Page 14 of Henry & the Dragon
“For your sake, I would hope not. As it stands, I can only surmise that you’ve stolen this cloak from him, and are covering up your crime.” Neron leaned in closer. “How am I to know you didn’t kill this Kai, and dispose of his body in the woods to be eaten by the creatures there?”
Henry wanted to protest, but how could he? If Neron went to the king, and told him his tale, Henry was certainly going to be imprisoned at the very least. He had no proof to refute Neron’s assertion, but the thought of begging Kai to come to town, after he’d made it known he loathed the place, would be asking too much of him.
“Go now, Henry. Find this Kai person.”
“Now? But Master Neron, night has begun to fall.”
“Then give me the cloak, and I will hold it until the morrow.”
There was no option left open to Henry. “I’ll leave now, Master.”
Neron seemed surprised. “Would you not rather wait until first light?”
If it meant giving up the gift Kai had given him, no. “I will leave now.” He held out the basket. “Here is your ghost moss.”
An ugly sneer crossed Neron’s face. “I don’t care about ghost moss! It’s useless to me.” He smacked the basket from Henry’s hands. “As are you. Go forth, if you wish. Be eaten by the creatures of the forest. I care not. If you don’t come back, there will be a new apprentice soon enough.”
And Henry knew this to be a fact. Anyone in town would be grateful for the opportunity, because they did not know what kind of person Neron was. Henry hurried out of the apothecary and beyond the town’s walls. He was headed for the woods, but then realized he needed to see his family first, especially if he was going to die this night. It took longer than he’d hoped. The farm was on the far outskirts of town, nearly two leagues. Theonly time they had made the trip to Innernook was to sell their harvest. Beyond that, they kept to the farm. With little light, the trip took longer than Henry had hoped. When he got there, he could smell the yarr and beetroot cooking, and his stomach clenched. How long had it been since he’d had his mother’s cooking? How long had it been since he’d seen his family?
He opened the door, and smiled as his mother turned and her eyes went wide.
“Henry!” she cried, rushing to him and gathering him in her arms. “Merry! Henry is home.”
A tick later, Meredith appeared from her bedroom. Her stomach was distended, and Henry knew immediately what it was.
“You’re with child?” he asked, tears burning his eyes.
“Aye, brother. I am married to Euric, the current blacksmith. This will be our third child.”
“And I didn’t know.” He put a hand on Meredith’s stomach. “Hello, little one.”
“Oh!” Meredith exclaimed. “I believe he heard you. He kicked. And what do you mean you didn’t know? We sent word after each birth.”
No one had ever informed Henry.
“Where’s father?” he asked, looking around.
Merry turned to mother, then swiped away a tear. “Did you not know?” his mother asked. “Your father died two winters ago. He took ill after running out into the night, claiming the dead were after him. We sent word to town and left it with Neron. Did he not give it to you?”
Anger and frustration boiled within Henry. “No, he most certainly did not. Had he, I would have been here much sooner. I am so sorry, Mother.”
She hugged him, and he put his face into her shoulder. He remembered the scent of viniveer and ekerot so well. It had beenher scent. One that Henry had made for her when he was only a little boy.
“You still wear it,” he whispered.
“It was a gift from my son,” she replied, squeezing tighter. “It was the only thing I had left of him. I use it sparingly because I haven’t much left. One day, that too will be gone.”
“I’m sorry, I—“
“Have said enough,” she insisted, scrubbing a hand over her cheek. “You were only a boy when you went with Neron. You made a very grownup decision to protect your family, and we are grateful for that. Now, however, you should return here, to your home.”
“I cannot. I… I’m in trouble, Mother.”
“What’s wrong?” Meredith asked, sliding a hand over Henry’s back. When he winced and cried out, she grabbed his tunic and lifted it.
“Oh my God,” she whispered. “Henry, what happened?”
He pulled the garment down. “’Tis nothing to concern yourself over, Merry.”
