Swinging her feet over the edge, she lowered herself from the attic. Her feet dangled above a bear skull. She pointed her toes, her feet barely grazed the bear’s forehead. Would it support her weight?
Holding her breath, she let herself drop. The skull held to the wall, but something clattered out of its mouth. Ilyenna dropped to the floor. She found a large, heavy piece of onyx, which she now remembered seeing before in the bear’s mouth. She quickly shoved it under a sheepskin rug and rushed to the door. Glancing up and down the hall, she hurried down the ladders. At the bottom, she paused, her pulse racing as she stared at the light glowing from beneath the kitchen door. If anyone came into the great hall, she’d have nowhere to hide.
Her whole body tensed to flee, she tiptoed to the kitchen door and pressed her ear to the wood. She heard whispered voices, mumbles, but no matter how hard she strained to make out words, she couldn’t.
Ilyenna dared not linger. She raced back up the ladders. In Darrien’s room, she gripped the back of the skull and climbed up. Stretching, her fingertips found the wooden lip around the trapdoor. She heaved with all her strength, scrambling with her bare feet, but she slipped down. Footsteps echoed down the hall. He was coming! She tried again. Her foot brushed against a knot of wood. Digging her toes into it, she heaved herself up.
She eased the trapdoor down just as Darrien came into the room. Completely drained, she collapsed on the floor. She pressed her palms into her forehead as thoughts of the foreigners meeting secretly in the clan house reverberated inside her head.
Hours later, Ilyenna startled when she heard the ladder scrape along the floor of Darrien’s room. “Get up and get down here!” he hollered.
She crawled to the door and lifted it. Darrien stared up at her, his face an unreadable mask. Her gut twisting into knots, she stepped down the rungs. Once her feet were on the floor, she forced herself to meet his gaze.
He was so close that she instinctively took a step back. Still, he said nothing. She started walking away, but his voice halted her.
“You healed Metha, her baby, and yourself. How?”
She turned to face him. “Fairies.”
He thumbed his nose. “Unfortunately, I am no longer allowed to lay a hand on either you or Metha.” He circled Ilyenna, close enough that his shoulder brushed across her chest. “Not unless you ask for it, that is.”
Her hands ached to slap him, so she clenched them to keep herself in check. Not trusting herself to speak, she clenched her jaw as well.
Drawing even with her, Darrien whispered, his lips brushing against her hair. “You’ll ask.”
Ilyenna rushed from the room. She had to find Rone, to tell him about Darrien and Undon meeting with strangers in the dead of night. Downstairs, she stopped short at the sight of Metha sitting at the kitchen table, Harraw nuzzling at her breast.
It was the first time she’d seen the other woman since she’d given her one of the elice blossoms. Already, some of her swelling had gone down, revealing her jaw line and the joints of her fingers. Metha met her questioning gaze with an unreadable expression. “Come here.”
Ilyenna hesitated before moving to obey. Metha gazed down at her son. “What did you do to him, to us?”
“I healed you. Isn’t that enough?”
Metha shook her head. “Yesterday, I was dying. My son was dying. Today, I am stronger than I’ve been in months.”
Ilyenna started past them, toward the serving spoon and the pot of porridge. “You’re stronger than you think.”
Metha’s hand shot out and grabbed Ilyenna’s arm. She used it as leverage to pull herself to her feet. She gestured to a bowl of porridge circled with thick, rich cream. “First, eat your breakfast. Then you can get to the dishes.”
Without another word, Metha left the kitchen to serve the men.
Dumbfounded, Ilyenna stared at the porridge. She glanced around to make sure no one would backhand her before she slipped in the chair. Without bothering to stir the porridge, she ate every single bite as quickly as she could. Metha came back and put the pot in the basket. Apparently the girls had already eaten.
Her belly warm and full for the first time in days, Ilyenna took the basket of dishes and headed toward the house Rone was building. But as soon as she stepped out, Narium joined her. Shooting a wary glance back at the clan house, Ilyenna took Narium’s arm and steered her toward the forest.
“Last night, three foreigners came to the clan house. Two entered and met with Undon and Darrien. I sneaked downstairs, but I couldn’t make out what was said.”
The older woman rubbed her forehead between chapped fingers. “I’ll tell Rone.”
Ilyenna’s heart dropped. “Shouldn’t you be in the fields?”
