Alyssa cast her eyes to the ground. She could only begin to imagine everything her mother had been through, yet she had the audacity to blame her, to feel anger and betrayal for such a distant shame.
“I’m sorry,” she said. She reached for her mother, and it pained her heart to see the way she hesitated, the wariness in her eyes. But even still, she was her daughter, and Melody came forward, wrapping her arms around her. Alyssa sighed, and let tears silently run down her face. Let her whole household be damned. She would not let her fears keep her from regaining what was lost.
“I’m so glad you’re back,” Alyssa whispered. “Please, it is just so much, and I’m always fearful for Nathaniel.”
“You have nothing to explain,” Melody said. “Nothing to apologize for. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
The door burst open, startling them both. A guard stepped in, then immediately bowed in apology.
“Forgive me, milady,” he said to Alyssa. “I did not know you were...sorry, I was ordered to ensure you were safe.”
“Safe?” Alyssa asked, wiping her face. “What is the matter?”
“Nothing you should concern yourself with. A servant was killed on the premises, and we fear the killer still might be lurking outside.”
Pushing her emotions aside, she shook her head and straightened her back.
“I will not fear to walk in my own gardens,” she said. “Let me see the body.”
The guard looked between them, then submitted to his master.
“If you insist,” he said, leading the way.
“I’ll tell John,” Melody said, declining to follow. “And make sure Nathaniel is safe.”
Alyssa nodded, hurrying after the soldier, who looked like he’d decided that if he couldn’t deny her seeing the body, he could at least make the process as quick as possible. They curled around the front of the mansion, off a walkway, and into the smooth grass decorated with trees. All of it was surrounded by an enormous stone fence, the top spiked, but the Trifect had learned how little use such fences were over the past decade. More house guards lingered about, some searching for evidence of intruders, others scouring the fence for signs of rope or hook.
“Make way,” the guard said as they came upon a cluster of four halfway to the east wall. The men stepped aside, giving Alyssa access to the body. Seeing it, she held in a gasp. It was just a young servant boy, no older than ten. An arrow was stuck in his neck, having pierced his windpipe. Blood stained the grass red beneath him. At his feet was a pile of soiled clothes, his task for the early morning.
“Who would do such a thing?” Alyssa wondered aloud. “What could this poor boy have done to anyone?”
“There’s a message,” one of the guards said, sounding uncomfortable. He pointed, and sure enough, letters were cut into the grass by means of something sharp. It was hurried, disjointed, but she could read it well enough to put a shiver down her spine.
tongue of gold, eyes of silver
run, run little nathan
from the widow’s quiver
“When did this happen?” she asked, glancing about. They were far from any door, and the body was partially hidden behind the trunk of a tree.
“He’d have been up before daylight to do morning chores,” said the man who’d brought her. “Blood’s pretty dry.”
Her conversation with her mother, along with Victor, had already left her unnerved, but this awoke a brand new fury. The killer mocked her, and decreed her son to be his intended victim. What madness was this? Who would dare sneak onto her land to murder an innocent child?
“Bury him, and ensure his family is paid well,” she said.
“Right.” A guard knelt down, scooping the body into his arms. As he lifted, the boy’s neck snapped back, and his eyes opened. Alyssa let out a soft gasp. Two silver coins stared at her. All around, guards muttered and cursed at such strange mutilation. Swallowing down her revulsion, Alyssa put her back to the body and found Zusa standing there, observing everything silently.
“Whoever it is wants Nathanial next,” Alyssa said.
Zusa’s eyes narrowed.
“What would you have me do?”
Alyssa glanced back, saw the guards pry open the boy’s mouth and pull out two bloody coins of gold.
“Find Haern,” she said, quiet enough that no one else would hear. “He has to know who this Widow is, or what it means. And contact that wizard of his. I will have this murderer found, no matter the cost.”
“Will you be safe without me?”
Alyssa sighed.
“No, but I trust no one else. Go, now.”
Zusa headed for the front gates, then stopped. Hurrying back, she kissed Alyssa’s hand and pulling her close.