Page 65 of A Darkness So Sweet

The woman only looked at her with an expression of disgust before ignoring her.

What was she doing wrong?

Maia frowned, trying to find someone who would look at her in the crowd and maybe explain what was going on. But no one was even looking at her, she realized. They were all pretending that she didn’t exist. Like there was a fly buzzing among them, and they were all ignoring it.

What had changed? She’d done this for the past two days, and so many people had been willing to take the bread in her hands. It was helpful, at the very least, to take food home that they didn’t have to cook.

There was a younger woman down the street who had taken bread from her just yesterday. As Maia walked up to her, she couldseethe guilt in her eyes as the young woman looked away and started down the street away from her. Even though that meant the troll maiden had to turn and go in the opposite direction she’d originally been walking.

“What is happening?” Maia muttered under her breath, before turning around.

It was like she’d turned invisible. No matter what she did, no one would look at her. They would not talk to her. And if this was how it was going to be, then... well, she supposed she should just go home.

With fifteen loaves of bread that would mold.

An arm wound around her shoulder, tucking her against a side that smelled like clean linen and woven tapestries. “Do not let them insult you so,” Hulda said, her old voice wavering with emotion. “They do not see that you are a troll wife, and that you are to be honored as such.”

Maia looked up at the old woman, seeing the kindness in her wrinkled face. “I don’t understand what changed from yesterday.”

“The others found out that a cave-in caused the earthquake. The humans attacked one of the entrances into our home, and there were many trolls injured because of it.”

Maia’s stomach churned. “And they blame me for it.”

“It is misplaced blame. You did not cause the collapse, nor did you order your people to attack our home. But you are the only human here.” Hulda’s face wrinkled with worry. “I don’t think it is entirely safe for you to be out on your own, fire hair.”

Safe? The trolls had never given her reason to be afraid for her safety, but... Maia glanced back at the crowd now gathering and staring at her, and she saw distrust and fear in their movements. Both of those emotions were quick to convince people to do awful, terrible things, and she wasn’t sure that she wanted to know what they would do to her if they caught her.

Swallowing hard, she nodded. “I think you’re right. Perhaps it would be best if I went back home.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“That would be very appreciated. Thank you, Hulda.”

Together, they headed back to Ragnar’s home. But the entire journey, all Maia could see were the hostile expressions on the trolls’ faces.

Was it that hard for them to see her here? She knew that there were many who had likely lost a loved one, or who had family members injured in what happened. And she was so sorry for it. Maia had done everything in her power to help, and continued to do so. But was she the problem here?

Hulda even put her hand over Maia’s head, as though she was hiding the red hair from afar so people wouldn’t see her. The old woman couldn’t move fast, but when she wanted to, she moved fast enough that Maia was almost jogging to keep up with her.

Until a vendor called out to them. The man was standing in front of his cart, one that was full of earrings and gemstones that weren’t set in metal yet. He pointed at the two of them, calling out, “Hulda! Is that Ragnar’s human?”

“She’s his troll wife,” Hulda corrected. “There is honor in that title, Arvid.”

“It’s not possible to separate their kind. She was born human, and human she will always be.” There was a flash of something in the man’s eyes. Something dangerous that threatened her well being and Maia felt that inner voice in her head scream.

She’d seen expressions like that before. The twist of her gut had never been wrong, not about a man. Soon enough, he would try to hurt her. Maybe he would justify it as saving his people from her kind, and she wouldn’t blame him for that. Everyone was angry right now.

She was furious at her own people. Attacking the troll mountain, trying to make it seem like she was the princess and tricking them out of their deal. There were a hundred transgressions that her people were wrong for, but she did not want to take the brunt of that pain for them. She wasn’t sure she even could.

Arvid growled, and the sound made every single hair on her body stand on end. “You’re standing up for her, Hulda? You’re a very old woman to try to keep her safe.”

“But I will keep her safe. Or will you attack me first?”

“I have no interest in attacking troll kind. But I do want the human scum to get out of our market.”

Hulda let out a sound that was far too close to a hiss. “Troll wife!”

“Get out of my way, crone. She could easily spy for her own people, and I won’t have my family endangered because she wanted to play with the animals before returning to hercultured ways.” He spat the last two words, the insult obvious behind them.