“No, only the pool of blood, but most believe a body will be found soon enough.”

“Are all accounted for in the clan?” Snow asked, praying everyone was safe.

“Lord Tarass has ordered a count, though no one has reported anyone missing,” Nettle said, sounding relieved.

“Let’s hope it remains that way.”

“If the tale about the dwarfs are true, I hope they’ve found the knowledge they seek and are well gone by now,” Nettle said, a shudder running through her.

That was the ultimate question. The pools of blood meant something, but what? The last time she and Tarass had discussed the pools of blood, she had thought it more a warning for Tarass about his parents’ deaths, but she wondered if someone could be seeking knowledge. Could the pools of blood indicate that knowledge had been found? But what knowledge could be learned from a dead man with markings? And no body had been found with the first pool of blood or so far with this third pool of blood. So what could either of them represent?

The noise of the servants busy placing dishes of food on the table intruded on Snow’s thoughts.

“If she needs anything else, you’ll have to come get it, Nettle. I’m too busy to be doing your chore.”

Snow recognized Fasta’s snappish voice and this time she spoke up. “Your chore is to serve in the Great Hall and you will do so or I will have you assigned a different chore.”

“That’s not your decision,” Fasta said.

“It is my decision. I am the lady of the keep and you will address me properly and obey my commands or you will no longer serve this keep in any capacity,” Snow commanded, anger so strong in her voice that Thaw barked.

“Aye, my lady,” Fasta said after a moment of hesitation.

“Now apologize to Nettle for being so rude to her,” Snow ordered. She didn’t need to see Fasta’s face to know how angry her command had made her. She heard it in Nettle’s small gasp.

“I apologize, Nettle,” Fasta said quickly.

“A warning, Fasta,” Snow said before the woman could walk away. “If you retaliate against Nettle in any way because of this, you will rue the day.”

“Aye, my lady,” Fasta said and hurried off.

Nettle kept her voice low and an eye on Fasta’s retreating back as she spoke. “No one in the keep would miss her.”

“Fasta isn’t liked?” Snow asked, though wasn’t surprised to hear it.