Brynn tore her eyes away from the stranger and back to her uncle.
“If Alderman Paega offers no contest to Lady Brynn’s accusations, then I must rule in her favor. I grant her petition for a divorcement.”
Silence greeted the announcement.
Brynn made herself go numb. She could feel things in the privacy of her own rooms, not here. Not with everyone watching.
“Does anyone object to my judgment?” Aelgar searched the room.
Brynn held her breath, not sure why.
A moment later, her uncle continued. “With no objections, Lady Brynn’s petition for divorcement is granted, and she is no longer the wife of Alderman Paega. Hrotheld, you are to return Lady Brynn’s dowry on behalf of your uncle.”
Hrotheld bowed again. “Yes, lord.”
Aelgar stirred from his mercy seat, stepping down to return to his retainers. He cast Brynn a reassuring smile as he did.
Brynn forced a smile back in gratitude. Perhaps she should feel triumph, or at least relief. But this was not a victory. This was the amputation of a gangrenous limb. Just because it was necessary did not make it pleasant.
The crowd returned to their quiet conversations and Brynn felt their stares, heard her name and Paega’s whispered from right and left. The name no one spoke was the name of her son. And why should they speak his name? He had barely reached his first birthday. At least half of all children died before their fifth.
Paega’s first wife and their five sons had been buried in the hills outside the keep. Paega spent most his days pulling weeds from their cairns and tending the trees he had planted around them. Paega hadn’t even wanted to build a cairn for Brynn’s son.
“Aunt—Lady Brynn.” Hrotheld bowed to her. “I…” He cleared his throat, glancing toward the king. “I hope you are well?”
“Yes. Thank you.” Brynn swallowed, hands held in front of her.
Hrotheld inhaled, then exhaled. “I’m sorry to see you go. We all are.”
Brynn forced a smile past the tears that threatened to come up. “Everyone except your uncle.”
Hrotheld made a frustrated sound. He ran a hand through his hair, then looked back to her. “I wish things were different.”
“As do I.” Brynn had often wondered why her mother hadn’t married her to Hrotheld instead. He hadn’t been married at the time and since his uncle had no sons, he would probably end up as alderman of Glasney one day. The two of them were close in age and Hrotheld might not be a remarkable warrior or poet or craftsman, but at least he didn’t spend his days pining for the dead. It didn’t matter now, Brynn supposed.
Hrotheld bowed again. He stayed out of arms’ reach. “You were always dear to my mother. The closest thing she had to a daughter.”
Brynn nodded, looking down. Paega’s elder sister Ulstrid had been kind to her. Kinder than Brynn’s own mother ever had been. Brynn had called her Aunt Ulstrid, despite her technically being a sister-in-law. Even Ulstrid had put more effort into Brynn’s marriage than Paega had.
Hrotheld’s eyes slid past her, falling on someone at her back. “I wish you well, Lady Brynn.”
Brynn turned, following Hrotheld’s gaze. It was the stranger with the wolf’s head brooch. He stayed a few steps back, but something about the way he stared felt like he was closing in on her.
“I don’t believe we’ve met,” Hrotheld chuckled nervously at the other man.
The stranger’s eyes snapped to Hrotheld, then back to Brynn. “Cenric, son of Wulfram, alderman of Ombra.”
Brynn’s heart flipped in her chest. This was the man Aelgar had found for her.
He was far younger than she expected. He couldn’t be much older than her, if he was older at all. Aelgar had told her Cenric had recently become alderman of Ombra only a couple of years ago, but for some reason, she had pictured him as a grizzled veteran of the north.
Brynn opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.
“Cenric!” Aelgar was at Brynn’s shoulder the next moment. He must have seen the other man closing in on her from across the room. “You’re early.”
Cenric bowed to Aelgar, but it seemed forced, like he didn’t want to take his eyes off Brynn even for that single moment. “You sent for me, my king. I saw no reason to delay.”
“This is Lady Brynn.” Aelgar presented her as if everyone in this room didn’t know who she was. “My niece and sorceress of the highest caliber.”
