Page 8 of Deadly Maiden

I nod my reply, not bothering to itemize the household furniture, the stone statues, and various other heavy wedding gifts, wrapped in canvas, cloth and ribbons. It must be a big wedding for someone high tier in the Aos Sin to be transporting that much.

For me to miss spotting all that would be odd, but Landos knows this.Observation, analysis, reaction or conclusionare oft-repeated words from my past lessons with him—my extra lessons, apart from schoolwork. The same three keys were drummed into me in his instructions on weaponry handling and fighting. I may not be good at fighting, or even great, but I learned to stick people where it counts with the pointy end.

I used to fantasize that Landos was an assassin in his previous life. Before me.

“Where are we going?” I skip downward to catch up, dodge a bewhiskered, wide-girthed gentleman carrying a valise who tries to nudge me into the safety railing. My legs have grown, but Landos’s strides are still longer. A servant trots after the gentleman. Neither gives me enough room.

I briefly consider tripping one or the other.

“And?” he insists.

A spot of rain splatters onto my face. My boots touch ground—the weird stuff that doesn’t move.

“It was a wedding, of course. Much ado about becoming chattels to each other.”

He cracks a laugh that etches familiar lines about his mouth, strokes his small, salt-and-pepper beard. My father’s grimness is usually fleeting.

“It might rain.” He looks upward. “Three hours and the town starts moving. Four to sunset.”

We take a right-hand fork in the road that puts us on a heading toward the outskirts of the town. How creepily still is this land. My legs want the subtle thump and rumble of the golems beneath our town. For a few seconds, I’m disorientated.

I breathe in and out, remembering my land legs.

The writing on the mold-blackened sign with the thick directional arrow is barely legible.

GRAVEYARD.

At least it is not nighttime. Apart from the tree limbs and storm clouds dabbing us with shadow, light bathes the graveled road. The ruts to either side would be from the carts bringing coffins and mourners. We are alone—no one in front, and no one follows us. A wedding is the opposite to what we are heading for.

Landos never married. I’m not sure how I would have responded if he had chosen to do that. I value his presence, his love. I’ve seen other fathers, what they do with their children,and he is the best. Despite the lack of blood between us, he’s my father and always will be.

“Why are we going to a graveyard? I’ve helped you craft swords, ploughshares, and nails, but this?”

Helpedis the truth. Though the sword at my hip did suffer some blows from a hammer I wielded, I’ve never been comfortable with the potent fire that is born and coaxed to great heat in the smithy.

Threat lurks in the curls of those slick, orange tongues of flame.

“Are we testing…shovels?” Gods forbid. I am not digging grave holes.

“No.” He hitches his haversack higher on his shoulder. Something inside clinks.

“Today is my birthday, and I’ve no idea why I said that.”

“Because this is your day? Twenty is a significant number, and it does have somewhat to do with that.” He invests that with weightiness.

“What?” I stop for a moment then hurry onward. “I know you’re not giving me a gravestone as a present. Or…apprenticing me to a gravedigger?” That last is actually possible.

Hetut-tuts, shakes his head. “Really? Wyntre, do you believe me so awful?”

I rest my hand on his forearm. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted. Though my heart feels the blow.” Hand on chest, he mock staggers.

I snort at his antics.

My class has completed its schooling. To their dismay, two of my friends have had outsider employment offered to them—arranged by their parents. There are few places left for us to work on Bollingham and other golem towns.Once a gweller, always a gweller is no longer a motto we live and die by.

We.That’s not really me. Sadly. None of my friends were born to outsiders, none came from the Battle of Orish newly bestowed with the orphan label. Parents dead and a mystery. I was lucky Landos found me, but I wish he knew more.

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