Sara brushed past Mira without a word, her coat swirling as she crossed the room in quick strides. Bertha hovered by the door, her eyes darting around the space, but Sara's focus locked on Lys like an arrow nocked. He sat at the table, mug halfway to his lips, but set it down slowly as she approached, his brow furrowing.
"Lys," she said, her voice low and sharp, cutting through the warm lantern light. "What happened today? Tell me everything, now."
Lys leaned back, glancing at Elara and Mira, who watched with wide eyes. The steam from the tea curled lazily, but the air felt thicker now, charged. "Sara? What are you doing here this late?"
She ignored the question, pulling out a chair and sitting across from him, her hands flat on the table. "The village is buzzing with some rumors. Something about a commotion in the market, the priest's daughter being humiliated, or such. And for some reason, your face keeps coming to my mind when thinking about who the boy could be. Care to share any thoughts about it?"
Elara shifted in her seat, her mending forgotten in her lap, fingers twisting the fabric. Mira leaned forward, ready to jump in, but Lys held up a hand. He started slowly, recounting the jewelry stall, the crowd, and Selene's raised hand. "She was beating Mitsu, our neighbor. Dragging her like she was nothing. I stopped it, made her pay for the damage. Tossed a gold coin, and... yeah, took her dress as part of it."
Sara's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as he spoke. When he finished, she leaned back, crossing her arms. "You made her strip?! And to top it, in front of half the village?! Lys, that was...I don't have any words for it…..reckless! You shouldn't have done that, no matter how wrong she was."
Lys met her gaze, his voice steady but edged. "Then what was I supposed to do? Let her keep hitting her? Wouldn't you have done the same if it were somebody close to you? I did what I felt was right. It was justice, Sara. Eye for an eye."
"Justice?" Sara's tone sharpened, her fingers drumming once on the wood. "This isn't some storybook, Lys. There are consequences. You know very well, Priest John won't let this slide. You could get run out of town, or worse, thrown in a cell, your family fined until they're beyond broke."
Elara's mug trembled in her hands, tea sloshing slightly. Her face paled, eyes flicking to the window where the night pressed dark against the glass. "Oh no...Then what! He's not one to forgive slights. What if he comes for us? We just got this house… what if he locks Lys for this?" She was beginning to breathe hard just thinking about it. Lys made it sound so simple, but now that Sara was stating facts, her eyes widened.
Sara turned, seeing the fear etched deeper into Elara's features, the way her shoulders hunched like she was bracing for a blow. "Miss Elara, breathe. No need to worry too much. As long as I'm here, nothing's going to happen to Lys or any of you. I'll handle it somehow. Don't worry too much about it."
The words hung in the air, Elara's trembling easing just a fraction, her eyes searching Sara's face for reassurance. Mira's mouth opened, then closed, a spark of surprise in her expression.
But before anyone could respond, a low, guttural bark echoed from outside, dogs snarling and yapping, mixed with the murmur of voices. Lantern light flickered through the window, casting jagged shadows across the floor, as if a crowd had gathered just beyond the door. Elara's mug slipped from her fingers, clattering to the table, tea spilling in a dark puddle. She clutched the edge, her knuckles white, body shaking like a leaf in the wind. "They... they're here, right?"
Mira stood halfway, peering out the window, her face draining of color. "Mom, those lights... so many. It must be the priest's men outside, right? What do we do?"
Sara cursed under her breath, pushing back her chair with a scrape. "Shit, they came faster than I thought."
Lys rose, his jaw set, moving toward the door. Sara did the same, but she shot out a hand, palm flat against his chest, stopping him cold. "Lys, you stay inside for now. Let me handle it first. Seeing you might just escalate things more than they already are."
Lys's eyes flashed, his hand hovering near hers. "But Sara…"
"No but," she cut him off, her voice firm, eyes locking on his. "Trust me. Stay with them."
She turned, coat swirling, and stepped out into the night alone, the door clicking shut behind her. The barks grew louder, the lanterns swaying like angry eyes in the dark.