Last night’s storm was brutal. I can’t imagine anyone wandering through it, human or Fae. And even if they did brave it, why would a rebel choose the path directly through the village?
Besides, there are no whispers this morning to indicate anyone else saw a rebel stalking through the streets. Nothing is out of place.
Maybe my worries are getting the better of me after my conversation with Callum.
Regardless, I search for him the second I step into the square, determined to ask him if he’s heard anything among the Guard. Villagers bustle about, setting up their tables. There’s a thin selection today, given the storm, but people are here, nonetheless. Too many of us are desperate this year.
Sick.
Starving.
We’re all in need of trade and desperate for food and tonics.
That and blades, like the ones on the sled behind me that I’ve trudged through the snow. Humans might not be hunting in the dead of winter when the animals have moved deeper into the forest, but the guards are already eyeing my selection.
Their weapons from the Ley Court aren’t nearly as strong without magic to amplify them. Not like Father’s blades. Mined and crafted from the heart of Alyssium. Smelted from metals that rival those only found in Vaelier.
Or so I’ve heard.
Father’s blades are sturdy and heavy. If it weren’t for the snow, I wouldn’t have been able to tug today’s load by myself. I suppose the storm is a blessing in disguise as it relieves some of the weight tugging at my shoulders.
Father usually helps. But he’s still too sick to leave the house in his current state, so it’s just me today.
Tossing the rope to my feet, I wipe the sweat from the back of my neck. My toes are icy, so it hurts to bend them.
“Glad to see I’m not the only wild-minded human braving these elements.” A chipper voice comes from behind, and I spin to see Letia walking toward me with two steaming cups of tea.
She hands me one, tucking a golden-blonde lock of hair off her face. Her smile tilts, drawing out the sharp scar that cuts through her upper lip.
“Bless the Gods, I needed this.” I curl my frozen fingers around the cup and hold it below my chin, soaking up the warmth of the steam as it drifts over my cheeks. “Lavender.”
“Your favorite.” Letia winks, pulling her shoulders closer to her ears.
The double lining of fur on her cloak rustles in the breeze, while her braid does little to tie her wavy blonde hair back off her face. It whips around her tanned cheeks, which, paired with the dark circles around her eyes, draw out the sapphire brightness in them.
Letia’s mother, Mabel, calls her a sunbeam. A ray of light almost bright enough to warm this bitterly cold island. When Letia smiles, I understand it because she practically glows.
Except lately, even my best friend’s energy is running low. She’s thinner. Exhaustion darkens the skin under her eyes. We’re all tired.
“You know if you need a blade, I’ll give you one without bribes.” I smirk, taking a sip of tea.
Letia laughs. “I know. Mother sent me with tea to thank you for the salmon you dropped off for her this morning.”
“A favor for a favor. It never ends between us.”
“Because you and your father are family, Elorie.” Her smile is tight. “We don’t do favors to gain something in return; it’s because we care. Gods forbid either of us end up desperate and scrabbling for leftovers.”
Quarreling has become more frequent as food and dry firewood become scarcer. What little we have must be rationed, and when the recent shipment of grain from the Ley Court was half what we normally get, fear of starvation became a bigger worry than freezing.
My throat dries, so I take a sip of scalding tea. It does little to soothe my nerves and burns my tongue.
“Have you seen Callum?” I ask, scanning the square again,noticing there’s not a guard in sight. It’s uncommon when they’ve been hovering lately.
Letia leans in, smiling. “You mean, have I seen him since he walked you to your door last night?”
“Spy.” I nudge her, and she laughs. “Besides, how did you see anything when you were noticeably absent when Mabel invited me in this morning?”
Her cheeks warm, her gaze drifting. “I was leaving as you got home. I spent the night with Benjamin.”