the ceiling. Unlike the smooth walls in the other Bordonelles chambers, these were now rugged and uneven. Much of the rock had fallen in and lay strewn about the floor.
The light streaming down from the ceiling illuminated a loose strand of Alice’s blond e hair. “Pretty neat, huh?”
“Yeah, but why did you come here to begin with?” Arturus asked.
Alice walked over to the most damaged portion of the wall, found a handhold, and started to climb. “Well, I was thinking of the words of that famous American poet, Cynthia Lauper.”
Arturus loved poetry. “What did she say?”
“Girls just want to have fun.”
He looked at her, bemused, as she clung to the wall and laughed. Her laughter echoed in the small chamber.
He cinched his pack tightly to his shoulders while he mentally worked out a route. The climb looked like it would be pretty easy. He waited for her to get a little higher before beginning to make his way up. He caught up with her after just a moment and passed her quickly.
“Damn, Turi, where’d you learn to climb like that?”
“Galen, he teaches me everything. We headed to the light?”
“Yes, sir! I’m starving, so don’t take your time or anything.”
He made it to the top opening after another minute. The room’s collapse had created a crack which led back into the Kingsriver chamber they had left. There was a small cubbyhole which looked down onto the river. This is where Alice must have meant for them to eat their lunch.
He had to admit that the view from the landing there was beautiful. He looked back down at her. “You want me to lower a rope?”
“Funny.”
He helped her off of the wall and into the opening, again reveling in the closeness of her body. She walked into the cubbyhole and sat down. He watched her chest rise and fall. She wiped the sweat off of her brow and looked up.
“You’re not tired?” she asked.
“No. Galen makes me climb like this all the time.”
She nodded. “Sounds like something he’d do. What’s for lunch?”
He took off his pack and opened it. He had some of the leftovers from Galen’s return meal. He passed her a hungerleaf wrap and a cup of meat pie. She attacked the food. He’d never seen anyone so ravenous. All things considered, he was rather impressed that she had been able to wait so long to get here before starting to eat. He ate sparingly of his own portion, knowing that she would still be hungry when she had finished hers. It didn’t take her long. She didn’t offer any objection when he offered her his leftovers.
She drank his canteen dry after she had finished.
I should have brought more than just a snack. It was probably just enough to make her truly hungry.
“Been tough in the village,” she apologized.
“I know.”
She held up her satchel and opened the flap that had the white cat on it. “But look what I got.”
Inside was a small clay jar, fired in Kylie’s Kiln. She pulled out a knife and worked off the corking. Arturus leaned forward to see what was inside.
“Take a whiff,” she said.
The smell burned his nose. “Bloodwater?”
She smiled.
“I’ve never had that before. Isn’t it illegal for young people to drink that in the old world?”
She shook her head. “Turi, we’re not in the old world anymore. Hell, you weren’t ever in it. But Rick and Galen won’t be mad. Hell heals all wounds, you know? No way you can get drain bramage.”
“Drain bramage?”
She winked at him and took a sip. The clay jar was almost empty, but the stuff was probably worth as much as the food Arturus had shared.
She made sure to bring something that would be a fair trade. It couldn’t have been easy for her. She’s a good person.
She offered him the jar. Still somewhat dubious, he placed the jar to his lips and tilted it back. He had to tilt it farther than he expected, so that when he did get the bloodwater he got a mouthful instead of a sip. The liquid was bitter, sweet in an unpleasing way, and it burned in
The light streaming down from the ceiling illuminated a loose strand of Alice’s blond e hair. “Pretty neat, huh?”
“Yeah, but why did you come here to begin with?” Arturus asked.
Alice walked over to the most damaged portion of the wall, found a handhold, and started to climb. “Well, I was thinking of the words of that famous American poet, Cynthia Lauper.”
Arturus loved poetry. “What did she say?”
“Girls just want to have fun.”
He looked at her, bemused, as she clung to the wall and laughed. Her laughter echoed in the small chamber.
He cinched his pack tightly to his shoulders while he mentally worked out a route. The climb looked like it would be pretty easy. He waited for her to get a little higher before beginning to make his way up. He caught up with her after just a moment and passed her quickly.
“Damn, Turi, where’d you learn to climb like that?”
“Galen, he teaches me everything. We headed to the light?”
“Yes, sir! I’m starving, so don’t take your time or anything.”
He made it to the top opening after another minute. The room’s collapse had created a crack which led back into the Kingsriver chamber they had left. There was a small cubbyhole which looked down onto the river. This is where Alice must have meant for them to eat their lunch.
He had to admit that the view from the landing there was beautiful. He looked back down at her. “You want me to lower a rope?”
“Funny.”
He helped her off of the wall and into the opening, again reveling in the closeness of her body. She walked into the cubbyhole and sat down. He watched her chest rise and fall. She wiped the sweat off of her brow and looked up.
“You’re not tired?” she asked.
“No. Galen makes me climb like this all the time.”
She nodded. “Sounds like something he’d do. What’s for lunch?”
He took off his pack and opened it. He had some of the leftovers from Galen’s return meal. He passed her a hungerleaf wrap and a cup of meat pie. She attacked the food. He’d never seen anyone so ravenous. All things considered, he was rather impressed that she had been able to wait so long to get here before starting to eat. He ate sparingly of his own portion, knowing that she would still be hungry when she had finished hers. It didn’t take her long. She didn’t offer any objection when he offered her his leftovers.
She drank his canteen dry after she had finished.
I should have brought more than just a snack. It was probably just enough to make her truly hungry.
“Been tough in the village,” she apologized.
“I know.”
She held up her satchel and opened the flap that had the white cat on it. “But look what I got.”
Inside was a small clay jar, fired in Kylie’s Kiln. She pulled out a knife and worked off the corking. Arturus leaned forward to see what was inside.
“Take a whiff,” she said.
The smell burned his nose. “Bloodwater?”
She smiled.
“I’ve never had that before. Isn’t it illegal for young people to drink that in the old world?”
She shook her head. “Turi, we’re not in the old world anymore. Hell, you weren’t ever in it. But Rick and Galen won’t be mad. Hell heals all wounds, you know? No way you can get drain bramage.”
“Drain bramage?”
She winked at him and took a sip. The clay jar was almost empty, but the stuff was probably worth as much as the food Arturus had shared.
She made sure to bring something that would be a fair trade. It couldn’t have been easy for her. She’s a good person.
She offered him the jar. Still somewhat dubious, he placed the jar to his lips and tilted it back. He had to tilt it farther than he expected, so that when he did get the bloodwater he got a mouthful instead of a sip. The liquid was bitter, sweet in an unpleasing way, and it burned in
Similar Books
