All Things Wild and Beautiful

30. Expenditure

The artwork above is not mine.

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    The past three days had gone by far too slow. Nascha spent every waking minute helping restore the village. Four new cottages had been built, although they were more like huts at this point. A fifth hut was under construction, and a sixth one would be made before Lorcan and Elide's workers returned to Perranth. Fenrys told Nascha the day prior that they would return to Orynth when the construction crew left.

    Currently, Fenrys was helping build the fifth hut. Nascha hovered nearby, retrieving tools and materials as needed. She was also tasked with keeping children away from the site and gathering up debris when it fell. Elide and several other women were preparing a late noon meal. Lorcan was helping plot the site of the sixth cottage.

    Nascha was relieved that neither of them were within talking distance. Lorcan and Elide had been cold towards her since she and Fenrys arrived. Nascha couldn't help but feel that, like Aedion, they thought this disaster was her fault. Fenrys tapped a hammer on the roof of the cottage and cleared his throat.

    Nascha passed him a new box of nails, grimacing as the ache in her left leg swelled. The day was particularly hot, making her old injury act up and she was struggling even more to contain her magic. The pressure in her chest grew with each passing hour.

    She was almost afraid that she was beginning to Settle, but when she expressed those fears, Fenrys had assured her that if she was going to Settle, she would already be doing so. Settling came on hard and fast. She would barely have a moment of warning before it was upon her. This was still just the prelude. A few months of unruly magic before it actually happened.

    "Hey," Fenrys swung his legs over the side of the roof and peered down at her. "Are you all right?" Nascha nodded wordlessly. She began stacking bundles of wood that a few women had brought over. "Stardust..."

    "I'm fine," Nascha snapped.

    She turned away, but could feel his gaze lingering on her. Elide caught her eye and waved her over. Nascha made her way towards the Lady, attempting to hide her limp. Another woman took her place stacking wood. Nascha ignored the way her stomach clenched as the woman glanced at Fenrys and blushed. 

    Elide handed over a tray laden with plates of fried meat and roasted ears of corn. "Just start passing them out," she said. Nascha nodded and went back the way she came.

    People soon caught up to her and one by one, the plates began to disappear. She returned to Elide several times for refills. Presently, the workers jumped to the ground, ready to eat. Fenrys was speaking with Lorcan when Nascha gave him a plate. Lorcan flashed her a cool glare. Fenrys bristled at once and Nascha hurried away.

    She reached Elide once more and set the tray aside. Elide flipped pieces of meat in a skillet that rested above an open fire. The ears of corn had been buried in ash so they would roast. Nascha drew in a deep breath, pushing her magic back down.

    Elide studied her briefly. "Why don't you want to become Lady of Arcelia?"

    "Because it is a role that was never meant to be mine. I don't want that responsibility. I never have, and I never will."

    "Not even to prevent a war and stop this," she gestured to the village, "from happening again?"

    Nascha didn't bother with a response. She could only repeat herself so many times before becoming irritated. She did not need to make a harsh remark and anger Elide or Lorcan when tensions were so high already. Magic surged through her veins and she squeezed her eyes shut, forcing it down. She felt a few seconds of relief before the pressure returned, worse than before.