Page 25 of Bound By Blood
Nan smiled a little, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Taking a chance on love does have its risks. Another of my granddaughters is finding the sorrowful side of that, I fear. More than one, actually. But she's had it the worst, I think. She has the worst luck in love of any girl I've known."
"Something happened to Ina?"
Ina always seemed to be the one in the most obvious trouble, and the one Erryn guessed would be most likely to replace her here. Except that the young woman utterly despised the thought of working in a soup cottage. Besides, whenever there was a problem with one of the grandchildren, Nan and Loto swept in. She'd gotten used to hearing about various crises over the years, some of which resulted in significant expenditures and both Nan and Loto being in Moro for weeks and weeks at a time.
Nan took a long sip of her tea and clicked her tongue. "Well, her heart was broken. Poor girl. Loto and I will be going to see her soon. Her and all them in the city."
"Should I plan on looking for a new home?" Her stomach clenched, the brightness fading within her.
"No," she said slowly. "You'd be welcome to stay here until after winter regardless. But if it becomes necessary, we've told Ina she can come back here. She'd need to stay here because we've got the others at our house until they recover. Marcus and Teino and the little ones. And we're still taking care of Auntie Plum. So our house is all but bursting. In the meantime, perhaps you should keep the coin you make from this place."
"Are you sure you'll be all right without the coin?" Erryn frowned.
"We'll be fine, dear." Nan patted her hand. "It's not money that's the issue these days. It's space and making sure you find everyone you need and keeping them out of trouble. There's so much temptation in Moro. But they've held fast. So proud of them. All of them. But I'm worried about Ina. She might not be able to resist all the lures and bargains and magic with her heart like this. Best we can do is offer her a place to come back to. So you keep the profits for at least the next month."
"And if Ina or the others don't want to come here after a month, I can pay you the difference afterward."
Nan shrugged, smiling warmly. Her cornflower-blue shawl bunched with the movement, and affection shone in her eyes. "It's been a good year in most respects. Consider this a gift. You're still covering the costs of ingredients and supplies and such, so it isn't as if this will cost us more. We can manage with what we're getting elsewhere. You've done an excellent job with the soup cottage, Erryn. Better than any of us ever hoped."
"I appreciate you giving me the opportunity to do something here." She slowed her breaths, fighting to keep the panicked thoughts from upending her. Nothing was certain yet. And she'd always known that this was temporary. If Ina moved in, she could manage. Though how would she explain Buttons? Or Ryul, for that matter.
"I am certain that no matter what comes, your future will be bright." Nan took another sip from her tea. "Did you hear they are building a new theater in Moro?"
"No."
"It sounds as if it will be quite lovely. All the girls are looking to get involved. I haven't seen Lysa or Seren for months now, even though we visited three weeks ago. They're all so busy these days. Living such bold beautiful lives. I'm proud of all of them, though I miss them. It'll be hard for Ina to leave them behind in all the glamor of the city, but I hope that she'll see reason if that is what's best."
Nan spoke lightly about the different things she had heard about Moro and how city life differed from life on the edge of the Barrens Wild and even in their small town. She spoke proudly of each of her grandchildren in turn, recounting their adventures. Most of which she only heard second or third-hand. Pride shone in her dark-blue eyes and made the fine wrinkles along her brows and eyes all the deeper.
When she finally left, she squeezed Erryn's hand again and promised her everything would work out. "Ina's a sweetheart. If you two do have to share space for a time, I know you'll be the absolute best of friends."
Erryn bid her farewell and thanked her.
After setting the tea mugs aside, she hugged herself tight. She had been beyond lucky, blessed, and fortune-kissed to find a place such as this. With summer essentially over, she did have time. Not much, but some. She had some coin, enough that she could last for a time, though she'd need to be careful with how much she spent on extras.
What was next though? What could she do?
She still hadn't figured out the perfect soup recipe for Ryul.
She set her hands against the slab counter and let her gaze drift around the cottage. Precious little here was actually hers. She could probably pack it all away in a single rucksack. Even if she packed that one special dress. The one indulgence she'd allowed herself in all these years.
No one else came for the rest of the day. Heavy clouds gathered on the horizon, darkening the sky before dusk and requiring her to light candles and lamps earlier than usual.
Buttons scratched at the door and whined earlier as well. As there was no one else coming until Ryul arrived, she let him out early, put the plank back up, and tried to find some additional scrap of knowledge in the books that would guide her in restoring Ryul's magic.
The cottage still smelled a little of the greasy smoke, but the scents of the soup covered up most everything else. As for what she would prepare tonight, perhaps a chicken summer bounty with something from all of the harvest? She chewed on the inside of her lip.
"Everything all right?"
His voice washed over her, startling and yet almost comforting her at the same time.
Peering up from the book, she tried to smile. "Just thinking about things. I haven't been able to get the recipes right."
Ryul leaned on the plank, that small smile curling at his lips. "You're doing your best."
She really didn't deserve him being that understanding about it. Sighing, she shook her head and forced her gaze back to the page. How much longer could she really carry this on though? And if she lost the soup cottage and hadn't found a solution—
Thunder growled in the distance.
