Chapter 18
Kit
There wasn’t much said when we finally made it to the house. It was dark and empty, which meant Thoma had either returned to Reimond’s family or his own home at the news of our supposed capture, and taken the kittens with him.
But that hardly bore thinking about. My priority was getting Penny in the bath to warm him up while I built a fire in our room to chase away the chill. Once I got him dry and into bed, he drifted off halfway through me redressing his wounded palms.
With him taken care of, I dragged myself to the bathroom to wash up before I joined him under the covers. I curled as close as I could get, then let sleep take me, too.
The next morning, Penny roused long enough to eat the porridge I had to practically spoon-feed him. He was feverish and hacking, and he succumbed to sleep again the moment he was done with his breakfast.
I cleared the dishes and banked the fire, then settled back into bed, prepared to spend the day there so Penny wouldn't wake alone. After the events of the last week, I didn’t want him out of my sight.
Thinking kept me from focusing too intently on counting Penny’s wheezing breaths.
Foremost among my concerns was what we would do if Levitt didn’t get what he needed from Anders, and the murderous bastard was allowed to walk free.
It was our word against his, and no matter that Levitt claimed to believe me, I wasn’t sure the Sentinels would, too.
Anders was more established in Ashpoint. They knew him better, and he did a good job of coming across as too stupid to be calculating enough to plan something so nefarious.
I still had my doubts that the plan was his at all.
It was too convenient that he’d been assigned as our third, and that he’d had enough forewarning about when the fourth Oath would happen to have his things packed and ready when the messenger arrived.
The whole situation stunk of Merrick’s influence.
I had to assume they spoke when Anders got back to Ashpoint.
Since Anders was so sure of my relationship with Penny, there was little chance he kept it secret from the Shroud Warden.
For as much as the thought of anyone knowing what Penny was to me had terrified me before, it was a relief to have it out there.
It meant less hiding, less hypervigilance, and I was more than ready to let that all go.
Clearly, Penny had always been at risk simply by being related to our Shroud Warden. All my need for secrecy had done was hurt him. So, no more.
But if Anders remained free, if we were forced to collaborate with him on future Oaths…
Staying wasn’t worth that risk. I wasn’t sure how I could convince Penny to leave when he’d so recently resolved that we had to stay, but I would figure something out.
I would take him back to Eastcliff, or Forstford, and we’d live out whatever was left of our lives until the Bone Men succeeded in their mission of destruction.
I’d given enough. I wouldn’t give Penny, too. Not even for the rest of the world.
My thoughts ran circles around my head for hours until a knock at the front door pulled them off course. I didn’t want to be disturbed, just wanted to stay here in the quiet for as long as possible, but a peek out the window found the sun high overhead, so we were due lunch soon anyway.
I extricated myself from the tangle of Penny’s arms and legs and made my way to the door.
The possibility that it could be Levitt or Merrick or Anders on the doorstep drew me up short as I reached for the latch.
I almost turned back and left the visitor on the stoop, but a second knock made it clear they didn’t plan to let themselves be ignored.
I took another moment to gather myself and set my expression, then I undid the lock and pulled the door open.
Thoma stood outside, bundled against the cold. His dark eyes welled up when they met mine.
“You’re okay,” he said. “Thank the gods.”
He held out a hand as if to shake. Clasping it, I pulled him into an embrace he looked to need as much as I did. He stood stiff for the briefest moment before his arms encircled me and cinched down until I swore I could hear my ribs creak.
“Anders said…” His voice cracked.
So much had happened that I’d almost forgotten Thoma’s recent loss.
To pile two more deaths on top of that would have been awful.
He was like Penny and me, not quite fitting in with the other residents of Ashpoint, and outside of Reimond he hadn’t had much of anyone until we arrived. His relief at our safety was palpable.
“Anders is a liar,” I assured him. “He did his best to keep us from coming home, but he failed.”
Thoma pulled back and scrubbed his sweater sleeve across his face. It mopped up the tears, but his eyes were still red and watery.
“What happened?” he asked. “Where’s Penny?” His eyes caught on the bruise on my cheek, and his brows drew down. “And what happened to you?”
I stepped back and beckoned him inside. “Pen’s in bed.
He’s not feeling well after two straight days of walking in this cold.
” I gestured to my face. “This is courtesy of one of the guards who didn’t appreciate that I didn’t want to be separated from Penny.
And the thing with Anders is… a long story.
