Anjy gave a nervous laugh. “Truer is her husband was the problem. Caught us kissing in the bath, and you’d have thought he found corespawn in the tub.”
“So you’re . . . free,” Selia said.
“Ay, free as a square girl can be.” Anjy sighed. “Free until Grandfather can settle things down and find a husband to take a shamed woman. Are you?”
“Am I what?” Selia asked.
“Free,” Anjy said. “Deardra—”
“—told me being a square girl was just fun until we could find husbands,” Selia said. “Wants me to marry her brother.”
“Raddock?” Anjy held her nose.
“Ay.” Selia smiled. “Core will freeze before I promise that pompous Fisher.”
“So you’re . . . free.” Anjy flashed that smile, and Selia kissed her again.
* * *
The schoolhouse had burned to the ground by the time morning banished the demons back to the Core. Selia went with her parents to view the wreckage, and Lory wept at the sight.
Edwar laid a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll rebuild, love.”
There was a crowd of onlookers, but Edwar had men keep them back while he inspected the scene. “Here.” He pointed to the shattered wardpost they had seen the night before. “This is where the breach occurred.”
Lory squatted to examine the post. “There’s chalk on the ward.”
Selia felt her stomach clench, remembering Harl Tanner’s chalk-covered hands. Had he purposely marred the ward? It was a heavy accusation to lay without evidence—especially since Harl could strike back with accusations of his own.
Isak Fisher, the Speaker for Fishing Hole, arrived soon after with his children, Raddock and Deardra. “Everyone all right, Edwar?”
“Burned and bruised,” Edwar said, “but nothing lost that can’t be rebuilt.”
“And better than before,” Isak agreed. “Wood and stone are nothing next to our lives. Which is why I think it’s time we spoke.”
Edwar looked at Raddock, standing respectfully back, eyes down, as if noticing him for the first time. “Let’s go back to the house and put the kettle on. Selia, why don’t you take Deardra and Anjy back to your room for a spell?”
Selia’s jaw tightened, but she knew better than to cause a scene. “Of course, Father.”
“You all right?” Deardra asked, taking Selia’s arm to examine the bandaged burn as they walked.
“Lucky to be alive,” Selia said. “Two flame demons and a rock breached the schoolhouse wards.”
“And you were . . .” Deardra swallowed, “. . . there?”
“Couldn’t just leave Anjy to them,” Selia said.
“Came in like the Deliverer himself,” Anjy said.
Deardra glanced at the young Watch woman as they entered the house and went to Selia’s room. She took in the rumpled bedclothes and the torn dresses on the floor. She sniffed the air as if she could smell what they had done over the stink of smoke that clung to the cloth.
“You slept here?” Deardra’s eyes bored into Anjy.
“What of it?” Anjy asked, but there was guilt in the sudden flush to her skin.
Deardra balled a fist. “Think you know what.”
“Don’t see why you care, if you brought your da and Raddock to discuss what I expect.” Selia’s words pulled Deardra’s eyes back to her. “’Sides, said yourself there weren’t enough members in the Square Girls’ Club.”
“Din’t mean you should go and bed some starch-necked Watch skink!” Deardra snapped.
“Ay!” Anjy cried.
“Just fun till we find husbands.” Selia failed to keep the bitterness from her words. “Ent that what you said? That it don’t mean anything?”
“Don’t.” Deardra spat on the floor. “And you’ll be promised soon enough.” She gave a nod back to the door.
Selia crossed her arms. “See about that.”
“Say no, and I’ll see the whole rippin’ town knows why,” Deardra growled.
“And tell your own part in it?” Selia asked. “That you put horns on your own brother, letting him shine on the girl you were kissing?”
Deardra planted her hands on her hips. “Your word against mine.”
“Harl Tanner knows,” Selia said.
“Eh?” Deardra looked shaken.
“Caught us behind the schoolhouse yesterday,” Selia said. “Threatened to tell, I didn’t find a way to get him back in school without his da finding out.”
“Night,” Deardra breathed, her anger dissipating.
“Tell tales and we’ll all be in for it,” Selia said.
