Brynn had been just a few weeks from the birth of her son when she had overhead her first husband, drunk and angry, ranting to one of his thanes about her.A whore, Paega had called her.A little vulture just waiting to claim his lands and wealth, who had only wanted a baby to make sure she held onto them after his death.
“If the gods are just, she’ll die screaming in childbirth,” Paega had sneered.“It would serve her right.”When Paega had thrown open the door and seen Brynn there, they both froze in shock.Paega was the first to speak.“Brynn,” he had slurred, “you weren’t supposed to hear that.”It was the one time he’d ever expressed anything like regret toward her.
Brynn had mostly stopped shedding tears over him by that point, but she had sobbed herself to sleep that night.To this day, she didn’t understand why Paega hated her so much.
Tullia shrugged as if none of it mattered.“I didn’t realize pennyroyal could be so devastating.”
“What?”Brynn wasn’t sure she had heard correctly.
Pennyroyal—used to repel fleas, cure some skin ailments, and induce miscarriage.It could also be highly poisonous.
“It’s nothing.”Had Tullia just confessed to poisoning Gistrid?“I had the chance to buy this one eunuch skilled in apothecary last summer.I should have bought him.My mother could use the help, I think.”
“Why are you telling me all this?”Brynn asked softly.“I don’t understand.”
“Because you have a great deal of power, but no friends in Valdar, and you want what I want.”
No friends?That stung, but Brynn supposed it was true.Vana and Hróarr only tolerated her for the sake of Cenric.
“What is it that we want?”Brynn asked.
“To stop a Valdari invasion of Hylden.”
Brynn inhaled sharply before she could stop herself.
“Don’t act surprised.You’re clever enough to know that’s what’s coming.You think Ovrek built all those ships for trade?”
Brynn was close to the fire now.She needed to be careful lest she was burned.“Why would you want to stop that?”Brynn would expect Tullia would support the expansion of Ovrek’s domain.
“Any army led by my father now will be cursed.”Tullia watched two boys drag a pig along by a rope.
“What makes you say that?”Brynn tried not to sound too curious, but the certainty in Tullia’s voice was hard to miss.
“My father was too long abroad, I fear.The ways of the south have clouded his judgment.”
Brynn continued to walk beside the other woman, sensing that Tullia was choosing her words carefully.
“He has forgotten the honor due our ancestors, in particular the First of Fathers.”
Brynn remained silent.She didn’t know enough about the ways of Valdar to understand what that might mean.
“My husband confronted my father about his profanities.”Tullia’s tone turned icy, as if she was fighting to keep every hint of emotion from her voice.“Ovrek did not care for it.”Tullia pointed to Lena.“He plans to invade your country.He plans to burn your farms and make your sorceresses thralls.”
So, Tulliadidknow.
“He is doomed, but that does not mean he cannot do great harm to you and your people before the wrath of Havnar takes its course.It is in all our best interest to stop him.”
“I am not sure what I can do,” Brynn answered honestly.
“Neither am I,” Tullia admitted.“Not yet.”
A girl with wispy curls toddled along beside her father.She was still young enough to show her bare calves.Her dark brown tunic had been carefully and subtly repaired many times, but Brynn could see the signs.
The child stared with wide eyes at the sight of Tullia, tugging on her father’s sleeve.“Da!”the child cried.“Da!”She pointed furiously at Tullia, eyes wide in awe.She spoke a string of excited Valdari.
The child’s father tried to shush her, tugging her along.He ducked his head in apology to Tullia.
Tullia stepped forward, speaking reassuringly in Valdari.She dropped into a crouch, beckoning the child to her.
