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Arrow leapt towards her, tail wagging with excitement.

‘Hello, girl,’ she offered, allowing the wolf-dog to lick her face. How could she have considered leaving without the wolf-dog? Her world was turned on its head. The only sure thing was Arrow.

Exhaustion tugged at her. It had been a long and very tiring day, with little sleep the night before. Eagerly, she allowed Jon to take her backpack, and managed to hardly notice Emma’s pursed lips and unhappy expression.

She ate the food offered to her, and with muttered apologies, took to her bed. She needed to sleep.

In the morning she’d demand to see Skaldi again. When Erann was found she’d tell him about this place.

It could do so much good, if only its bounty could be shared with everyone on Biklander. She resolved to see it was done. It wasn’t right that so much was hoarded here. Emma, Jon and the others within the cave system possessed greater resources than the four jarls combined, and it was time the abundance was fairly distributed. If it had been, if it had been known about, then Estrith and her beautiful family wouldn’t have perished during the Long Night.

When she found Erann, she’d tell him. When she found him.

8

SEREH

Finn shook Sereh awake the next morning. She opened her eyes groggily and saw relief flash across his young face, although she didn’t know why. Arrow was busily licking her fingers. With a deep groan she rose from her cosy bed. She’d honestly never slept so well in all her life. The bed was so comfortable. The heat was so pleasant.

‘I’ll wait outside while you dress,’ Finn hurried to reassure. She moved quickly, her stomach growling with hunger. Arrow also waited impatiently at the curtain, her head swivelling from Sereh to where Finn stood outside, as though unable to comprehend the delay. Sereh fumbled in her haste to dress. It seemed to take twice as long as normal. Finally, she opened the curtain and walked with Finn to the common room, along the familiar passageway. She felt Finn’s curiosity, as he also kept turning back to look at her, but ignored it. Undoubtedly, he wanted Arrow for something, and was simply steeling himself to make the request.

‘Good morning,’ she trilled to those within, looking from Emma, to Pal, to Elen to Gunnar and Brand.

‘Morning, Sereh,’ Emma called, not looking up from where Pal grumbled, turning his head from side to side, refusing to take the mixture offered to him. Pal looked tearily at her. She walked to him and gently plucked him from Emma’s arms, pleased to see him looking so well. It was the baby she’d been forced to leave behind. She was delighted to see him.

‘Come on,’ she murmured. ‘Enough of that.’ She sat, balanced him on her knee, and offered him the food he’d been fussily refusing from Emma. He took it happily, and once he’d burped in her face, his eyes closed and she placed him in his cot near the fire.

‘Thank you, Sereh,’ Emma said softly. ‘It’s been a difficult morning with him.’ Sereh didn’t miss Emma’s tone. It was awed and also confused.

The praise was unexpected. Sereh felt a smile tugging on her lips, even as her belly growled once more. Finn hurried to place a bowl of pottage before her, and alongside some of Elen’s delicious peat cakes. She ate hungrily, drinking tea with the meal. Only then did she look at the others expectantly, aware of their scrutiny.

There was something she’d intended to do today, but what it was tugged at her mind, too ethereal to grab. Finn gave her an odd look, added to Elen’s when she’d plucked Pal from Emma’s hands. Sereh wondered what it was she was doing that surprised them so much. She met their gazes, hoping they might remind her of the day’s task. But Emma, Elen and even Finn turned away, seemingly intent on other things. Sereh smiled. What an odd morning.

Finally, Emma broke the silence. ‘Sereh, would you mind looking after Pal for me today. I need some rest before I seek out the Speaker about Erann.’

‘Of course, Emma. I’d be delighted to.’ She wondered what Emma had done to upset Pal, but more than anything, she couldn’t recall who Erann was. He was evidently someone Emma knew. She couldn’t remember meeting anyone of that name, but she didn’t ask. They were always talking about things she didn’t understand. The use of the word ‘year’ was just one of the things that set them apart. Perhaps she’d agreed to look after Pal yesterday. Maybe that was what she was supposed to be doing, and Emma’s words were a gentle reminder. After all, she’d slept in.

Emma rose from the table. She offered Sereh a quizzical look. But then smiled at the sleeping Pal, her tense shoulders relaxing at the sight of him fast asleep.

‘Wake me if anything changes,’ Emma called. Now Sereh felt her eyebrows draw together. What could possibly happen that she couldn’t contend with? Pal was hardly difficult to care for.

Elen spoke once Emma had gone. ‘It’s kind of you to care for the baby. He’s been up most of the night. Emma’s sorely tried by his cries. He seems to like you.’

‘Yes, he does. He’s a good baby. I think he’ll sleep all night with me. He always has before. Perhaps Emma should let me keep him tonight. I’ll suggest it to her. In the meantime, while he sleeps, can I help you with anything?’

If Elen was surprised by the offer, she didn’t show it. Instead, she rapidly plied her with tasks. And so the day passed. Pal woke, fed and played. She looked after him and helped Elen in preparing the delicious food she produced. Finn rushed off to carry out his chores, offering her the same perturbed expression as Emma had before. Sereh met his look with a broad smile from where she was mixing the ingredients for peat cakes. Jon slid from the room in Finn’s wake, and Sereh watched him go with a shake of his head. She thought about asking Elen about it, but Pal woke, and he absorbed all of her attention until Emma later returned in a much better mood.

‘I’m so sorry I’ve not been able to seek out the Speaker about Erann.’ Sereh nodded, not understanding the relevance. The comment appeared to be aimed at her, although Emma stood in the doorway as she spoke, so perhaps, it was for Elen.

‘If you’d like, I can keep Pal tonight. Then you can get some proper rest,’ Sereh offered into the silence Emma’s comment occasioned.

‘Well, if you don’t mind,’ Emma said slowly.

‘It’ll be my pleasure,’ and Sereh beamed.

She woke early the next day, with Pal, and sleepily took them both to the common room, Arrow dogging her heels. Sereh enjoyed the peace, tending to Pal, but when Emma entered the common room, the first words out of her mouth were again regarding Erann.

‘I’ll see if I can seek out Skaldi today about Erann,’ Emma reassured, even while she ran her hand over Pal’s soft hair, bending to kiss his rounding face.