Nirrin (Forestfolk, Book 3)

Chapter 25a

When we rejoined the rest of Camp, Niralessa appeared to be deep in a discussion with Minocken, Fen, Tessia, and several others. I wondered briefly if Tessia liked this new role of hers. Did she feel important? I think I would.

Fen noticed me first. (Which made me want to somersault.) He smiled weakly at me. That was not a good sign. (Previous elation, gone.)

Niralessa noticed Fen's eyes on me and turned. "Ah, there you are. I wanted to formally welcome your friends."

Minocken huffed with disapproval and crossed his arms. Niralessa shot him a warning look, and he stomped away. Fen watched him go, body leaning forward like he wanted to follow. When he looked to Niralessa, she tossed her head in Minocken's direction. He gave me a long look, and I got the sense that he was reluctant to leave me. Then he went after his brother.

"Your arrival was unexpected." Niralessa looked at Sember, then Remi. "But you are welcome here."

"Thank you," Remi said.

"Yeah, thanks." Sember's voice was wary, her stance rigid.

I wanted to tell her to loosen up, but considering the whopper of a story I'd just told her, I could understand her mistrust.

Niralessa peered at her. "Your green eyes are beautiful."

Sember blinked a few times, nonplussed by the compliment.

Niralessa raised an arm and smoothed a hand over the green skin of her forearm. "You can see why I might be partial to the color."

"Well . . . yeah." I could see Sember struggling with the confusion going through her mind.

Niralessa was good. It wasn't easy to scatter Sember's dogged misgivings like that.

"Nirrin here has been cooking delightful meals for us." Niralessa smiled at me, and it almost made me forget to wonder why she was being so nice all of a sudden. I'd cooked one meal, and she hadn't exactly expressed joy over it.

She turned her smile to Sember and Remi. "You should join us this evening."

Sember placed a hand over her stomach and glanced at Remi. He shrugged back as if to say, "It's up to you."

I knew the answer before she even spoke. Sember was always hungry.

"I guess we can stay one night," she said hesitantly.

Niralessa clasped her hands together. "Wonderful. We shall begin preparations. Nirrin, a moment."

I raised my eyebrows, but followed her around the side of a tent.

"You will convince your fire-wielding friend to stay," she said.

My fire-wielding friend? "Uh, you already did that. She agreed to stay for dinner."

"I mean for good. As one of us."

"One of us?" I echoed. Us. Was I part of this 'us'? Was she finally accepting me? Or . . . my eyes squeezed shut at the possibility. She couldn't be that calculating, could she?

I opened my eyes again. "You want me to stay too?"

She didn't hesitate. "Of course."

"What happened to 'belonging somewhere else?'" I threw her words back at her.

"If you're unhappy there, you can stay here."

"Even if I pair up with Fen?"

Her mouth tightened. "We can discuss that."

"Look, even though he calls you Ma, you're not actually his biological mother, right? So I don't see what the problem is. We didn't grow up together. He's not my actual brother."

She blew an exasperated breath. "Nirrin, you don't understand."

"Don't tell me you think he's not good enough for me, because I think he's wonderful."

"Fenrook is wonderful! And that's why he deserves—" She stopped herself.

But I knew what she'd been about to say. The heaviness in my heart threatened to crush my lungs. "He deserves better than me," I finished for her.

Her brown eyes looked pained. "I didn't mean it like that."

I shook my head. I didn't belong here. How could I have thought I did? Why did I think I ever could?

I choked back a retort and took off for the nearest tree, away from everyone.

Sometimes dealing with family can be so... ugh! Thank goodness voting is more pleasant.