THIRTEEN
Dawn found Ursula in the kitchen, attempting to light the fire. Tinder and kindling she had aplenty, and she'd seen the servants lay enough fires to know how it was done, but without a flint to light the thing, she was lost. She searched the kitchen in the early morning light, but came up empty. Lord Vauquelin's thieving army had stolen even the flint from the kitchen, the bastards.
She had one in her chamber, which should hopefully still be there. Sighing, she trudged up the stairs, bucket of water in one hand and pot of oats in the other, the spoon clinking in the pot with every second step. If there was anyone left in the castle, they couldn't help but hear her.
Still, she did nothing to silence the sound. As the only person awake in the valley, it was comforting to hear s
