Voices came from outside.Brynn went to the tent entrance.Outside, two Valdari came marching toward the noise.She thought they were Hróarr’s men who had stayed to guard the ships, but couldn’t be sure.They caught sight of the atheling writhing on the ground and from their astonished faces, they recognized the king’s son.
Brynn tried to explain.“The atheling is—”
A spear flew and Brynn ducked.The weapon brushed past her head.They thought she’d attacked their king’s son.This had gotten out of hand.
“Please.”Brynn tried to reason with them, but these men might not have listened even if they spoke her language.
The two men broke into a run, one with his spear lowered and the other drawing a long seaxe knife.
Brynn undid the spell on Tolvir and she heard him draw in a great gulp of air, coughing and croaking in pain.He called out from back inside the tent, groaning.He would be in excruciating pain and Brynn did not feel as bad about it as she should have.
The two warriors weren’t slowing.They would not be reasoned with and Brynn had no one here on her side.With the puppy in her arms, Brynn backed away from the tent, trying to reason with them, but they either spoke no Hyldish or didn’t care.
One of the men veered into the tent to see to Tolvir.The other set after her.
Brynn brought him down with the same spell she had used on Tolvir, sending him gasping to his knees.More voices shouted, more men drawn by the noise.Ten or fifteen, she couldn’t quite tell.Theirkawas too close together.Brynn couldn’t immobilize all of them, she didn’t have the time for the concentration necessary.
Several of Hróarr’s men had stayed nearby to watch the ships, but though they were supposed to be allies, she knew full well they would side with the other Valdari against her.She could kill Hróarr’s men, or she could run.She ran.
Brynn ducked into the darkness beyond the campfire.
Men clamored and she had no doubt the alarm would be raised across the city in a matter of moments.Tolvir had just been attacked, or at least that was how the Valdari would see it.
Brynn needed to get away and let things calm down.She had no plan, other than finding a way to let things calm down.With Guin under one arm, she fled into the darkness.
She raised her shawl, covering her head.In the dark, she would look like any of the other women of Istra.So long as no one noticed Guin.
Shouts continued to ring out.
Brynn slowed her steps, taking a moment to reorient herself.She had come out on the western side of the great hall and its many outbuildings, near the ovens.
She thought about going to Cenric, but he would be surrounded by Valdari jarls and their warriors.She wouldn’t get near him before she was stopped and even if she did, he would probably start a fight to defend her.
What she needed to do was find somewhere to lay low and wait out the initial outrage.
Tolvir had been in love with Gistrid.Brynn highly doubted that he’d had anything to do with the girl’s death.That was one less potential murderer out of thousands.It did little to help Brynn parse things out.
But if Ovrek had known…no, Ovrek could have just killed the girl outright.No need for the subtlety of poison.
Brynn neared the ovens to find low fires burning.The kitchen was a dome, open to the elements on one side.Women with sooty faces worked to knead bread, turn meats, and tend the fires.
Heat billowed out, driving away the cool breeze.Despite that, Brynn had to wonder.Did these women work like this even during the icy winter months?Surely not.
Slipping into the shadows, Brynn edged out of the main path.She leaned against the warm earth banked over the ovens, heart pounding.
The thralls chattered in low Valdari.She caught Gistrid’s name twice, but didn’t recognize anything else.Brynn desperately wanted to know what they were saying.They might be able to help her piece together who actually killed the concubine and why.
Guin whimpered and Brynn shushed her, tickling under her ears.The little dyrehund stood on her hind legs, licking Brynn’s mouth.
Brynn couldn’t talk to her, lest her Hyldish give her away, so she made wordless shushing sounds and patted Guin into silence.
Male voices and the tramp of boots came from below.Brynn shifted onto her knees to see at least a dozen of Ovrek’s warriors tramping up the hill.They were expanding their search for her.
Rising, Brynn tried to move silently as the men came closer.She carried herself hunched over, cradling Guin like a baby.
None of the thralls tried to stop her.They were all focused on the armed men coming toward them.Fearful whispers and anxious murmurs went through the thralls as they bowed and sank to their knees.These were people who had been beaten into submission.They had no fight left in them.
Brynn could feel her way by the shapes ofkafrom trees and plants.Unfortunately, rocks did not haveka.Brynn stubbed her toe on a stone and bit her tongue to keep from crying out.
