Page 9 of The Arrow and the Alder

The words were for her sister, who took them with ire. “I didn’t. Lord Bracey said he’s come on account of our welfare. To see if we have need.”

Seph couldn’t help it. She laughed.

Linnea glared. “You are so set on making them the villain, Sephie, when they’ve done nothing but offer help. If it weren’t for them, the depraved would’ve flooded our kingdom by now, and we’d all be dead!”

Seph should have let it go. “How generous of them.”

“Sephie,please!” Linnea pleaded. “For once in your life, be reasonable!”

Her plea only incensed Seph more. “I’m being perfectly reasonable. They created the problem; it’s only right they fix it.”

“Sephie…” Mama said, weary.

“And they are,” Linnea cut back. “They are doingeverythingin their power to end the war.”

“Lin…” Mama tried again.

Seph stood. She’d opened the door to this conversation, and there was no closing it now. “You mean we.”

Linnea blinked. “Sorry?”

“You meanweare doing everything in our power to end this. Rys and Levi and Papa and…Elias. You, me, and Mama. Nora.Wesacrifice everything fortheirproblem while your Lord Bracey plays with darts and brings you roses.”

Linnea took an impassioned step forward. “It is horrible what happened to Elias—do not think for a moment that I’ve forgotten—but it doesn’t change the fact that the depraved are stillourproblem, Sephie…when are you going to understand that? Those monsters would’ve devastated all of Kestwich had it not been for the kith. They’ve stopped this war at the Rift, thank the saints, and we’re fortunate to have theireloiton our side?—”

“Eloit,need I remind you, that created those monsters in the first place.”

“No, aFatecreated those monsters?—”

“As punishment for the atrocities they committed against us! Saints, Linnie! And now those same damnable kith are usingourmen andourresources to fight.” Seph glared at her sister, heaving, and then she held up a finger as if struck by a thought. “Wait. Notallof our men. Just the ones who don’t have enough coin to purchase their way out of service.”

Like the baron and his son Bracey.

Mama gave Seph a desperate and imploring look, while Linnea’s cheeks splotched pink and her warm brown eyes sparked with indignation. “You’re not being fair, Josephine.Someonehas to protect Harran.”

Seph trusted her archer’s hands more than she would ever trust Lord Bracey’s “skills” as a swordsman, but she kept this to herself. There was no debating a woman blinded by love. Instead, Seph strode to the workbench where she’d left the pelts. She needed to take her anger elsewhere before it got the best of her.

“And anyway,” Linnea continued, a little breathless, “I daresay you’ll be grateful for that protection when our family is apportioned a greater share of rations.”

Mama gasped and raised a dramatic hand to her chest. “Has he proposed, my Linnie?”

Sometimes Seph really wanted to shake Mama.

“Not yet,” Linnea replied, “but he has shared his intentions, and he has promised thatallof us will be well cared for. Especially you, Seph.”

Seph stopped, pelt in hand. “All of Harran?”

Linnea tsked. “Don’t be foolish. There’s not nearly enough to increase rations for everyone, or he’d be doing that already.”

“But what about all of the other families?”

“They’re not really my concern right now. You are. And Nora. Sheneedsthis.”

“Don’t you dare pretend you’re doing this for Nora.”

“Don’tyoudare pretend your little woodland escapades are strictly for her either.”

Mama slammed her fist upon the workbench, which made the sisters flinch. “That’s quite enough, you two! There’s fighting aplenty with the depraved, and I’ll have no more of it here!”

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