Horde (Razorland #3)(98)

“That’s a beautiful bracelet,” the vendor noted. “It would look lovely on you.”

Fade murmured agreement, something about it being perfect for my wrist. That was his way of telling me what I was supposed to do with it; I didn’t know whether he’d noticed my weakness for sparkly things. I smiled, aware I had no chits to buy it. But I wanted to. Quietly wishing I could, I turned away to find the governor, as I’d wandered off before he could tell Fade and me where we’d be sleeping. My clothes were sticky and uncomfortable, and I hoped our hosts would be kind enough to let me bathe. It was surprising how awful river water felt, drying inside your shirt. From across the market, someone shouted my name.

I knew that voice—knew it—but it wasn’t possible. It wasn’t. I broke away from Fade on a burst of impossible hope. I shoved through the crowd, running, because I heard it again.

“Deuce. Deuce!”

Then I saw him. Stone was tan, like the rest of Rosemere, and his shoulders seemed even broader. He carried a small boy on them, striding toward me with an eager expression. In the Rosemere sunlight, his blue eyes shone brighter, contrasting with his mop of brown hair. Carefully, he set the brat down and then he swept me into a tight hug, smashing all the breath out of me. He’d always been as exuberant as a puppy, unconscious of his own strength.

Telling the boy, “Don’t move, Robin,” he spun me around until the market was a blur around me, just movement and color and my stomach felt sick, but on top of everything, I knew only the fiercest and most incredible joy, as if a secret wish had come true.

“Is Thimble with you?” I asked, hardly daring to hope. She’d been one of my closest friends in the enclave, a Builder who was always inventing clever things.

Stone nodded. “She’s at home. I came to offer our loft when I heard there were soldiers in need of shelter. I never dreamed I’d be lucky enough to find you.”

He let me go long enough to pick up the boy gazing up at me with huge blue eyes. Close up, I noticed the resemblance to my brat-mate, who had been a Breeder down below. “Yours?”

Stone’s look turned shy as he cradled the child closer. “Yes.”

“How in the world did you end up here?” I wondered aloud.

“It’s quite a story, an adventure you might even say.” His handsome face turned serious. “Along the way I wasn’t sure we’d survive, but Thimble always figured it out. I’ll tell you everything over supper.”

Beside me, Fade cleared his throat, glancing between Stone and me. He didn’t say more, but I heard the unspoken question. Am I invited to this party? If he wasn’t, then I wouldn’t be going either.

“Do you remember Fade?”

“Of course. I don’t know if we ever talked down below.” Stone offered his hand, Topsider fashion, and they shook. “I’m Deuce’s friend. Or I was. I’m not sure how she feels about me now. I’ve figured she must hate me and wish me dead, if she survived.”

The pain and anger of his betrayal felt like a long time ago. So I joked, “If I’d known you were this resourceful, I’d have let you take your own punishment.”

He flinched. “I know. I’ve been wishing all this time that I could explain … and say I’m sorry. Come with me and give me that chance?”

“That sounds good,” I said.

I felt oddly lighthearted as I followed my old friend through Rosemere. Along the way, he greeted the villagers, and a number of them had small gifts and smiles for the boy, who alternately giggled and tucked his face against Stone’s shoulder. He acted more like I’d seen topside sires behave with their brats than anything we’d learned down below, which meant he was better at adapting to circumstances than I had believed. Clearly I hadn’t given him enough credit when I martyred myself, thinking I was the only one strong enough to survive the exile.

More hubris, Mrs. James would say.

Stone and Thimble’s cottage was perfect, snug and small, built of the stone they quarried on the island and framed in raw timbers. Their roof was painted mossy green in contrast to the copper of their neighbors, and the front door stood open with my dear friend in the doorway. When she saw me, she dropped the box of tools she was holding and ran. Either her foot was better or she had crafted something to make it appear so because I hardly noticed her limp. We hugged tight and long; and the sun itself seemed to shine brighter, glowing on the white petals of the flowers growing in her window box.


“How?” she demanded. Then she seemed to think better of the question as she let go of me. “Food, first, I think, then explanations.”

Thimble looked more mature in her tidy brown skirt and white blouse. She wore an apron to protect it from whatever she had been working on. With busy hands, she beckoned us into the cool shade of the cottage. I came first, Fade next, and then Stone with the brat. Inside, there were wooden chairs with brightly sewn cushions and a sturdy table, a box full of toys near the door. A ladder stretched to the loft they had promised while a doorway led to the back of the house. There was a fireplace for cooking, and windows cut on either side to let in the light. Shutters would protect them from the elements. For a few seconds, I just admired their home.

While she hurried around setting crocks on the table, Stone performed the introductions, in case Thimble and Fade didn’t remember each other. Then I said, “Is there someplace we can clean up? The river isn’t as refreshing as it looks.”