The Choice of Magic - Michael G. Manning Page 0,94

hands. “How strong do you think I am?” she asked, her voice breaking. “It’s hard enough just to survive without worrying about you constantly.”

“I’m sorry,” he began again, but Sammy interrupted, putting her hand on Erisa’s arm.

“It’s all right, Auntie. He came back safe,” said his cousin.

Realizing her outburst was upsetting her niece, Erisa wiped her face and stood up again. “What’s done is done. Since you risked your fool neck, you might as well tell us what you saw.”

Will explained what he had done, leaving out the part where he had nearly walked into the sentries. “They’re burying the dead, but they’re also cutting trees. They’ve set up camp on the east side of town. I think they’re planning to spend the winter.”

“I guess it’s about what we should have expected,” said his mother.

“Shouldn’t they keep going?” asked Sammy. “If they’re invading the kingdom, they shouldn’t stop here.”

His mother shook her head. “Attacking this late in the year was a surprise in and of itself. Winter is just beginning, and the passes will be snowed under in a few weeks. They’re hoping that it’s too late for Lognion to assemble a force to drive them out. In the spring, the Patriarch’s army can cross and they’ll have a good place to begin a full campaign.”

“But the king will stop them, right?” asked Sammy, her voice full of both hope and fear. “Dad’s in the army now. He won’t let them take Barrowden.”

“I’m sure Lord Fulstrom would like to drive them out immediately,” said Erisa. “He’s gathered his men in Branscombe. But the Lord has to obey his king. King Lognion will probably want to concentrate his forces before he responds, and that means they aren’t likely to come until spring.”

“What about us?” asked Will. “If they stay there all winter—”

“We’ll have to get out,” said his mother. “While they’re fortifying the area, they’ll also be sending out groups to scour the forest and hills, looking for survivors, food, and anything they can use. Eventually they’ll find us.”

“They won’t,” said Will firmly.

“Why do you say that?” asked Erisa.

“Aislinn promised me,” he answered. “She said she would make sure that no enemy found this place.”

His mother sighed. “She’s fae. Do you believe her?”

He nodded. “They can’t lie or break their bargains. They can twist the truth, but they can’t break their word.”

“If it was a bargain, what did you give her?” asked his mother, worry written on her features.

“Grandfather’s body,” he replied. “I know she’s dangerous, but I think she really wants to help. They won’t find us here.”

“What about food?” asked Sammy.

Erisa took a deep breath. “There’s enough stored to keep us until spring, but it won’t be pleasant. It’s mainly turnips, parsnips, carrots, and dried peas. Without meat we’ll get sick of those pretty quickly.”

“We’ve got eggs,” suggested Sammy.

“The hens have already almost stopped laying,” said Erisa. “I suppose we could eat a couple of them, but then we’ll be in bad shape when spring arrives.”

Will wished he knew how the old man had been getting butter and other necessities, but it was too late to ask him. “At least we won’t starve,” he said at last.

“We’re wasting heat standing out here,” said his mother. “Let’s go inside. William, bring in some more wood.”

They had a simple meal that evening, though Will still managed to earn high praise from both his mother and Sammy for his cooking. He wondered if they’d still feel the same after several months of eating the same food every day. Without much else to do, they talked and played chess with a gameboard and pieces that Erisa had found in Arrogan’s room. She had to teach them the rules, so Will and Sammy lost every game, but it was fun anyway.

When they got ready to sleep, Will retired to his cot, leaving the bed to them. He claimed it was because he was too old to sleep with his mother, and while that was partly true, his main reason was that he needed time alone to think.

I’m seventeen now, he realized. In all the commotion of the past few days, his birthday had passed unnoticed. In a year he would be considered a man, though he hardly felt like it. Eric was still sixteen when they took him. I’m certainly old enough.

Although it had never been something he considered before, he felt a strong need to join the King’s Army. It wasn’t something he wanted, but seeing the soldiers of Darrow occupying Barrowden after