Sember (Forestfolk, Book 2)

Chapter 26

I couldn't stop thinking about what Jastin might be doing. With Nirrin.

I squeezed the wooden bear hard, feeling its sharp ear digging into my palm.

The lake was off limits, even though it was where I usually went to deal with unwanted thoughts. I didn't want to see if they were still there. And I especially didn't want to see what they were doing.

I'm not sure why, but I went to visit Dozan.

I found him packing up a mountain of supplies. His father was on his feet, and the first to see me. "Sember, right? Your name is Sember?" His eyes seemed bright as he looked at me, no longer sunken into his face.

At the sound of my name, Dozan turned around. His eyes held an expression of guarded joy.

I ignored him. "Yes. You're looking much better."

"I hear that I have you to thank." He rubbed the side of his white beard, which was now neatly trimmed.

I ducked my head and fiddled with a leather strap on a nearby bundle. "I had help."

"No matter. I was a dying old man. And now, I'm just an old man. Thank you." He gripped my hands in both of his, squeezed them, and then tottered into the trees with a bucket.

Dozan finally approached me. "I thought you were crazy to go into that cave."

"Thanks a lot."

He shook his head. "But you did it. You saved my father. And everyone else, it looks like. You are nothing short of amazing."

"And you are a known sweet-talker." I poked his shoulder with my finger.

He shrugged. "Maybe so. But that doesn't make it any less true."

I smiled despite myself.

"Hug?" He opened his arms wide.

I backed away. "Oh no, you don't. Didn't you learn your lesson the last time?"

He grinned widely. "I can't help myself. Pretty girls . . . "

I rolled my eyes, but secretly grinned at being labeled a pretty girl. "When do you head out?"

"Tomorrow at first light. Time for us to move on."

"I thought you were staying for winter?"

"I knew it." He pointed at me. "You're missing me already!"

"Ha! You wish."

He shrugged again. "A boy can dream. Father seems to have a new surge of energy, and he thinks we can help some of the decimated Plainsmen."

"And by helping you mean profiting from them." I crossed my arms and tilted my head.

"We're traders, can you blame us? Traveling is in our blood." He gave me a lopsided smile. "As well as profits."

"Just keep your father out of mysterious caves."

* * *

I ended up helping Ma patch holes in clothes that evening. She chattered about things that had happened while I was gone, which wasn't much. My mind wandered to Nirrin's hand on Jastin's arm. He hadn't exactly rebuffed her advances.

I frowned. I had no right to be jealous. I'd made it clear to Jastin that I couldn't be with him.

"Sember, what's the matter?" Ma paused her stitching to look at me.

I eased the tension between my brows. "I think I forgot what kind of knot to use here."

She examined my work and showed me how to form the knot. "It's so nice having you here. You're always out running around like a wild thing."