Page 26 of Blood of the Fallen
I shook my head, fighting the lump of nausea in my throat.
He smiled kindly and led the way.
CHAPTER 10
Kallled me through the camp, which seemed empty. Where was everyone? Where were the kids? They always ran around, playing one game or another.
We veered toward the biggest structure. The high-pitched voices of the kids echoed inside. I frowned at Kall questioningly, and he just smiled and led me past the threshold. Inside, the space was illuminated by a fire pit in the middle and the lingering sunlight coming through wide holes in the roof.
All the kids were seated on the ground, the smallest ones in the front and the oldest ones at the back. To my surprise, I found that they were reciting a pledge to protect their lands and follow their ways. Leading them was a middle-aged woman, standing in front of a chalkboard made with rough planks. When they were done reciting, she started assigning math work to the different age groups, the difficulty increasing as she went. Excited, the kids huddled together and started working, scribbling numbers on the ground, using sticks.
When she finished handing out tasks, she walked in our direction, wearing a wide, welcoming smile. “Hello.” She inclined her head.
“Hello, Nadie,” Kall said. “I brought Sheela to see our school.”
Her smile widened even more. “Welcome.”
“This… is great,” I said, grasping for words. “It must be hard teaching them all at once.”
“Oh, it’s not so bad,” she replied. “Most days, I have help, but being our first day back and with the preparations for the trials, it’s all up to me today.” She looked like she didn’t mind one bit. “I’m sure you received a wonderful education at the Academy. Perhaps, you can be one of my helpers, too.”
My head seemed to buzz with a million bees at the mention of the Academy. It was true that, as initiates, we were instructed not only in fighting skills but all the subjects that students learned in a regular school—and let no one forget they also taught us a million lies about thewildlings.I found it hard to believe that Nadie could find something nice to say about the evil institution that hunted us.
Tamping my rising anger, I said, “I would love to help. In fact, I’m supposed to find Wyome to see how I can help.”
“Then we’ll go see her next,” Kall said, turning to leave.
“Make sure to mention you would like to help me,” Nadie called as we walked out.
We found Wyome working under a tree, sewing a buckskin jacket. Two young teens—a boy and a girl—sat with her, occupied with similar repairs. They glanced up from their work. Unlike Nadie, they didn’t seem as welcoming. On the contrary, they looked me up and down with animosity, pausing at their work only long enough to make me feel like an intruder.
“Wyome,” Kall said, “Sheela would like to help around, will you assign her a few duties?”
The woman huffed. “She’ll just get in the way. She doesn’t know how to—”
“The Chieftess made herself clear,” Kall interrupted. “She has many skills, and she can learn the ones she doesn’t know.”
Wyome’s mouth twisted to one side. “Who has time to teach her?”
“You’ll make time,” Kall said, standing straight.
She set her work aside on a stump. “You don’t give me orders. And if anyone is going to be taking orders around here, it’ll be you. My daughter will make sure of that.”
Her daughter? I narrowed my eyes examining her face and decided that she must be Desna’s mother. And her two companions? Probably Desna's siblings.
Great!
It wasn’t in my personality to grovel, but I figured I had to make an effort to be part of the pack. Their animosity toward me was understandable. Earning their trust would not be easy, but I had to try.
“I would really like to help,” I said.
“If that’s the case, just stay out of the way. Go back to the tent and take a nap.”
I bit my tongue to hold back a barbed reply. Kall took a step forward, looking threatening. I reached out a hand and stopped him, my fingers brushing his muscled forearm. I blinked at the skin contact and pulled my hand away. He glanced at the spot where my hand had been, then met my gaze, looking surprised. I expected bile to clog my throat, but it never did.
“Let’s just go,” I said. “I’ll figure it out.”
As we walked away, Kall gave the three others a murderous stare, which they returned right back.
