by Colt, K. J.
‘Father wants to keep me away from school,’ Frooby said. ‘He thinks I am always catching illnesses from the other children.’
‘He can’t do that. You love school.’
He smiled, grabbed a spare blanket, and put it between him and the floor. ‘I’ve only got one year left, and I can borrow books and learn here.’
‘What about Emala?’
‘Father does not like her.’
I became angry, which produced a senseless idea. ‘Come and live with me then.’
‘Dear Adenine, the outside air makes me cough. It dries my lungs. It’s excruciating. I cannot leave the house. And besides, Father would look for me. I’d have to give up school altogether, which would make me miserable.’
‘Then promise you’ll visit in the summer.’ I knew that Klawdia and I couldn’t stay at the shack for long, and once spring came we’d leave, but I allowed myself to ignore the hard truth of reality. As a healer, I’d always be hunted.
‘Of course. I’ll want to see what kind of a home you’ve made for yourself. Your mother will be sad to lose you.’
I gritted my teeth. ‘It’s either that or Meligna.’
The door to the bedroom suddenly opened. The maid stood frozen in place, eyes locked on mine. Slowly, her body seemed to inflate while her features contorted.
‘Get out! Devil child! Golden whore! Witch! Get out!’
I panicked upon seeing that the only quick exit was the stairs beyond where the maid stood. I dashed past her.
‘Adenine, stop!’ Frooby yelled.
The maid managed to slap me across the head as I passed. I made it to the front door and yanked it open. I had forgotten my blindfold. My vision went white. I closed my eyes, but the white spots remained.
‘Blind girl. Lying to us all. You’re a golden whore! Everyone will know. Everyone!’ the maid shouted behind me.
My heart pounded as I stumbled away from the house. I stopped my racing thoughts by counting my steps from the farmhouse and concentrated on the road underneath my feet. I listened to the sounds of the town. Slowly, the white blotches faded from the edges of my vision.
‘Get to Klawdia’s,’ I said over and over, trying to encourage myself through my tripping and falling. While I could see some of the land before me, the centre of my vision was still coated with white. I brought my hand to my eyes. They ached from the glare. At Klawdia’s house, I banged loudly on her door.
‘Adenine,’ she said, opening the door. ‘I was about to visit you at home.’
I pushed past her, but when I looked back, I was startled by how blue her eyes were. They were the colour of a cloudless summer sky, and her hair was in long plaits that reached to the rim of her pants, and indeed, her tresses were a fiery, deep red. The black outlines of her lashes were all that separated the whites of her eyes from her white, snow-coloured skin.
‘Gold,’ she said, staring into my eyes.
‘Blue,’ I replied, looking into hers.
‘What is it?’ she asked, frowning.
‘Frooby is sick. I had to see him. And the mayor, he visited the house today. Mama admitted to him that I’m a healer.’ I rubbed my eyes, trying to make the spots go away.
‘You should have worn a blindfold.’
‘I did. It’s at Frooby’s house.’
‘You left it there?’
‘Not on purpose.’
She guided me to a chair and closed the front door. ‘What happened?’ Klawdia had lovely, straight teeth and a petite mouth. A brush of red bloomed on her cheeks.
I put my head into my hands. ‘The maid. She came in and saw me. She saw my eyes, screamed at me, and chased me out of the house like I was some sort of vermin.’
‘I warned you to be careful.’
‘I was going to, but my blindfold came off. He’s my friend.’
Klawdia stood and gathered things. ‘I went to the hill shack today. The property is overgrown, but deserted. We should leave for there immediately.’
The sincerity in her eyes and passion in her voice persuaded me into believing that she cared after all. She at least cared about getting revenge on the Queens, and maybe helping me was a way to make up for all those girls she’d stolen from their homes.
‘Adenine.’ She shook my arm. ‘The rumours will spread swiftly and the people won’t hesitate to visit your home. They’ll either want a healing or to drive you out. Imagine people full of fear and desperation. You’ll never be safe here again.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
BEFORE WE LEFT, KLAWDIA GATHERED her hunting bow, a quiver full of arrows, a dagger, a sword, and a knapsack.
