The Heart of Lal by L. Darby Gibbs

Author:L. Darby Gibbs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Inkabout Publishing
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

D

onya’s footsteps on the stairs had only just receded into silence when the backdoor rattled in its jamb and swung open. Nahnah scampered in, followed by Rouen carrying a carpet bag which he let drop by the door as he twisted the lock. “Parents safely dropped off at home, my bag’s packed, and I’m ready to sleep until morning.”

Jahl stepped back from the shiny tin tub he was scrubbing pots in and said, “Grab a towel and dry.”

“Were you not listening? I will repeat: ready to sleep until morning.”

“Did you say something? Yes, of course, you may help. Grab a towel and dry.”

Rouen dragged his feet to the kitchen counter and picked up a towel and pot. “Some days even the men badger the men.”

Jahl stifled a snicker. “Donya will be down shortly, and you can shuffle off to bed when she arrives.”

Rouen wiped a heavy pot’s insides and flipped it around to get the drops beading along the rim. “What did you think of Missy earlier?”

Jahl scrubbed briskly at the pot he was working on. Do I even want to get into this? He scrubbed harder.

Rouen propped a hip against the broad wood counter and tossed the towel over his shoulder. “I want your opinion.”

Jahl sighed inside and stopped scrubbing. “She confuses me, Ro. One minute I think she’s an innocent babe in the woods, and then I think, she’s known us a long time, and we haven’t kept any secrets about we what do. Wielders are welcomed in town now after so long, respected and part of the everyday running of things.” He rubbed his cheek on his shoulder to scratch an itch. “I don’t know how she can be confused about what we can do and whether or not we’re good people.”

Rouen grabbed the towel from his shoulder and wiped the already dry pot. Jahl took it from him and handed him a washed skillet, and Rouen passed the towel over the bottom automatically. “Could I have been wrong all this time about her? It’s like I’m looking at her for the first time, and she is not at all like I remember her. She talks about giving dinner parties and turning our house into a showpiece. A house we don’t even have.” He gave the skillet another swipe. “I figure if we’re comfortable and can run our fingers over the counter and have them come back clean, we’re living the good life.”

Both men went silent, for they could hear Donya coming down the stairs. Rouen shifted the discussion and made himself busy drying the pan. “Of course, all this preparing for the trip, making up for being gone longer than planned and planning to be gone again for who knows how long, I haven’t been able to practice wielding more than a crack and a dent here and there. I’ve watched you two with the boys, but I could still use my own teacher. Do you think you can train me while we’re going to the capital?”

“Sure, Ro, we can run you through some training.

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