ent

r were in the main hall before the fire, regarding the tables and bench

woman remarked with

“Yes,” Yelena smiled savagely. “I speak Fae, a

snide comment had been delivered bowed

y stood open, and Diersen had lit the beeswax candles. She blew them out as she entered, causing him and his ai

ion. How long had it been, she wondered in shock, since her father had been in there? How long had he been too il

palms of his hands onto his robes

r has bee

er his nose. “He is… Fae? I

ough her teeth. “For he has and does

ief. “I have healers and mages amongst ou

indowsill as she leaned into it. “That would be very welco

ung, for a full-Fae. This is, I am sure, a minor,

er sleeve to wipe her eyes hastily as she straightened and turned to face him and his aide, the you

iersen,”

clothing was far finer than her own much-patched gown, and her mud-caked boots

Lord Sylvin has sent to see to the mai

rsen. To purchase meat, flour… Oh, everything really. Leather for shoes. Livestock for those we have lo

regarded her, his

. “To pay the keep’s debt to the village, and to stock us appropriately f

eeper of your husband’s treasures. If you will show me the keep’s ledger,” he gestured around at

t her relief. “That

arried the heavy book to the table and set it before him, dust lifting beneath the weight of it. She fl

that be, My Lady,” he drew a finger down the column and then made a strangled noise as he r

thought she’d leave that to the villagers to break to him. “Is what happens to a keep when there is war. Humans take human men from t

are no men-at-arms left to persuade them. And then they begin to charge the

iet of wild-harvested weeds and rabbits caught in snares, and women,” she straightened her shoulders. “And then any marauding

ar, been spared it’s toils.” This is what happens, she thought woefully, when the Lord apparently forgot about those

his news and walk out. You have allowed this keep to decline, to decay around you, whilst you have done wh

hest to chest. “I have nursed this keep through three winter fevers and eigh

garments so that they can be reused, and reused, and reused. I have turned bed curtains into clothing. I have been through eve

she snarled up at him. “Maybe my skin is not as fair as a princess, my hands are calloused, and my gowns are threadbare, but that there is a keep, or a tally to

he swallo

tever else that you can. The war might have ended, but our battles are just beginning. If the armies are disbanded, armed, an

rew in a breath

llagers… They have suffered too, and they have lost all loyalty to the keep as a result. We

La

ng whenever a floorboard creaked in the hall beyond the nursery door, every time a voice rose and fell in conversation. She found a spell that was far advanced o

such a spell. There was no mention of balance in the instructions, which either meant that her mother, or whoever

her palms pressing her forehead to its spine

carriage, no doubt carrying Diersen and his aide, bumping along the road towards the village. She

herbs and vegetables that clung on now did so stubbornly, each plant nur

heir gnarled branches towards the sky in triumph. Only the last fruit of the season remained rotting on the boughs, left

thing else. There simply was no other reason such ingredients were sought. Skeleton of mouse, eye of toad, young lizard drained of blood… all took time to find and capture, all went into her

both. Condemned by both because of her abili

nk and looked up into the bra