Wolfwater
Page 29
The party settled into the meadow grass, producing jars of food and hunks of dried meat; Sasha and Corvin sat together on a bed. With all the joy and adrenaline running through him, Sasha wasn’t worried about falling asleep now. They both recounted the events in the detainment center (leaving out all mention of Sharkguts), and how they wound up in the church.
Owl leaned back and sighed loudly. “I’m so glad you’re okay. But we don’t know what’s going to happen now, since we failed the mission.”
“What do you mean?” Corvin said. “Isn’t that boy with you the one you need to escort back?”
“No.” Mothwing glowered. “Elder Palesun’s kid is dead. Killed by the wolfmen. This whole trip has been a complete snafu.”
“Oh my god.” Sasha raked a hand through his hair. What will happen to us now? What if we go home and Palesun throws me and Corvin back in jail because the mission was a failure? I just want to go home with Dusty.
Corvin said, “At least we know Islanders don’t like traveling to the Mainland for the most part. I highly doubt Palesun would send someone all the way out here to capture us, even if he did know where we are.”
Gentlewave swallowed a piece of jerky and leaned back on one arm. “I’ve been mulling this predicament over. Palesun doesn’t have any authority on Nis, so you should be safe to return home. If Palesun makes a move—like abducting you from your beds or something—it would be a political and economic nightmare. Tam gets most of its goods from Pearlolla, and Pearlolla won’t stand for that kind of usurping of another Elder’s power. We should let Quietbird know what’s going as soon as possible.”
“Trav is going to talk to him,” Corvin said. “I guess we can at least take comfort in knowing we’re safe here right now… and that all of you are safe too.”
Sasha’s mind pulled him every which way; the bruises on Dusty’s face, what may be hiding under her big coat, the failed mission, and lack of sleep made it hard to process anything at all. He bit his knuckles and stared at his wife as each of their friends in the meadow took turns detailing their trip through the North. Mothwing described their run-in with a “groth’nal;” Gentlewave and Owl talked about meeting the Maralti, and told them Dorhn’li had offered to go with them to help find the children; Dusty explained how she and Owl had been kidnapped. She spoke animatedly about using Irina the drone to kill the cows and destroy the wagon, and how Owl had beat the merchant’s face in with a metal bar.
Sasha raked his hands down his face. I never, ever should have gone to that party on Tam. My stupid mistake caused my pregnant wife and my good friend to get kidnapped and beat up, in addition to what everyone else had to go through.
Corvin was red in the face, his teeth bared and eyes blazing.
Dorhn’li, though difficult to understand, grinned as he told them about tracking the women down and filling the merchant full of arrows.
Owl stared into her lap. “I’ve seen people die—a couple by my own hands—and it’s something that’s hard to bounce back from, even if they deserved it. This time, though, I’ve been so overwhelmed with being safe after everything we’ve gone through, that thinking about that arrow going right through Merriweather’s neck does nothing but fill me with relief.”
She paused, her hand shaking as she brought it to her forehead. Dusty gave her a squeeze and Sasha wished he was there to do the same.
Owl looked up and smiled. “We went back to this rancher we’d met, and bought some of his koyas. They’re so cute and fun to ride. I think they prefer dancing to walking.”
Dusty chimed in with something else, but Dorhn’li said something at the same time, and soon everyone, including Corvin, was trying to talk at once about other incidental things.
A million thoughts bounced around in Sasha’s head: kidnappers and failed missions and his wife eating pears covered in dirt. One topic hadn’t been mentioned yet, though, and he burned to address it.
“Guys, I really need to talk to Dusty. Think she got something to tell me. To show me. Right, baby?”
Dusty paused, a spear of asparagus halfway to her mouth. “How do you know about that?”
Sasha’s brows pushed up. “Corvin heard those Maralti guys talking about you. So it’s true?”
She pushed herself up awkwardly, grunting, and that was all the answer Sasha needed. He put a hand to his mouth. “Can I see my baby?”
Staring at her feet, Dusty slowly unzipped her coat and shrugged it off. She pulled up the hem of her shirt, revealing her swollen belly. Sasha’s lip quivered and he swallowed a lump in his throat.
