Nadia's Children by Steven E. Wedel

Author:Steven E. Wedel [Wedel, Steven E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780615814704
Publisher: MoonHowler Press
Published: 2013-05-23T04:00:00+00:00

Shara

“Sometimes … sometimes I dream that I had a brother,” Morrigan said. She sat at the head of the dinner table, a place that had been vacant since Ulrik’s death. Holle had put her there about a week ago, violating an unspoken rule that had been observed since Ulrik’s passing, Shara knew, in deference to her own feelings. At first she had been upset that anyone should sit there, then decided if anyone, it should be Morrigan.

But Holle had made it a place of honor in a way Ulrik never had required. Holle told Morrigan no one was allowed to eat until she said so. It was something Morrigan took to heart and the other Old Ones immediately adopted. Shara herself had been the last to concede, and had done so under the glare of all the Old Ones and Morrigan herself. Thomas had urged her to play along, humoring the child for a while.

Morrigan was idly using her fork to move a pair of green peas through a tiny pool of brown gravy as she mentioned her dream. Her eyes were distant and her voice vague. The hand that wasn’t holding the fork propped under her cheek.

Shara looked to Thomas, who only widened his eyes for a moment and looked back at her. “Don’t put your elbows on the table, Morrigan,” Shara said. Around them, dinner stopped. Shara felt everyone looking at her, waiting.

“You had a brother,” Holle said, breaking the tension of that drawn-out silence. She deliberately placed her fork on her table and looked at Morrigan until the girl focused on her. “You killed him in the womb. You are the Alpha. The nutrients from your mother were yours by right.”

“Did I eat him?” the girl asked.

“No, child,” Holle answered as others at the table smiled and returned to their food. “You only chewed – ”

“Enough!” Shara said, slapping her palm down on the table. “Don’t talk about it. It isn’t … decent. Not at dinner, especially.”

Holle smiled, then gave Morrigan a quick wink that she didn’t bother trying to conceal from Shara.

“Morrigan!” Shara snapped. “Elbow. Get it off the table. Now!”

Slowly, glaring defiance at her mother, the girl pulled her elbow off the table and let her hand drop to her lap. “When I’m queen, you can’t tell me what to do.”

“Hush, child,” Holle urged. “You already are the Alpha, but when in human form you should still use manners. Someday soon you will dine with powerful human leaders. You should show them how civilized you can be. Then eat them if they do not do as you wish.”

Everyone except Shara and Thomas laughed. They looked at one another, both feeling angry and helpless. The meal was finished in peace except for the clinking of silverware against dishes. At last Shara pushed her plate away and faced her daughter.

“Morrigan, how about if I read you a story tonight? We haven’t done that for quite a while,” she said.

The little girl shook her head, her hair swinging around.

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