CHAPTER 7
Beth tucked her hair under her cap, whatever didn’t go into the hole at the back of it. Finally she was getting trained. She didn’t care what it was, just so she was working towards doing something helpful. Useful.
She’d been thinking about what she could do with her expertise. If she had access to the right stuff, she could do quite a bit. For one, she’d like to make digital maps of all the waterways. She’d hoped she could talk to 8-Bit to see what he thought of her ideas, maybe connect her with the necessary equipment to accomplish that. Then she could make applications for The Twelve and there wouldn’t be a single place in the swamps that they couldn’t get to at any time.
She could stand to have that app, that’s for sure.
She headed out the back door toward the boat docks where Sahvrin said to meet him at seven o-clock sharp. He’d gotten up at five that morning and he insisted she sleep in. As in ordered it. Said she should get used to more of those, he planned to train her in submission outside the bedroom. She could handle it. If she could submit to Professor Lemmaire, she could submit to anybody.
At the dock, she looked around, seeing Lucas.
“Morning, Miss Beth,” he called, waving with a smile and the usual no shirt. She spotted Zep and Katrina at another boat past Sahvrin’s.
“Where’s Sahvrin?” she asked, stopping at his boat.
“Oh, he had to go run some errands and asked if I would get you started.”
Aw. “Okay,” she said, angling her head at him, blocking the morning sun with a hand. “What we doing?”
“Not sure,” he said, digging in his back pocket and pulling a paper out. “He gave me this when he left, told me to give it to you.”
She took it and opened the paper.
Morning Ma Belle Eveque. Hope you slept well. You’ll be training in diplomacy today. Katrina will need to pull her weight in this upcoming war, but I don’t trust her. I’ll need you to take her under your wing and find a job for her that doesn’t involve sensitive information. Food preparation, gardens, animals, domestic chores that are necessary and time consuming. I want her too busy to cause trouble. And watch her and Zep. And Lucas and Savvie. I trust them as far as I can see them, and I never see them lately.
I also want you to spend an hour a day in the sauna so you can get used to swamp humidity. I hope this isn’t all too much. I’ll reward you tonight, but only if you manage all your tasks. Yes, I’m using our BDSM rules. I consider it a strange blessing that the rules seem to directly serve everything we’re trying to accomplish in a short time.
Don’t forget to eat properly.
Drink plenty of water.
Don’t get too much sun.
P.S. I”m sure you”re aware that The Twelve think a woman can”t handle the work that comes with the job. I”m not going to try to convince them otherwise and I don”t want you trying to impress anybody. If you can”t do something, then don”t do it. We”re not all cut out for every job there is.
You”re my angel and I’m always rooting for you.
Love,
Your Eveque
She smiled at that last line then remembered Katrina. God. He was right about trusting her. She didn’t either.
“You need any help?”
She looked up at Lucas. “If I do, I’ll call you. I have your number on speed dial.” She eyed him, remembering her Eveque’s request to watch him and Savvie. “What are you up to today?”
“I got my own list of chores. School, school, and more school,” he said with a stern look, maybe imitating Sahvrin. It was cute and she laughed.
“What’s Savvie up to today?”
“We’re meeting after…” he presented his hand to her.
“School,” she said, grinning.
“You got it. Which is at three, except he gave me extra work?”
“I got a pretty good list myself. I have to train Katrina,” she whispered.
“What?” he wondered, glancing over his shoulder then back at her, curious.
“He wants her to pull her weight that’s all. I’m just going to get with her and come up with a simple routine.”
His brows rose. “Good luck. You’d think she’s royalty the way she does nothing,” he barely mouthed. “Mah-Mah is pissed.”
“Oh no,” Beth said.
“Well, the school won’t do itself,” he announced in that same mocking deep voice, as he headed down the dock.
Beth went over the paper again, looking for leading ideas in the list. How was she supposed to approach her about this? She went for her phone in her back pocket then stopped. Didn’t want to need his help so soon over something so little. He needed somebody who could handle problems and solve them. That was her.
She put the note in her back pocket and made her way to the boat where Zep and Katrina were. “Morning,” she called.
They giggled and she saw Zep touch her breast and she laughed.
“Hello, Katrina?”
“Yes?” she called, like Beth had been standing there nagging her all day.
