Of Dreams and Rust - Sarah Fine Page 0,48
in Anni’s ear.
She puts her arm over my shoulder. “We will do this tonight.” I blink at her, and she gives me a sympathetic smile. “You will become part of our family, and once you are wed, you will have all the rights and protection we can offer. That is why Melik did what he did.”
Does it have anything to do with how he feels about me, or is it simply the only way to extend his protection? I wish I knew which I preferred. “What would have happened if he hadn’t?”
“Other families could have chosen to offer you a place in their home.” She gives me a sidelong glance. “But I don’t think they would have.”
“Because I’m Itanyai.”
She nods, tugging me free of the grasping hands and pushing me through the low doorway of her stone cottage. A fire burns in the hearth. The floor is smooth dirt, and a straw broom is propped in a corner. There appear to be two rooms, the main living area and the sleeping area. Anni leads me to that second room, smaller than the front room. There are two wool pallets on the floor, and she points to one. “You can take my bed. You look like you are about to fall down.” Before I can protest, she unbuttons my coat, her fingers sliding over the threads that held the button I left for Bo as an offering.
“I don’t think I can sleep.” My head is spinning with all that has happened and all that will.
She smooths her hand over my hair. Her nose is long like Melik’s, and her lips are full. There are wrinkles around her mouth and her eyes, and her cheeks are covered in freckles, as if she has spent countless afternoons under a harsh sun. “Rest while you can. Tonight will be long. But pleasant, I hope.” When she sees my wide eyes, she laughs. “I am speaking of the feast, cuz.”
“Cuz?” Bajram called me that.
“It means ‘girl.’ But it also means ‘daughter.’ ”
The tears sneak up on me, and I fight to keep them inside. “My mother,” I whisper. “She . . .”
“I cannot replace her,” says Anni. “But I will be another anni for you.”
“Why are you being so kind?”
She lays her palms on my cheeks, and her hands smell of sage. “When my sons returned from the east, they brought stories of the girl who saved them with her kindness and bravery. Sinan ridiculed Melik for losing his heart.” She leans close. “And Melik did not deny it. He did not argue, though he rarely turns away from a debate. He merely accepted the teasing of his younger brother and stared into the fire, a small smile on his face. My son has never offered his heart easily or without thought. He is a smart and strong young man, and he has his own mind.” She presses her lips together for a moment. “He is very much like his father.”
She lowers me to the pallet and covers me with my coat. “You are my daughter now.” Her smile is bright. “I’ve always wanted one.”
I sigh. “I imagine you did not expect her to be Itanyai, though.” I wonder if the glares from the young women by the carriage were because they wanted Melik. I cannot blame them for that.
“Cuz, my elder son would be dead if not for you. Do you really think that the shape of your eyes or the color of your skin matters to me?”
“Thank you.” I sigh as she strokes my hair again. These Noor with their touching . . . sometimes it is nice. Comforting.
Her eyes crinkle deeply at the corners. “When you wake, we will begin our preparations.”
It is the last thing I am conscious of until she is gently shaking me awake. I open my eyes and peer at the thatched roof, inhaling the scent of mint. I sit up, and Anni presses a stone cup into my hands. It is heavy and full of steaming tea. “That will bring your blood to the surface and make your heart beat,” she says with a smile. “Finish that. I have a bath ready for you.”
I drink from the cup, the tea strong and stinging with mint. It’s been days since I bathed, and I am absolutely filthy. “A bath would be so nice.”
She grins. “Sinan will be glad to hear that. He’s been working all afternoon to bring enough water from the spring to fill the tub.” She holds