thinks I can’t hear.”

“Where is your mama?” Elowyn asked.

“She’s dead,” Mirella said matter-of-factly. “She had a friend who was a bad man. He took her to the leeches.”

“I’m sorry, baby.” Elowyn rubbed her back, and Mirella leaned companionably against her. “You must miss her very much.”

Mirella shrugged. “She wasn’t around a lot.” She snuggled in closer, resting her head in the curve of Elowyn’s neck. “I take care of Theo—I’m very good at it.”

“I’m sure you are, baby.”

Mirella wrinkled her nose. “You smell bad, Elowyn.”

Elowyn grinned as Seraphine giggled. “I know I do. Perhaps when we get to your home, I could have a bath.”

“We’re not going home yet. We’re going back to our campsite. Torren says it will be another two days before we arrive home.” She sighed. “And it’s not my home. Alaric says I used to live there but I don’t remember it. Alaric says I’ll like it. He says there are lots of places to explore and the house is very large. I’ll have my own room, and he said he would buy me a pony and teach me to ride.”

She hesitated. “I’m not sure I’ll like living in the country though.”

Astrid spoke up. “The country is a wonderful place to live, young miss. The fresh air, big open sky...”

She sighed happily. “The Ashred’s had the most beautiful country home. I’ve missed it. I’m so happy to hear we’ll be living in the country.”

“I’m not.” The girl sitting next to Astrid said. She had a thin and mousy face, and she sighed dramatically. “I hate the country. Give me the city any day.”

“I miss the city too,” Seraphine said.

Astrid frowned. “It was the city living that got the ancients into trouble in the first place. All of those people crowded into the city with no place to turn without running into another human. The Great War destroyed so many of us because we were crowded into the old cities like cattle. Three quarters of the population wiped out in an instant.”

“We have seen an old city,” Seraphine said.

The mousey girl’s mouth dropped open. “You’re lying.”

“I am not!” Seraphine replied indignantly. “Our father took us to see one when we were young. Did he not, Elowyn?”

“Aye.” Elowyn nodded. “He did.”

“You would have the sickness if you had gone to the old city.” A dark-haired girl, Elowyn thought her name was Mira, said critically. “Your hair and teeth would have fallen out, and the sores would have appeared.”

“Would have been a blessing for that one if her hair had fallen out.” The mousey girl nudged Astrid and looked pointedly at Elowyn.

“Don’t be rude, Lysa.” Astrid frowned.

Seraphine shook her head. “My father arranged for us to wear special suits. They had these small canisters attached to them that gave us our own air. That’s why we didn’t contract the sickness.”

“What was it like?” Mira asked.

Seraphine glanced at Elowyn. “I was very young, around Mirella’s age, but I can still remember how tall the buildings were. They blotted out the sun. A lot of them had crumbled to the ground. Father said there used to be a great many more, but the Great War destroyed most of the buildings.” She shivered delicately. “It was so quiet. No birds sang or animals moved about. Although the sun shone brightly, there were no plants growing. There were no signs of life at all—even after all the years.”

“Why did your father take you there? What if you had gotten sick?” Mira wondered.

Elowyn shifted Mirella on her lap. “My father was fascinated with history. He had a thirst for knowledge, particularly about the ancients’ lives, and he wanted to share it with us. He wanted us to learn from the ancients’ mistakes. He believed it was worth the risk.”

“He sounds crazy.” Lysa sniffed.

Seraphine frowned but Elowyn smiled. “Aye. I guess he does.”

“I still wish I had been bought by someone who lived in the city.” Lysa sighed. “The lights are so pretty at night, and there is music and dancing and parties.”

Astrid rolled her eyes. “What do you know of the parties? You, who was born into slavery.”

“My lord’s son favored me.” Lysa gave her a haughty look. “I pleased him well, and in return he showered me with gifts and took me with him to many gatherings.”

“A fat lot that did you, didn’t it?” Astrid glowered at her. “You still ended up being sold when the household could no longer afford to feed you.”

“It doesn’t matter. Now that we’re going to the country, I’ll never hear music or go dancing again,” Lysa said.

“Alaric says there is a village not far from his home,” Mirella said. “Perhaps they dance there?”

Lysa smiled at her. “Perhaps, young miss. But I would still prefer the city.”

Astrid frowned. “With the leeches and the faeries and the Lycans just running rampant? No, thank you. Do you know how many people go missing every day from the city? Why, before Mrs. Ashred sold me, there were five people in the city not five miles from our home that went missing all in one night. Of course, no one knows for sure what happened to them. Some swear it was the faeries, but I heard from Mr. Branwick next door that it was the Lycans. It was a full moon that night.”

Mirella was visibly trembling in Elowyn’s arms and she squeezed the little girl soothingly. “Are you okay, my pet?”

She nodded as Alaric turned around. His gaze landed briefly on Elowyn before he scanned the rest of the women. “Quiet your tongues. All of you.”

“The gods be damned, Lord Valehart! You said you would be bringing no more than six back with you.”