“I need to talk to you about some things?”
“Yeah, I’ll be around later.”
“Well, I really needed to talk to you first thing.”
“Seriously?” she heard her mutter.
“Saint Sahvrin’s queen is summoning you,” she heard Zep say with a low laugh.
Great. Did they both hate her?
Beth found herself facing a grown woman with an attitude of a rebellious sixteen-year-old. “So…I was hoping you and I could go over some things that need doing around the homestead, come up with a routine for the cleaning and animals and whatever homesteading chores that need doing?”
She stared at Beth with a smile then busted out laughing. “Did Bishop tell you to do this?”
“No,” she said, her smile fading at hearing her call him that. “Mah-Mah did.” Beth added her smile back. “She expressed to me that she expects us to pull our weight and I told her we’d be happy to.”
She cocked her hip and angled her head. “First of all, Mah-Mah would never open her mouth to you about that. To me, yes. And second, I’m not your child. I have money, I can pay for maid service. Are you available?”
“Well, as a family, it’s important—”
Katrina rolled her eyes and walked off, leaving Beth’s mouth open mid-sentence. She glanced back at a suddenly busy Zep and headed down the pier, her hand itching to reach for her phone. “What a bitch,” she muttered.
Diplomacy, huh? And how did you teach that to a putan? Beth made her way back to the house. She wouldn’t be asking, she’d be figuring it out. Because she was a problem solver. A right hand. She’d given Katrina a chance to work with her and she turned it down. Beth would create the chore list for her, and she wouldn’t get a say.
She decided to get with the one individual that would likely be able to help her the most.
“There you are,” Beth said, finally finding Mah-Mah in the chicken coop.
She turned her bright blue eyes and smile at her. “Well, good morning you gorgeous child,” Mah-Mah greeted, holding a hen. “You been lookin’ for me?”
“I was hoping to find the lady running the factory.”
“Oh calm down, Mr. Brady,” Mah-Mah said to the rooster. “We all know you’re the cock of the walk here. Shoo, shoo.”
“Oh!” Beth gasped when it ran at her.
“Kick em!”
Beth did and he charged her worse, sending her running behind Mah-Mah.
“That fiet putan!” she muttered, grabbing the rake against the wall, and jabbing at him. “You gotta fight em,” she said, charging now with a yell, chasing him into the chicken yard. “No way around it, he does what he’s designed to do. Come on!” she challenged, running after him. “You big cock-a-doodle-doo.” Beth laughed at how he kept coming back at her when she’d turn, sending Mah-Mah in pissed pursuit again. The last time, she caught him, and Beth tensed as she watched her carry him back.
“There,” she said, huffing and petting him. He pecked her hand and she grabbed him by the neck and spun him around in the air till his squawks were no more.
“You killed him?” Beth half realized as she returned with the dangling bird.
“I did,” she said, sounding a little sorry. “He had it coming. I thought he’da calmed down by now, but he’s gone and gotten worse. Can’t have no eye-gouging rooster on my farm. They’ll blind a child and I’m not havin” that shit. He’ll make a good stew and I’ll eat him with nods of reverence.”
Beth”s mouth still hung open. “That’s so sad,” she said, feeling responsible.
“Sha-peechay, that”s farm life.” She tossed the dead rooster to the side and got back to gathering eggs.
“You need any help?” Beth asked, tearing her eyes from the royal guard she felt like she”d just killed.
“You can help gather the eggs, mah baby, that’d be wonderful.”
Beth smiled at the Mah-Baby term as she looked around for something to put the eggs in. “Now I see why you always have an apron.”
“Use what you got. Hands, pockets, bra.” Her loud tinkly laugh put smiling bubbles in Beth’s tummy as she went about doing just that.
“I was hoping to talk to you about some things,” Beth said.
“Ohhhh, meh, tell me what you got?”
Beth smiled, loving every word Mah-Mah spoke. “So, Sahvrin is…wanting me to…well, actually I’m wanting me to.” Mah-Mah turned with eager expectancy as Beth stumbled on words. “There’s a lot to do around the farm and there’s the…I don’t like calling it a war—”
“The Bat-tie?”
“Yes, the uh, Bat-tie,” she said, smiling.
“You want to help how you can, sha?”
