Venn pursed his lips, but he nodded and focused on Finn. “We can make plans later. For now, I want you to stay with Vera while I go find milk and food.”
“You’ll come back?” Finn asked quickly. Vera knew he regretted the vulnerable words immediately, because his face reddened.
Venn kept his voice gentle. “Of course. I’ll be back before you know it. While I’m gone, I want you to try and get some rest, all right? That way, when I get back, we can take care of your mother’s grave.”
Finn nodded slowly, and Venn pushed to his feet and crossed over to the tethered horse. Vera gave Finn an encouraging smile, and his exhaustion was obvious as he allowed himself to curl up with Sarah on the bedroll.
Vera stood, following Venn to the other side of the clearing while he untied the horse. “I won’t go far,” he murmured to her. “Just keep them as quiet as possible. No one should hear you from the road.”
They wouldn’t have heard the baby’s crying, except that they’d stopped to eat.
Still, Venn looked reluctant to leave.
“We’ll be fine,” she whispered, softly rocking the babe in her arms.
“I’ll be quick.” Venn glanced back at the other two children, asleep on the bedroll. Finn’s thin arm was draped over his sister, protective of her even as he fell asleep. “They’re exhausted,” he said under his breath. “I don’t think Finn has slept in days.”
“Did you learn anything more about their father?”
“He left for a refugee camp in Zahdir before the baby was born. Some place called Salvation.” Venn scrubbed a hand over his forehead. “He was gone before the mother gave birth. Finn must have helped deliver the baby, and cared for his mother until she died. And he’s been taking care of Sarah and the baby as best he could. Too afraid to leave, but desperate for help. I don’t know what he would have done if we hadn’t come.”
“Or if someone else had found them.”
Venn’s eyes darkened, and she realized that was probably not the thought to leave him with.
Vera laid a hand on his arm. “You need to go. This little one needs milk.”
Venn eyed the baby, then met her stare. “I’ll hurry.”
“Just be safe.”
He nodded. “You, too.” Then he grabbed the horse’s reins and, with a last look at her, he left.
As soon as the soiling cloths were dry, Vera put one on the baby. The infant stirred from her slumber, emitting little moans. Vera murmured soothing words, and the baby drifted to sleep once more.
Finn woke first, and he seemed disoriented as he looked around the clearing. A chunk of his hair poked straight up, and he had lines from the bedroll creasing his cheek. He froze at the sight of her, and Vera gave a gentle smile. “Did you sleep well?”
He rubbed at his eyes, and Vera couldn’t help but notice how red they were. He was clearly still tired, but he didn’t lie back down. He focused on Vera, though he kept his voice low to avoid disturbing his sleeping sisters. “You’re from Devendra.”
She nodded. “So is Venn.”
His eyebrows lifted. “Oh. I thought he was Zennorian.”
“His mother is Zennorian, but his father was Devendran, and that’s where Venn grew up.”
“Was?” he asked, picking up on that crucial word.
“Yes. His father died when Venn was very young.” She hoped Venn wouldn’t mind her telling the boy this; she wanted to keep Finn at ease, and answering his questions seemed a good way to do that.
Finn glanced toward his mother’s body, wrapped at a distance from them. “Did Venn ever see his father’s body?”
Her stomach twisted. The things this boy had been through . . . “I don’t think so. He was a soldier, and he died far from home.”
“Oh.” Finn shoved a hand through his hair, making the brown locks stick up more. “What are you doing in Mortise?”
“We’re on our way to Duvan. We have friends there.” It was as close to the truth as she dared go.
Finn nodded once, and his eyes drifted back to Sarah.
