For Father.
For me.
“Seranni!”
I turned to see who had hailed me, and felt my lips curve up into a smile. Voren, the mayor’s son, fell into step with me as I waked back to my house.
“So, how did it go?”
I shook my head, and he tutted.
“That bad, huh?” He sucked his teeth and blew a quick breath. “You know, my offer is still open.”
I laughed at that, despite my bad mood. Voren had convinced himself he was in love with me, despite me trying my best to let him down gently.
“Voren,” I said softly, “you know I cannot accept.” I turned my face away from his immediate frown, trying not to wince. “We are friends, nothing more.”
“I know you’re not being courted by anyone else—”
“Voren—”
“Why can’t you just give me a chance, Seranni, I would be so good to you—”
Luckily, I was saved from this uncomfortable conversation with Voren by a loud cry.
“Mistress Vasalt!” I turned to see young Riana Narr come running up to me. “It’s my mother, miss, the baby’s coming!” She bit her trembling lip. “Please, come with me—fast!”
I picked up my skirts and ran to the Narrs’ house, trailing Riana. Annoyingly, Voren followed me.
At the threshold, I turned to Voren. “Please, don’t follow me inside. We can talk later, but right now, I must help Mother Narr.”
I didn’t stay to see if Voren nodded, I turned to Riana and followed her inside her house. She ran for the bedroom off the side of the hall, where her mother lay in bed. Mother Narr was holding her daughter-in-law’s hand and whispering encouragement to her as she labored. Her son was away, travelling to another town with the others from his merchant guild, so it was only the three Narr women who greeted me.
“Elina,” I said, looking at the woman who lay with her feet bent and sweat streaming down her face, even in the winter chill. “How are you doing?”
Elina looked up at me, wincing. Older than me by five years, Elina had always been kind to me. It worried me to see her red-faced and panting with pain.
“It hurts, Sera,” she said, moaning with pain.
I winced. When I made to take my friend’s other hand, Mother Narr intercepted me.
“The babe is taking longer than usual,” she said in a low voice so that her daughter-in-law would not hear. “Is there anything you can do?” She looked at me with hopeful eyes, and I squeezed her hand.
“I will try my best.”
The next few minutes were a blur. I sent Riana to my house for pain reliever, and for cotton root bark, which would help with inducing labor. After two long and painful hours, the babe was finally born.
But it did not cry. Wheezing for breath, the babe slowly stopped moving. He remained still, even as I tried to blow into his mouth. Luckily, Elina had fainted away from the exertion, and Riana had cried herself to sleep, cuddled up next to her mother.
“Is he alright?”
Mother Narr’s face was stricken, and her eyes filled with fear as if her heart knew the truth. Her grandson was fading.
“Give me a moment,” I snapped, turning away from her. “I must check.”
Shielding the sight of the babe with my body, I hunched over him. Mother Narr hovered over Elina and Riana, darting anxious looks at me.
“Come on, little one,” I breathed, infusing my breath with my magic. My hands glowed, but the dark blue of my bodice hid the faint light, and I continued to draw from my magic, healing whatever ailed the babe. I had no idea how my magic knew what to do, how it healed, but I prayed that it would be enough.