“Yes, that’s what I’m trying to say. But not just me, I want everybody to pull their weight. The women, particularly. Obviously not you, you pull too much weight, I’d like to even things out, maybe even give you a break.”
The laugh this got from her was downright contagious. “Sha peechay,” she said, wiping her eyes after a bit. “I needed that.”
Dear, how long had it been since she’d taken a break?
“I’m one of these that don’t do breaks,” she said, turning back to gathering eggs. “I love the farm, this isn’t work for me this is life and living. And I love every minute of it. Meh, you can’t take that from me.”
“Oh,” Beth said, a little amazed with that mindset but loving it. “Maybe you can teach me then? And I can teach Savvie and Katrina or help with that so they can be a part of it. Like…”
Beth trailed off when Mah-Mah went back to laughing. She walked over to Beth, her apron pockets full and leaned, kissing her cheek. “Une si bonne fille,” she cooed with a happy smile.
“I need to learn French.”
“I said such a good daughter. I’m very blessed to have you, we all are. And I can’t wait to meet your sister! But Katrina…” She shook her head, her lips a hard line before she cut mean eyes at Beth. “I don’t want that putan touching anything of mine. Meh no,” she added with a light certainty, maybe at seeing Beth’s disappointment.
“What about just…your least favorite chores? I think she should pull her weight,” Beth said, following her out the coop, eggs in her overall pockets and hands. “And so does Sahvrin. I mean…he asked me to do this.”
Mah-Mah paused and turned at that with raised brows. “Did he.” She went back to walking and Beth followed.
“I’m…in training you know,” Beth said, wondering how to get her to understand there was more to this. “I get to choose if I’ll serve with Sahvrin with The Twelve or be…”
“His wife at home?” she said, glancing at her as she went.
Beth tried to see how Mah-Mah felt about it, worried. “Yes.”
“And what do you want to do? There can be no wrong answer, both are important to him.”
She nodded as she kept up. “That’s what he said.”
“And don’t let anybody sway that decision, it’s yours to make and only you.”
“The Twelve don’t think—”
“Ha!” she shot out. “Don’t believe a word of it. Those men all need to get laid,” she muttered. “The celibacy rule wasn’t my idea, you can be sure of that.”
The sudden turn in conversation was too good to pass up. “Who’s was it?”
“Who do you think?”
“Sahvrin?”
Mah-Mah stopped again, and Beth did too, looking at her. “That was Big Bishop. But he did it for Little Bishop. To protect him. He was in a bad-bad way from that putan. I still can’t believe he Bat-tied for her.”
“What…what does that mean?” She had to walk run to keep up now.
“Awww, sha, he was so young, I think sixteen and was so-so blind. He Bat-tied with Big Ass who liked her, to prove his love.”
“He Bat-tied for that?”
“Oh meh, weh. Cajuns love to Bat-tie for everything. You can’t solve a problem, you Bat-tie it out. They do this still to this day. It’s like swamp soap opera. You’re famous if you make the monthly Bat-tie listing.
“Monthly Bat-tie listing?”
“Meh weh, sha. Every month we circulate the news of The Twelve Hatches. We have a La Nez in every Hatch who finds out all the news and puts it in like a lil newspaper I guess you can call it and puts twelve of them in their Hatches News Box on the Fat Swamp Tree. Then the next day, all the La Bouches get the news from all the other Hatches from the Fat Swamp Tree and tack it to their Hatche”s church bulletin board for all to read. This way all the Hatches stay connected to each other. Like family.”
“Wow,” Beth said, smiling as they walked. “La Bouche? La Nez?”
“La Bouche is mouth, La Nez is nose. La Nez you can think of nosy, they go sniff out the news. La Bouche is the one who brings the news or tells it.”
“The Mouth,” Beth connected, getting it. “And the Bat-tie’s go in there?”
“Yep, front page. Who fought and why and who won and what they got for winning.
“Like money?”
“Oh no, no gambling allowed with Bat-ties. You get what you fight for. I’ve seen them fight over shoes!”
Beth laughed, amazed.
“I think the most entertaining part of it is what they fight over, at least for me.”
“What other news is on this? I would love to see one of the Hatches papers.”
