The seafaring sorceress dropped to her knees, hands going up. She held no weapons, but Brynn could see she releasedka,too. “Mercy, Lady Brynn.”
Brynn stared at the woman, feeling oddly numb. Should she let these people be killed?
“Mercy for me and my sailors.” The sorceress scrambled to Brynn, half-crawling as the fighting turned to butchery. “Mercy!” The seafarer bowed low at her feet.
Brynn clamped a hand down on top of the woman’s head, throwing up her arm to stop Edric from swinging a second hatchet. “Hold!” Brynn ordered.
The small thane scowled but blocked one of Olfirth’s men who tried to stab the woman with a spear. “Alas, Lady Brynn says no.”
Brynn was risking treachery from the woman, but both knew this stranger and her four surviving sailors were as good as dead without her protection. “What is your name?”
Panting, the seafarer kept her head bowed, shoulders relaxing just a little. “Keeva, daughter of Thesrin.”
Brynn’s thoughts snagged on the name. “Thesrin Green-Mantle?”
Thesrin Green-Mantle had been one of the sorceresses who had died alongside Aelfwynn. She had been a kind woman of middle years, but she had followed Aelfwynn to the end.
“Yes, lady.” Keeva remained bowed as her sailors came scrambling close behind her, hands in plain sight and heads likewise down. Brynn realized that one of the sailors was another woman, though she hadn’t noticed that before.
“Brynn!” Cenric grabbed Brynn, pulling her into his chest and covering her with his shield. “Brynn, are you alright? You’re bleeding. So much blood.”
“I granted them sanctuary,” Brynn mumbled between chattering teeth. “We’re letting these five go.”
“Whatever you want.” Cenric glared past her to the kneeling sorceress and her cohorts. “Get out of here.”
“If you haven’t noticed,” Keeva sounded almost annoyed as she rose to her feet, “our ship is in pieces.”
“Walk,” Cenric growled. “If you start south now and move through the night, you’ll be out of Ombra by sunup.”
“You expect us towalkthrough the night?” Keeva stood carefully, her sailors close at her heels.
“Be thankful you’re alive after you abducted my wife,” Cenric spat back. “Now get out of my lands.”
Keeva hesitated for just a moment, probably realizing she addressed Brynn’s husband and an alderman, not some random thane. “Apologies, lord, but I never agreed to abduct anyone. Selene misled me.”
Whatever explanation Keeva might have, no one else seemed interested in hearing it. Olfirth’s thanes had finished off what remained of Selene’s men and were picking over the bodies. Several glared in the direction of Keeva and her survivors, particularly at the gold temple rings she wore.
“Start moving,” Cenric ordered, jabbing his finger southward. “My wife may be in a merciful mood, but I am not.”
Brynn could have argued with him, but he was right. Just because she had decided to spare these people didn’t mean they wouldn’t head straight back to the Mothers with the tale of what had happened.
Keeva seemed to realize she and her sailors were still in danger. She motioned for them to follow. “We’ll be going, then.”She jerked her head and one of the sailors led the way, heading toward the south.
“Just follow the coastline,” Edric called out helpfully. “Can’t miss it. It’s got a whole bunch of water next to it.”
Keeva shot a glare toward him, but wisely didn’t snipe back.
Snapper trotted out of the trees, coming to stand hesitantly beside Cenric. The two of them shared a look and Brynn thought they must be speaking in their minds.
Brynn watched to make sure Olfirth’s thanes didn’t try to attack the survivors, then she let her eyes close.
She had killed her own mother.
“Brynn?” Cenric’s entire demeanor changed the moment he looked down to her. Everything about him softened, turning gentle in the space of a breath.
Brynn curled against the hard overlapping plates of his armor, wishing she could feel his chest. “It’s pointless. All pointless.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Cenric shifted, catching her as she slumped against him.
