Read Online The Mansions of Idumea (Book 3 Forest at the Edge series) by Trish Mercer - Free Book Online Page A

pole. Even the constant breeze from the
mountains had unexpectedly stilled, but the bright orange was still
obvious, pleading for help.
    “No one’s hurt, right?” he said.
    Peto and Mahrree nodded at him, while Jaytsy
sniffed into his stomach.
    He gently pried her loose and lifted up her
chin to look into her dark brown eyes. “Then I have to go, but
you’ll be fine. Just listen to your mother. And all of you, stay
out of the house!”
    Mahrree had never seen his eyes so sad, not
even at the Densals’ burial. If there was one time she didn’t want
him to leave her, it was now. But there were others far more
distressed than her. They were outside and safe, and most of their
house was still standing, or so she assumed.
    She swallowed hard and nodded at her husband.
“You be careful, Perrin, and don’t do anything overly brave or
stupid.”
    “Mother says those are usually the same
things,” Peto said to demonstrate that his ability to turn anything
into a joke wasn’t crushed by the wardrobe.
    Perrin winked at them and lifted Jaytsy into
a sitting position. She wiped her runny nose with her hand and
looked pleadingly into her father’s eyes.
    “Take care of each other,” he said, kissing
Jaytsy on the forehead, then kissed Mahrree on the lips. As he
leaned toward Peto, his son fell backward.
    “No, Father! I’m fine! You don’t need to do
that.”
    Perrin smiled broader. “Yes, you’re
definitely all right.” He lunged and planted a kiss on his
mortified son’s forehead. “Help your mother, both of you. It’s
going to be a long day.” He got to his feet and broke into a run
toward the fort, sprinting faster than he ever did in the Strongest
Soldier Race.
    “Colonel Shin!” cried a neighbor. “Wait!”
    But Perrin was already out of earshot.
    Mahrree nearly cried out the same thing, but
knew it was no use. Duty to the world, first. She was the brave
wife of the lieutenant colonel, after all. She was the wife of the
Commander of Edge, the daughter-in-law of the High General of
Idumea, and occasionally she felt nearly as courageous as those
men.
    At least she feigned it well, or so she
hoped. Deep down she knew she was a coward, and learned that when
she ventured into the forests years ago to find the truth. She
found a Guarder, then also found she was too terrified to do
anything about it. She tried over the years to forget that
humiliating night, but there were moments like this—when she knew
she had to be brave—that the image of herself balled up in a crying
mess at the edge of the forest overwhelmed her senses.
    Well, on a day like today she simply had to
overwhelm them back. There was no room for her fear of
inadequacy.
    Mahrree took a deep breath, got to her feet,
and looked objectively at her house. Everything seemed relatively
fine, except now it was only a one and a half story
house.
    Two feelings began to rise within her,
fighting to get attention. The first was panic.
    Look what happened to my house! it
screamed. I could have been crushed! Look at our neighbors’
homes! Something’s burning, can you smell it? Did you hear that
crashing noise? Someone’s house just collapsed! Is that a new steam
vent in the middle of the road? What will we eat? Can I even go
back into my house? Someone help me!
    Another feeling rose up just as
powerfully.
    You are not dead, it said
calmly. Your children are fine. Get them changed out of
their bedclothes quickly and get moving. The rains stopped last
week so your work will be easier. Your mother could probably use
that steam vent for cooking if the temperature’s correct. Your
larder is right by the back door, so you have food. Get breakfast
and get going. There’s plenty of work to do. You had no other
pressing plans for the day, anyway. The world’s not out to get you
right now.
    The words in her head sounded remarkably like
something her father would say. She still could count on him at
times like this, as if he’d never moved on to