“Shouldn’t you have finished the dishes by now?” Narium asked testily.
Ilyenna drew a deep breath. “I didn’t realize you were waiting for me.”
“I wasn’t waiting,” Narium growled.
“Narium, stop circling the sheep and put them in the pen.”
The woman sighed. “I’ll have one of the girls bring you the dishes, the washing, and your noon meal. Stay at the river.” She turned on her heel and headed back.
Ilyenna plunked down the basket of dishes. “Narium, wait!”
She turned. “If you trust me at all, Ilyenna, you’ll do this.”
Ilyenna shook her head. “Not until you tell me why.”
“Do as I say!” Narium took off at a swift walk.
Bewildered, Ilyenna watched her go. Whatever was going on, the other clan mistress didn’t want her to know about it until it was over. By then, Ilyenna would be too late to interfere. She glanced at the dishes and then toward the clan house. Slowly, she shook her head. “You aren’t the only clan mistress, Narium.”
After stashing the dishes inside the forest, Ilyenna eased through the woods. Hidden behind the trees, she searched the village. Nothing seemed out of place. Cautiously, she stepped out and ran to the barn.
It was then she heard it. The rhythmic slap, slap, slap of the strap. Someone was being beaten. Cautiously, she peered out. She recognized Darrien immediately. But who was he beating? Long, blond hair. A Shyle dress. Ilyenna stepped closer.
Larina.
The strap connected again. Ilyenna shut her eyes and winced with each blow. Why was Darrien beating her? And why didn’t Narium want her to see this? Did she think Ilyenna would try to stop it? She wasn’t a fool. Interfering would only make it worse.
Knowing there was nothing she could do, Ilyenna hurried back to the river and washed the dishes as fast as she could. She was so distracted she didn’t notice the apple blossom until it was hovering over the water directly in front of her. She smiled. “Thank you for bringing Leto.”
Jablana tipped her head to the side. “You asked for my help.” The fairy’s tiny wings beat faster, and she zipped back to the apple tree. But just before she flew out of sight, she paused and held her hands over the apple blossom. The petals fell off. The area behind the pollen-coated tips grew fat and green then red.
Jablana pulled her hands away. Her wings beat tiredly, but she was smiling. “They don’t taste as sweet without a touch of frost.”
Ilyenna felt her mouth hanging open and closed it. “Apples are my favorite.”
The fairy’s wings perked up and Ilyenna could see the wide smile over her pale pink skin. “Apples like winter’s kiss. Perhaps this is why I am drawn to you.” Her wings darkened with what Ilyenna could only guess was a blush. Jablana darted away.
Ilyenna reached up and plucked the apple from the tree. It was warm beneath her hands. She bit into it. Jablana may have been right about it not being as sweet, but after a winter of withered fruits and vegetables and days of half-rotten, infested food, it was the best apple she’d ever eaten.
Long before midday, Jossa arrived with a basket of washing and Ilyenna’s noon meal. “Metha’s actually feeding you now?”
Unwrapping her food, Ilyenna found a handful of fresh peas, a chunk of ham, and a piece of fresh bread. She palmed the whole lot of peas into her mouth. “I’ll be sure to stay on Metha’s good side from now on.”
Jossa had already scooped up the clean breakfast dishes and headed back to the clan house.
“Jossa?” Ilyenna called after her. The girl paused but didn’t turn. “I know something’s going on. What is it?”
Jossa hung her head. “Nothing, mistress.”
Carefully setting down her food, Ilyenna stood. “Jossa, I am your clan mistress, not Narium. Now tell me what’s going on.”
Jossa slowly turned, tears forming in her eyes. “Nothing’s going on, mistress.”
Ilyenna blinked in surprise. Jossa was lying. This was much worse than Ilyenna had thought. She placed her hand on Jossa’s shoulders, and the girl gasped in pain.
Ilyenna turned her around and pulled her hair to the side. Angry red welts stretched up her neck into her hairline. She’d been beaten with a soaked strap. “Darrien did this? Why?”
Jossa’s started backing away. “Please, mistress. Please don’t. I promised I wouldn’t say anything.”
“Stay here and finish the washing,” Ilyenna ordered.
Without waiting for the girl’s reply, she ran all the way to the women’s house and yanked open the door. What she saw stopped her cold. All of the women, even Narium, lay on the floor, strips of rags soaked in witch hazel across their backs. “By the Balance . . . ”