Page 175 of Keldori By Daybreak

“Like right now,” I confirmed. “Ciarán, Tiernan says hi.”

“He did not,” Ciarán droned in my head.

“Ciarán says hi back,” I told Tiernan.

“I did not!”

I leaned back to look up at Titus’s passive face. He reminded me more of a normal Nightmare like this, staring unseeing until receiving orders.

“He hasn’t been able to buy any new chickens,” I realized.

“He’s a farmer?”

“A banker,” I said. “But my grandmother used porcelain chickens imbued with Skal to make semi-Lucid Nightmares. She’d sell the extras, and Stanley was a frequent customer. They’re probably what made him Lucid here, but Gams’s shop has been closed for a few weeks now. Stanley’s chickens are probably losing their magick, and he can’t get new ones.”

“What did you say?” Stanley shook his head as he came to again.

“I said I’m going to check the supplies for anything that might help.” I stood from the table, but Stanley pushed me back into my chair with a hand on my shoulder.

“Those supplies are for the armada.”

“You’re right. We’d be better off chucking you into the forest and using you as bait while the rest of us sneak past on the train. Rotsbane love the smell of Nightmare.” I looked to Tiernan. “Do you like that plan, Tiernan?”

“I’m fine with it.” The beads in his locks clicked together as he nodded.

“Well that’s two votes for that plan! Stanley? Any input?”

He scowled and removed his hand from my shoulder. I stood again. My forehead only came to his chin, but I was taller than him in our world.

“Good boy,” I jeered. “Watch the engine. We’ll be back.”

Tiernan limped after me. “Are you trying to make him angry on purpose?”

“Yeah, actually.” Wind pulled at my hair in the space between carriages as I stepped through the gap and back to the supply carts. “He’s from my world, and he’s trying to help Tamora hurt our home. He’s trading all of Keldori’s safety for the chance to have muscles instead of just getting a gym membership and some creatine.”

“Sure, but don’t agitate him when we’re supposed to be working with him.”

I pried open the nearest crate to poke around inside. “You have to realize that’s pretty rich coming from you. You remember you blew me up once, right?”

The crate was full of root vegetables, and a quick glance at the neighboring crates told me this carriage was all food supplies. I shuffled down the tight aisle to the next door.

“I wasn’t trying to permanently kill you.”

“No, that was later,” I reminded him. “When Ferrin told you to.”

“That’s not fair. You would’ve trusted Ferrin if you’d been in our position.”

“I don’t know that I would have.” I stepped into the next carriage. When the door behind me closed and cut off the wind sound, I dared to ask, “Is she still mad at me?”

“Yes,” Tiernan sighed. “And no. Orla understands, but she’s hurt.”

“I don’t get why she cares about him still.”

“The worst thing Orla has witnessed Ferrin do was try to murder her. Sometimes it’s easier to forgive violence against ourselves than it is to forgive violence against our loved ones.”

“That’s stupid. He killed her parents.”

“But she wasn’t there.”