I couldn’t abandon Amelia yet. I needed to make sure her people wouldn’t also impale her for having the nerve not to die.
But first, I had to meet her boyfriend.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
We reached a house on the other side of town a little bigger than Amelia’s but constructed along similar lines. All the houses were built from the same materials and had the same sort of look to them.
She knocked firmly on the door. A moment later, a woman opened it. She was about Sela’s age, blonde, with the same air of tired domesticity. She said flatly, “Hello, Amelia.”
“Malmo,” Amelia said. “This is my friend, Aella.”
“Ma’am,” I said with a slight curtsey. Twice in one day. And I thought I’d never use those etiquette lessons.
“Is Connell around? I’d like to speak to him.”
Malmo looked at us both. I was usually pretty good at reading human expressions, but this woman kept everything off her face. At last, she said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Amelia.”
Amelia’s voice shook. “I really need to see him, Malmo.”
“I understand that, but I have to think about my family. What you and your friend did…”
“Is it better to feed people to a big spider than to kill it and let people live?” I said. This provincialism was starting to get on my nerves.
“I don’t think you understand,” the woman said, sad and patient. “What if you’re wrong? What if Lurida Lumo takes his vengeance on us for your actions?”
“Bugs don’t seek vengeance.”
She shook her head wearily. “I’m sorry, Amelia. I can’t let you see him. It was doomed from the start anyway, honey. He’s…well…he’s wrong for you.”
Amelia’s lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. “Please, Malmo. I love him.”
I was embarrassed for her sake and turned away. I spotted Damato leaning casually against a post in apparent conversation with a blacksmith preparing to shoe a horse. He glanced up at me, nodded, then looked away. He knew I knew he was watching.
“Amelia, you’ve never understood Connell. He’s…well…he doesn’t like…” She gave up and shook her head. “He’s out back with his flowers, Amelia. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”
We went around the side of the house. Two little kids, much like Horva and Hatho, hung out a window and stared at us. I guess there wasn’t much else to do here except breed. I smiled at them, which made them duck back inside.
The back of this house was an overgrown garden of flower beds and bushes, and digging in it was a very handsome teenage boy. My heart jumped when I thought for a moment this might be Aaron. By the spleen-venting gods of Dowdry, was I the third side of a triangle with him and my new friend? But no, he was too young. Aaron would be older, more mature, and I had a hard time picturing him working in a garden. He’d been a hunter after all.
And when this boy looked up, I immediately knew Amelia was overlooking the most obvious thing in the world.
“Amelia!” he cried as he jumped to his feet. He wiped dirt on his hands, came over to us, and kissed her on both cheeks. Not the way a boyfriend would. Connell was one of those boys whose affection for girls was entirely sisterly.
And Amelia didn’t know.
She tried to kiss him back on the lips, but he turned away at the last second, a move he’d clearly used many times before. He was certainly a good-looking boy with big eyes, high cheekbones, and an unruly mop of hair that just begged a girl’s fingers to attempt to straighten it. I wondered if even he understood why he didn’t like girls.
“I’m so happy to see you!” he nearly sung. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard they’d taken you in Kelinda’s place. And then when they said you were back…well, I was delighted. You look no worse for the ordeal.” He fluffed at her dress, and she reached for his hand.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she agreed, clasping his hand in both of hers. “Connell, this is Aella, my
But first, I had to meet her boyfriend.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
We reached a house on the other side of town a little bigger than Amelia’s but constructed along similar lines. All the houses were built from the same materials and had the same sort of look to them.
She knocked firmly on the door. A moment later, a woman opened it. She was about Sela’s age, blonde, with the same air of tired domesticity. She said flatly, “Hello, Amelia.”
“Malmo,” Amelia said. “This is my friend, Aella.”
“Ma’am,” I said with a slight curtsey. Twice in one day. And I thought I’d never use those etiquette lessons.
“Is Connell around? I’d like to speak to him.”
Malmo looked at us both. I was usually pretty good at reading human expressions, but this woman kept everything off her face. At last, she said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Amelia.”
Amelia’s voice shook. “I really need to see him, Malmo.”
“I understand that, but I have to think about my family. What you and your friend did…”
“Is it better to feed people to a big spider than to kill it and let people live?” I said. This provincialism was starting to get on my nerves.
“I don’t think you understand,” the woman said, sad and patient. “What if you’re wrong? What if Lurida Lumo takes his vengeance on us for your actions?”
“Bugs don’t seek vengeance.”
She shook her head wearily. “I’m sorry, Amelia. I can’t let you see him. It was doomed from the start anyway, honey. He’s…well…he’s wrong for you.”
Amelia’s lip trembled and her eyes filled with tears. “Please, Malmo. I love him.”
I was embarrassed for her sake and turned away. I spotted Damato leaning casually against a post in apparent conversation with a blacksmith preparing to shoe a horse. He glanced up at me, nodded, then looked away. He knew I knew he was watching.
“Amelia, you’ve never understood Connell. He’s…well…he doesn’t like…” She gave up and shook her head. “He’s out back with his flowers, Amelia. I’m sure he’ll be happy to see you.”
We went around the side of the house. Two little kids, much like Horva and Hatho, hung out a window and stared at us. I guess there wasn’t much else to do here except breed. I smiled at them, which made them duck back inside.
The back of this house was an overgrown garden of flower beds and bushes, and digging in it was a very handsome teenage boy. My heart jumped when I thought for a moment this might be Aaron. By the spleen-venting gods of Dowdry, was I the third side of a triangle with him and my new friend? But no, he was too young. Aaron would be older, more mature, and I had a hard time picturing him working in a garden. He’d been a hunter after all.
And when this boy looked up, I immediately knew Amelia was overlooking the most obvious thing in the world.
“Amelia!” he cried as he jumped to his feet. He wiped dirt on his hands, came over to us, and kissed her on both cheeks. Not the way a boyfriend would. Connell was one of those boys whose affection for girls was entirely sisterly.
And Amelia didn’t know.
She tried to kiss him back on the lips, but he turned away at the last second, a move he’d clearly used many times before. He was certainly a good-looking boy with big eyes, high cheekbones, and an unruly mop of hair that just begged a girl’s fingers to attempt to straighten it. I wondered if even he understood why he didn’t like girls.
“I’m so happy to see you!” he nearly sung. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard they’d taken you in Kelinda’s place. And then when they said you were back…well, I was delighted. You look no worse for the ordeal.” He fluffed at her dress, and she reached for his hand.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” she agreed, clasping his hand in both of hers. “Connell, this is Aella, my
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