Chapter 33

Mara's POV

The woman pressed so hard with her pen that I could feel the grooves in the paper. She had written my name at the top and signed herself Lina Alder at the bottom. Between them was her daughter's name.

My daughter is twelve. When the old bell sounds, her legs move even if she is holding on to me. Captain Orsik told a mill driver that you helped his daughter come home. I don't know if you can help mine. Alpha Grey has signed Nia's transfer for dawn tomorrow. The Concord says our medicine and grain will stop if he refuses. Nia has locked herself in her room so she cannot walk out while we sleep. If you know somewhere we can take her, please tell me. I will carry her myself.

At the bottom was an address in Frostmere and a postscript, cramped into the margin: