Page 19 of Red in Tooth and Claw

It was the gunslinger who came to my rescue. Miss Moon had come and gone, shuffling us out of our warm bunks and into the cold morning. I dressed quickly, trying to slip my socks on before anyone saw my feet. I’d almost managed, but I’d lost my balance after hastily pulling on my trousers, and Will caught sight of my injuries.

He put a big hand on my shoulder. “What did you do to your feet?”

I didn’t answer him at first, glancing around the room to see if anyone had heard him. Everyone else was half asleep and too busy putting on their own clothes to pay us much mind. Two of the littles blinked sleepily at their shirts, not realizing they’d put them on inside out, and that was why their buttons were suddenly not behaving.

We were as good as alone as we could be in a room full of people. I quietly sketched out as best I could waking up in a field last night, skimming past some of the more private details.

“You need to get them bandaged,” Will said.

I made a frustrated noise. “You think I don’t know that?” I tucked my shirt into my trousers and settled my braces over my shoulders. “I’m supposed to take Stuckley out after breakfast. How am I going to find time to sneak off and get my feet looked at? More importantly, what could I possibly tell them to explain the injuries?”

There was no way I was going to lay out this whole mess to HisBen or any of his people. At best, I would be considered a liar and put in the Box. At worst, I would be a liar, accused of escaping the Settlement and possibly leaving the secret door open to let the Rovers or someone else in, thus endangering the whole Settlement, and ending up in the Box. Either way you cut it, I would be spending many days of my life in the Box.

Will, having come to the same conclusion as myself, frowned absently at my feet. He let out an irritated sigh. “Head on to prayer. I’ll think of something by breakfast.”

“Faith.” HisBen’s fingers gripped the lectern as he stared out at us. “Goes hand in hand with trust. Sometimes in this world, they can be hard to come by. Faith in the Shining God’s wisdom. Trust in his path.”

He searched the room with his gaze, and it might have been my imagination, but I thought he lingered on Stuckley, who stood next to him, his face pale. I didn’t think Stuckley was looking forward to today any more than I was. “We all falter and stumble on our way. That’s why we go together. So there are hands to catch us when we fall, and feet to guide us back to our path.”

I think HisBen’s words were meant as comfort, but they didn’t comfort me. When the sermon was over, we all stood and marched over to the mess hall for our repast. Watery light filtered into the Settlement, the clouds heavy with spring rain. The dark green of the tree line marched deep into the hills, contrasting nicely with the gray mist eddying skyward. I tipped my face up into the light for a moment before plodding along behind everyone else.

Walking, even with socks and boots on, felt not unlike stepping onto a path of broken glass. It was a good thing that I was used to hiding things, keeping my face bland and masklike as I stepped into line for my ration of vittles. Today we had a warm corn porridge, dappled with ham and fried onions. I breathed in the delicious scent. Underneath the smell of salted ham and fried onion, I caught a hint of butter and cheese.

I opened my eyes with a contented sigh, catching Miss Lita’s happy face. Everyone liked to have their work appreciated. The cook’s smile faltered as our gazes met, and it had the effect of a crashing domino against my own smile.

Why does a body have to ruin good things for no reason? Still, I nodded at her friendly-like before moving on to grab a tin mug and filling it with coffee.

Dai Lo and Jesse were already at the table when I sat down, their communal book in Dai Lo’s hands. “After breakfast, you’re going to meet me in the Still.” She didn’t look up from her book at all. Her words were soft enough that only Jesse or I could hear her.

I dug into my breakfast. “And how are we going to manage that?”

“Will said he’d handle the cook and Miss Moon. Matilda’s on kitchen duty. We’ll owe her a favor, but she’ll keep her mouth shut. Jesse will delay HisBen and Stuckley.” She handed the book over to Jesse with a fond expression on her face.

He gave her an equally lovestruck look back.

“Save your sugar,” I grumbled. “Breakfast doesn’t need sweetening.”

“Neither does Dai Lo,” Jesse said amicably. “She’s sweet enough.”

She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she liked his sugar talk from the way she lit up.

I scraped up another bite with my spoon. “It’s a good plan, but risky. You could end up in the Box, same as me.”

Dai Lo jabbed her spoon at me. “Then don’t get us caught.”

Jesse snorted a laugh.

Dai Lo must have seen my argument building, because her face twisted into a fierce expression. “You keep that trap shut, Faolan Kelly, unless you got something sensible to say. From Will’s account, your feet are a mess. You know what happens when you don’t take care of your feet?” She set her spoon into her bowl. “Infection. You know how close the skin is to the bones in your feet?”

She held up fingers, pinching a small amount of air. “Your feet get infected, your bones can get infected. Fever. Death. Or you might lose the foot.”

She picked up her spoon but kept her eyes on me. “So, with that nugget of information in mind, you still feel like flapping your gums?”

“No, ma’am, I do not,” I said, cleaning my bowl.

“That’s the first sensible thing I think I’ve ever heard you say,” Jesse mused as he turned the page of his book.

I jabbed him with my elbow. “I’m plenty sensible when my own carcass is involved.”

Jesse handed the book back to Dai Lo, leveling me with a stare. “All evidence so far points to the contrary, so I suggest you quit before you get too far behind.”

The only time I opened my mouth for the rest of the meal was to drink my coffee. They were right. When you didn’t have much of a leg to stand on, it made sense to sit down and rethink your life choices.

Dai Lo got us into the kitchens by offering to carry in the dish trays. Miss Lita praised Dai Lo for being so thoughtful, while keeping a baleful eye on me. I attempted to look humble and chastened. Miss Lita sniffed, turning away from us as we picked up trays already laden with dirty dishes.

I followed Dai Lo as she made her way to the kitchen.

“What was that?” Dai Lo hissed as she pushed open the swinging half door using her back.

“What was what?”

“That face you made at Miss Lita.”

“I was trying to look humble.”

Dai Lo scoffed. “You looked constipated. If you’re not careful, she’ll break out the prunes just for you.”

I glared at her, but she grinned cheekily as she carried her tray over to the dish tub. Matilda stood next to it, pouring hot water from the kettle into the tub. Matilda was about four years younger than me, by my guess, and thin, with a pale complexion and blond ringlets. If she hadn’t been scowling, she would have looked like a little doll. She gusted a breath at our stack.

Dai Lo set the tray down on the large wooden worktable. “I told you it was a bad idea.”

I glanced at her as I set my own tray down, a question in my eyes.

“Matilda tried to duck laundry duty.”

Matilda grimaced, holding out her hands. They were reddened and chapped. “Of course I did. I’m practically bleeding.” She sighed. “It’s difficult to embroider when your hands are a mess.”

From her expression, this was upsetting. I wasn’t good at embroidery myself—I lacked patience. But I understood not being able to do a thing you loved. I felt the same way about the fiddle. “You ask Miss Moon for balm?”

Matilda scrunched up her nose in disgust. “His Benevolence told her I didn’t need it. That it would help me learn humility.” She crossed her arms. “I’m not sure how cracked hands help with that, but what do I know?”

“You should talk to Mr.Speed,” I said gently. “He’s got a tin. He’ll see you right.”

She eyed me warily before glancing at Dai Lo. “Will the gunslinger tattle?”

Dai Lo shook her head. “No. And we won’t, either.”

She didn’t look convinced.

“Especially since we’re hoping you won’t tattle on us.” Dai Lo leveled her with a meaningful stare.

Interest lit up Matilda’s face. “Yeah?”

Dai Lo nodded. “We need a few uninterrupted minutes in the Still.”

Matilda cast a quick glance at the kitchen doors. “Hurry and be quiet. Anyone comes in, I’ll make lots of noise and try to distract them away from the Still.”

“Thank you,” Dai Lo said, already moving to the door.

I touched my fingers to where the brim of my hat would normally be. “We owe you one.”

Matilda dipped her chin, taking her due, before turning back to the dishes.

We hurried into the small room, careful not to bump into the scarred, narrow table that took up most of the space. Light shone through a high, skinny window, illuminating the vials and bottles of things on the shelves. The smell of various dried herbs filled the tight space.

Dai Lo became a careful mouse, pattering around on silent feet as she pulled out one of the two stools that had been tucked under the table, waving at me to sit on it as she shut the door. She left it open a crack so we could hear the kitchen better, but no one would be able to glance into the room and see us. While she was doing that, I quickly shucked off my boots and socks, holding them in my lap.

She gently assessed my feet, concern etched on her features. “These need a good soaking, but we don’t have time.” After a quick search, Dai Lo found the bottle she wanted, as well as a tin and some rags. My feet were wiped down swiftly with an astringent that stung something awful, but I clamped down my teeth so I didn’t make a peep.

Next came salve—I wasn’t sure what Miss Moon put in hers. It could be anything from honey to comfrey to a passel of herbs I’d never heard of, as my healing knowledge was spotty at best. Dai Lo smoothed some of it onto the poor, battered soles of my feet before wrapping them up in strips of clean linen. That done, my socks were replaced. I put on my own boots, grateful once more that they were a mite big. That meant the bandages would fit. While I wrangled with all of that, Dai Lo neatly tidied up the table until it looked exactly as it had when we’d entered.

If the doctoring didn’t work out for her, Dai Lo would have an excellent career in burgling.

I was half done tying up my second boot when there was a sudden ruckus as Matilda slammed pots and pans together. We froze.

Someone was in the kitchen.

I left my boot untied and hopped off the stool. I am ashamed to say that no plan came to me after that. I became the still deer in the woods, straining for sounds of the hunter.

Dai Lo had no such problems, for which I will be forever grateful. She shoved me behind the door a split second before it opened. I was neatly trapped, but also hidden, in that space between the wall and the door. Unfortunately, that left Dai Lo in plain sight.

“Dai Lo?” Miss Moon’s voice held a note of surprise. “I didn’t think we were working in here today. Matilda, quietly please.” The banging stopped. “Aren’t you supposed to be heading over to help with the children’s lessons?” Her earlier surprise was gone, replaced by confusion.

