Page 96 of Tears of the Wolf
“Perhaps that is the point.” Brynn had reached the river again and refilled her bucket. She faced her mother. “I am done, Mother.”
“With what?”
“All of it.” Brynn marched back toward the trough. “Politics. The Istovari. You.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.” Brynn emptied the bucket once again. “I do mean it.”
“You would stay here being a workhorse and a broodmare for some northern savage?” Selene’s voice frayed on the last word.
“Careful, Mother. That’s the alderman of Ombra you’re talking about.” Brynn fixed her mother in a hard stare.
All around them, Cenric’s people paused, watching their exchange. Edric and the other men were too far away, but Gaitha leaned against the fence on one arm, watching Selene with interest as did several others.
Selene’s eyes widened and she seemed genuinely at a loss.
“Can you finish this?” Brynn asked Gaitha, gesturing to the water trough. “I am going to go check on the kitchen.”
Gaitha kept her eyes on Selene. “Of course.”
Brynn handed her bucket to Esa.
“Should I come with you, lady?” Esa also watched Selene like the older sorceress might attack at any moment.
“No, stay here and help Gaitha.”
“As you wish, lady.” Esa canted her head, returning to her work.
Brynn began the trek up the hill to the longhouse. Ash leapt up from where she had been dozing in the grass and bounded after Brynn. She had noticed one of the dogs always trailed her these days. Was it coincidence or had Cenric given them the command to guard her?
Selene struggled to follow, panting. Brynn would have felt sympathy if it had been anyone else.
She reached the longhouse and Selene followed her inside. Brynn forgot she was barring her mother from the house for a moment.
Selene hovered over her shoulder while Brynn looked after the house girls’ progress. “Please, Brynn. Just allow us to speak in private. Please. Only once.”
It was a small concession and Brynn hated to give even that, but if she let her mother have this, perhaps she would realize her efforts were useless.
The household girls already had the cakes of bread in the coals and were at work chopping vegetables for the evening stew. Several chickens had been plucked and cleaned for roasting. Everything was in order.
“Fine,” Brynn exhaled. “Once.”
Selene’s face glowed with triumph. It was almost enough to make Brynn go back on her word.
She led her mother into the bedchamber she shared with Cenric. The bedchamber where she’d been sleeping alone for the past two nights. Her mother didn’t need to know she had spent those nights missing Cenric and remembering how it had felt to have him hold her.
Ash swaggered in after Brynn, shamelessly inviting herself inside.
Neirin waited outside, though they kept the door open.
Selene sat on one of Brynn’s trunks by the wall. She indicated the place next to her, but Brynn ignored her. Selene exhaled, as if dealing with a petulant child. “Brynn, this is bigger than you.”
“Isn’t it always?” Brynn stepped over to the basket where she had left Guin. Scooping up the puppy, she stroked under Guin’s muzzle.
The puppy whimpered, standing on her back legs and straining to lick Brynn’s mouth. Ash looked on, watching the puppy with perked ears.
Selene glanced to the door, then back to Brynn. “Aelgar is sickly. Every day it seems he has a new ailment. Not even Wassa can keep up with all his healing.”
