Page 19 of Thunder's Reckoning

“Smooth,” I said. Then, after a beat, “Brought someone up to the old house last night. Woman and two kids. Car’s busted.”

That got her attention. She didn’t turn all the way, but I saw her face grow curious. “You know her?”

“Not yet,” I said. “But she’s runnin’ from somethin’. You can see it plain.”

Momma nodded like she’d already known that. “Sometimes people need a place to land. Lord knows when to help and when to not.”

I frowned. “Guess so.”

She slid the bread in front of me, warm and perfect, like she always did. “Eat. Then you tell me what you’re really thinkin’.”

I didn’t say it out loud, but I was thinkin’ about gold eyes, a spine like steel, and the way her boy guarded her like he’d been born to it. And how for the first time in a while, I wasn’t sure if bringin’ someone into our world was helpin’ them or puttin’ them in the line of fire.

I tore into the bread like I hadn’t eaten since yesterday, the butter melting into soft pockets. Momma watched from across the table, hands folded, the kind of patient look that meant she’d let me put off talkin’… but not forever.

“You’re thinkin’ too loud,” she said finally.

I raised a brow. “Am I?”

She leaned back, eyes narrowing just enough to let me know she was cutting past whatever surface answer I’d give. “You brought a woman and two children into that house. Don’t matter if you’ve known ‘em a day or a decade, that means you’ve already decided you’re responsible for ‘em. You can lie to yourself about that if you want, but don’t try to lie to me.”

I took a slow sip of coffee, not arguing.

“You know what happens,” she went on, “when you take in a soul that’s been hunted?”

I shook my head.

“They stop runnin’… but the hunt don’t stop. You better be ready to have it come knockin’ on your door.”

Her words landed heavier than I wanted to admit.

“She’s skittish,” I said, my voice low. “Keeps her back to the wall. The boy—Malik—he don’t blink unless he’s watchin’an exit. Girl’s young enough she don’t understand yet, but she’s already learnin’ from them.”

“Then you already know they’ve been livin’ in a cage,” Momma said. “And a cage leaves marks you can’t see.”

I glanced at her. “Ain’t my business.”

She smirked, slow and knowing. “That what you told yourself on the ride over here?”

I didn’t answer.

“Zeke,” she said, using the name like only she did, “you’ve always been the type to reach into a fire if you thought you could pull somebody out. Just remember, burns don’t care what your intentions were.”

I sat with that for a minute, the ticking of the kitchen clock loud in the space between us.

Finally, she stood and topped off my coffee. “Now. You gonna sit here broodin’ or help me fix that screen on my back porch?”

A corner of my mouth lifted. “What if I don’t want too?”

“I’ll take a switch to you,” she said. “Grown or not I’m not takin’ lip from you.”

I stayed through the afternoon, helping her fix that screen and then for supper. My mind was a little lighter when finally straddled my bike to head to The Pit. Momma had that way about her.

CHAPTER TEN

WE HAD SPENTyesterday getting much needed rest,and so this morning Zara had her usual energy back.

“Can we go outside?” Zara’s voice was small but certain.