Page 139 of Upon Buried Embers
I run my hand over the bandage, feeling the wooden splint beneath. The many times I did this to myself after a bad day with Master, when he would bereallyfurious with me and then leave me in the barn…
I shake my head, banishing the thoughts.
“What did I do?” I ask, still looking down. “You were… different, and I tried to make it better but I just made it worse, didn’t I?”
He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and then he gets up and goes over to a chest before coming back, sitting in the same position, legs on either side of me.
Though this time, he holds the braided piece of hair.
“This hair on Drogonah’s reins belonged to my Mother.” My head snaps up, but Rohan doesn’t look at me. “When our people die, we cut their braids and it’s given to the family. A remembrance, a protection. I put them on Drogonah’s reins to protect us both, it’s all we have left of her.”
I lift my hands up to my mouth. “I… washed it… re-braided it. Oh Gods.”
I… I did that.
Rohan takes my hands in his, keeping the hair between us. “You didn’t know.”
“I did though. You told me not to, but I didn’t know who it belonged to. I promise. I thought I was helping. I’m so sorry, I heard that…”
“Heard what?” He asks, tone sharp.
“I heard that you would be thankful to have it done, I was trying to not make you angry anymore…I would never…”
He sighs before shaking his head. “There’s a reason why the rule is to never touch it,everyoneknows this.”
“I know…I was stupid. They just said—”
“Who?”
I look up at him, war with myself on what to tell him, until eventually I go with honesty.
“I heard Beau and Darcia talking about it in the saddle room, but maybe I overheard them wrong.”
His eyes sharpen. “They know full well of my rules and they will be dealt with.”
“But…” She will hurt me more.
“No buts, it’s our way. They know that anything of Drogonah’s isn’t to be touched.”
I deflate, but nod.
“Are they the ones who hurt you?”
I startle. “What?”
“The bruises.” He cracks his neck and takes a deep breath. “Are they the ones?”
My heart hammers in my chest. So he did see…
I can’t tell him. He isn’t going to believe an elf over his people. And I don’t expect him to. I never expect anyone to because theyneverdo.
Begging Master, telling him that I couldn’t take it anymore. That what happened went far beyond what they paid for. That they broke my body every time.
He didn’t believe me.
Or didn’t care.
If I tell Rohan, and he thinks I’m lying, he will be mad at me again, and I don’t want him mad at me, and then I’ll be in trouble and…