“Got it all covered, then.” There were tears in Deardra’s eyes. “Selia Square gets what she wants, and the Fishers can hang.”
“Ent like that, Deardra.” Selia reached for her, but Deardra batted the hand away, turning and leaving the room. Selia turned to Anjy, but the girl refused to meet her eyes.
* * *
“It’s a good match,” Lory said.
“Ay, maybe,” Selia said. “But I don’t love him.”
“Phagh.” Lory fanned the air. “Nineteen summers to your name. Don’t know what love is. Love comes from building a home together. From living for someone else. It’s a seed, watered by years and shared responsibility.”
“Ent how you and Da tell it,” Selia said. “Da didn’t quit his Messenger job and sell his house in Miln to come plant a seed and wait years to see if it grew.”
“Ay, you’ve the right of that,” Edwar agreed.
“Stay out of this,” Lory said.
“I won’t,” Edwar said. “It was my blessing Isak came for, and I gave it thinking it was what Selia wanted. If it ent . . .” He spread his hands.
Selia threw her arms around him. “Thank you, Da.”
“You sure about this, sunshine?” Edwar asked. “Fishers are apt to be steamed, I take it back. Ent a thing to do if you’re still thinking.”
“Had years to think on it,” Selia said. “Don’t want Raddock.”
“Then who do you want?” Lory demanded. “Ent a child anymore, Selia. Time you started a family.”
Edwar laid a hand on Lory’s shoulder. “Peace, love. One worry at a time.”
“Worry about where I’m going to teach, next,” Lory said.
“It can wait a few days until we—” Edwar began.
“Can’t,” Lory cut him off. “Know these folk better’n you, Edwar. Most of ’em think schooling’s a waste of time already. Won’t send their kids back, they lose the habit.”
* * *
There was an old barn, unused since Mart Bales had passed on. Before the first day was through, Edwar had an army of folk clearing it out, sweeping the floor, and shoring up the wards. Others built a wooden frame and, once it was hauled from the wreckage, six men lifted the great bell atop it. At dusk, Lory pulled the bell herself, letting folk know school would be back in session the next day.
“Stubborn, your mam,” Anjy said that night, as she and Selia shared kisses in the darkness of her room.
“Runs in the family,” Selia said.
They stayed up late into the night, talking between kisses, asking questions, falling deeper and deeper as they bared their lives to one another.
“Don’t want to marry, that means a man,” Selia said. “Be a lonely spinster first.”
“Spinster, ay, maybe.” Anjy tightened her embrace. “Don’t think you’ll be lonely.”
As Selia drifted off to sleep, she felt a peace such as she had never known.
* * *
A crowd of children were gathering at the barn the next morning when Raddock and Deardra appeared, their expressions cold.
“Here to help school back to its feet, mam,” Raddock said, “but come next season, you’ll need to find new teachers.”
“You’re a good man, Raddock,” Lory said.
For the rest of the day, Raddock refused to meet Selia’s eyes, and Deardra glared needles at Anjy. Selia kept as far from Anjy as possible, but e
very now and then they would catch each other’s eye when no one was looking and share a secret smile.
Raddock didn’t linger at the afternoon bell. Deardra looked like she might want to stay and have words with Selia, but Raddock practically dragged his sister along with him as he hurried away.
“All right?” Anjy asked. “You look sad.”
“Deardra and Raddock are my friends,” Selia said. “Never meant to hurt them.”
“Ent your fault you don’t want Raddock,” Anjy said.
Or Deardra didn’t want me, Selia thought.
Tensions remained all week, but Raddock and Deardra always left promptly at the bell, and no sooner were they around the bend in the road than Anjy slipped her hand into Selia’s. They were inseparable after that, whether it be chores or the long hours by the hearth in the common, after Edwar and Lory retired. They talked quietly but eagerly, breathless in anticipation of heading to bed together.
