Page 45 of Oath of the Wolf
Voices chattered ahead, mostly female.Someone screamed.
“Oh, no,” Brynn gasped.“Oh, no, no…” Brynn broke away from him, running toward a crowd forming at the front of a large house.The building was separate from the others and appeared to be some manner of residence.
“Brynn?”Cenric jogged after her as she pushed through a crowd of onlookers at the open door of the longhouse.
Servants scattered out of their way, but women in jewels with brightly colored shawls didn’t move as quickly.Brynn wove between them and Cenric dodged after her.
Brynn reached the doorway, a hand over her mouth as she stared aghast.
“Brynn?”Cenric pushed his way up to stand behind her.
Inside was a sumptuous room lined with carpets.The hearth burned bright at the center and Queen Sifma knelt on the floor, sobbing over the motionless body of a young woman.
Servants hovered around them, but most simply stared in sick fascination.Wealthy women crowded around them, gasps of horror and whispers fluttering between them along with the soft clinking of beads and silver temple rings.
Realizing what this house was, Cenric took a step back from the threshold out of habit.It would be an offense to Ovrek to enter, even if the house’s occupant was dead.
Sifma cradled the young woman’s corpse.“No, no, no.My poor girl.No.”The queen spotted Brynn in the doorway.“You,” she growled.
Brynn took a step back, hitting Cenric’s chest.She might not understand the language, but she understood the tone.
Cenric reached for his wife, not sure what was happening.
“What did you do to her?”Sifma laid down the girl’s body, smoothing back her hair.
Cenric searched over his shoulder.He didn’t recognize anyone here.He would have no allies against the queen’s wrath.
“You killed her!”Sifma shrieked.
Cenric had never seen Ovrek’s stoic wife so distraught nor so angry.
Sifma marched across the room, headed straight for Brynn.“What did you do?”
Two of the onlooking men advanced on Brynn, the object of their queen’s rage.
Cenric grabbed Brynn around the waist, pushing her behind him.The two men kept coming, so he drew his sword.Both men drew up short as the surrounding women backed away.None of them wanted to be caught in the middle of this.
One of the men also drew a sword.
Cenric flashed his teeth, a warning, a dare.He didn’t care if these men were Ovrek’s servants.He’d kill them right here if they tried to touch Brynn.
Sifma drew up short, seeming to recognize him.“Cenric.”
“Queen Sifma.”Cenric did his best to sound courteous.“What has happened?”
“What’s happening?”Brynn asked, her Hyldish words clashing with Sifma’s stream of enraged Valdari.
“Steady,” Cenric whispered to Brynn.
She held onto his left arm.She didn’t tell him to put away the sword, but she kept her attention on the two men.
“She came here earlier today offering her help.Now Gistrid is dead.”
“Brynn tried to help her,” Cenric retorted.
“What is she saying?”Brynn trembled.“Tolvir asked me to help.”
“Did Tolvir not ask for Brynn’s help?”Cenric asked, addressing the queen.
