My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 471

Sera

"Runa! Come take this mop, child!"

"Coming!" The girl's voice rang out, high and cheerful. She hefted the bucket and continued across the yard.

I tried to stop her feet, make her stumble, set the bucket down. No response. My mind raced in terrified circles as I stared out through her eyes at the timbers of the house looming ahead.

"Mind you don't spill it, now," the woman called from the doorway. "I just cleaned those floors."

The girl nodded, but said nothing. Frustration knotted in my throat. Why couldn't anyone see me, hear me?

With deft hands Runa grasped the handle the woman handed out, and the heavy mop sloshed in its bucket. I strained to still those small brown fingers. They tightened their grip as if to spite me.

The woman vanished into the house without a backward glance. The girl started to mop, the rough head dragging across worn planks. I was forced to watch.

I was dragged back inside, Runa's hunger overriding my own desires. At the table the woman set down wooden bowls brimming with steaming porridge, while the man held a haunch of seared meat speared on a sharpened stick. The girl plopped down and began to shovel porridge into her mouth, not caring about the scalding heat.

"Careful," the woman chided, passing her a wooden spoon. "It's hot."

Runa set the spoon down with a clatter and kept eating with her fingers. "It's fine," she mumbled through a full mouth. Crumbs and bits of oats clung to her lips and cheeks.

"You look like a piglet," the man said dryly. "There may be some stray oats under the table, if you want to root around for them."

Runa chuckled and kept eating. After a few moments she swallowed and said, "Mama, can I go play today? After I finish?"

"No," her mother said firmly. "I need you to help with the tanning. It's been put off long enough."

"But I helped with the mopping!" Runa protested. "And I have to see the neighbour and help her with the weeding!"

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