The Second Bell by Gabriela Houston

Author:Gabriela Houston [Houston, Gabriela]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857668912
Publisher: Watkins Media
Published: 2020-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

Miriat didn’t speak again until she was certain Dran was out of earshot. She gestured, and Salka grudgingly followed her into the house. Miriat tied the leather panels across the door before she spoke again. The low orange light danced across her face as she strained against her anger.

“Are you insane?” she nearly hissed. “Have you a single thought for your future or your safety here?”

“You mean besides taking your poison every day and following every new rule that pops into your head?” Salka said through clenched teeth. “I’ve sat on this stool every day for weeks, brushing and spinning the wool. More wool than our nanny has produced in the last four years, by the way. You think I don’t know you traded for it to keep me occupied? I’m not a child anymore, I don’t need you to protect me!”

Curious approached her with a small whine and nibbled on her sleeve. She pushed its head away.

“Clearly you do!” Miriat made an impatient gesture. “The one time I agreed to you spending a day out of the village gates, look what happened! It’s not for much longer, all you need is a bit more patience and then you’ll be safe. And Dran could put it all at risk!”

Salka sucked in a breath. She straightened herself. Her mother’s suspicion of Dran upset her more than she cared to admit. “A little more is a lot to ask when my head aches so much I can barely see most days. And you don’t have to trust Dran. I do. He has no suspicions of me. Never once has he accused me of anything, or judged me. You think I don’t see you check that I drink every last drop of this vile concoction you give me? Or that you watch my shadow more than you watch my face?”

Miriat turned away. “How can I trust you after what you did? You fed your other heart, in spite of all I’ve told you. In spite of all you’ve been taught. You see the spinning as a punishment, child? You should count yourself lucky. A small, safe life is the best that one can hope for in this world. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you’ll find contentment. There is nothing more I hope for now, Salka.” Miriat looked at her hands, all the fight gone out of her.

Salka wanted to tell her of the endless sky beyond the Windry Pass, and of the wild, joyful freedom of the other heart and the knowledge it brought her. But there were no words she could find to make her mother understand.

So they faced each other, each one staring at the gulf that opened between them.

Curious rammed into Salka’s leg suddenly, nearly toppling her. She looked at it in surprise, started by its cry. A distressed bleating came from outside.

“Something’s wrong” Miriat looked up sharply. “Where’s the doe?”

“Still tied outside,” Salka said, already on her way out of the door.

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