Chapter 116. Family

Eir’s POV

“Make her shut up, for crying out loud!”

Lydia winced and squirmed on the cold wooden floor. I pressed my hands over her mouth, desperately trying to muffle her cries and moans of pain. The wagon squeaked and bumped along the poorly kept dirt road through the dense forest. Blood kept pouring out from the gaping wound on her shoulder and back; I was sure some of her ribs were broken, and probably much worse things I didn’t want to think about right now. I didn’t even have so much as water or a cloth to stop the bleeding.

Jacob was irritated and anxious, switching between threatening to put her out of her misery and offering—very generously—to leave her behind here. Ezra had been quiet for a long while but had turned to face us only minutes ago. There was no trace of anger in either his face or voice, but what he said left nothing to misunderstand.

“Either she shuts up, or you will have to. Think of it like we, as parents, gave you a