Page 67 of The Stolen Throne
“She’s never liked me much.”
“Why not?” Visibly offended, Vida’s hands fly to her hips.
Which makes me want to hug her. “History.”
“Hmmm.”
She returns to her work, and I watch her nimble fingers fly over the material, gathering the spots that are too big and pinning them. “So what’s the plan, exactly, to get to the Shadowood?”
We chat about that and other things while she finishes what she needs to, then while I undress and put my Wanderer clothing back on. I don’t want to leave. So I sit cross-legged on the pallet, chin propped in my hand, and watch her sew. “What about you?”
She doesn’t look up from what she’s doing. “What about me?”
“Do you have a…” I search for the right word. “A romantic interest?”
Vida snorts delicately. “Who has time? I’m barely keeping my family going.”
I smile as I pick a scrap of fur trim up off the floor. “The Vanished keeping you busy, mother hen?”
“I mean my…” Her fingers pause, and she looks up at me. “My blood family.”
“Oh.” Wait a minute… “Are they here? Why haven’t I met them?”
“They’re not part of the Vanished. Reven offered to bring them, too, when he found me, but with the people of our community thinking I’d died, they were safe enough. It was easier that way.”
“Easier?” I glance around for answers. It doesn’t help. “What does that mean?”
“I killed a man,” she admits. “A man in power. I was set for execution.”
“Why?”
She goes back to her sewing with a shrug. “He tried to force himself on me. I had to defend myself.”
“Oh, Vida.”
She gives a sudden hiss, pulling her hand away from the garment she’s working on and sucking at her thumb. Then goes back to her work. “My family knows I’m alive. I try to help them.” Another shrug. “When I can. In…whatever way I can.” The last, she mutters more to herself.
I lean forward and give her wrist a squeeze. “I’m glad that you didn’t get executed. Your family would have missed you terribly, and I would, too.”
Her lips twist like maybe she’s touched, or maybe she wants to say something, but then she huffs a laugh and her usual chipper smile returns. “You wouldn’t have known what you missed out on.”
“Yes, I do. I would have missed out on a good friend. You told me yourself that’s what we’d be. The first day we met.”
She ducks her head on a chuckle. “Yes. I did.”
We fall into a companionable silence for a bit.
“You’re sure you’re okay staying here?” I ask. “When we go to Tyndra?”
She flicks me a glance. “I don’t think I’d be much help. Besides, with all of the Vanished’s leaders going with you, I’m needed here.”
True.
“Can you do me a favor, though?” She glances up. “Can you check my shop? I’m missing my favorite set of shears. They were specially fashioned by a metal Hylorae and cost me a pretty coin, and these…” She picks up a dull, rusted set of scissors and glares at them fiercely. “Are a nightmare to work with.”
I chuckle. “I’ll look for them myself.”
Which earns me a bright grin before she’s back to the serious business of sewing.
