Horde (Razorland #3)(24)

“What about able-bodied souls? If they don’t have anyone who can fight, how long before you ask them to move along?”

“There’s never been a time limit set on trading parties or visitors,” the colonel said. “But they wouldn’t have citizenship rights.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means they need a way to earn their food and shelter, and we give priority to businesses run by those who have someone in service.”

So the Oakses could stay, but there was no guarantee anyone would buy from Edmund’s shop. With a faint sigh, I turned and walked toward the exit. The others had mostly filed out of the hall; they milled around discussing the decision in low tones. For the most part, their reaction sounded approving. I stopped short when I realized my family was waiting just outside the doors.

“You already volunteered for us,” Momma Oaks said with a touch of anger.

The failure stung. “I tried. They won’t take me. Said I’m not old enough.”

It never even occurred to me that there would be some arbitrary age that qualified me as old enough to fight since I’d been doing it for years. The schooling requirement in Salvation might’ve given me some clue, but there, the magic number was sixteen, and I’d reached it. I wished I’d known about the rule before; to help my family, I would’ve lied. Frustration surged through me.

Too late now.

“You aren’t,” Edmund agreed.

Before I could protest, Rex said, “I’ll do it.”

I wondered if his parents noticed the despair in his eyes. He wasn’t stepping forward so they’d have a place to stay. Ruth’s loss ate at him, making him just not care about the consequences. This couldn’t happen.

Momma Oaks shook her head. “Absolutely not. I’ve already lost one son.”

“So we rest up a bit and gather supplies.” Edmund produced a cheerful, determined look. “Then we move on. There must be a settlement that doesn’t require military service. It’s just a matter of finding one that suits us.”

Given the distance between towns and the danger of the territory, I wasn’t sure it would be that simple. But the way Momma Oaks brightened, I could see that Edmund’s words had the desired effect. And I couldn’t bring myself to kick dirt on the fire of their hope.

So I offered, “I can check the maps. Longshot has notes about all the towns and settlements on the trade routes.”

Edmund sighed. “I wish I’d paid more attention to his stories, but the rest of us weren’t permitted to travel, even if we wanted to. So it seemed better not to indulge in curiosity.”

But I had noticed that he had a secret yen to know more about the world he hadn’t been allowed to explore because he’d asked me all kinds of questions when I went out on patrol. I wondered if Edmund had ever felt stifled by his life in Salvation. Not enough to want it to end this way, I imagined.

“Don’t worry,” Rex said. “We’ll find somewhere to settle. This is a good enough place, but maybe it’s not where we belong.”

I agreed. “If they can’t see that I’m capable of fighting, they don’t deserve my blades.”

“They don’t know you,” Momma Oaks said. “Like us, they only understand what life has shown them. And I’m willing to bet there’s nobody here like you.”

Given the smile she was wearing, that felt like a compliment.

Accommodation

Spence broke away from his conversation with Tully when he saw we were done discussing our options. “If you’ll come with me, I’ve got your temp quarters assignment.”

“You have houses standing empty?” Edmund asked.

That was interesting since Salvation had gotten to the point that land within the walls was at a premium. There had been talk that families would need to start doubling up in the next generation. That would never happen now, of course. Sorrow settled in my stomach like a lump of stone; so many people had died. I saw far too few familiar faces in Soldier’s Pond.

“There was an epidemic last winter. We lost more men to it than we have the Muties.”

“How is that possible?” Momma Oaks wondered.

If she hadn’t asked, I would have.

“We have stockpiles of weapons and ammo. After the army conscripted this location, Soldier’s Pond became a military base. They didn’t expect to be here long, so they went light on certain provisions.”

“Like medicine,” I guessed.

Spence nodded. “It makes things tough. There are always plenty of people who can teach you how to fight. In other respects…”

“Then it seems like you’d be happy to find craftsmen in your midst, whether any of us are willing to fight or not,” Edmund said in the sharpest tone I’d ever heard from him.

“Are you a smith?” Spence asked.

He shook his head. “Cobbler. I made the finest shoes and boots in Salvation.”

The man studied his feet, clad in obviously substandard gear. “I’ll talk to Thornton—he’s in charge of goods and supplies—see if I can get a special dispensation for you. Policies always have exceptions.”

That was intriguing, too. By rights, he should be applying to the colonel, if things ran as they should. The idea that Thornton quietly did as he wished without regard to his leader’s wishes both interested and alarmed me. But I didn’t speak of these misgivings.