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"I’ll send runners today," Selia said, nodding "We’ll meet in three days"

Jeph carried Renna out to his cart and they took her down to Selia’s house in Town Square, locking her in the spinning room Garric nailed the shutters closed frorunting and agreeing to leave

CHAPTER 21

TOWN COUNCIL

333 AR SUMMER

DAWN CAME THE NEXT day, and Selia’s bones ached as she swung her feet out of bed The pain had come to her joints a few years past It orst when it was rainy or cold, but lately she felt a twinge of it even on the warmest, driest days She supposed it would worsen ere she died

But Selia never co The pain was her burden to bear She was Speaker in Tibbet’s Brook, and thatand stand up for as right No n that Selia was anything other than what she had always been, a rock of support they could lean upon

She felt that added weight heavily as she rose and h-necked gowns She didn’t know Renna or her sisters well, but she knew their s took her Soly, to escape hihters, Selia could well i to kill in her own defense

When she was done, she saw to Renna, dressing her in one of her ons and sitting her up to take soirl’sroo the bar

She had her ownon her walk, holding his thin fishing spear He was seventeen and not yetwith Ferd Miller’s daughter Jan If Ferd approved the match, they would likely be promised soon

"Need you to run an errand for me," Selia said

"Sorry, ht here and irl dunt leave, no matter what anyone said to uess I would find your brother Borry around back, by my nice shutters that Garric nailed shut?"

"Yes’ out with a broo around my house, Rik Fisher You want to stay here, you’ll sweep my front walk spotless and have your brother clear the leaves and dead grass out back"

"I’an

"You’d leave an old woman to do work you’re too lazy to?" Selia asked "Perhaps I’ll mention that to Ferd Miller, the next time I see him"

Rik had taken the broom and rake before she finished the sentence "That’s a dear boy," she said "When you’re done, you can check , have them set on my porch I’ll be back soon"

"Yes’m," Rik said

She took a crock of butter cookies and went to where the children played in the Square, sending the swiftest to deliver e for a cookie By the time she made it back to her house, Rik was done with the walk and eeping her porch Stam Tailor, the first person she had su his head in pain

"Regretting yesterday’s ale?" Selia asked, knowing the answer already Sta yesterday’s ale, even as he reached for today’s

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