“I didn’t know Gerard was kin to the Gayla woman.”
Ilsit shrugged. “She was my sister-in-law, but I never met her. She died before Gerard came to Sheridan and we wed. It’s the ‘before Skow’ part I don’t understand.”
“Well, what do you think we should do?”
With her free hand, she reached up and twisted my ear.
“Ow!” I cried out and slapped her away.
“That’s for not telling me sooner. Dolt.”
“You’re going to wake the whole caravan tonight,” I hissed, rubbing my sore lobe. “My gods, I almost had a blade in my gut and now this.”
“And you’re sure we’re not bothering Tessa or Jade with this?” she challenged me, releasing my hand to rub at her chin.
I shook my head. “Tessa is beside herself over Adelaide. Her anxiety grows each day. And I’ve never seen Jade so... She’s so happy, you know? And not happy for others or happy to be alive or because she is reading a book she likes. She’s happy for herself.”
Ilsit nodded. “I really tried to hate the Vyggian. Actually, all four of them. But I like Evangeline and Dermid. And the other two aren’t half bad.”
“I thought you said you wanted to take Keir for a ride.”
She winced. “In theory. I like a stiff prick, but then they open their mouths and it puts me off coupling. I think I’ll go back to women for good.”
“Don’t make me laugh.”
“Back to this nonsense,” Ilsit said and lightly cuffed me on the side of the head, shushing me when I protested. “You’ll tell me everything about this from now on. No more martyrdom for you, you stupid,stupidcow. My gods, you’re an idiot. For now, I’ll respect your not wanting to tell the others, but I may go back on my word. We’re not going anywhere or doing anything without going in pairs. I’ll make something up to tell Jade and Tessa. Fox is smart, and she does pretty much whatever I tell her to.”
“Did you just imply that you are smart?”
“I’m not implying anything. I am smart. It’s you who is a twit. Look where you got yourself, not telling anyone. We will be vigilant, twice so, you and me.”
“Both my ears hurt.”
“Good. Maybe you’ll use what’s between them then.”
Later, when we spread out our bedrolls next to Tessa, Jade, and Fox under the wagon, Ilsit made apsstsound and said my name.
“What?” I whispered.
“I hate to bandy about the idea of your imminent death, but maybe you should take the one-eyed man for a ride. Just in case. While you still can. You know. As if there is no tomorrow.”
63
NOW: MAD
After a full week, Reed finally rode by instead of one of his brothers. I was walking in the back, alone. Tessa had taken Zara for another patrol of garlands up and down the caravan, with her lost-goat excuse at the ready. Ilsit was driving, while Fox and Jade sat in the wagon shelling wild peas we had found. Occasionally a shell would fly out the back of the wagon and gently tap me on the head, and I would hear Jade’s laughter.
“It’s not even that funny,” I said after the fourth shell, biting my lip to keep from laughing myself when I heard Fox’s wheezing.
“It’s outrageously funny,” Ilsit called from the driver’s seat. “I’ve shown the girl how to throw like me and as she is clever, she’s got my aim now.”
“Still not funny,” I hollered back.
“What’s not funny?” Reed asked, dropping limberly to the ground from his roan and tying the horse to the back of the wagon, all the while keeping in motion, in step with our outfit’s pace.
Gods, but he is graceful, I thought. It made me feel cloddish. It was the first day into my courses, and I felt hideous. I had wanted to ask Jade to trade places with me, but she had walked the whole dayyesterday. My hair was down, the coarseness I usually tamed with oils and tight overnight braids having reappeared. My chest was freckling in the late afternoon sun. I was wearing an old dark-green dress with patched holes in the skirt. The square neckline had been flattering ten winters prior, but now it simply caught the sweat and dust of travel and allowed for a view of a flushed bosom.
“Nothing,” I said lightly, trying not to show how nervous he made me. We had bantered about the back of his hand ten days prior, but that had been the extent of my seeing him. I wondered if perhaps our banter had not been as humorous as I had thought. Perhaps, he was annoyed about his hand. But then I remembered what he had said.
