“I do not keep secrets,” Isalde said, her voice small but sharp. “Unlike…”
Ayla studied the girl in front of her for a long moment as another thought occurred to her, one that was at least less sickening, but unpleasant nonetheless.
“I suppose you told him something, recently. Something he found useful to know,” Ayla said dryly.
Isalde closed her mouth.
“Isalde.Youtold him about the contraceptive, didn’t you?” The words came out angrier than she meant to say them. Rage boiled beneath the surface of her skin, but that was of no use now.
The girl’s chin was stubborn as she lifted her face, her eyes hard on Ayla.
“It was your duty as a wife. You aren’t even nobleborn. He deserved to—”
With a sigh, Ayla gripped the edge of her sleeve and wrenched it up, revealing the fading bruises, all yellowing now. It was not as dramatic a sight as it had once been.
“Do you see this?” Ayla said sharply, turning her arm so Isalde could see it was more than one or two marks. “He isn’t a good man.”
She could see Isalde’s eyes wavering, and the girl fighting to keep the expression off her face.
“Surely if you were…”
“No,” Ayla interrupted firmly. “It wouldn’t matter what I did or how I acted, or how I’d been born. It’s who he is. Mercy forbid I bore him a daughter.” She dragged the sleeve back down. “And that box wasn’t your secret to tell.”
“So, what?” Isalde said, turning away with her lower lip trembling. “Now youwillsee I’m killed.”
“No. Of course not.” Ayla sighed, feeling suddenly exhausted instead of furious. “I’m not going to abandon you, child. But someday you are going to understand why women must keep each other’s confidences, and that most men cannot be trusted. I pray you learn by watching, and not by enduring a pain of your own.”
“Perhaps if you did not disobey so, he would not have to.”
“You still think it’s my fault,” Ayla observed flatly. She pursed her lips and stared straight at Isalde. “Fine. Think whatever fool thoughts have been put into your head by someone else.” Ayla stood. She couldn’t forgive the pain the child had caused, and she couldn’t make herself like the girl, but Isalde wouldn't come to adulthood for another four years. Ayla had made her own mistakes at that age; held beliefs that would make her shudder now.
She didn’t have to like the girl. She’d still fight to see her returned safely to her parents instead of executed. Ayla left the lantern on the floor, gave Kerr a stiff nod of thanks, and returned upstairs.
The Old Ways
Ayla knocked to announce her arrival, and reached for the door to Ditmar’s chambers. But today it swung instantly open of its own accord. Lord Niel stood there, his broad chest as armored as ever, his horrible sword hanging in its sheath. For a moment he stared down at her. She found herself craning her head back to meet his eyes, as her body flushed.
“Lady Blackfell,” he said, and broke his gaze away by stepping back to let her enter. Cautiously, she dipped a quick curtsy and walked into Ditmar’s sitting room.
The food had already arrived, wine gleaming red in the silver cups. When the knight pulled out one of the chairs and gestured for her to sit, Ayla pressed her lips tight and obeyed. He was acting more courteous than normal. Perhaps he was trying to make her forget how he’d raged at her before, apologizing with kindness as Ditmar used to do in the early days.
“I need to speak to you,” she said, as the knight took his seat. “Isalde…”
“Eat first. Then say your piece,” the knight instructed.
The smoked goat’s meat was dressed with preserved quince that she knew had lain in shattered jars on the floor not hours before, served on a bed of grain that tasted faintly of pickle water.
The food at risk of spoiling had to be used first, no matter how odd. It was a miracle of Nyven and Sarella’s skill that it did not taste disgusting, only a little… odd. The knight didn’t seem to care. The moment he judged she’d had enough to prove its safety, he bent over the table and began to feast.
“She was in a windowless room. Without any light,” Ayla said, carefully picking out a small fragment of ceramic that Sarella had missed. “Surely that is unnecessarily cruel.”
“Captain Kerr assures me the situation has been remedied. He told me about your visit.”
“You must show her mercy.”
“Must I?” His voice was cold as he stabbed a piece of meat.
“You spoke against hurting innocent people.”
