sighed and took up her packs and the buckets, intending to move on to the next group of slaves. For a moment, she remembered the little blossom falling beneath her scissors. Sometimes a small sacrifice must be made in order to help the whole, and sometimes that sacrifice was her own self.
Sharlee touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. You’re only trying to help.”
“We’ll check her again later,” Aisa decided. “Come on.”
They worked together, along with a too-tiny group of priests from the temple of Grick. Some slaves accepted aidgratefully, some barely noticed her presence, others raged and snarled at her. The unfairness of the place continued to press at her, but Aisa knew if she didn’t do it, these people would suffer, so she kept at it. Sharlee stayed with her the entire time, and for that, Aisa was grateful. It was good to have more female friends. Kalessa was a wonderful sister, but sometimes it was like befriending a pile of swords and needles, and it felt nice to be with someone a little less . . . prickly. And while her hands were filled with work, her head remained empty of screams.
“So. How are things with your friends, if you don’t mind some motherly prying?” Sharlee asked while they refilled the buckets at the well outside.
Why was everyone asking this today? Aisa’s thoughts rushed back to the rooming house and the argument with Danr. A guilty flush came over her. “Er . . . fine.” Aisa pretended to check her pack for burdock. “We are well.”
Sharlee’s lined face softened. “I’m so sorry.”
“What?”
“This is me you’re talking to.” Sharlee hoisted a dripping bucket from the well. “You don’t need to lie, honey. Not between us women. What happened? Was it something to do with Danr and the Battle of the Twist?”
“Ssss!” Aisa glanced around while Sharlee poured water over their hands to clean them. “Not here!”
“Honestly! You’re heroes, all of you! I don’t know why you want to keep so quiet about it.
I
figured out who you really were. Do you think no one else will?”
Aisa scrubbed her skin in the cold water. “Some may see us as heroes, yes, and an equal number wish us dead. Best just to keep quiet. Besides, I do not—Danr does not—wish for the attention.”
“Of course, honey.” Sharlee sent the bucket back downthe windlass. “But what
happened
today? I can see you’re upset. Tell Auntie Sharlee, and you’ll feel better. Is it your young man?”
Aisa could not keep another guilty look from crossing her face. Wearing a scarf for so many years had gotten her out of the habit of disguising her expression. Sharlee noticed.
“Maybe I can help,” she said. “What happened?”
The screams came back. Aisa looked down at her hands. For a moment, they were covered with blood. Then the blood vanished. She shook her head at Sharlee. If she wasn’t going to talk about it to Kalessa or Danr himself, she certainly wasn’t going to talk to Sharlee, a woman she barely knew. “It is nothing. I am fine.”
Liar.
“Well, that’s good, then.” Sharlee patted Aisa’s shoulder and let the subject drop, to Aisa’s relief. “Are you hungry, honey? I’m absolutely starved.”
As if in answer, Aisa’s stomach growled. She had been so busy she had not noticed the passing time. “I could eat a wyrm’s tongue.”
“In this town, you could probably find a cook that serves it,” Sharlee laughed, “but I was thinking about a place I know two streets over. My treat.”
“Oh.” Aisa hadn’t meant to hint. “There are more slaves who need—”
“Aisa.” Sharlee took both her hands, and Aisa was glad the blood had vanished. “You are a kind and giving person, but you can’t clean up all the misery in the world. There will always be slaves who need treatment, and meanwhile you need to eat. Now come along! Auntie’s orders.”
Still a little reluctant, Aisa let herself be led away. Sharlee took her to a tavern north of the
Sharlee touched her shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey. You’re only trying to help.”
“We’ll check her again later,” Aisa decided. “Come on.”
They worked together, along with a too-tiny group of priests from the temple of Grick. Some slaves accepted aidgratefully, some barely noticed her presence, others raged and snarled at her. The unfairness of the place continued to press at her, but Aisa knew if she didn’t do it, these people would suffer, so she kept at it. Sharlee stayed with her the entire time, and for that, Aisa was grateful. It was good to have more female friends. Kalessa was a wonderful sister, but sometimes it was like befriending a pile of swords and needles, and it felt nice to be with someone a little less . . . prickly. And while her hands were filled with work, her head remained empty of screams.
“So. How are things with your friends, if you don’t mind some motherly prying?” Sharlee asked while they refilled the buckets at the well outside.
Why was everyone asking this today? Aisa’s thoughts rushed back to the rooming house and the argument with Danr. A guilty flush came over her. “Er . . . fine.” Aisa pretended to check her pack for burdock. “We are well.”
Sharlee’s lined face softened. “I’m so sorry.”
“What?”
“This is me you’re talking to.” Sharlee hoisted a dripping bucket from the well. “You don’t need to lie, honey. Not between us women. What happened? Was it something to do with Danr and the Battle of the Twist?”
“Ssss!” Aisa glanced around while Sharlee poured water over their hands to clean them. “Not here!”
“Honestly! You’re heroes, all of you! I don’t know why you want to keep so quiet about it.
I
figured out who you really were. Do you think no one else will?”
Aisa scrubbed her skin in the cold water. “Some may see us as heroes, yes, and an equal number wish us dead. Best just to keep quiet. Besides, I do not—Danr does not—wish for the attention.”
“Of course, honey.” Sharlee sent the bucket back downthe windlass. “But what
happened
today? I can see you’re upset. Tell Auntie Sharlee, and you’ll feel better. Is it your young man?”
Aisa could not keep another guilty look from crossing her face. Wearing a scarf for so many years had gotten her out of the habit of disguising her expression. Sharlee noticed.
“Maybe I can help,” she said. “What happened?”
The screams came back. Aisa looked down at her hands. For a moment, they were covered with blood. Then the blood vanished. She shook her head at Sharlee. If she wasn’t going to talk about it to Kalessa or Danr himself, she certainly wasn’t going to talk to Sharlee, a woman she barely knew. “It is nothing. I am fine.”
Liar.
“Well, that’s good, then.” Sharlee patted Aisa’s shoulder and let the subject drop, to Aisa’s relief. “Are you hungry, honey? I’m absolutely starved.”
As if in answer, Aisa’s stomach growled. She had been so busy she had not noticed the passing time. “I could eat a wyrm’s tongue.”
“In this town, you could probably find a cook that serves it,” Sharlee laughed, “but I was thinking about a place I know two streets over. My treat.”
“Oh.” Aisa hadn’t meant to hint. “There are more slaves who need—”
“Aisa.” Sharlee took both her hands, and Aisa was glad the blood had vanished. “You are a kind and giving person, but you can’t clean up all the misery in the world. There will always be slaves who need treatment, and meanwhile you need to eat. Now come along! Auntie’s orders.”
Still a little reluctant, Aisa let herself be led away. Sharlee took her to a tavern north of the
Similar Books
