Winterskin (Book One of Wrath & Winter)

A Mother's Will: Part One

My lips parted as my stoic stance shook with sparks. I could say nothing, just gape like a captured glacier flounder.

The words came later, much later, as Gram cornered me the following morning. For once, her stooped-over body meandered around the house instead of disappearing into the woods to meet with her coven.

"I heard." Was her reply to me poking my head out over the ladder leading to the ground floor.

I could have ignored her words. Waited until she decided to leave for the day. But I had somewhere to be this morning. A place far from the farms.

I climbed down in an ashwood-colored tunic and dark breeches. Both untouched by sweat and direwolf blood. The clothing from yesterday had mysteriously disappeared.

"I burned them." She said, face hovering over the fire billowing from the hearth. Reading my mind.

In any other instance, I would be angry. Peeved. But I was finally getting what I wanted-training that would end in me joining the Guard. Finally being able to provide for Gram and the girls in the winter when woodcutting just didn't cut it anymore.

Ha. And now I'm even making jokes.

"Why?" I still had to know. Finding Eva's stool, I braided locks darker than hers into a halo-braid that curved around the back of my skull. Almost the color of fur that burns blue in the moonlight.

When Gram looked at damn near anyone, it was like she could see everything going in inside. Not blood rushing or hearts galloping, but thoughts. Meanings behind words. Feelings. Her eyes were like a looking glass that only spat back the truth in its reflection.

"Why indeed." She said, turning back toward the fire. "You aren't sick, are you?"

"In what way?"

"Well," she strode around the fire toward the cauldron hanging over it, "you certainly aren't sick." Picking up a cracked wooden bowl from a stack of them, she ladled in some soup and offered it to me.

It smelled like sunlit heat. Ginger paraded across my tongue as I savored it. Along with the gamey taste of squirrel and maybe badger? The sun hadn't risen yet, not completely. But, even now, I could hear the plodding footsteps of the farmers making their way to the outskirts.

This time, I would be moving the opposite way.

Gram's eyes branded me as I moved about the little cottage, pulling on boots and taking a ragged cloak from the cloak hooks. At the threshold, I turned back.

She wasn't going to stop me, was she? Her glassy eyes twinkled, her heart taking in my own, inner, smile.

"Thank you, Gram."

Snorting lightly, she stirred the pot without looking at the soup, "I've seen her, Kitten, and I've prayed. Given her little offerings of hemlock and tears-mine, don't look at me like that." She chuckled, "She isn't...thrilled...but she isn't enraged if that's what you're worried about. I think...I think she's finally ready. To let you go." She nodded, "Finally."

It was like I had sucked on cotton. Everything in my mouth was dry.

"Will you come, maybe? A day that you've got off? Come with me to offer some things to her? Maybe some words?"

And just like that, my lungs ached. My jaw hardened. There's always more with her. Even when she's gone I can't get away from her and her wishes. "Maybe."

A lie as good as any as I shut the door behind me and pulled my cloak closed against the howling winter wind.

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Authors Note: Hope you're enjoying Winterskin! I'm writing a prequel that follows how Elisedd and Katell met and if you'd love to read it in its early stages make sure to comment below!