‘The mayor will use the support of the people to his advantage.’ She threw a strip of leather at me.
In an attempt to catch it, my hands flayed in an uncoordinated manner. The material fell to the floor. I bent to pick it up.
Klawdia looked dismayed. ‘You can’t catch?’
‘I’ve been blind for three years,’ I snapped.
‘Never mind that. Just use that for a blindfold.’ Klawdia decorated her body with the various weapons. A knife went into her boot, the bow hugged her back, and her sword was sheathed at her side. With one hand, she held both the quiver—which had long, sharp spikes on the bottom—and her bag.
‘What’s going to happen?’ I asked, gawking at the weapons.
‘This is precaution. Let’s go.’
As we left her house, she lodged an object between the door and doorframe.
‘What are you doing?’
‘If this piece of wood has fallen, it means someone has entered my house. We’re going that way.’ She pointed toward the left of the houses that framed the village square.
Klawdia walked out onto the road ahead. She looked to the left and then to the right, then gestured for me to follow her. I went down the two steps at the end of her porch and tied the blindfold over my eyes. The leather material was solid and blocked my vision. While I could see underneath, I couldn’t see ahead.
‘Klawdia, you need to guide me. I can’t see.’
She walked back to me, and I held her arm.
Several townsfolk passed us. They said nothing and neither did Klawdia. It must have looked strange to them that she was wearing so many weapons and leading a blind girl. Weapons weren’t that uncommon, as I had recently discovered. The soldiers in Borrelia always held swords and daggers and other men had bows and quivers on their bodies. It was Klawdia’s flaming red hair that made her threatening. But luckily, she’d covered that with a cloak.
‘We turn here,’ she said.
We wound through a shadowy alley until the ground became muddy grass.
‘Take that off,’ she said, tapping my forehead.
I untied the blindfold. We were standing in my backyard. She entered the house, telling me to wait. I heard urgent voices inside, then the snap of a door latch. Klawdia appeared, gesturing for me to enter.
‘Adenine,’ Mother cried, and wheeled her chair towards me. ‘The mayor was here, and Healer Euka. They want—’
‘Me to go to Meligna,’ I finished for her. ‘I heard the conversation.’
‘Jemely said you were outside, and we feared the worst when we couldn’t find you. Where did you go?’
‘To see Klawdia.’
‘I had a letter from Mr. Corgastor. He’s agreed to the sale and will visit tomorrow. I’m worried the council will halt the sale of the property given our predicament.’
‘Hm,’ Klawdia said. ‘Let’s hope Mayor Vawdon is so preoccupied with Adenine that he overlooks it. He won’t inspect the property so close to winter’s deep snowfalls. I bring bad news.’
I swallowed and looked at my boots. It had been irresponsible of me to keep the blindfold off at Frooby’s house. But he’d been so happy to see me. Looking into his eyes, having him accept me, had made me feel good about myself. Maybe other people could learn to like me as Frooby had.
‘Oh, no. What’s happened now?’ Mother asked.
‘You tell
her, Adenine,’ Klawdia said.
‘I-I saw Frooby.’
‘You saw that sick boy? I don’t like the fact you’re friends with him. He’s older than you, and if he knew what you were, he might try to…’ Mother put a hand up to her face and closed her eyes.
‘What, Mama?’
‘Force himself on you.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked. ‘Just because I’m a healer doesn’t mean all men want to lay with me.’
‘Not lay, rape,’ she clarified, but I was only more confused.
‘Stop. Both of you.’ Klawdia said irritably.
‘What does rape mean?’ I asked.
‘When a man forces himself on you,’ she said. ‘They don’t always need the excuse of you being a healer.’
I realised at that moment that a man might have hurt Mother once, and my heart swelled with compassion.
Jemely came downstairs. ‘Adenine. You’re well!’ She hugged me. ‘That mayor was here talkin’ about forcing you to have your eyes unstitched.’
I smiled, but my eyes were still locked on Mother’s. ‘It happened to you then?’
She turned away.
