āWhere is my son?ā
On her knees in the midst of the garden where sheād been gathering herbs, Lis the midwife looked up at the man on the horse. The sun behind him made him a black silhouette above her, a wild-haired figure wrapped in animal skins. Though she raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glare, she couldnāt see his features and that frightened her as much as his words.
Dear Ildredā¦can it be? How did he learn of Ossian?
āThereās no child here,ā she denied, hoping the boy would obey her this once and stay inside the hut as sheād ordered. She got to her feet.
āDonāt lie to me. Tamsin told me she left him with Lis, the midwife of the Lynx village. Do you deny youāre she?ā
āYou know Tamsin?ā Fear surged through Lis.
āI know the wench well.ā His laugh was rueful, as well as sardonic.
āHow is she?ā Sheād heard nothing from the girl since she left her son in Lisā care over two years before.
āDead for all I know.ā His answer was grim. āShe gave me four of the happiest months of my life.ā His expression told her admitting that shamed him. āThen she ran away. Iāve been seeking her ever sinceā¦ā
He looked away, not as if shunning her gaze, but rather inspecting the hut.
Lis wondered if it passed his scrutiny. Is it worthy to house your son?
He took a deep breath. āSoon the winter winds will come, so Iām discontinuing my search. I thought to find her, then claim my son, but the gods will it otherwise. Iāll take the boy now. In the springā¦ā His blue eyes met Lis and in them she saw an abrupt surrender to truth, something she sensed this man rarely did with anyone. āIf she lives, Iāll find her and bring her homeā¦to be with meā¦with us.ā
Lisā fear thickened. Sheād promised Tamsin sheād protect the child but if the mother were deadā¦perhaps heād be better off with his father.
Nevertheless, before she relinquished the boy, she had to be certain of this manās identity.
āWho are you?ā
āI think you know.ā
āNeverthelessā¦ā
āIām Samric the Mountain Wolf and Iāve come for my son.ā He gave the answer impatiently, his temper ready to escape what little control he kept on it. āBring him to me.ā
THE TALE OF TAMSIN THE FOREST WITCH is the 6th book in the GodChosen series, available in Kindle and paperback. Link in first comment below.https://www.amazon.com/Tale-Forest-Witch-Toni-Sweeney-ebook/dp/B0FT1PZWVT/ref