"What?" I gasped. "How?"
"Moles killed my parents," she explained. "My siblings too. One by one, every person in my family was killed, one way or another, when they raided. Then my friends started to die. A girl in my class I'd just gotten to know, then a boy I liked. The timing was a coincidence, but I got it in my head that if I didn't get close then it wouldn't hurt."
"I'm sorry," I said. "I also think you should like Drozel. He's so nice to you, and he's a very handsome man. He's strong, capable, and considerate."
"Yes, but are those the things you actually like," she asked, "or is that what you've been told you'reallowedto like?"
I made a face and focused on changing my thread. "Some of both. I do like muscles on men," I told her.
She looked up with a little smile. "What about women?"
I giggled, keeping my eyes on my own sewing. "I like you."
"Mm, and I do like you, Mer-"
Outside, something was a little too loud. I couldn't say it was thumping or clanking, but there was a distinct sound that was nothing like I'd heard before. Lessa left her words unsaid, leaning to see through the window, but the noise made my guts clench.
"What's that?" I asked, fearing the worst.
"Sounds like hooves..." she said, setting her sewing aside so she could head to the door. Then, "Meri! It's Drozel and Omden!" And she quickly pulled the door open, adding, "And Irrik."
"The men are back?" I gasped, scrambling to follow her.
Because she was already through the door and on the porch. Likely, she hadn't stopped there, and I still didn't know what the sound was or why it made me anxious. Barefoot and not caring about that, I rushed out onto the porch - then stopped hard when I saw the beast.
A horse and a cart. I was pretty sure it was the exact same horse and cart that had brought me here.Thatwas why the sound had felt wrong. I'd been terrified the first time I'd traveled, but the sight of Omden and Drozel sitting in the back of it? It was enough to make me smile.
"You're home!" I called, heading down the stairs to greet them
"Meri, stay there!" Lessa snapped.
My feet stalled and my heart hung. "Who's dead?"
And I heard a man say, "I still don't understand." The words were in English.
I swayed on my feet. They had a Mole? The accent wasn't like the people here. The words weren't only in English, but also said the way I'd always known - and from aman. But Drozel and Omden had him. That meant he'd been captured, right?
Pulling in a deep breath, I lifted my chin and stormed forward, knowing I wasfinallysafe. These people would make sure of it, so I didn't need to cower and whimper. I had no reason to run away. I wanted to know, and Iwouldgo look.
Drozel was leaning over the side, whispering something to Lessa about a room. Omden was gathering things from the cart like he was preparing to get out. Irrik had made the contraption stay in place the way he did, and was climbing down the far side, heading to the back.
I saw it all as I made my way closer. It felt like a bad dream, the sort where the hall was never-ending. Each step made memove, but time was so slow, no one looked at me, and Ihadto see what was in the cart with them.
"Who are you?" I asked in English just as I reached the edge and looked over.
Blue eyes looked back. Pale hair, sunburnt skin, I saw those too, but then the guy's mouth curled into a smile. "Merienne?"
"Why is he here?" I demanded, forgetting to switch back to Vestrian. "He's a man!"
Drozel hopped over the edge and caught my arm, then pulled me against his side like he was shielding me. "He's helping Ayla, Meri. He's Tobias's friend, and he asked us to save him."
"What?" I asked, stretching to look in the cart again. "Why are you here, Mole? What do you want from these people?"
And the man huffed out a weak laugh. "You look good, Meri."
I knew him. I recognized his face. I was sure I'd been told about him, but seeing him was different. This was Sylis Underhill, and he was only a few years older than me. He'd been in sermon with us, but I couldn't remember much else about him.
Although, that was a good thing. Boys were often loud and rambunctious. They showed off to get noticed, like Gideon had. They liked being able to order us girls around. They laughed about becoming hunters and bragged about the jobs they would get once they graduated - but Sylis hadn't.
