these devils we call Tyrans?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Another tiam house. Did you really think Undon would settle for taking only you?”
Suddenly, Ilyenna couldn’t catch her breath. “How long has he been planning this?”
Narium shrugged. “Undon’s no fool. He knew the Shyle would aid the Argons.”
“From the beginning,” Ilyenna finished, answering her own question. Tears of betrayal filled her eyes. The group of Shyle women moved closer. Each was around the same age as Ilyenna. She didn’t want to dwell on the reason young women had been chosen. She tried to pull free, but Narium held her firmly.
“They might know about my father, my brother,” Ilyenna protested.
Narium’s grip only tightened. “Are you sure you want to know?”
Fear blossomed in Ilyenna’s breast like a thistle flower. Bratton and her father had been fighting Tyrans when she’d been taken. Had Undon simply waited for her to leave before killing them? Perhaps she hadn’t saved anyone. “Do you think”—she cleared her throat— “do you think they’re dead?”
The women next to her shifted to let someone through. Rone. He rested a hand on her arm. “Even Undon wouldn’t dare kill a surrendered clan chief.”
She watched as her clanwomen milled uncertainly near the barn, and suddenly she had a purpose. A clan. Tiams be strapped! She was still their clan mistress. “Make the roof of their house tight.”
Warily scrutinizing her, Rone nodded.
Shrieks erupted all around Ilyenna. The Tyran with the strap was using it on any tiam he could reach.
Gripping her skirt, Ilyenna dashed toward her clanwomen. Relief and hope crossed their faces when they saw her. “Ilyenna,” some of them cried.
Larina gripped her hand. “What are we to do?”
The other women voiced so many questions that Ilyenna could barely distinguish one from another. “Quiet. There isn’t time,” she commanded softly. Her eyes met Larina’s. The girl had a pained look Ilyenna had seen on the chronically ill. “Are you hurt?”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Larina hugged herself tight. “I’m fine.”
“What happened after I left the clan house?”
Larina squeezed her eyes shut.
Bet answered, “They took everything they wanted. Killed or beat anyone who tried to stop them.”
“And my father and brother?” Ilyenna forced the words out.
“They were badly beaten, but still alive when we left,” Jossa said.
“How many of you are there?” Ilyenna asked as she began counting.
“Eleven,” Bet said. Her eyes took in Ilyenna’s ripped dress. “What’re we to do?”
Ilyenna wet her cracked lips and stepped closer. “For now, do what you’re told. If you don’t, you’ll be beaten.” Pain shot through her back. She tried to hold in her cry, but it came anyway. On her knees, she turned to see Darrien standing over her, strap in hand. “You dare keep Undon waiting for his breakfast?”
Casting a warning glance back at her clanwomen, she scampered away from him and ran. Humiliating as it was to flee from Darrien or his strap, she hoped her clanwomen would watch and learn to do as they were told as quickly as they could.
***
Metha kept Ilyenna busy with dishes and scrubbing until long after the plump woman had fallen asleep before the hearth. But at least Ilyenna had managed to find a forgotten, moth-eaten rag she could use in place of a clan belt. Moments after she left the clan house, Rone stepped out from behind a tree. He handed her another wrapped bundle.
“Did they feed you anything today?”
She shrugged. “Metha wasn’t pleased with my cleaning of the chamber pots, but at least I had breakfast.” She didn’t mention it had been a piece of moldy bread.
Opening Rone’s offering, she found an oatmeal biscuit and a boiled egg, but she hesitated to take it. “Is this from your own share?” If he gave this to her, he wouldn’t have enough for himself.
He kicked at the dirt. “No. It’s from the
Suddenly, Ilyenna couldn’t catch her breath. “How long has he been planning this?”
Narium shrugged. “Undon’s no fool. He knew the Shyle would aid the Argons.”
“From the beginning,” Ilyenna finished, answering her own question. Tears of betrayal filled her eyes. The group of Shyle women moved closer. Each was around the same age as Ilyenna. She didn’t want to dwell on the reason young women had been chosen. She tried to pull free, but Narium held her firmly.
“They might know about my father, my brother,” Ilyenna protested.
Narium’s grip only tightened. “Are you sure you want to know?”
Fear blossomed in Ilyenna’s breast like a thistle flower. Bratton and her father had been fighting Tyrans when she’d been taken. Had Undon simply waited for her to leave before killing them? Perhaps she hadn’t saved anyone. “Do you think”—she cleared her throat— “do you think they’re dead?”
The women next to her shifted to let someone through. Rone. He rested a hand on her arm. “Even Undon wouldn’t dare kill a surrendered clan chief.”
She watched as her clanwomen milled uncertainly near the barn, and suddenly she had a purpose. A clan. Tiams be strapped! She was still their clan mistress. “Make the roof of their house tight.”
Warily scrutinizing her, Rone nodded.
Shrieks erupted all around Ilyenna. The Tyran with the strap was using it on any tiam he could reach.
Gripping her skirt, Ilyenna dashed toward her clanwomen. Relief and hope crossed their faces when they saw her. “Ilyenna,” some of them cried.
Larina gripped her hand. “What are we to do?”
The other women voiced so many questions that Ilyenna could barely distinguish one from another. “Quiet. There isn’t time,” she commanded softly. Her eyes met Larina’s. The girl had a pained look Ilyenna had seen on the chronically ill. “Are you hurt?”
Crossing her arms over her chest, Larina hugged herself tight. “I’m fine.”
“What happened after I left the clan house?”
Larina squeezed her eyes shut.
Bet answered, “They took everything they wanted. Killed or beat anyone who tried to stop them.”
“And my father and brother?” Ilyenna forced the words out.
“They were badly beaten, but still alive when we left,” Jossa said.
“How many of you are there?” Ilyenna asked as she began counting.
“Eleven,” Bet said. Her eyes took in Ilyenna’s ripped dress. “What’re we to do?”
Ilyenna wet her cracked lips and stepped closer. “For now, do what you’re told. If you don’t, you’ll be beaten.” Pain shot through her back. She tried to hold in her cry, but it came anyway. On her knees, she turned to see Darrien standing over her, strap in hand. “You dare keep Undon waiting for his breakfast?”
Casting a warning glance back at her clanwomen, she scampered away from him and ran. Humiliating as it was to flee from Darrien or his strap, she hoped her clanwomen would watch and learn to do as they were told as quickly as they could.
***
Metha kept Ilyenna busy with dishes and scrubbing until long after the plump woman had fallen asleep before the hearth. But at least Ilyenna had managed to find a forgotten, moth-eaten rag she could use in place of a clan belt. Moments after she left the clan house, Rone stepped out from behind a tree. He handed her another wrapped bundle.
“Did they feed you anything today?”
She shrugged. “Metha wasn’t pleased with my cleaning of the chamber pots, but at least I had breakfast.” She didn’t mention it had been a piece of moldy bread.
Opening Rone’s offering, she found an oatmeal biscuit and a boiled egg, but she hesitated to take it. “Is this from your own share?” If he gave this to her, he wouldn’t have enough for himself.
He kicked at the dirt. “No. It’s from the
Similar Books
