Free Chains of Revenge by Keziah Hill Page B

‘Not today. There is too much to do inside.’ He grunted his approval and left with his men.
    ‘Now,’ Lissa said, turning to the other women, ‘we need to find Ris and make a plan.’
    Lissa stared around the town’s storage hall and grunted with satisfaction. They had enough provisions to last them for two winters. The last harvest was a bumper crop which had enabled them to trade with merchants in the Southlands for other staples like oil and spices. As well as wheat, Horvald ran sheep, goats and cows which allowed them to make diary foods and weave their own cloth.
    ‘You should be proud of yourself,’ Ris said, standing beside her. ‘It’s because of you we are a prosperous town instead of a shanty relying on the spoils of war. Even your father saw the benefits of making strong roots.’
    Lissa shook her head. ‘Everyone worked hard for this, Ris, not just me. You of all people should know that. And Father … I think if he’d lived he would have given up his warring ways. He was getting old and tired.’
    Ris snorted. ‘Not him. Dying in the saddle was exactly how he wanted to go. He was too set in his ways. He thought bringing back booty would make us all rich.’
    Lissa smiled sadly. ‘You have to admit, the time he bought back all those diamonds was a godsend.’
    Ris laughed. ‘But he was furious you spent it all on building walls. Silly old coot,’ she said fondly. Lissa knew Ris missed him. He’d shared her bed every now and then.
    ‘He couldn’t admit that those walls saved us many times from raiding warlords.’ Ris sighed. ‘Would that they had done their job this time.’
    ‘It wasn’t the walls that failed us, it was Catiscal,’ Lissa said bitterly. She grabbed some newly weaved cloth and started folding it, hoping some common practical tasks would quieten her pounding heart.
    Ris pulled the cloth from her hands and held them. ‘This marriage. Do you really think it a good idea? Is a vengeful ex-slave any better than Antos? We could help you escape. I hate to think you under the thumb of that man.’
    Lissa stared at the rough, dear hands of Ris, pained to see the worry in her eyes. ‘I don’t know, Ris. He’s not all he seems. I think he’s a better man than Antos. I have to believe that. Otherwise we’re all doomed,’ she said with a despairing laugh. ‘One thing’s for sure, there is no love between the brothers.’
    Ris grimaced. ‘There is that in his favour I suppose.’ She started folding the cloth, keeping her eyes on what she was doing instead of on Lissa. ‘Last night … the chain … are you all right?’
    Lissa felt heat wash over her cheeks. ‘Yes, I’m fine. More than fine.’
    ‘You mean …’
    ‘I mean that whatever else he is, My Lord Death knows what he’s doing in the bedroom,’ Lissa said.
    Ris grinned, a look of relief on her face. ‘Well, that’s good. You can never be too sure with those Catiscal folk. Too much denial and repression can make some of them a little twisted.’
    ‘That sounds more like Antos. Horrible man.’
    A sudden yell from outside the storage hall had both Lissa and Ris running to see what was amiss.
    ‘My Lady! My Lady!’ Ella ran toward them. ‘There’s a fire in the southern wheat field. It’s moving to the stables.’
    Lissa’s pulse quickened. A fire near their main stables could be a disaster. ‘Quickly, go and find Val. We need some people to set up a line with buckets leading from the river,’ Lissa said. ‘Ris, you find Devadas. We’ll need some of his men to help us. Now he’s King he’ll have to take on some of the responsibilities of his office. Quick now!’
    Lissa followed a crowd of people through the main entrance to the town, all heading down to the field to fight the fire. It didn’t take long for them to see smoke and flames inching across the early growth. Not too bad, she thought, just a small outbreak. They should be able to get it under control quickly enough. She saw Val had already