Jeanne G'Fellers - Sister Lost, Sister Found by Jeanne G'Fellers Page A

table and draped the empty sling over Jewel’s shoulder.
    “I would. It’s time, my beloved. We must get back.”
    “I know. You need rest, sweet child. I’m putting you to sleep.” She ignored Rankil’s objections, forcing her into a deep healing sleep. Goodnight, my precious babe. Jewel kissed her cheek and stood, momentarily torn between the child she’d raised and the one who needed her now.
    “Coat her wounds at dawn and dusk, Grandmother, and use a spoon measure of powders as needed for her pain. Sing to her, Archell. She needs your support.”
    “We will.” Terry extended her hand in thanks only to find herself the recipient of Jewel’s warm hug.
    “Kaelan will return tomorrow. Rankil should be quite a bit better by then.” Jewel then drew a surprised and pleased Archell into her embrace. “You’re not above a little raising yourself, young man.”
    “I swear you’d have a swarm of children if it were permissible.” Kaelan pulled Jewel to the door. “I’ll be back soon.” They slid through the late stillness to where their nassie was picketed behind the smoker shed. They were just inside the tree line when the rumble of hooves turned them back. Four sweat-slicked mounts drew to a halt outside the small cabin, four sword-wielding male riders sliding off and approaching the still open door.
    “Dear Mother, what do we do now?” Jewel sat back against Kaelan. “They’ve no defense. The children will be killed!”
    “Clan law says we ride away. There is nothing we can do.”
    “But we have to do something,” pleaded Jewel. “We can’t turn away. The sister child needs us. So does the boy, the old woman. We can’t just—”
    “We’ve no other choice.” Kaelan urged their nassie up the mountainside.
    “No!” Jewel jerked the reins so hard the mount almost flipped on its back. “I won’t be able to live with myself.”
    “I won’t risk your safety.” Kaelan snapped the reins from her hands and veered the agitated animal back up the slope. “Maybe this is how it was meant to be.”
    “You’re saying we were meant to disobey the Mother’s will?”
    “The Mother Maker doesn’t have to live with Serpent law. We do. I know it seems harsh—” Her explanation stopped as a low-pitched wail rose from the cabin. It was Archell’s voice, so pained it made one shiver.
    “I can’t stand it.” Jewel hid her face in Kaelan’s cloak. “They’re torturing him! Mother’s pity, Kae, we have to help.”
    “Yes, we must,” muttered Kaelan as the noise rose. “We must.” She turned the nassie back and retied it to the shed. “Stay here.”
    “I’ll not.” Jewel slid from her perch and drew her blade from her belt pouch. “I’ve seen my share of fights. Between our knives and phases we should be able to take all four.”
    Kaelan opened her mouth to object then stopped, knowing she would never convince Jewel otherwise. “Very well, but if I say run, you run and don’t look back until you’re safe with Myrla.” Kaelan pulled their hoods up and took hold of Jewel’s arm. “Stay beside me while we see what we’re up against.”
    They crept to a low window and peered through a crack in the drawn shutters. Terry sat in her rocker, sword pointed to her throat while two burgeoning teens delivered blow after blow to Archell’s midsection. The fourth, a chunky youth with Danston’s high forehead, poked Rankil with the tip of his blade.
    “She’s out of it. Really out of it.” Sallnox prodded his sister again then turned to his cousins. “Won’t Archie speak up?”
    “Stars, no. Even if he did the dummy would only sing.” Eloc ground his boot into Archell’s stomach. “Where’s Dah, Archie? Where’re the nassies you took?”
    “Leave him be!” Terry pushed the blade from her face and felt her way to Archell’s side. She drew him into her arms and wiped his bloodied nose on her apron. “He has no nassies and Tisph was never here. Archell showed up a few nights ago cold