“Well, I just so happen to keep all of them! I’ll get them out for you later and you can learn everything there is to know about all the Hatches.” She gave a sneaky look at her and lowered her voice. “I wager you might learn more than the two Bishops and all The Twelve put together if you put your mind to it.” She popped her brows once and Beth grinned at the inside tip.
“But as crazy as the Bat-ties are,” Mah-Mah said as she walked, “everything works out after. Problems solved. Say-to.”
Beth really loved the ways of the swamp the more she learned. Then she wondered, “Did he win? Sahvrin?” Part of her hoped he did, and the other part hoped he got his ass kicked for fighting for the wrong girl.
“He sure did! He was skinny but strong and fast like lightening. He’d been wrestling gators since he was twelve. Big Ass quit. Said he could have her. He was tired and hungry.” Mah-Mah gave one of her laughs that made Beth giggle.
Half the day was gone by the time Beth managed to get free from Mah-Mah. She had a huge box full of all the little newspapers and Beth could hardly pull herself away from them. They had all sorts of recipes, and jokes, and helpful cleaning tips. They had a list of things needed and things to give away. But just like Mah-Mah said, the Bat-ties were definitely most entertaining. Even women bat-tied! Two fought over who would get the last ham at a swamp store and another two fought for the ownership of a family recipe!
But she was really excited about the dance sections. Every Hatch had their own everything, including dance halls with different names. They had a schoolhouse at each Hatch, little doctor’s offices, swamp stores, even a church. Just adorable. Her face hurt from smiling at all the fun festivities in the 12 Hatches. They seemed to all be like Mah-Mah, loved to throw some kind of party. Every holiday and special events pertaining to each Hatch. And to think she would be the right hand of the man who governed it all.
Possibilities bloomed inside her at all the things she could help with until she wanted to dance ballet and she never ever wanted to dance ballet!
****
Sahvrin made his way to the Weigh Station to meet the Revelator. His guts pounded with a tempo of dread, and he blamed the dream he’d had. Nothing but blood and darkness with random flashes of lightening above the hole he was buried in. He needed to know what the Revelator had been wanting to tell him now that he cared, now that it might make a difference. Then he needed to find out what came of the confessions from the two in holding.
Sahvrin texted Revelator, not wanting to hunt him down at the Weigh Station. I’m here. Where are you?
He jumped out the boat, going through texts, not surprised he didn’t have one from his Petite. She was in full blown adult mode with him, making sure not to need any assistance. Which bit since he wanted more than anything to hear her voice. Only four hours without her felt like a long fucking day. He hit Lucas’ box. You gave my message?
The Revelator texted. Be right out. Need some fresh air.
So he’d spent a lot of time in the Confessional. Good. Those underground cells were dank as death.
His phone vibrated with Lucas’ answer. I did. And she read it.
He texted, What did she say?
He waited like a teenager for the words to appear. Well, she had a smile for most of it. Then she didn’t. Can’t believe you’re making her do that with Katrina. She’s not nice to her.
Fucking brat. I have my reasons. Which now felt stupid. He was right, but she was the only one there he knew wouldn’t cooperate with her. She can handle it. She’s in training he added.
The texting dots floated then came, Whatever you need to sleep at night.
“Little prick,” he muttered, looking through the rest of his messages. He saw Spook’s and opened it.
Taking Maggie to one of my hideouts to start her training. Will be back with her in a couple days.
“Little Bishop.”
Sahvrin slid his phone in his pocket, walking to meet The Revelator. This time he offered his hand in a shake and the Revelator shook his head, like he didn’t need it or was sick of touching people. “I hope you’re here for the message.”
“Partly. Also here to find out what we learned from our new Parishioners.”
He nodded. “I can help with both of those. Which one would you like first?”
“I’d like the personal message first,” he said, feeling like he gambled with fate.
“Good,” he said, like carrying it that long had exhausted him. “Something’s coming that isn’t going to be easy, son. Innocent blood will be shed and the guilt of it will be on your hands unless something happens to stop it.”
Sahvrin held himself still, eying him. “Something like what? What am I stopping, how?”
He shook his head, looking bereft. “I’d surely tell you if I knew. Tell me what you are seeing, Eveque.”
He looked around, not wanting to talk about it, especially now. “Nothing, really. Just a dream. A dark pit with lightening above me. The pit is… deep and feels like it’s closing in.”