“Are… are you mad?”
“Mad?” Sasha wiped his eye. “No. Why would I be mad?”
“Because you didn’t really want kids. Neither did I.”
“I was happy with way things were—just you and me. I did not feel like I need something else. But you know, if you had said to me, ‘Sasha, I want big family. I want to have hundred babies with you.’ Well, I am kind of guy that would say, ‘Then come sit in my lap, baby. We can get started.’”
Dusty laughed.
“Are you upset to be mommy?”
“Not anymore. Owl helped me feel a lot better about it.” She smiled. “The Maralti doctor said it’s a girl.”
A sweet little girl that will grow up to be an amazing woman like Dusty.
“I was thinking maybe we could name her… Poppy. Poppy Viktoriya,” Dusty said. “After your grandma. Would that be okay?”
Sasha’s face contorted and he nodded. I’ll do good. I’ll make Grandma proud of me. Wish she could be here to see this. “Can I kiss her?”
Dusty grinned and pulled the drone closer, pressing the screen to her stomach. Sasha kissed his tablet. “I’m going to be good dad, baby,” he said. “I promise. I will try hard. Whatever I need to do.”
Corvin squeezed Sasha so tight he thought he might suffocate. He planted a wet kiss on Sasha’s cheek. “Congratulations, kids! I’m going to love having a Muffin number two to play with.”
Sasha chuckled, then offered Corvin the tablet and yawned. “You want to hold for minute?”
Corvin took it, and Sasha laid back on the pillow, staring at his gorgeous mommy-to-be. They had failed the retrieval mission, and he was sorry the Elder’s son and a little girl were dead, but his wife and friends were safe. He and Corvin were safe.
Sasha opened his eyes as a hand shook his arm. Corvin said, “I don’t mind if you sleep on my shoulder, pal, but I draw the line at drooling on me.”
Sasha wiped his mouth. “Shit. Sorry. How long I was asleep?”
“Like twenty minutes. Listen, they’re all getting ready to head out again. What do you want to do? Other than take a nap?”
“We should send drone to Nis and tell Trav and Dewbell everybody is safe. Trav has been real worried since the tablet got broke. But I’m so tired. You can do it? Just got to put your thumbs on this sticks here. Use gentle touch, baby.” He winked.
“Uh, if you trust me with that. I’m not that great with technology, but I’m happy to help.”
“I can send it up high and you just got to fly to west until you get to Islands. Then wake me up for rest. Please don’t crash into tree or something.”
After saying their goodbyes to their friends for the day, Sasha sent the drone high above the trees and handed over control to Corvin. He watched for a moment until he was certain Corvin wouldn’t accidentally dive-bomb the drone into the highway, then dragged his exhausted body to the nearby bed and closed his eyes. Visions of Dusty—enveloped in his big pink coat, her cute round belly exposed—swam through his mind. He smiled.
20
~ God by Proxy ~
November 09, 156—Sasha is adorably obnoxious. He’s been flying his new drone, which he has named “Baby,” next to Dusty 24/7. We’re sitting around the fire and just had dinner. Sasha butted the drone right up to Dusty’s stomach while she was trying to eat, and started talking. She asked him what the hell he was doing, and he said, “Teaching my baby how t
o speak Russian.”
November 13, 156—Riding our koyas has made the trip back so much faster! They’re so cute. They love being in the forest. We are almost back to Dorhn’li’s tribe. I’m going to be sad to leave him behind.
Sasha relayed a message to us from Quietbird: “Come home.” He means Sasha and Corvin too. Quietbird won’t tell Trav anymore than that, so hopefully things have been worked out. I dread to know what kind of compromise Quietbird has reached this time.
Once we get back to our boat, we’re going to take it to Conch and pick up Corvin and Sasha, then head home. I was excited for this trip—to see the Mainland again—but after everything that’s happened, I’m ready to adopt the Islander mindset of never wanting to step foot here again.
Trav is quite amused that he is now on the receiving end of love notes and no longer the “dirty postman.” Corvin transcribes my messages, but I don’t know who actually reads them—him or Sasha. I haven’t asked, because it’s funnier thinking that it’s Sasha.
