“Well, aren’t you cheery,” Riannmuttered.
With Wellion on his feet again, Riann hefted Natha, a much lighter burden, onto his back as they followed Wellion into themoonlight.
Tension dug into Tariel’s shoulders as they moved deeper into the pass, but it quickly became clear this was not the same fork she had taken to get in. There were a few small traps, which Wellion deftly showed them how to avoid, but overall, this passage was much easier to navigate than the otherfork.
“I’m sorry about your foot,” Tariel told Natha. “Tomorrow, after I’ve had a chance to rest, I can heal it foryou.”
The woman’s tired, pain-glazed eyes widened. “So, you are the witch that Lord Traize has been lookingfor?”
“Mage,” Tariel corrected her. “And yes. I am not fully trained yet…but I can do a few things.” Shesmiled.
The woman bit her lip. “Do…do you think you could summon my husband’s ghost? Long enough to say goodbye to him, atleast?”
Tariel flinched. “I would not know how to do such a thing. I have no experience in communing withghosts.”
But Tariel remembered the ghost girl she had met in the abandoned village, and sadness welled up inside her. That girl…whom she never had a chance to bury…did her spirit still linger, lost and alone? She wondered if Riann and Calrain would have seen her if they had been with Tariel, or if the girl had only appeared to her because she was a mage. Either way, Tariel had had no control over the incident, and she didn’t have the first clue about how to summon aspirit.
Better not to get the woman’s hopesup.
“It’s just…I can’t remember the last time I told him that I loved him,” she whispered. Tears dripped down her cheeks, soaking into the back of Riann’s tunic. “I just want him to know that even though I was with LordTraize—”
“Your husband knew that you loved him,” Wellion interrupted brusquely. Tariel blinked at him in surprise—she had not expected him to speak up. “He never bore any resentment toward you for being forced to serve myfather.”
“H-how would you know that?” Natha stammered. “You were not in charge of theprisoners.”
Wellion huffed. “I’ve spoken to him enough times to know that he had nothing but deep love for you.” He looked like he wanted to add something snide, likefor all the good that did him,but thankfully, he held histongue.
“I have no doubt he is at peace, knowing that he got to hold you in his arms one last time, and that you are free now,” Riann added gently. “What happened to him is not your fault, Natha. I understand your grief, but you should not feel guilty. He would have wanted you tosurvive.”
“Where do you wish for us to take you?” Tariel asked. “Back to your home? Or do you have family we can take youto?”
“I…I don’t know,” Natha croaked. She wiped at her red eyes. “Lord Traize had our home burned to the ground, and he sold off our livestock, so I have nothing. My family is dead…and Ralith’s family never liked me much. I do not know that I would be welcome withthem.”
“I could offer you a place in my household,” Lord Raffis said. “I have a large estate, and my housekeeper could surely use anassistant.”
“R-really?” Natha stammered. “You would do that forme?”
“It seems the least I can offer, after what you have suffered,” Lord Raffis said. “Do you know how to read andwrite?”
“I…I have learned my letters,” she said hesitantly. “But I am afraid I am not veryproficient.”
“That is easily remedied,” Lord Raffis said with a smile. “If you already know your letters, that will give us a headstart.”
“I might be better in the kitchen,” Natha offered. “My parents were bakers, and I can make excellent pastrydough.”
“Mmm,” Lord Raffis said. “I honestly cannot remember the last time I had a pastry. What I wouldn’t give for a good apple tart rightnow!”
Natha gave a watery laugh. “Then that is the first thing I will make you when we reach yourestate.”
The mood lightened after that, and even Wellion did not seem to be as grumpy as before. As he and Riann—who seemed to be friendlier than Tariel had realized—talked, Tariel dropped back to speak to LordRaffis.
“Thank you for your kindness,” she said to him in a low voice. “I know you are under no obligation to helpher.”
“As I said, it seems the least I could do,” Lord Raffis said. “I cannot say I enjoyed my time as Lord Traize’s captive, but I will say the experience was eye-opening. A large portion of his power came from the fact that he was able to terrorize and take advantage of these people, who have had no official liege lord to protect them. I will speak to the king of this when I return—this is a clear oversight that needs to becorrected.”
“The king seems like he does not have a handle on his country,” Tariel said. “Does he truly have no idea what goes on beyond hisborders?”
Lord Raffis sighed. “The king is far more preoccupied with battling the Western Sea Lords, who have attacked Salanis’s port multiple times in the past. He considers them to be the primary threat, and closes his ears to any talk of the bandits upnorth.”