“Where’s Maggie?”
Sahvrin snapped his gaze to his stern blue one. “With Spook, why?”
“I need to meet her.”
The stress on the meet word meant he needed to touch her. “Why?”
“I need to see what there is to see.”
“You think there’s something to see?”
“There always is,” he assured.
Sahvrin eyed him. “Why didn’t you shake my hand?”
He lowered his head then looked to the right. “Sometimes…my eyes and mind get full up.” His blue eyes held his again. “Sometimes I’m tired of seeing. We’ll touch again another day.”
Fucking great. “You know something or sense something I need to know, Revelator?”
He gave a grave headshake. “Only what I told you. I also need to meet your Belle Eveque,” he added like a final task on his list of bad omens.
“What are you sensing, Revelator. I hear it and I feel it.”
He held his gaze for many seconds. “That there’s something to see that I may not like.”
“From my Belle Eveque?”
“Maggie.”
“What about Beth? My wife?”
“I wish I knew what it was called that I’m feeling, Eveque. All I know is it’s something I don’t really understand but will when I meet them.”
“A good something? Bad something?”
“That’s what I can’t figure out. Somehow it’s bad and good.”
“Jesus, Revelator,” Sahvrin muttered, lowering his head. “I really don’t need all this ambiguity at the front of a fucking war.”
“I know, son,” he agreed, emphatically.
“When can you come meet Beth?”
“I can come tomorrow, if that’s okay.”
Sahvrin nodded. “Meet us at the Basilique. You’re welcome to stay the night, I’m sure Mah-Mah would be offended if you didn’t.”
“I will take you up on that offer. Perhaps I might get to see Maggie as well.”
“I’m sure I can arrange it,” Sahvrin said, just as eager to get it over with as he seemed to be. “What you find out from our prisoners of sin?”
“More than I wanted to know and yet not enough. But I have leads I can follow.”
“Tell me everything while we walk. I want to speak to them.”
“The tongueless one perished during the night. But his brother’s confession filled the void.”
Fuck. He”d wanted a personal piece of that one. “What he say?”
“Nothing you’ll like and yet probably won’t be surprised to learn.”
“Can you give me one straight answer, Samuel?”
“Sorry, I’m used to letting the universe explain things to people. I don’t like getting in the way of that. He mentioned Luseah hanging around a Roulette on the weekends. Sometimes weekdays. And Zep’s been speaking with Thadeous.”
Sahvrin stopped in his tracks. “When?”
“Was weeks ago now. It may be nothing, but something that needs unearthing. We both know he’s been wayward for many years. And now that you have this woman, I expect things.”
Sahvrin wasn’t sure what to pick out first. “Expect what things? What do you mean this woman?”
His blue eyes widened. “I think everybody can see she’s different if not sense it at least.”
“And this effects Zep how?”
“Same way you having all the pretty things always affected him.”
Sahvrin nodded. “Jealous.”
“Oh yes,” he assured. “He’s got the spirit of Cane circling his ankles.”
“Cane?”
“Cane and Abel? Now, that’s a childhood bible classic,” he reprimanded lightly.
“Right.” Sahvrin tried to recall it. “The brother who killed his brother?”
“That’s the one.”
“You think he’d do that?”
His head barely shook. “I’ve been really praying not son,” he said, sounding sad about it. “But you’d be wise to watch your back. And now that she’s back…especially.”
“Katrina?”
More nods. “I don’t need to touch her to see.”
“See what?”
“The darkness trapping her soul.”
He shook his head, hurrying to the storm door on the ground, ready to get back to Beth. “Is there any hope for her you think?”
“God visits a man’s sins unto the seventh generation. She’s under a curse but isn’t lost completely.”
The door groaned open. “Good. As much as I dislike her, I don’t want her burning in hell for eternity.”
“That’s good to hear,” he said, like he’d been concerned.
“I don’t forget the rules, Revelator,” Sahvrin said as he navigated the dank passageway to the earthen pits. “As a man judges, so he shall be judged.”
“Amen, brother,” he said, with real affection in his tone.
****
There was still a Katrina problem that needed solving, Beth remembered. She’d at least managed to get a run-down of the homestead chores while visiting with Mah-Mah and now Beth had them all written and divided up with a K next to the ones she felt Katrina could and should do.