“Yes, ma’am.” Dai Lo had to be nervous, but I couldn’t hear it in her voice. She was still waters, even as lies flowed easily through her teeth. “I helped to bring the dishes in after breakfast. Then I remembered little Issac had a rash, and I thought I’d check to see if you had any of that unguent left…”

“We should,” Miss Moon said. I heard shuffling, like she was moving Dai Lo out the door. “But you don’t want to do that out in the main hall. Why don’t you bring Issac in here?” Miss Moon’s hand wrapped around the edge of the door, just enough that I could see her fingers. Everything in me bunched up tight, my pulse hammering.

“You know, ma’am, maybe you should come look at it first. I’m not even sure it’s a rash, and I’d hate to drag him all the way in here for nothing. It would disrupt the little ones…”

The hand on the door relaxed.

“That’s a good idea. Let’s go. Daylight’s wasting.” She started to close the door and I eased a fraction. Then, very softly, so that I almost didn’t hear it, she spoke. “That should give you two minutes to hare off, Mr.Kelly, and I recommend you use that time wisely.”

Before I could even consider responding, she shut the door.

I did as Miss Moon bade, hightailing it out into the main courtyard of the Settlement, ready to gather my pack and go on my ill-fated journey. I couldn’t shake the heady feeling that no good would come from this adventure, but short of injuring myself more, I could see no way out of it.

All I had to do was make it through today and come back in one piece. Then I’d find more time to look for my watch.

I waded through loose chickens and a few errant youngins on my way through the courtyard. As I approached, Stuckley was already waiting. He’d lost his watery uncertainty and replaced it with condescending arrogance. I didn’t know a nose could stick that high. It was a wonder a birdie didn’t perch on it.

I preferred him scared, and not just out of spite. A body that walks into the woods that arrogant is a body that lacks respect for nature. And while nature encompassed an unspeakable depth of beauty, it also had teeth and claws. Stuckley lacked respect.

The gunslinger handed me my pack when I entered the courtyard, and for a moment I hoped that meant he’d weaseled his way into our expedition, such as it was, but my hopes were soon dashed.

“I mended the strap for you.” Will’s voice was a gentle rebuke, though it didn’t sting me. There’d been nothing wrong with the strap, and we both knew it.

“Thank you, sir. I am in your debt.” I shouldered my way into the pack. Stuckley carried nothing, though his belt held a small pouch and a sheath for a field knife. Stuckley with a blade made my shoulders itch. I didn’t believe he had much skill with it. The leather holding it looked new and stiff.

We assessed each other, both of us certain of our superiority, and again I wondered at the why of this little expedition.

HisBen approached us, all smiles, a folded piece of rough paper in one hand and a canteen in the other. Miss Honeywell drifted behind him, her face also wreathed in smiles to see Stuckley on his way. Both were treating the farewell like this was a big deal for Stuckley, though I couldn’t fathom why. HisBen clapped one hand on Stuckley’s back, while Miss Honeywell had her arms crossed, almost like she was holding herself.

Dillard handed the canteen to Stuckley. “Acolyte,” he admonished gently. “You mustn’t forget your canteen. As Mr.Kelly will no doubt tell you, it’s of the utmost necessity.”

Stuckley flushed red, and as his eyes flicked to me, there was a flash of malice. “Thank you, Your Benevolence. I’m sure Mr.Kelly would have mentioned it eventually.” He spat my name like it was the bitterest of poisons.

Dillard appeared not to notice, his smile never slipping. “Mr.Kelly.” He handed me the paper with a flourish. “For you.”

I opened up the folded paper. A map of the area with a route sketched out stared back at me. The path wasn’t the one I usually traveled with Jesse but led to a different area entirely. This one went farther into the foothills. “Your Benevolence?”

“Since your route hasn’t been producing much lately, I took the liberty of making you a new one.”

While arguing with HisBen seemed a poor idea, I couldn’t see my way around it. “Sir? We’ve no traps on this trail, and the traps on our old one—”

He flapped his hands, like he was wafting away my objections. “Already taken care of. Someone will check them today.” His hands settled into a steeple. “This way, Acolyte Stuckley can see the process from the beginning. Show him how to assess the best places to set a trap and how to go about it.”

HisBen’s logic was faultless, I’ll give him that. Couldn’t shake the idea that it was a heaping layer of dung, either. I did the only thing I could. I thanked him and let him go on his way. I waved Stuckley before me, heading toward the gate, the gunslinger keeping pace.

“Where you off to today, Will?”

Stuckley sniffed at my usage of the gunslinger’s first name without an honorific.

“I offered to take your route,” Will said. Then softly, just for my ears, “Leave a path. I’ll follow if I can.”

I chose my words carefully so as to respond to both comments. “That is mighty kind you, sir, and I appreciate it, I do.”

With that, all that was left was to tip my hat to him as we stepped out past the gates. He went one way. Acolyte Stuckley and I went the other.