Owl stood at the edge of the Maralti camp, Dorhn’li next to her. He scratched his head and stared at the dented, broken drone, sitting on a tree stump like a giant black beetle.
“Eh, sorrah. Nah’dunno why e’rybody broke it. Mebbe Sasha c’n fix, yeah?”
“Maybe.” With the broken tablet and this drone, Sasha would have his work cut out for him.
Dorhn’li leaned closer to Owl and elbowed her. “Ya wan’a secret? Ah nah’ken we nee’ more monit’rs.”
Owl chuckled, glancing at the carefully polished screens facing the woods. “Probably not. You think everyone will get mad if we take this drone? I don’t even know if Sasha would want it back. He already has two working ones: ‘Irina’ and ‘Baby.’ Plus, we have enough gear to carry as it is.”
“Na’dunno. S’not Maralti curio, but s’nice.” Dorhn’li squatted in front of the drone, swiping a finger across the cracked screen. “Oh, mebbe Sasha wanna trade, yeah?”
A disembodied, nasally voice said, “For what?”
Owl gasped and clutched her chest. “Holy crap, Sasha. You scared me. Have you been spying on us this whole time?”
“Well, not trying to spy, but if I turn off stealth mode, these guys going to throw rocks at drone again. Can’t let that happen. Dorhn’li, what you can trade for drone?”
Dorhn’li tugged at the stone plug in his lower lip. “Mm, ya like pre’jewelry? Necklace’n’ bracelet?”
“Not really.”
“Oh! Mebbe coat, yeah?”
“Oh, yes, that is great idea. Dusty take my coat and I don’t think she is going to give it back.”
Dorhn’li grinned. “Ah like pre’pinkcoat. Ah go’ back.” He turned and jogged away, heading for the cone tents.
Owl eyed the pine trees and wandering Maralti, trying to figure out where Sasha’s drone was, since his voice kept moving. Stealth mode was hard for her to discern unless she knew where to look in the first place, as the drone became nothing more than a slight distortion of its backdrop.
“Owl, you want me to tell Trav how sexy you look today?”
She snorted and tugged up the neckline of her low cut tank top. “You’re going to lie to him?”
“No way, baby. You are always beautiful. Standing there with dirt smear on your face and leaf in your hair like forest goddess.”
“I’ve missed you, Sasha. So many opportunities for dirty jokes that you missed out on.”
“I hope you make them for me instead, when I was gone.”
“Yeah, right. No one delivers a one-liner like you.”
Dorhn’li came back, grinning, a coat in his hands. He paused for a moment, then focused his gaze to Owl’s left and held it up. It was made of fur, dyed a minty green with pastel pink accents. Bone buttons ran down the front, and the hood was thick and fluffy.
“Oh my god. Sasha, I can picture you in that thing for sure,” Owl said.
“Yes, grab it, baby. It is good trade. You can have that drone, Dorhn’li. Thank you.”
A chipper voice came from the air. “Ooh, that’s fabulous.”
Owl laughed. “Hello, brother.”
“Hi, dear. You’re looking positively woodsy today. Adorable.”
“That is same thing I just say,” Sasha replied. “She don’t know how beautiful she look.”
“Alright, guys. Save it for your wives.” She paused. “Sasha, have you been recording a video of me this whole time?”
“Uh… yes and no. This drone record everything, all the time, and store information in my tablet. But I would not access or show somebody unless you give me permission. I learn my lesson about that with Irina. Getting slapped hurts.”
“Well, I give you my permission to show Trav and Son of Owl if you want. As long as it’s not just ten minutes of the camera focused on my cleavage.”
“Um. It is probably not that. But I was stuck in jail for two months, so I got little bit excuse if I was looking. Sorry.”
“I’m just giving you a hard time. I’m not mad. Corvin, please don’t break Sasha’s scrawny neck.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Corvin said. “Sasha and I have grown quite close. I would trust him with anyone.”