Let me make some coffee, then we’ll talk. ”
Thoma toed off his boots and was in the process of unwinding himself from hat, scarf, and cloak when I turned to head to the kitchen.
“The kittens are with Rosie’s family,” he called after me. “I would have brought them home with me, but you know how Reimond’s father feels about pets.”
“I assumed as much.” I lit the stove, then filled the kettle and set it on the cooktop.
Thoma followed a few moments later, and I motioned for him to sit at the table.
“Did Anders try to turn you in?” he asked.
I chuckled and shook my head. “No, though I expect he assumed if we survived, the militia would catch wind and pick us up, anyway.”
Thoma’s brows furrowed. “If you survived?”
“Oh, he fully meant to kill us both.” I waved a hand. “But we’ll get to that.”
I started the story from the beginning. Thoma’s expression grew grimmer and angrier as I went, but he didn’t say a word, even when I paused to pour the coffee and settle across from him at the table.
I was recounting the way I threatened Levitt that I would take Penny and leave when Penny emerged from the hall.
His sandy hair was mussed and the bags beneath his eyes looked like bruises on his cheeks.
The blanket from our bed wound around his shoulders, but despite the added warmth, I could tell he was shivering.
“We can’t leave,” Penny said as I got to my feet. “Because we came here for a reason.”
I crossed to him and laid my hand across his sweat-damp forehead. It was hotter than it had been earlier. He tipped his head heavily against my palm, then shuffled in when I curled my arm around his shoulders.
“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” I said softly. “You’re burning up.”
He pressed closer and mumbled, “I don’t want to be alone.”
“We’re just down the hall.” I tried to urge him in the direction of our bedroom, but he wouldn’t be moved.
“What reason?” Thoma asked from behind me.
Penny leaned so he could see our guest over my shoulder. “We’re going to destroy the cult from the inside out.”
I drew a chest-swelling breath, then let it out in a heavy sigh. I had intended to tell Thoma what we were planning, and about Penny’s fledgling resistance with Rosie, but this wasn’t how I wanted to bring it up. Thoma had been through a lot. I was hesitant to add more weight to his shoulders.
Before I could say anything, Thoma’s voice cut through the quiet, more confident than I’d heard it in weeks.
“I want to help.”
Penny’s expression brightened. There would be no getting him back to bed now, so I ushered him to the table instead.
“This isn’t how I wanted you to find out, but we're both happy to have you on board.” I pulled the chair between Thoma and I out and settled Penny into it. “I expected you’d want a part in it, after everything.”
“We have Rosie and her family in on it, too,” Penny said. He laid on the table, practically draping himself across it like he had at the bar back in Forstford the night he convinced me to bring him here. The night my life changed for the better, at least as it pertained to him.
The thought made me smile.
Thoma nodded enthusiastically. “I should be able to bring Reimond’s family around to the idea. They aren’t as keen on how things are run as they used to be.”
I’d have been more surprised if they were still fully invested in the Bone Men’s ideals after losing their son and being forced to watch him butchered in the town square.
“We should have everyone over for dinner,” Penny suggested, “so we can talk. Plan what we’re going to do.” The last word came out on a cough and was chased by a hacking fit that nearly pitched him out of his chair.
I steadied him by the shoulders until he quieted again, breathing hard and looking more exhausted than before.
“Just, maybe not tonight,” he rasped.
“Definitely not tonight,” I agreed.
Thoma rose from his chair and set his empty coffee mug in the sink. “I should be going, and you sound like you need rest.” The smile he turned on Penny and me was borderline joyful. “I’m glad you’re both okay. Feel better, Penny. And Kit, if you need me to pick you up anything in the market…”
I met his smile with a slightly wearier one. “I appreciate it. I think we’re all right for now, but I’ll let you know.”
We left Penny at the table while I walked Thoma to the door and saw him out. With the lock engaged behind him, I returned to the kitchen and ducked under Penny’s arm to heft him out of his chair.
“Time for you to get back to bed.”
He let me take most of his weight and shuffled along beside me. “You’ll stay with me?”
I nodded. “Until you’re sick of me.”
“I’ll never be sick of you,” he insisted as I sat him down on the edge of the bed.
I stood before him, near enough that his knees pressed into mine, and ran a hand through his hair. His eyes slid closed as he relaxed.
“Good thing then.” I leaned in to kiss the top of his head. “Because I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”