Market day came around again and Fern Tanner showed up with her son Harl. The boy looked pale and haggard, with dark circles under his eyes. Was that the look of guilt, or one who had spent a week in the Tanner outhouse for spitting and fighting at school? Was it thoughtlessness or malice that led him to mar the wardpost? The former was punishable, but the latter was . . . monstrous. Selia didn’t want to believe anyone in the Brook capable of such a thing.
Lory went to greet Mrs. Tanner. “Fern, thank you for coming. Harl, wait out here while I speak with your mother. Selia, take the other children inside and start lessons.”
Selia had no choice but to comply, casting a nervous glance at Harl, standing not five feet from Raddock.
Lory and Fern were in the back room for a long time. There were occasional raised voices, too muffled to make out. Fern was red-faced as she left the barn, but a moment later, Harl entered and took a seat with the other children. He looked up at Selia and gave her a dark smile.
Selia turned and saw Raddock enter the barn, face red and twisted. He stormed over to where Deardra was preparing slates and grabbed her hard by the arm. She tried to pull away, but Raddock was larger and stronger, dragging her out the side door to talk privately.
Lory came out of her makeshift office to take over lessons, and Selia hitched up her skirts, hurrying out the side door. Raddock had Deardra against the wall, looming over her. “Let her go, Raddock.”
Raddock looked at her, then shoved Deardra so hard she stumbled and would have fallen if Selia hadn’t rushed to catch her. There was no gratitude in Deardra’s eyes for the save. She shoved Selia just as hard, and the three of them stood glaring at each other as folk began to take note.
“Just a joke to you two, ent I?” Raddock demanded. “Square Girls’ Club, laughing at Raddock behind his back while you . . . you . . .” His face screwed up in disgust.
“Ent like that, Raddock,” Deardra said. “Wanted Selia to marry you as much as any.”
“So you could keep her close?” Raddock demanded. “Shame me whenever I wasn’t about?”
“Ever think for a ripping second that maybe the world don’t revolve around Raddock Fisher?” Selia asked. “Ent so much as brought me flowers, but I’m supposed to fall into your arms because your da talked to mine? Did you ever spare a moment to consider what I might want?”
“I was supposed to guess what you wanted was my sister?”
Deardra crossed her arms. “Not anymore. Harl din’t tell all. She’s cast us both aside for Anjy Watch.”
* * *
Selia and Anjy sat at opposite sides of her father’s table, Jeorje and Edwar between them, facing each other across the polished wood. Neither of the men sat.
Raddock could have shouted the news far and wide. It was market day, and the whole town would have known by sunset. But that would have shamed him, as well. Instead he marched right to Jeorje, who was helping oversee work on the schoolhouse.
“Apologies, Square, for bringing this . . . indecency into your house.” Jeorje’s face was stone.
“You didn’t bring anything,” Selia said.
Jeorje looked at her as though she were a disobedient toddler throwing a tantrum, then turned back to Edwar. “Seems your girl didn’t need much prodding, but that doesn’t mean I don’t share responsibility for bringing temptation to your borough.” He turned a hard glare at Anjy. Her eyes were down, but she wilted under the weight of it, nevertheless. “Thought my granddaughter and I had an understanding about how she was to behave here, but the Canon reminds us wickedness runs deep. Time she was back under my roof, where I can keep my eye on her and the switch to hand.”
Edwar spread his hands, trying to put everyone at ease. “No real harm done here, Watch. Just girls . . .”—he shrugged—“experimenting.”
It was the wrong thing to say. “Experimenting!” Jeorje shouted. “Two marriages ruined, and you call it experimenting! These are women grown, Square, not children who ent been taught better!”
“Then why are you talking to each other and not to us?” Selia demanded. Jeorje threw her that look, but she rose from her seat, giving it back tenfold. “Anjy didn’t ruin my marriage to Raddock. Neither did Deardra. I’m not marrying Raddock because I don’t want to.”
Jeorje pursed his lips, turning back to Edwar. “Heard it right from her lips. Girls don’t know what they want.”
“We’re women grown until we disagree with you,” Selia noted, “then back to girls. I’ve always known what I want, and it ent Raddock Fisher.”
“Well, it won’t be my granddaughter, I can tell you.” Jeorje reached for his hat. “Come along, girl.”
