She grins at him. “Yes. Perhaps we can sing for each other and flip a coin to see who must serenade the draugrs.”
He chuckles. “Won’t be me, I’m afraid. I couldn’t carry a tune if I had a silk-lined basket.”
Chitai scans the rest of us. “You’re the one, then, Andras. Are there any Sylvan songs to soothe babies or the dead? The only songs I know are a battle song of the Dawn and a drinking song about a lusty woman, six bottles of wine, and—”
“I know that one, too,” Neville breaks in, his ruddy face flushing. “Maybe we won’t sing it in mixed company. Let’s go patrol.”
She and the sergeant ride off to check the trail behind us, and Bern, Trick, and Andras mount up to patrol the path we’ll travel in the morning. I clean up from dinner, expecting Elianna and Kaelen to help, but when I look up, they’re standing by the wagon, engaged in what seems to be an intense conversation. I shrug and do the work myself. Each job in a tribe is important, as Chitai says.
Besides, I wouldn’t mind a bit of quiet time to contemplate what happened with the wolves. I pull the locket out from beneath my shirt, hesitant as always to touch it, then oddly reassured once I do. This is my job, as I keep reminding myself when I feelless-thanfor not being able to patrol or start a fire easily—although Icanstart one now. It just takes a while.
Thisis my job. And it’s the most important thing I can do for thistribe, our company, and for the larger tribe, so to speak, of Pyrrh and all of Altarra. I tuck the locket back under my shirt and set to work, trying not to watch Kaelen and Elianna. If they want to tell me what they’re discussing, they will.
I hope.
“Soli!” Elianna hurries back to the fire, carrying a leather satchel. “I have something for you.”
I stow the last plate in its basket and stand, stretching.
“More poisons?”
“It’s right here,” she says distractedly, rummaging through papers in her bag. “Ah. Here we are. I’m so sorry I didn’t think to give you this before. There’s just been so much … Well. No excuse. Here.”
She hands me an oilcloth-covered tube tied with leather laces. I take it, tilting my head in silent question.
“It’s your certificate of indenture. I know we discussed this already, but we left the castle in such haste, and I haven’t thought to hand these over before now. But I’ve had them all this time, and now … well, now they’re yours.”
The fire swirls wildly, reds and oranges and even flickering blues sparkling before my eyes, and then I realize it’s not the fire swirling, it’s my knees weakening, my mind whirling. I don’t know what to do, so I clutch the tube to my chest, holding it directly over the amulet that started this journey.
I try to speak, to thank her, to say something—anything—but my voice is trapped in my throat, and I can’t catch my breath. My eyes are burning like the fire. I hear gasping noises and realize I’m the one making them, but then suddenly he’s here, standing in front of me and pulling me close.
Kaelen.
Kaelen is holding me, and I can breathe again.
“Soli, you’re okay. Breathe. Just breathe. You’re worrying me,” he murmurs. Elianna says something, I don’t know what, then walks off toward the wagon. Kaelen and I are alone next to the fire, and I’m in his arms, and I’m free.
I’mfree.
I pull away from him and rip open the tube’s laces, but then oh-so-carefully remove the sheet of heavy parchment inside and kneel next to the fire to read every word.
Every single word.
By order of King Pallan, Lord High Ruler of Pyrrh, be it Proclaimed:
The Person Solitude Grace, colloquially known as Soli Graymind, is here… released from her term of indenture and shall be a free citizen of Pyrrh from now until the end of her days. This grant is bestowed upon her for her great service to the kingdom and to all of Altarra.
Signed,
Pallan Rex
“He did it,” I breathe, finally able to speak. I feel the tears streaming down my face and hold the parchment away from any danger of a drop falling on it. “He really did it. I’m free, Kaelen. I’m finally free.”
He leans down to take my hand and helps me stand. “You should have been free always,” he says grimly, but I shake my head.
“No. Don’t spoil this moment with should-haves. For now, I can only focus on this wonderful gift.” I wipe my eyes with my sleeve.
Kaelen grins, pulls a handkerchief from his pocket, and hands it to me. “Please. Allow me.”
