“It’s better than them sleeping on the hard marble floor.” When the guards first opened the doors, I was greeted with children huddled in clusters—the older ones cradling hungry babies in soiled diapers. They weren’t making a sound, terrified.
The sight made my eyes well instantly.
My first order of business was to send the guards off to haul in hay bales. They did so without complaint. Then I enlisted the castle staff for food, supplies, and comfort. It’s taken the entire day, but everyone has settled, and perhaps they’re a little less frightened.
“This was a difficult task, Gracen. You did well.” Corrin wears grim satisfaction.
It’s not often she praises anyone, and my heart swells with pride. “It was a team effort.” Dagny and the seamstresses scoured the castle for blankets. Fikar lugged in jugs of water, taking breaks in between to play jester, wearing away the children’s fears with card tricks and silly faces. Sabrina led groups to the latrine and distracted the little girls by braiding their hair and singing songs. Corrin went on a hunt for suitable milk for the babies. I nursed two who aren’t my own.
“They gobbled up those wedding sweet cakes of yours quite happily.”
“Better to go to children than the soldiers, I thought.”
“I agree. They’ve got plenty of barley and wheat flour to make their flatbread.” She worries her lip. “Still, we have three hundred and seventy-four mouths to feed here and, I’m sure, more coming tomorrow. We will run out of wedding cakes.”
“Then I will bake bread.” I squeeze Corrin’s shoulder. “I am staying here tonight in case anyone needs me.” Or until Atticus summons me to his chambers. A nervous flutter stirs in my stomach at the thought, but I push it aside. I have too much to focus on here with these children to allow heady thoughts to intrude.
“And you will stay with her,” Corrin declares as Sabrina joins us.
She must be as exhausted as I am. “Yes, of course. Suri and Lilou are already down.” She looks around. “But have you seen Mika?”
“Not in a while.” I groan, my head falling back in frustration.
Fikar is passing by. “He said somethin’ about the horses earlier.”
“I’ll bet he’s visiting Silmar.” Mika dreams of sleeping in the stables like the older boy does.
“I guess I’ll wander out that way and look,” Sabrina says, but I’m already moving toward the door.
“No, it’s okay. I’ll hunt him down. The guards can be a bit surly, but they know me by now. I could use the fresh air, anyway.”
Corrin shakes her head. “That boy … one day he’s going to get himself into mischief he can’t get out of.”
My trek through the castle toward the stable crosses paths with Dagny, her arms loaded with linen scraps.
Her round face splits into a wide, genuine smile the moment she sees me. She’s always a ray of sunshine, even when life feels so bleak. “Found some more cloth we can use for diapering the wee ones.”
“That’s perfect. Thank you, Dagny. You’ve been an enormous help.”
“Of course. Don’t mind at all.” She glances around before whispering, “A far better task than making a wedding dress for the demon.”
I chuckle. “Maybe we should use that fabric for the children.” What must be going through Lady Saoirse’s thoughts at this very moment, locked in that gray tower, awaiting her punishment?
“Not a bad idea.” She nods, and then her face morphs with giddy excitement. “Guess what! My Dagnar was just summoned by Princess Annika herself. She’s lookin’ for a new tributary, and she heard he was keen to stay within the castle employ. Imagine that!” She squeezes my forearm. “If my boy’s gonna serve, who better than the royal princess?”
“That’s great news.” I think. Is this coincidence or Atticus’s doing?
Dagny frowns. “What are you doing around this end of the castle, anyway?”
“Looking for Mika again. I think he’s out with Silmar.”
“That boy! He’s a handful!” She chuckles, strolling away. “Oh! And I think I found a nice new dress for ya! Come by tomorrow and I’ll size you up for it.”
I don’t ask where the dress might have come from. With all the dead mortals, I’m sure I already know. My stomach rolls with the thought.
No one else walks the castle halls tonight. By the time I round the corner that leads to the stables, an eeriness clings to the air.