Jemely screwed her face up and glanced at Capacia. ‘Eh? What’s this?’
‘Mother thinks Frooby will rape me.’
Jemely laughed heartily. ‘Got a little crush on him, have you? But honestly… Frooby? Rape?’ She laughed some more. ‘That colt’s as frail as a snail shell. Can no more lift his spoon to eat his breakfast than pull down his pants and hold down a fighter girl like Adenine. He’d break in two just getting on her.’
‘Oh, hush, Jemely!’ Mother said, glaring at her. Jemely stopped chuckling. ‘Look, I admit to not knowing the boy, but you must be cautious with men, Adenine.’
Klawdia nodded. ‘I agree. Frooby is one who you can trust—but others will try to persuade you to heal them. Even wives, desperate enough, may try to get you to heal their husbands. Daughters will try for their fathers, and sisters for brothers. Your abilities make you a target, and since the Meligna Queens are hated by southerners, you’ll be seen as one of them. And with the whole town knowing—’
‘What do you mean the whole town knows?’ Mother cried. ‘I wager that Mayor Vawdon did something, didn’t he? I’ve known that man his entire life. I’ll give him my harshest opinion if need be.’
‘That would be unwise, Capacia,’ Klawdia said.
‘Yeah, he’s already said you have to cooperate,’ Jemely reminded Mother.
‘Then it’s to do with that boy. Don’t tell me you showed him your eyes.’ Mother asked.
‘His maid saw. It was a mistake. Honest.’
‘I thought you were clever,’ Mother said, throwing her hands in the air.
Klawdia shook her head. ‘The townspeople will make this a personal issue. Adenine should hide out at my house until night time. You’ll tell the mayor that Adenine has run away. He can’t blame you for that.’ Klawdia took out a knife, tossing it from hand to hand. ‘Jemely,’ she said, pointing the knife at her, ‘you stay here, and if anything happens to Capacia, you come to the hill shack. Capacia, do you have some parchment and ink?’
‘Yes. Over there near my inventories.’ Mother pointed at her desk.
Klawdia stood and searched the table. After finding an ink pot, quill, and one rolled rectangle of parchment, she came back to our gathered group. She dipped the quill in the ink and wrote with long strokes on each side of the paper: North. West. East. South.
‘Do you understand maps?’
‘Of course I do. I’m not an idiot,’ Jemely said.
‘Here…’ Klawdia drew small symbols that looked like little houses. And then she drew mountains around the houses. To the left, she made a long mark with little squiggles. ‘This is the river; here is Borrelia and the mountains. This is how you get to the hill shack.’ She drew a new picture of a road going north from Borrelia that connected with the main road leading to Meligna. ‘You travel up this for one and half hours. You will turn into the bushes on your right. Find a fence. Jump that fence and walk directly east. There’s a wide creek, and beyond that is the shack at the base of a mountain.’
‘I think I know that. Did a bit of exploring in my younger days.’
‘Oh, you’re so old, Jemely,’ Mother said, rolling her eyes.
That looked funny to me, and I giggled.
Jemely pointed at Mother. ‘Hey, I’m nineteen. Most girls I know have children.’
‘Concentrate,’ Klawdia ordered.
Someone knocked on the front door, and all four of us froze. Klawdia crouched and slinked towards the entrance. She went to a nearby window dressed in white drapes, peeled the curtains back, and peered outside. After a moment, she unlatched the door, opened it, and yanked Varago towards her. He tripped over her boot and nearly fell to the floor. She slammed the door again, relocking it.
‘No need to make an old man fly about the room,’ he said, brushing himself off.
‘There’s a problem,’ Klawdia said, and stormed away from him after giving a brief but stern glare.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘There always is.’
Mother relayed the story about Healer Euka and the mayor’s visit.
‘We’re wasting time,’ Klawdia said. ‘Adenine, go upstairs and fill a bag with clothes and footwear. Get some flint, a couple of rabbits, preserves, bread, spices, chalk, and soap. I can hunt with my bow, and I have a few other items to keep us alive and fed for a while.’
‘What about Butter?’ I asked.
‘He’ll be safe with me,’ Mother said.
