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Truett put his hand out to me. “Can we start over? I’m True. I’ve been a Warrior since I turned eighteen. Before that, I was a pretty spoiled noble from Hawkseye, but I’ve seen a lot of things over the years. It hardened and changed me. I don’t—didn’t—want a new wife because our first one died. Badly. And we didn’t get along terribly well with her when she was alive, either, but differently than we’re not getting along with you. So perhaps we’re just horrible in general with women? I have to check with the rest of them, but I’m inclined to give you what you want, Sloane. Come back to Hawkseye when Charles is better. Visit with Judge with us. Let me…fix things there. Afterward, we’ll bring you back to your home, and you can stay. If you say you can manage your own pain, I’m inclined to believe you since you’ve been keeping Charles alive.”
Frederick shook his head. “Well, you can’t just place that order down. I’m not necessarily agreeing to it. As I just said, I like her.”
“Yes, but she doesn’t want us, brother. Why would she? Our introduction was really bad, including yours. I don’t recall you being kind and gallant while the rest of us were assholes. You were just as bad, so she knows better than to trust you, and she doesn’t, despite your best efforts. There is little that is likely to change that. The nicest thing we can do is give the woman the life she wants.” He got to his feet. “Think about it.”
Just then, Oliver appeared. “Would you mind, Sloane? I’m sorry, but Charles’ pain seems to be increasing.”
“Yes. On my way.” I rose and would have taken Walter to my mother, but Frederick took him. “Do you mind?”
“I’ll bring him inside when he’s done with this. I haven’t sat with a baby like this in sixteen years. I like it.”
That seemed fine. Walter did seem to inspire people to play with him. “Sure.”
“He’s a very good baby.” Truett smiled at him. “Sweet and friendly. A lot of years between your sister and him.”
That was true and people did notice it, a lot. “There were several children who died when they were very young. Three.” It had been a nightmare, and Mama had changed. It had aged her in ways I still couldn’t fathom. “It’s why I got interested in herbs and medicine. I’ll go to Charles now.”
“Thank you.” Oliver stared at Truett. “I’d like to talk about what I just heard you say you decided without the rest of us.”
I left him there to discuss my future. I’d proven to them—twice—that I wouldn’t be held back if I didn’t want to be. They did seem to defer to Truett, and I hoped he’d bring them around to how he thought. I washed my hands and changed my clothes into ones that hung in the laundry area. I didn’t want to make him sick by getting his wound infected. Then, I stopped at Mama’s medicine cabinet and pulled out the poppy elixir she kept for emergencies. He still shouldn’t be in so much pain. It was the mothman’s venom, and I had no experience with it. All I knew was that if we waited this out at some point it would have to stop.
In my room, on my bed, he moaned. His knuckles were white where he gripped the bed, and he kicked his feet like he was running, even though he stayed on his stomach. It looked awful and he was definitely awake.
I climbed next to him. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d be asleep, or I wouldn’t have left you alone.”
He lifted his head. “You keep trying to help me, but I’m going to die.”
“Hush with that. Don’t say those things where the fairies can hear you.” I didn’t know what that expression meant, but Mama said it when we were sick, and I’d picked it up. “I’m going to give you something very strong. It’ll first make you feel better, and then that’ll stay, but you’ll also be completely out of it. You will eventually fall asleep. I won’t leave you. I can’t give you more for a long time. Maybe not even until tomorrow, but hopefully you won’t need it.”
He winced. “I hate things that give pain relief. My father is always stoned.”
“Well, we won’t let that happen because I’ll simply take it away before it can.” I smoothed his hair off his face. “Lift up your tongue and think good thoughts.”
Charles did as I asked. I dripped two droplets under his tongue and then took it away. In a few seconds, his eyes closed a bit and he sighed. That was good. Yes, it worked.
“Thank you.” He rubbed at his eyes.
“You’re welcome. Lie back down on your stomach.” I would put some numbing herbs on the area too. The open wound had closed the last time I looked at it, which was really good. The whole area was really starting to look okay. Hopefully that meant the pain would leave soon.
He turned his head to look at me when I was finished. “You’re very pretty.”
“People say that. Thank you. I hope it’s the least interesting thing about me, although I’m vain enough to like to hear it.” I lay down next to him, leaning on my arm to watch him. “I think you’re not feeling pain now.”
He shook his head. “None. It’s such a relief.”
“Good.” I ran my hand through his hair, just thinking it would be nice to have that done to me when I didn’t feel well. I was generally left to take care of myself when I didn’t feel right. Jayne liked to be babied, and Mama took care of Walter, but I was strong, so they left me to it.
He smiled at me. “Thank you. That is really nice.” He paused for a second. “So, you like to be thought of as pretty, but you hope it’s the least interesting thing about you? You take care of the injured and sick. You ride like the wind, and you do things that most women—and most men—would run from. You also cook, clean, and understand herbs and medicine.”
Charles had summed up a lot of me. “Yes to all of that. How about you? All I know about you, Charles, is how you fearlessly went at that mothman. You are brave through pain, and you yelled at me pretty well on the hill. Oh, and you’re not very nice when you’re drinking, or maybe it’s not that? Maybe you’re just more truthful.”
He frowned at me. “I’m sorry I did that.”
He was the first one to offer an apology, and I wasn’t sure I could believe it while he was so out of it. Then I realized he might mean the hill and not the drunkenly making fun of me.
“Which thing?”
“When I got drunk and came at you the night after you just had a trauma. I think it must be traumatizing, whatever they do to you in there. I’m not sorry I yelled at you, though. You put yourself in danger. I can’t have beautiful young women dying while I’m killing flying beasts.”