Owl smiled. It was good that Corvin had a friend in Sasha. They had hung out quite frequently together after arriving on Nis, but Sasha had still seemed a bit uneasy around Corvin at certain times. Coupled with Trav’s discomfort and the Islanders’ wary attitudes, she was afraid Corvin might end up unhappy and want to go back to Hammerlink. He was a bit unstable—he had that darkness inside him—but he was also caring and sensitive. Corvin needed to be surrounded by people who understood him and would help him when he needed it, not grow fearful and turn their backs on him.
During the past few days, Sasha had mostly hogged the drone and chatted up Dusty. Owl didn’t mind; it was great to see Dusty so happy. Several times, though, Corvin had manned the controls, spewing long, breathless, one-sided conversations as he was apt to do. He had mentioned that Trav wanted to take him fishing to get to know him better.
Maybe Trav wouldn’t object to her proposed name for Son of Owl after all.
Gentlewave, Dusty, and Mothwing stood near the tents, packing gear on the koyas. As Mothwing secured a bedroll on one, the koya turned, swiping its purple tongue across his cheek. He laughed.
Owl took the mint green coat from Dorhn’li. “Well, looks like we’re heading out. I’m so glad you came with us.” A lump formed in her throat. “You saved my life. Me and Dusty. Gentlewave’s a capable guy, and I don’t doubt that he could have killed Merriweather in addition to Bart, but I don’t know if he could have tracked us like you did.”
And then maybe we’d be tied up in some highwayman junkyard right now, awaiting our doom, if not already dead.
“Ya go’ good trail, Owl. Easy ta track. Ya did good ‘n’ ya take care a’ pre’pinkcoat.”
“I tried.”
“Nah. Ya do.”
Owl leaned in and gave him a hug, the furry hood of his coat tickling her nose. “Thank you.”
“Yep. Now ya go home ta luckyman ‘n’ babe, yeah? Go safe, Owl. Ah go’ say bye tah Dusty. Go’ give’r big lo’ hug ‘n’ make Sasha jealous.”
“Wait. What?” Sasha said. “Say that again. I was not paying attention.”
Owl laughed.
Sasha grinned. Anise always did this. She wanted to talk to him, but she was never quite sure what to say unless it was something important she needed to get out. Luckily, this time it was he who needed to tell her something, and it wouldn’t just be ten minutes of: “What are you doing?” “Nothing. What are you doing?”
He checked his tablet—Anis
e hadn’t replied yet. She often did this too. Steeling herself up to write him another message, he supposed. It was kind of cute, but he also felt bad that he had that effect on her.
Sasha wrote her another message:
Corvin had fallen asleep with a notebook on his chest, and he was snoring loudly. His pencil had rolled on the floor next to the bed. The sketches on the open pages didn’t look like much to Sasha, but he had no doubt Dewbell’s wedding dress would be gorgeous.
While he waited for Anise, he checked on Baby, currently auto-following the retrieval party as they made their way through the forest to their sailboat. He had told Dusty again what the commands were for Irina, in case they needed to use it on one of those bigfoot monsters or something else.
Anise poked her head into the room. Sasha smiled and patted the chair next to him. “Hey. You want to sit here by me? Or you can stay over there if you want.”
“I’m not afraid of you, Sasha.”
“Yes, I know. But I make you nervous, and I don’t want to make you feel bad.”
“You don’t. Just… overwhelmed.”
“Overwhelmed means I am making you feel bad.”
Anise stepped into the room. Her hair was pulled back from her face with a tie, a rosy dress clinging to her curves. The color matched the flush in her cheeks. She walked to the table and sat down next to him, her hands in her lap.
Sasha pointed to the drone. “I got this baby all set up. I want to show you what it can do, but I need your tablet. I sync it up when you were not looking.”
“My tablet? But why?”
“Because this drone going to be yours, Anise.”
Her magnified eyes widened. “You’re giving me a drone? No, no. The drones are yours, Sasha. No one else uses them.”
“That’s not true. Lot of people in my facility used the drones—I was only boss of them and use the most. And my wife, Dusty, used my other drone couple times. The drones are not… um… I can’t think of word. They are not special just for gods to use, y’know?”