Anjy said nothing, eyes still on the floor, but she rose and followed meekly after her grandfather. Selia reached for her as she passed, but Edwar caught her arm, shaking his head.
Lory blew out a breath when the door shut behind them, turning to Selia. “Why didn’t you just tell us?”
“How could I,” Selia asked, “when you keep telling me it’s time to start a family?”
Lory put her fists on her hips. “Don’t put this on me, girl. Ent the Creator to see all. But you also ent the first young woman who’d rather kiss girls than boys. Doesn’t mean you need to give up on children and family.”
“Just on happiness,” Selia said.
“There’s more to happiness than kissing,” Lory said. “Night, half the time it gets in the way.”
Edwar spread his hands. “Don’t think that’s helping, Lory. Might be best we let this sit for a night. Talk again on the morrow.”
“What does it matter?” Selia pushed away from the table. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going to market.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Lory asked.
Selia shrugged. “Hiding here ent going to fill the bread box. Either everyone knows, and we’ll need to face it, or no one knows, and we’d best act normal.”
It seemed the latter, as Selia walked the stalls. Folk greeted her warmly, filling her basket with bread, milk and cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables, with nary a word for recompense. The Speaker and schoolmam’s family were always provided for by the townsfolk.
She found herself wandering to Bil Square’s stall, but neither he nor his mother were there. She was about to turn away when she heard a thump and a grunt from behind the stall. Selia hurried around to see Bil on the ground, clutching his stomach, Raddock Fisher standing over him.
“What’s going on here?” Selia demanded.
“Told him what would happen,” Raddock said. “What is it about town that turns folk square? First Bil, then you and my filthy sister, now Anjy Watch. Pretty girl like that ought to have suitors lined up. Instead . . .”
“Get on back to work, Bil,” Selia said. Raddock moved to block his path as Bil got to his feet, but Selia interposed herself. “Me you’re angry with, Raddock. Don’t take it out on Bil.”
Raddock looked at her and blew out a breath. “Don’t need to be like this, Selia. Only a few folk know”—he turned a glare on Bil, who shrank back—�
��and they’ll keep quiet. We can still fix this. I’ll have you, even now.”
“Have me?” Selia demanded. “Like I’m some cow with sour milk you’ll take out of the goodness of your heart? Get it through your head, Raddock. I. Don’t. Want. You.”
Raddock glared and balled his bandaged fist. Selia readied herself. This was all his fault. Thinking she was something he could possess, like her hand was owed to him. It was Raddock’s fault Deardra kept her at arm’s length. Raddock’s fault Anjy was gone. She hoped he would take a swing at her, so she could at least have the satisfaction of blacking his eye.
But whether he saw all that in her eyes, or simply thought better of trying to hit the Speaker’s daughter, Raddock took a step back, shaking his fist instead of swinging it.
“You were never a prize, Selia. Face like stone and paps like flatcakes. Da’s money and station were what made you worth marrying. Word gets out, doubt even that’ll be enough.”
Selia slapped him, a loud retort that knocked him back. Anger and humiliation splayed across Raddock’s reddening face. He put a hand to it and hurried out of the marketplace.
“You all right?” Selia asked Bil.
“Was about to ask you,” Bil said. “Folk found out about you and Deardra?”
“You knew?” Selia asked. Night, maybe the whole town did know.
Bil shrugged. “See things, when you look girls in the eye instead of the bubbies. Don’t think anyone else knows. You want, you can use me.”
“Use you?” Selia put her hands on her hips. What new nonsense was this?
“Keep your secret,” Bil said. “Folk see us walking, think you turned down Raddock because you wanted someone else.”
Selia smiled, laying a hand on his shoulder. “Kind of you, Bil, but we both deserve better than that.”
3
The Hive
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Jeph Bales blew out a breath, looking flushed. “Never would’ve guessed that in a hundred years, but it explains a lot.”
“Yes,” Selia said, “and no. Raddock had a swollen head and Jeorje had a harsh view of folk who were different long before my . . . indiscretions.”
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