She headed to her little house and pulled her phone out of her pocket, again looking for a text from Sahvrin. She returned it with a sigh when she found nothing. She wouldn’t text him. She didn’t want him thinking something was wrong and he was too good at figuring that out with her. Or she was too bad at hiding it. One word and he could name who and what was behind her tone. Annoying gift.
She needed to remind him to get a phone for Maggie. She didn’t like not being able to check on her. Not that she worried about Spook, but she missed her.
You know what, it’s totally fine to text for something like that, she decided. She sent the reminder along with a hope you’re having as much fun as me.
Shit, he’d read that all wrong.
His text came a minute later, and her heart stuttered in excitement. I should be back by seven tonight. I will get your phone, thank you for reminding me. How is everything?
She took a deep breath and let it out, standing in the middle of the yard, typing. Going great. I was on my way to Katrina’s to bring the list of chores I made for her.
She waited, staring at the screen.
Is she cooperating?
She texted back. As much as can be expected.
So she’s not cooperating, he texted back.
She’ll be fine. Diplomacy is my middle name. I have connections upstairs, remember? She added an angel emoji and put the phone in her pocket, ready to have this checked off her list. And not because she wanted sexual rewards. She was pretty sure she could talk him into those if she really wanted to. She wanted to actually help, do actual work, be actually useful.
Before she knocked on Katrina’s door, it opened. Savvie’s smile bloomed. “I was just going find Lucas. We’re supposed to practice French together,” she said blushing.
“How fun! I’ll call you as soon as I’m done. Maybe you can teach me French, and it’ll help you remember it!”
“I would love to!” She tiptoed and kissed Beth’s cheek and ran off, leaving a smile on her lips that vanished when she turned to find Katrina staring at her from in the doorway.
“Afternoon, Katrina,” she said, remembering her diplomacy, even managing a smile.
“It is that,” she muttered, slinking her way to the chair on the porch and sitting. She draped one of her endless tanned legs over the edge, staring out at the yard. “I’m not doing chores,” she assured as Beth sat in the chair next to hers.
“There’s not that many,” she said. “I marked all the ones I think you’re capable of with a K.”
Katrina looked at the paper Beth held out to her and took it. She scanned it for two seconds. “Like I said, I have money. Are you here for the job? If not, we have nothing to talk about.”
Beth took a steadying breath. “I’m not doing your job. You need to.”
She snapped those blue eyes at her.
“I have my jobs, you have yours,” Beth went on. “We’re adults, surely we can handle this without arguing?”
Her brows rose with a stubborn, “I aint doin it. Savvie can.”
“I have chores for Savvie too.”
“She can do both of ours.”
She dropped the paper on the porch and Beth stared at it.
Diplomacy.
“What’s it going to take to get you to cooperate? Everybody has their price,” Beth said lightly.
This got her attention and Beth sat forward, meeting her suddenly eager gaze. “I wouldn’t mind having a little taste of the Bishop now that he’s all grown up.”
Fury hit Beth so hard, she had to hold herself still. Even as Katrina laughed and joked about the look on her face, she couldn’t move. This wasn’t happening to her. His ex-bitch was going to ruin her first job to prove herself. The idea came like a sneaky-pissed Gras Jean and Beth stood with the foolishness burning in her blood. “Then… I challenge you.”
Katrina gave her a crooked look from her chair. “You challenge me?”
Beth nodded, her breaths shallow. “To a Bat-tie.”
Katrina stood up and got right in Beth’s face, looking down at her. Was only four inches difference but Beth felt every one of them in her cold glare. “Name the time and place, lil bitch.”
Beth’s mind lent her a replay of Katrina’s words, adding murder to her courage. Where to fight? Someplace where there were witnesses. “Somewhere public.”
“Oh, really? You want everybody to see me kick your ass? Then we’ll fight at The Bat-tie Grounds.”
Beth tried to remember what that even was. “Fine. Sounds good to me.”
“When?” she demanded.
“Whenever you want to.”
“Then let’s do it two nights from now. Six pm, prime swamp time. That way everybody in the Hatch has time to come watch me beat your ass.”
“Sounds perfect,” Beth said, her voice shaking.
“Who you bringing?”
Beth didn’t recall reading anything about that.
