Page 9 of Hollowed

Bothmen froze, their voices echoing as one. “What?”

Ichabod’ssurprise appeared genuine, butBromwas as good an actor as he was a friend.Whichwas to say, not very.Itshould have irritated me that he had come here looking for some kind of reaction.He’dlikely heard from his father, who sat on theCiallmharcouncil with my parents, but that wasn’t enough drama forBromBones.No, he had to come witness my assured despair and grief over being chosen.

Well, he wouldn’t get it.

Iknew they both heard me, butIrepeated myself anyway, keeping my voice flat and disinterested despite the wild thumping of my heart. “Thespirits have apparently chosen me this year.Myparents informed me this morning.”

“Theysurely cannot mean to sacrifice you,”Ichabodsaid incredulously, his eyebrows shooting up his forehead. “Youare their only child.”

“Ichabod,”Isaid dryly.He, of all people, knew how my parents truly viewed me, and for him to say those words to me was foolish and ill-advised.We’dbeen close once, as children.Ciara,Ichabod, andIhad gone to school together—the quiet outcasts banding together in a pitiful attempt at a friendship that never truly took hold.Buthe knew.Heknew exactly how my parents treated me when they thought no one was listening.He’druined any potential at that friendship last year, andIdoubted he’d be able to repair it in the next five days.Thetruth of my situation was much less sentimental and far more practical than he was pretending, and to deny it under the guise of sentimentality was ignorant. “Weboth know my parents care more for this town than theyevercould for me.”

Hesighed and fell silent, the pity clear on his face.Heknew my words were true and there was nothing he could say that would ease the burden of my newfound situation; nor didIwant him to try.Iknew my situation, andIwas dealing with it the bestIcould—by shoving down my emotions and not letting myself feel them.Butsoon, everyone would look at me with pity and remorse.Iwouldn’t be surprised ifIchabod’sfirst stop after visiting me was to go tell everyone he could find.Hewas one of the town’s biggest gossips, and everyone loved him for it.

Iwent back to sorting through my orders, trying—and failing—to avoid thinking about my impending death.

Ichabodrapped his knuckles against the counter, pulling my attention back up to him.Helooked at me the same way he looked at his often-spooked horse, andIbit the insides of my cheek to keep from curling my lip up at him in response. “Whatare you going to do?”

Pausing,Isighed and set the stack of papers down. “Thereis not muchIcan do.Weall know my parents will not change their mind, andIhave no one to offer to take my place.”

“IsupposeHenrywill want to sell the store?”Bromasked, moving over to the counter next toIchabodand leaning to rest his chin on his fist. “It’swell known he cannot run the shop without you.”

“No,Iwas planning to continue making pottery in the afterlife,”Ireplied dryly, rolling my eyes.WhileIneeded to consider what would happen to the store and toHenrywithout my help,Iwas a bit more concerned with figuring out what would happen to my life. “Yes,IsupposeIwill need to talk withHenryand make a plan to find help for the store.”

“Icould buy it,” he suggested, wiggling his eyebrows at me.

Bromwould be the last personIwould ever trust to take over this store.Hewas luckyHenrywas still in the back, or he would likely have smackedBromacross the back of his head before literallykickinghim out of the shop.He’ddone it before, after all.

“Absolutelynot.”Ishrugged.Hedrew back as ifIhad physically struck him.Iwould rather the store rot into ruins than give it toBrom. “Brom, you are not the type to run a pottery store.You’dlikely die if you got a little clay on your hands.”

“Shehas a point,”Ichabodchimed in, smiling widely.

Bromgrumbled somethingIcould not make out and crossed his arms over his chest.Hesniffed haughtily. “Thenwho isHenryplanning to sell it to?”

“Isuppose that will be up to him, considering it is his shop.Ifhe even decides to sell it,”Isaid, raising an eyebrow. “Butwe have time, considering it has not even been an entire day sinceIfound out about my impending doom.Wehave four more days to figure it out.”

“Ofcourse, you have time,Katrina,”Ichabodmumbled, but loud enoughIcould still hear.Ithelped that he was on my left side, too. “Andwe will assist however you’d like.”

“Katrina, you know, if you truly did not want to marry me, there are much easier ways to get out of it,”Bromteased, as a serene smile found its way back to his face, his previous embarrassment quickly forgotten.

Inarrowed my eyes, trying to keep my temper from bubbling up at his words.Bromnever failed to bring up his failed marriage proposal whenever he could.HeandIchabodhad spent much of the prior summer trying to win my hand, despite me explicitly telling themIwas not interested in marrying anyone… a factBromseemed to repeatedly forget.Ichabodhad at least been interested in romancing me for my personality, whileBromhad clearly only cared about the status he foolishly believedIcould bring him.That, and he was constantly seeking to one-upIchabod.

“Brom,Ialready rejected your proposal, remember?Iwon’t marry anyone unlessIdecide to, and this will not change whetherIam theRoghnaitheor not.”Myjaw ached from how hardIwas clenching it, trying to keep a lid on my frustration with the two men.Mymother had encouraged the engagement toBrom, and whenIhad publicly rejected it,I’dhad to stay in my room for two weeks while the bruised eye she gave me healed.

Butunlike my mother, who seemed able to douse all the fight from my body with a single glance, it wasn’t the same withBromandIchabod.Withthem,Ihad to work to restrain my temper, trying to uphold the propriety and manners expected from me.

“Ichabodhere will not mind,”Brompushed, clapping a hand onIchabod’sshoulder.Ichabodflinched under the rough blow.

Crossingmy arms over my chest,Ifelt fire build in my palms.Iclenched my fists to keep my power from erupting.Burningdown the shop would not bode well for my last act here.

“Now, now, there is no need to get hysterical,” he said, sniffing as he looked down at my hands. “Iwas simply teasing you.”

Teasingor not,Ihad grown tired of this conversation before it even started.EversinceIrejectedIchabodandBrom’smarriage proposals, there had been constant “teasing” from them both.Mostlyit was needling remarks here and there about howIwas only getting older, and howIwould find no one else willing to put up with me for the rest of our practically immortal lives.Ittruly showed how foolish they were for thinking that insulting a woman was the way to get her to agree to marriage.Ipitied the woman who settled down with either of them.

Clearingmy throat,Itried to keep my voice aloof and soft. “IthinkIwould like to be alone, if you both would not mind.”

“Seewhat you have done, you fool?”Ichabodhissed, smackingBrom’sarm.

“Me?”Bromhissed back, once again unable to keep his voice lower than a soft bellow. “Sheis the one being unreasonable.”

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