‘Yes, Capacia will look after him until he has recovered,’ Klawdia agreed.
I went upstairs and checked on Butter. He was asleep near the hearth. His ears perked up at my approach, and he lifted his head and panted at me. Life had returned to his eyes, and he wagged his tail and stood on shaky legs.
‘Greetings, my little snow angel,’ I said, scratching him behind the ears. He was getting so big that his head reached my own when I crouched. He licked my face and nuzzled me.
‘I’ll be back soon. You just keep getting better, all right?’ I hugged him and led him back to his bed. I patted the soft deer hide, encouraging him to lie down. He did, closing his eyes and sighing through his nose, blowing dust along the floor.
I left him to gather the items Klawdia had requested. I could hear strained voices downstairs and knew Mother was giving Klawdia a lecture on taking care of me. Klawdia didn’t appreciate being told what to do and was barely tolerating Mother’s harassment.
I made sure to grab some extra cloth from the storeroom and threw the coarse piece of leather Klawdia had given me to the ground. After fashioning a new blindfold with the thin black material, I scaled the attic stairs. I collected my clothes and went to the kitchen to gather food. There were sweet cakes and sugared goodies on the benches. I put every one of them into small pouches. The leather knapsack was full when I was done.
After taking one more look around the house, I made my way back down the stairs. A loud banging at the front door scared me so much I almost fell.
There were thumps and shuffles, then Klawdia appeared at the bottom of the stairs. ‘Adenine, hurry up. It’s Frooby’s father, Derkal. He’s brought the mayor with him.’
My heart raced. Klawdia yanked the knapsack out of my hands and plonked it at the back door.
‘Capacia! Open up!’ the mayor yelled.
‘Adenine, push that blindfold up. I want to look into your eyes,’ Mother said, and I obeyed. A tear rolled down her face. ‘Don’t ever get caught, you hear me? You do everything you can to stay out of sight. And Klawdia, you better damn well protect her.’
‘I love you,’ I said to Mother. I pulled the material back down over my eyes, and Mother gathered me up in a hug and kissed my cheek.
Klawdia and I barrelled out through the back door. We paused only to check for soldiers watching the house and then sprinted down a dirt road leading directly north out of town. My chest ached,
and my lungs felt as if they would burst. When the muscles in my legs seized, I collapsed onto a grassy patch alongside the road.
‘Adenine, get up. We must keep going.’
‘How much further?’ I asked.
‘Another hour yet.’
‘Of running?’ I groaned.
Klawdia’s eyes were fixated on the road, on the forest, on the sky. She was watching and listening as if she were a predator calculating her next move. ‘The day is closing. See how the angle of the sun changes? See how the birds flutter about looking for their last scrap of food? And there are no scurrying ants.’ She dug the toe of her boot into the ground. ‘The day animals are making way for the night ones. You must read nature, for very soon, your life may depend on it.’ She frowned and searched through her bag. ‘Here.’ She handed me a dagger.
‘Why do I need this?’
‘The shack is at the base of the Borrelia mountain range, amongst thick forest. There are bears, wolves, and lions. As the snowtimes set in, the animals grow desperate for food. Unlike people, predators hunt because it is their nature. Now, when you use a dagger, you thrust it like this.’
She stood with her legs slightly apart and bent her knees, shoulders and feet aligned. She turned her body to the side. And then she lunged. The movement was quick and startling, and I heard the blade whoosh past my ear.
‘You see. This,’ she said, patting her legs, ‘makes you sturdy, like a rock. Try to push me over.’
I shoved her several times. When she didn’t budge, she grinned.
‘See?’ Her eyes flashed like blue flames. ‘Now, grip your dagger like this. Point it outwards and lunge forward like I showed you.’
I did as she asked and imagined my blade going into the neck of a bear, or the body of someone attacking me. But I didn’t like the thoughts at all, and I felt frightened at the idea of having to defend myself.
‘You hesitate. No fear, Adenine. No fear.’ She replaced the dagger in her boot, looked me up and down, and threw her bag over her shoulder. ‘Let’s keep going.’