Free Adversity by Claire Farrell

I’m waiting for
Nathan,” I stuttered, for the first time in my life truly afraid of
my grandfather. He made the most of his height, inching toward me
menacingly as if I were the enemy.
    “ Get upstairs.” The growl
rumbled in his throat, and a shiver of something new ran through
me. As if compelled, I turned around and ran straight upstairs. I
couldn’t stop myself. I hid in my bedroom until Nathan returned to
his own room. I listened to him pace, and I flinched as something
was flung at the wall and landed with a loud thud.
    I worked up the courage to knock on
Nathan’s bedroom door so I could get all my concerns off my chest,
but when he let me in, I couldn’t find the right words. I made it
worse for both of us.
    He asked me to go see Perdita because
Opa had used an alpha order to keep him away from her, but I
couldn’t say yes. I hadn’t even really believed Nathan would obey
that particular rule until I found myself moving unwillingly at
Opa’s command. I knew I made Nathan hate me by refusing to go and
visit Perdita on his behalf, but how could I possibly face her
again? He was so angry… angrier than I had ever seen him before. I
didn’t want to discuss it, so I took the only way out. I cried and
ran away.
    Opa called us all together for dinner
later on, which was more awkward than ever. Nathan and Jeremy left
soon afterwards, while Byron and Opa holed themselves up in Byron’s
office, leaving me alone.
    I used the spirit board again. I
couldn’t help myself. There was nothing else for me to do, and I
felt as though my skin couldn’t contain me. I might explode for
want of doing something. The presence stayed for a couple of
minutes, but only repeated the same couple of sentences.
    He will use you. He will
sacrifice you .
     
    ***
     
    Kali
     
    “ Take Dog with you,” her father called out after her. “The
locals are getting twitchy. They’ll think twice with the mutt.”
Drina’s husband had forbidden her from going into town for a while,
which left Kali alone every day, apart from Dog. In a way, she was
glad because Drina’s presence might scare off her protector.
Besides, Dog was good company.
    Dog was a
large wolfhound, given to her father as payment when he provided a
fertility potion that led to a healthy set of twins. The dog was
good for hunting, which gave him value, but he had a large stomach
which negated his value. Her father had decided Dog might be of use
as a guard dog, if the need arose.
    Kali knew
Dog was harmless—loyal and protective—but ultimately harmless.
Drina had relayed how her husband warned their father that Kali
needed protection, and Dog was his solution. She wondered exactly
how many days would pass before her father needed Dog more than he
needed her to be safe.
    The
locals were abrupt with her that day, maybe because of the dog or
because of the rumours that suddenly abounded. The negative effect
on her business didn’t matter to her, but it mattered to her
father, which was why she had some additional tricks up her
sleeves. She enticed some young girls with promises of spells and
potions, and by the end of the day, her basket was overflowing with
trades.
    On the
way home, she saw Marusya’s husband again, this time waiting on the
grassy edge of the track. He stared up at her as she approached,
and again, she ignored the shivers that ran through her. She passed
him, and he followed her, again. She realised how disappointed she
would have been if he didn’t.
    She
ventured a glance behind her. Their eyes met, but since he said not
a word, she kept walking.
    Men were
trouble, this one especially. The men back at camp wanted to use
her to raise their station and to father the guardian wolves. They
had no love for her, only a need for glory and riches. Her father
especially used her more than anyone. If a father could do that,
then who knew what a husband would do? Drina’s new clan didn’t
really care what happened to Kali. She sometimes wished they