Seer's Hope (Book 1 of The Seer Trilogy)

Seers Hope (Chapter 12)

Seer's Hope

By Maree Anderson

Chapter Twelve

Hope rubbed her eyes and yawned again. She felt a little guilty for sleeping in, but couldn't bring herself to move until her stomach settled. When she was going to get used to Dayamari food?

She thought about asking Blayne for some tonic or herbal remedy to settle her stomach but he had real patients to worry about. She'd just flung back the blankets when he walked into the room.

"Stay there. I've brought you breakfast." He placed the tray of food in her lap and draped a spare blanket around her shoulders. "You need to rest. Dayamar's been working you too hard. Before I leave, I'll have a word about him giving you the day off."

His concern touched her deeply. "No. It is all right. I will attend as usual. When do you think you will return?"

A herd of cervidas—deer-like herbivores from what she'd been able to glean—had been spotted not far from the settlement, provoking Willem to organize a hunting party. The hunters preferred to lay down a good store of meat to see the settlement comfortably through the colder months and with autumn imminent, the nearby herd was too good an opportunity to miss.

"Shouldn't be more than five days. Today, we'll travel to the last place the herd was sighted, set up a temporary camp, and finalize plans. The hunt will begin at first light." He went on to explain that the butchering would be done on site, and the meat, skins, antlers and hooves brought back for curing and storage.

He bent to kiss her forehead. "Have you've changed your mind about coming with me?"

She screwed up her nose. "I like to eat meat but I do not need to witness firsthand how animals become meat."

She heard him chuckle at her squeamishness. "Fair enough. Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"Go." She made a shooing gesture. "Dayamar has plenty for me to do. Degan and Varaya are here to help me during the day, and Treya in the evenings. My days will be so full I will not have time to miss you."

Varaya barreled into the room without a by-your-leave. "Hope, would you mind terribly if I joined the hunting party? I haven't hunted for so long I'd almost forgotten how exhilarating it can be. I packed last night—just in case you were happy to be left on your own."

Hope was sure she knew the real reason Varaya was eager to go on this hunt: Willem. "I do not mind Varaya. I am certain Dayamar will be pleased to have me to himself all day instead of half. I will see you both after the hunt. Be safe." She beckoned Blayne closer so she could cradle his face in her palms and kiss him on the lips. Lingeringly.

He heaved such a heartfelt sigh that it provoked a giggle from Varaya. "Not too late for second thoughts," she teased.

"Yes, it is," Hope said. "Go!"

~*~

Hope made her way to the Sehani Hall without taking a single wrong turn. The pride she felt at finally making sense of the settlement's sprawling layout was immense. Now, only the sprawling outer perimeter, inhabited by a few hardy souls who chose to live far from the main living areas, continued to elude her. That part of the settlement had few landmarks she could use to orient herself, and was where she'd been headed when she'd first stumbled into Willem.

Since repetition was key, Hope ran through the settlement layout again to fix it firmly in her mind.

The settlement was sheltered by a cliff-face. To the east was the waterfall and large pool used for washing and bathing. The small stream running from the pool eventually formed a larger watercourse bordered by a forested area she hadn't yet explored. Not that she ever had time to go exploring.