Part 11 (1/2)
”Aye. Even then.”
”She always knew if you'd done something wrong,” Faelia said.
”And never hesitated to tell you,” Griane added.
They were all smiling now. Relieved, he got to his feet.
”Callie, take the pot of cheese.” Griane's voice was brisk. ”Faelia, bring the skin of elderberry wine. I'll put some oatcakes on the fire before I check on the wounded. Urkiat . . .”
”I'll see if the men need any help with the fish traps.”
Darak waited until they left. Even then he hesitated, watching Griane knead the melted dripping into the oats. She was the first to break the silence. ”You asked about the boy?”
He nodded, relieved to postpone the discussion of his departure.
”Jurl and Rothisar roused the village before dawn. He'd stolen a coracle, but Nionik sent out search parties anyway. Jurl wasn't sure how he got free. He must have loosened the ropes somehow. Apparently, the boy taunted him. When Jurl went over to the tree to teach him to mind his tongue, the boy grabbed his ankle. He fell and hit his head on a rock.”
”And Rothisar?”
”Slept through it all. They'd both been drinking.”
”How do you know?”
Without looking up, she said, ”I was there.” Her hands never faltered as they shaped the dough into flat circles.
”Did you free him, Griane?”
This time she did look up. ”Aye.”
Darak took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ”Does anyone suspect?”
”Jurl. But he won't say anything.”
”How can you be sure?”
Her smile was mirthless. ”Better to be overpowered by a half-grown boy than a woman.”
”You hit him? Sweet Maker.” He rubbed his eyes and finally asked, ”Why, Griane?” hit him? Sweet Maker.” He rubbed his eyes and finally asked, ”Why, Griane?”
She tested the baking stone, frowned, and went back to patting the oatcakes. ”I kept thinking how his mother would feel. If her son didn't come home to her.”
”He might have attacked you or-”
”Nay.” Her hands fell still and she stared into the fire. ”He bowed to me. And put his hand over his heart.”
Darak stalked to the doorway and back. ”You're sure Jurl will keep his mouth shut?”
”Aye.” She gnawed at her lip. ”Do you hate me?”
”What?”
”For freeing him.”
”Nay. They would have torn him apart. I couldn't have stopped it. And I'd . . . I would have hated having the children witness that. Still . . .” He sighed. ”Aye. Well. It's done now.”
There was something she wasn't telling him, but before he could question her, she said, ”I packed. Food, extra clothing.” She gave him a weary smile as she laid the oatcakes on the baking stone. ”I guessed. When you wanted to question the boy.”
”You don't mind?”
”You went to Chaos and back for your brother. You could do no less for our son.” Briskly, she dusted meal off her hands. ”Ennit will take the children. I'll speak with Sali before we go. Make sure she knows what to do.”
It took him a moment to realize what she was saying.
”I need to make up some more decoctions. That will give us a little time with Callie and Faelia.”
”Griane . . .”
”I know you want to leave as soon as possible, but for the children's sake-”
He grabbed her by the shoulders and jerked her to her feet. ”Listen to me!”
She reared back, her eyes enormous.
”You cannot come.”
”I've done all I can for the wounded. And Sali-”
”Sali's an apprentice.”
”So was I when I returned from the First Forest!” She shoved past him, breathing hard. ”You can't go alone.”
”I'm not. Urkiat's coming with me.”
”Good G.o.ds, Darak, you barely know him.”
”He speaks the language. He knows the land.”
”There's a darkness in him. A violent streak.”
”The raiders wiped out his family. Of course, he's dark-natured. But I need him.”
”And not me.”