Sember (Forestfolk, Book 2)

Chapter 2a

"Did you hear there's a new guy in Foresthome?" Nirrin perched on a stump next to me while I started the supper fire. "His family is going to pass the winter here on their way south. His name is—"

"Dozan, I know," I said, annoyed to be talking about him.

"Wait, how did you know that?"

I snapped a spark into the kindling and watched it turn into a tiny flicker. "We met at the lake."

She gasped. "Really? What's he like? Is he cute?"

I grimaced. "He's a jerk. Kind of cute, I guess, but still a jerk."

"I knew it!"

"You knew he was a jerk?"

"I knew he'd be cute!"

I wondered how Nirrin could possibly be older than me. Or was it that I was acting too old? "When did they get here, anyway?"

"Sometime last week. I can't believe I haven't met him yet. Maybe you can introduce me!"

"We're not exactly friends."

"And whose fault might that be?" she challenged.

My mouth twisted as her words stung me. I stomped to the stockpile of firewood and jerked pieces out, then dumped the armload of wood unceremoniously to the ground and flounced down next to it. Get a grip. Don't lose it. Especially since she's right.

She crouched down next to me, looking uncharacteristically solemn. "I said something stupid, didn't I?"

I didn't look at her and instead dropped a small log onto my lap, tracing my finger along the wood grain.

"Sember . . . "

I looked at her then, not used to Nirrin at a loss for words. Her brown eyes clouded with regret.

"I'm . . . You may not believe this, but . . . you're my best friend."

My eyebrows shot up. "I am?" As gregarious as she was, I was pretty sure she had plenty of friends.

"I know I talk a lot. I can't help it. And I think it annoys people. I can see it in their faces, even though they try to hide it. But I don't see that from you. You always listen. So . . . I'm sorry about that comment. It was dumb."

All the anger whooshed out of me. I'd never seen this side of her before. Earnest and serious. "What brought that on?"

She shrugged. "Maybe it was overdue." Then she quirked an eyebrow. "So, are you going to introduce me or what?"

And just like that, she switched back to the Nirrin I knew. I snorted with laughter and pushed her just hard enough to unbalance her crouch. She fell onto her butt and slapped my arm. "You brat," she said with a laugh.

I grinned, feeling lighter. "I'll see what I can do."

* * *

I pushed the curtain aside and walked into the cabin. "Hi, Ma," I greeted. "Did you eat? I didn't see you at dinner."

"I wasn't hungry. Does it feel warm in here to you?" She sat on the bed, fanning herself.

"It shouldn't be hot. I'm not mad about anything." I pressed the back of my hand against my cheek to test my temperature. It seemed normal.

"Come here, my little squirrel," she beckoned with an outreached hand.

I went to her, and she put an arm around my waist, squeezing me to her. I bent down and kissed her forehead. "Ma, you feel hotter than I do."

"Do I?" she murmured and touched her forehead.

"I'll go fetch Ruba," I said, pulling away. Ruba was our resident herbalist, who took care of the sick when Siena was away.

"No, no, don't bother," she said, tightening her arm around me. "She's got her hands full with people who are actually sick."

I frowned and stroked her thin, reddish hair. It used to be thicker and lighter in color, before the fire. I remember grabbing handfuls of it when I was little, marveling over its silkiness. Now it was darker and wispy. Just another reminder of my destructive gift. "Then I'll get you some soup. You should eat something."

* * *

"Did you hear that two more people have been quarantined?" Nirrin slid her plate next to mine and sat down for breakfast.

"Should we be worried?"

"Nothing like this has ever happened before. Bren says that Ruba doesn't even know what's causing it!"

Bren was the caretaker of the young. She lived in the largest cabin in Foresthome along with all the orphans. During the day it served as a daycare. Ever since I could remember, Nirrin had lived there. Most of the kids her age had either moved away or found homes of their own. Even though she was an adult now, Nirrin stayed, helping an aging Bren wrangle children.

I set my corn cake down. "They don't know what it is?"

"It's disgusting is what it is." Nirrin crinkled her nose and picked up a carrot.

I thought about Ma and her lack of appetite. Her skin hadn't cooled down at all during the night. "How does this sickness start? I mean, how can you tell if you've got it?"

Nirrin shrugged and munched on her carrot. "Maybe you should ask Ruba, though I wouldn't go near her if I were you. She's around those sick people all day."

She had a point. If this was contagious, maybe I shouldn't talk to Ruba. But if it was contagious, and my mom already had it, then it was too late for me anyway. Hmm. I would have to think on it during my run.

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