Heritage by Jenna Greene – Excerpt
The situation was becoming desperate.
Leda tossed another blanket down the staircase. At the bottom, Minode caught it. Adaim came into view a moment later, his head craned upward. “Are there more?” he asked, hope in his tone.
She shook her head as she trudged down the stairs, her tread heavy.
“I thought I had more…” his voice trailed away as he sank into a chair, his hand cushioning his bent head.
Leda stared in his direction, wanting to drop into a seat beside him and mimic his position. She knew the source of his despondency. It haunted her night and day. As more and more people sought shelter in the Painter’s Valley, bedding, food, and medicine became scarce. Though the residents of the village were charitable, houses could only fit so many. Resources could only stretch so far. They needed more supplies. Yet attaining them was a tricky endeavor. The safer southern routes were guarded by Coalition men hoping to catch refugees. Snow bears prowled the northern passes. To the west lay the most hazardous mountain peaks, as well as the treacherous province of Lorthlin.
Leaving to find resources was a risky venture. Yet people still flowed into the Painter’s Valley. With the main routes to the village blocked off, those fleeing the Coalition were forced to take more perilous paths. Being one of the few who was both willing and able to leave the security of the valley to hunt for food, Leda often stumbled upon the corpses of those who didn’t survive the journey. As far as she could tell, some died from animal attacks. Others succumbed to either exhaustion or starvation.