The Last Sin Eater by Francine Rivers

at me for a long moment. I could feel her eyes on my back. She got up quietlike and went outside to sit in Granny’s chair. She stayed there the rest of the evening, just staring up at the darkening sky. I was in bed long before she came back in.
    Head covered with Granny’s quilt, I could hear her moving about while Papa snored. She went to bed once and then got up again. I could hear her moving things about on the shelves and wondered if she was counting the jars and cans again, wondering how much else I might have stole. I burrowed down deeper.
    “Cadi?”
    I sjpgened, but it was no use pretending I was sleeping. I drew the quilt down slightly, afeared of what more she would have to say to me.
    “Take ’em.” She put the jar of preserves next to me. “I want ye to have ’em.” Her voice broke softly. She stood a moment longer. Reaching out, she made to touch me and then withdrew again, padding back to bed.
    Come morning, I put the jar of preserves back in the cemetery.

S E V E N

    Brogan Kai and two of his older sons came to talk with Papa. I shucked corn on the porch while Mama sat inside, spinning. She had heard the hound barking and asked me what was wrong. Once told, she went back to her own thoughts, not plagued by curiosity. Like it was most days, her mind was elsewhere. Somewhere in the past, I reckoned, where Elen still lived.
    Fagan’s father was the fiercest looking man I ever seen. He had dark hair and eyes, and he was taller than Papa by a head and built thick and hard. Just seeing him put fear in most people, and Cleet and Douglas took after him. I wondered how Fagan dared defy his father, being small by comparison to the rest of his clan. Fagan had blue eyes like his mother. Iwan said once that Fagan was like a falcon born into a nest of eagles.
    All three Kais shouldered guns that morning. I figured they were out hunting again. They were always hunting. Once a year, they took pelts outside our highland valley, though they never seemed to come back the richer for it.
    I found it disturbing they talked so long to Papa. Kai men were not much for visiting. The only time you ever saw them all together was when someone had died and they came to pay their respects.
    Or when there was trouble.
    I reckoned the latter by Papa’s stance. Soon as the Kais left, Papa came up to the house. “There’s a stranger in our highlands, Cadi. If ye see him, get away. Hear me?”
    “Yes, Papa, but why?” I hoped he could put my fears in words, but he glowered at me.
    “Don’t be asking why. Just do like you’re told. Ye’ve shucked enow. Go on and play. But stay close, ye hear? Your mama will call ye back when she’s ready.”
    He could have just said straight out he wanted to talk to Mama without me around to eavesdrop. Setting the bowl aside, I went down the steps, making to leave. Soon as he went inside, I darted around and squatted beneath the window Mama always left open while she spun. I had to know what the Kais had said about the man of God. I was willing to take whatever came, even a lashing and dark hours in the woodshed if need be.
    “An outsider’s come,” I heard Papa saying. “The Kai says the mon’s camping in the center of the valley by the river and claims he’s come in the name of the Lord.”
    The click of her spinning wheel didn’t stop. “What would God want with us?” I could hear the bitterness in her voice, as clear as her laughter had once been.
    Papa didn’t say nothing for a minute, then went on.“The Kai says he’s crazy. Talks about all of us being rotten and needing redemption. The Kai says to stay away from him.”
    It seemed an odd warning since Mama never ventured down the hill anymore. She couldn’t bear to go near the river or even look at it. It didn’t seem likely she’d be crossing it to listen to some stranger from the outside world.
    “If he’s dangerous, why don’t they run him out now?”
    “Brogan’s given the mon the word and time to think on it.