Free The Great Bazaar and Other Stories by Peter V. Brett Page A

Brianne asked, near tears.
    "This
time," Leesha said. "But if this happens again, who knows?"
    "It won't, I
swear," Brianne said.
    "I don't
think it's up to you," Leesha said.

    Evin was in the yard
when Leesha left. His eyes stroked her body, but he was wary, too. On impulse,
Leesha went to him, putting an extra snap to the natural sway of her round
hips.
    "She's going
to be fine," Leesha said. "That fall from the woodpile broke a couple
of ribs, but they'll heal if she gets enough rest."
    "The...
woodpile," Evin began slowly, quickly gaining confidence as he caught on,
"right. Awful spill. I told her to fetch a Gatherer, but ya know
Brianne."
    Leesha flashed him
a bright smile. "I do at that," she said.
    Evin returned the
smile. "Yur looking good these days, Leesh," he breathed.
    Leesha looked
around. Seeing they were alone, she moved closer, standing on tiptoe so her hps
practically touched his ear. "Come around the side of the house," she
whispered. "I want to show you something."
    Evin's grin split
his face, and he grabbed her hand, practically dragging her along.
    When they were
alone, he was on her in an instant, kissing her hard and pawing her breasts. He
didn't notice the needle in Leesha's hand until she stuck it in his neck.
    "What
the...!" Evin exclaimed, pulling away and slapping at the puncture.
Already, he was starting to sway.
    "The poison
works fast," Leesha told him, straightening her blouse.
    "Pois..?"
Evin started to ask, but then his feet went from under him, and he collapsed to
the dirt, spasming erratically on his stomach.
    "You feel
that?" Leesha asked, kneeling beside him as his seizure began in earnest.
"The horrid cramps and pain? Your limbs just twitching despite your
commands for them to move?"
    "Don't worry,
don't worry," she said, patting his back. "The poison will leave your
muscles soon." She bent close, caressing his hair, and whispered, "It
moves next into your gut."
    Evin let out a low
moan into the dirt.
    "I promised
Brianne I'd keep quiet about this," she said. "Herb Gatherers have an
oath to hold secrets, and I'll not break that. But that doesn't mean I can't
act on my own."
    She gripped his
hair tightly, forcing his head to turn towards her. "Look at me," she
commanded. He tried weakly to pull away, but she held tight, pushing up his
chin with her free hand to make him meet her eyes.
    "You think
hard," she said, "when you're screaming in the outhouse tomorrow.
Think about how the next time I have to treat Brianne or one of the children because
of you, you'll think of today as nothing. I'll make your bones scream, and your
pathetic little dangle shrivel up like a raisin. I'll leave you hobbling on a
cane before you see your thirtieth summer."
    Evin looked at
her, his eyes wide with terror. A lather of spit foamed out of his mouth, and a
tear ran down his cheek.
    She let go and
stood. His head fell back to the dirt, flopping oddly.
    "You think
hard," she said again. Turning, she found herself face to face with
Brianne.
    She froze as
Brianne looked down at her husband convulsing on the ground, and then back to
Leesha. Their eyes met for what seemed like forever. Finally, Brianne nodded
once. Leesha nodded in return, and Brianne turned and went back into the cabin.

    "Brianne is at least seven weeks pregnant," Leesha said. "She told Evin a week ago,
and some time not long after, he beat her. The child is fine, but I treated two
broken ribs and a number of bruises."
    Bruna nodded as if
Leesha had said nothing more than it looked like rain. "She begged you not
to tell, I assume," she said.
    "How did you
know?" Leesha asked. Bruna raised an eyebrow at her, but didn't bother to
reply.
    "What did you
do about it?" the crone asked.
    "I stuck him
with a needle dipped in slipsnake venom and told him I'd do worse the next
time," Leesha said.
    Bruna cackled and
slapped her knee. "Couldn't have done better myself!" she howled.
"Boy won't touch her again, and I wager he'll squirt his breeches the