Another of the dogs pounced and Guin wrestled with the larger animals, growling her little puppy sounds.
“Such a fierce girl,” Brynn laughed.
“She’ll be as big as them soon,” Esa said.“She’s more than doubled in size since you got her.”
It was true.Guin would outgrow being carried soon.Brynn felt a little sad at that thought.
“Will you take her hunting, do you think?”
“Maybe.”Brynn watched as the puppy sniffed at the ground, nosing out the remains of a mussel shell.“But we’ll see if Guin takes to it when she’s bigger.”
Guin turned at her name, like she usually did.She dropped back on her haunches, ears forward.Her paws had grown out of proportion to the rest of her, making her awkward on her feet.
She let off a low yip, leaping toward a speck of motion on the rocks.A crab scuttled away from her, and she leapt around it, ears forward as she sniffed it.The other dogs followed her, rushing to see what had drawn her attention.
Brynn inhaled slowly.The world was rich withka.Overflowing with it.She had always thought of these northern islands as stark and barren, but they teemed with life.She could feel the power swelling from the forest to the sea.Even from the rocks, though not as strong.
Behind them, the town was very much alive.Most of it was certainly the jarls and others gathered here for the Althing, but not all.
“Kalen says that the dyrehunds are unmatched trackers.”Esa watched the puppy as she scurried back and forth.“He says I should come hunting.If you’ll allow it, of course.”
“You speak with Kalen often?”Brynn tried not to sound too teasing.
“We’ve done nothing wrong.”Esa answered a little too quickly, the words tripping over each other in their haste to get out.“I like him, is all.”
She smiled at the girl, a sad twisting in her chest.At Esa’s age, Brynn had been embroiled in a war for her family’s survival.She’d barely had time to notice boys, much less act on it.“Kalen is a fine young man.”Brynn didn’t insult Esa by telling her to be careful.
Esa knew well enough.Besides, Kalen was probably the safest object of Esa’s affections there could be.
Brynn sensed someone approaching and turned.The young woman was likely around Esa’s age and dressed plainly but appeared clean and well-fed.Brynn’s brow furrowed at the sight of her.She had an unusual amount ofkain her body, shimmering off her in golden whisps.
The girl was a sorceress.She wasn’t summoningkato herself strategically, quite the opposite.It was the wild, accidental way of drawing power that marked younger, unpracticed Istovari.
Brynn almost took a step back but suppressed her shock by the time the girl reached them.
Guin yipped at the girl, her tail stiffening as she moved closer to Brynn.The little dog had become more protective since arriving in Istra.Maybe Cenric had told her to guard Brynn or something of that nature.Guin did not speak to Cenric, but he still tried speaking to her.
The girl greeted them with a low bow, dark hair catching in the wind.“Lady, you are Brynn of Ombra?”Her Hyldish was heavily accented and spoken hesitantly, but Brynn understood it well enough.
“I am.”Brynn folded her hands before her, fighting to remain composed.
“I am handmaiden to Lady Tullia.She has sent me to serve you however I may.”
Brynn had almost forgotten Tullia’s promise to provide a translator.“Yes.My thanks to your mistress.”Brynn glanced at Esa.
From Esa’s expression, she could see the girl’skaas well.
Brynn would need to think of how to address this, if at all.“What is your name?”
“Lena.”The girl’s eyes remained downcast.
“Where…” Brynn hesitated.“You are from Hylden?”Tullia had already hinted at that.
“My mother was Hyldish.”Lena’s gaze wavered, as if searching the ground for something.“She taught me her language.”
A sinking sense of suspicion mixed with dread pooled in Brynn’s gut.Did Tullia know what this thrall girl was?Did Tullia intend this as a message?
Brynn glanced past Lena, noticing several young men heading in their direction.“Child, did you bring an escort?”
