Candace sat sewing. Lyndal had her legs tucked up and a book open on her lap—not reading. Eda was stretched out on the floor, poking a stick at the hearth as she studied the flames. Blake watched her, one finger tapping the arm of her chair, wishing she could climb inside her youngest sister’s mind.
A loud knock came at the shop door, making the women jump. It was not Thea’s soft tap or Birtle’s cheery rap. This was the trademark thud of a defender announcing his arrival.
Blake pushed herself up from her chair. ‘I’ll go.’ Yet another reminder that Kingsley was no longer with them.
She smoothed down the skirt of her simple dress as she made her way through the shop and began the tedious task of unlatching the door. It always needed a good tug to get it open after being locked. Blake sent the bell flying as she jerked the door open. She winced as it landed, then turned her attention to the defender standing before her. Her eyes widened as she recognised Commander Wright.
‘Merchant,’ he said by way of greeting.
It took her a moment to reply. ‘Commander…’ She looked past him to the horse and cart parked on the street, and nerves fluttered in her stomach. ‘What are you doing here?’
The commander gestured to the two men seated in the cart. They jumped down. Blake’s hand went into her pocket, grasping her knife; then, realising she stood no chance against the three defenders, she let go.
‘We’re disposing of the bodies from the wall,’ he said, looking back at her. ‘I thought you might want to bury your brother. You have my permission to enter the cemetery. Might be better than a mass grave.’
Blake exhaled, hardly believing what she was hearing. ‘You brought him here?’ She had been avoiding the square ever since the crows arrived. It was the one time birds were safe from being eaten—when they were eating the merchants first.
‘I had him put in a body bag.’
That was the moment Blake realised she was witnessing an act of kindness from a defender. Her brain struggled with that. ‘Are you delivering all the bodies to the families?’
He shook his head. ‘Merchants aren’t exactly stepping up to claim the corpses of traitors right now.’
‘Kingsley’s not a traitor,’ she said with conviction. ‘He just couldn’t watch his family go hungry.’
The commander said nothing as he stepped back from the door to let his men pass. The defenders laid the corpse out on the floor in the middle of the shop, then left.
‘Do you have someone to dig the grave?’ Commander Wright asked when they were alone.
She tore her gaze away from her brother’s remains to look at him. ‘I will dig it.’
His eyes moved between hers. ‘Make sure it’s deep enough or animals will dig it up.’
‘Animals? Shallow grave it is. I’ll take my bow and hide in the trees. Meat sorted.’
A joke.
A joke as her brother lay dead behind her.
A joke with a man she did not know and who cared nothing for jokes—especially ones told by merchants.
She looked down at the ground between them. ‘It’s not my first time burying someone. The grave will be deep enough.’
He nodded, handing her a piece of parchment. ‘Show this to the defenders at the gate.’
She unfolded it and read aloud. ‘Cause of death—drowning.’ Her eyes returned to his. ‘Drowning?’
‘Any hint of disease and your entire household will be quarantined in the lazaretto borough.’
‘Kingsley suffocated to death in an illegal tunnel.’
The commander’s eyebrows came together in annoyance. ‘Again, not going to help your family. I can take him with me now, if you’d prefer.’
She shook her head, realising she was being difficult when she ought to be grateful. ‘No. Thank you for bringing him. And for this.’ She held up the parchment.
Commander Wright looked past her to where her sisters and mother now stood in the doorway, staring down at the corpse. His eyes returned to Blake. ‘Merchant,’ he said, nodding once before leaving.
She watched him climb into the cart. Leather slapped rump, and the cart lurched forwards before disappearing into the darkness. Closing the door, Blake secured the locks, then turned to face her family, who all stood with hands over their noses and mouths. The room smelled of death.