“You calling a Bat-tie and don’t even know the rules,” she muttered.
“Of course I do. I’m bringing Juliette,” she said off the top of her head.
She gave a slutty laugh. “You not bringing Big Bishop? Don’t want him to see me kick your ass?”
“Didn’t think I needed to state the obvious.”
“I’m bringing Zep.”
“Of course you are.”
“And when I win, you have to do all my chores and Savvie’s.”
“And when I win,” Beth said, feeling like she needed to make this one count. “You’ll have to write a paper on what it means to be a family, and you have to do the chores I give you.”
She gave a huge laugh, sitting back down, back to swinging her long tan leg over the edge. “Finally, some action in these boring as fuck swamps.”
Beth’s stomach felt full of hot rocks as she picked up her chore list and headed down the steps ready to vomit and kill at the same time. She pulled her phone out and fought the tremble in her fingers as she texted Juliette. I need help.
By the time she headed upstairs, her phone rang, and she answered it. “Juliette?”
“What’s wrong?” she demanded, sounding worried.
Beth hurried into the bedroom. “I have a serious Katrina situation.”
“Ohhhh, tell me,” she said, sounding ready to fight too.
Beth had to take several breaths, her body shaking as she filled her in on what Sahvrin asked her to do.
“That boy’s got some nerve asking you to do anything with that putan.”
“I don’t mind, I want to.”
“So what did she say?”
“She wants to pay me to do her chores and like hell I am.”
“Damn right you’re not.”
“I told her we’re adults and we could work it out and everybody had their price.”
“What the swamp-slut say?”
Beth paused, taking another breath. “She wanted me to give her a taste of Bishop now that he’s a man.”
“Hooooly fuckin gator tits, she did not.”
“I was ready to kill her right there on the porch.”
“What you do?”
“I told her I wanted a Bat-tie.”
“You what?”
“Well…Mah-Mah told me that’s how people settle their differences in the bayou, and I was so angry, it just came out. Now I’m having a Bat-tie with her two nights from now at a place she called the Bat-tie Grounds. And I chose you as my witness. I didn’t even know about that part and your name just came out, I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t know who else.”
“Oh, mah-baby, I wouldn’t want to miss that for the world, but…can you fight?” She sounded worried as Beth pressed her lips together.
“Was hoping you might be able to give me some pointers. No is the answer. I can’t fight.”
“Oh hell no,” she said, sounding like she dropped her phone. “I’m on my way there now.”
“Don’t stop anything on my account. I’m a fast learner. Just…a few pointers would be nice.”
“Honey, you’re Bat-tieing with the queen swamp slut. You’re gonna need a little more than a few pointers. But I got you covered, I’m on my way.”
“Thank you.”
“Does Sahvrin know?”
“God, no. I’ll have to tell him.”
“Yes, you will,” she said, sounding worried. “But he practically caused it all making you deal with her. Did he really expect her to cooperate with the woman who now owns the man she’s wishing she never gave up?”
Beth wanted to vomit again, wondering what the hell she”d done. “I just thought…it would be a good and…fast way to introduce myself to the Hatches. Oh God,” she whispered.
“What?”
“Is it considered childish to Bat-tai? No disrespect to the tradition,” Beth said, “but…how is Bat-tieing looked at for somebody in a…position of…like mine?”
“Nope,” she said. “Not childish at all. It’s been part of swamp squabble etiquette for eons as far as I know.”
“Has…anybody of…any ranking ever Bat-tied?”
“Now, that I don’t know,” she muttered. “But I know one person who would have the answer to that.”
“Who?”
“The Librarian. She keeps all the records of the Hordes happenings.”
“Did you know Mah-Mah has all the Hatch Newspapers too?”
“Oh, I’m not surprised. But it would be a lot faster going see the Librarian.”
“Maybe we can call her.”
“On a phone? What’s a phone,” she said. “Mammy-Pammy thinks they’re Voo-doo talkies or devil boxes. She speaks via vocal cords only. We can go see her tomorrow and I’ll show you the Bat-tie Grounds while we’re out. Then we’ll have to put in some serious training time. I hope you’re fast and strong cuz you gonna need to be with her. But that’s okay, I know some moves that even the fattest, meanest gators can’t get out of. You’ll beat that bitch in ten seconds if you follow my techniques.