Page 110 of Frost and Death
He is cursed.
And I think he is still hiding something. I didn’t have a chance to challenge him further about my father yesterday, but he better know I am not going to let that, too, be swept away.
He knows how to use his magic, and I need to do whatever I can to take advantage of his knowledge to help myself.
A greeting from Dorit is welcoming when she enters wearing her pleasant smile. She carries a tray of dried meats and cheeses.
I am not one to gorge myself on food in the mornings, and I am pleasantly surprised she has made herself aware of my habits. It makes me like her even more.
Offering my thanks, I fasten the laces binding the top of my tunic together, concealing my breasts. I hate to admit that the shirt and trousers grew on me, despite only wearing them yesterday. I couldn’t help but reach for a second set today.
“Here, let me help you,” Dorit offers, resting the tray down and helping me lace the string through the trousers.
“Thank you.”
Dorit eases me through my minor setback, ensuring the tunic is properly tucked into the trousers with the fabric billowing away from my body.
“There,” she chides. “Now, let’s do something with that hair of yours.”
I reach for the dried meat and cheese while she combs my hair, plaiting it into one long braid that goes down the length of my spine. A loose strand works itself free in her efforts, and I tuck it behind my ear before she notices and starts all over.
Dorit is not the only observant one, though. Bless her, but I’ve noticed she is a bit of a perfectionist.
As my stay has continued, her little quirks became more noticeable. The need for hair to be perfectly styled, the right amount of food on each tray she brings, the dresses and ensembles fitted and tailored flawlessly.
I chew through a slice of cheese, hiding my snicker from her as she ties off my braid.
“What?” she asks.
I chew on through my amusement quietly. She sees my laughter, and she pushes her hands against her hips, eyebrows raised in question.
I break into a fit of giggles, nostalgia flooding my senses. “You remind me of my sister, Runa, and my friend Betina.”
Tears well in my eyes as I realize how much I miss Niko and Betina. And my laughs stop when I’m reminded of who I really miss. My family.
I mask the pain, blinking away my grief. “I apologize if I offended you.”
Dorit slumps in relief. “Thank Yeva. I thought I had something in my teeth.”
I throw my head back in laughter, and Dorit laughs as well.
She helps herself by reaching for a slice of dried meat, earning approval that she feels comfortable enough to do that.
“Meetings or library today?” she asks, her jaw working through the meat.
I swallow my food, biting my tongue. I pinch my features at the sharp, abrasive pain. “Library with Jerrick today. And probably the rest of my life, if we are being honest.”
“Why do you say that?”
I shrug, building more lies. “We have a lot to work through. With my magic and his magic—”
“You mean his curse?”
My lips pop. “You know?”
She gives me a knowing look, and we both speak at the same time. “Gossip.”
We grin, my heart content, and she continues, “I don’t know the extent of it, only that he does have a curse.”
