Page 73 of Shades of Silver City

Ithrow on the sweatpants Archer gave me, rolling the waistband a few times so they stay up.

A clean, earthy scent surrounds me, and my stomach clenches in response. It’s surprisingly comforting, and now I’m distracted by thoughts of him.

Great.

That’s what I get for using his soap, wearing his clothes.

Downstairs, the house sits empty. It’s quiet, other than the rhythmic swooshing of the washer. Archer is nowhere to be found.

“Looks like he left us again, bud,” I say to Scathe as I open the fridge. Inside I locate what looks like a beet salad.

A quick sniff confirms it is. I don’t have beets often. They’re expensive, like many non-native veggies—imported from across the Jacarinan Sea.

Curling up on the couch with the pup, I nibble on some beets. They’re surprisingly good.

I go to pick one up to offer it to Scathe, but then I hesitate. “I don’t know if you can have these, bud.”

I pull out my phone, and a quick search tells me that beets are fine for dogs in moderation. With a smile, I hold the veggie out for him. He sniffs it hesitantly before gulping it down.

“You gotta chew, dude.”

Scathe whines in response, pawing at me. Chuckling, I give him a couple more beets.

“Does your daddy always leave you alone?” Scathe whimpers, giving me the saddest puppy eyes. “Well, you got me now, bud. We can be lonely together.”

The front door clicks, and I whirl toward it in time to see it open. A moment later, Archer steps over the threshold.

Scathe bolts to the door, wagging his tail and spinning in circles. Archer loves on him, and then the pooch darts back to his place beside me on the couch.

Archer gives me a weary look. I don’t know what he’s been up to, but it almost seems like the last hour aged him a few years.

His hair is messy, sticking up in random places like he’s been running his hand through it obsessively, and there’s a haunted look in his eyes as he studies Scathe and me.

With a sigh, he settles onto the arm of the sofa, crossing his arms and ankles. Thanks to his short-sleeved shirt, most of the tattoos on his arms are visible. On his left inner forearm, Sofia’s name stands out in bold letters. A cluster of somber flowers surrounds the inscription, serving as a tribute to her memory.

He said he wanted to make her proud, be a decent man.

Ironic that he joined a gang in order to do so.

However, I can’t help but think that Sofia would be proud if she was here. He’s the type of man to assist elderly ladies with their groceries, help homeless addicts fight their addictions, give a stranger a place to stay when she’s on the run from the authorities.

My heart squeezes. When did I stop being bitter toward Archer for knocking me out—kidnapping me like a helpless damsel? When did I start thinking of him as a good guy?

We sit there in silence for a bit until Archer slides off the armrest and settles onto the couch beside me. He sheds his rigidness, his body deflating as he rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands.

“Long day?” I ask.

“Long day,” he admits. He turns toward me, grimacing. “I left in a rush yesterday…there was another body found. I had to meet with my crew.” My heart drops. “I didn’t mean… I’m sorry I left…”

“Don’t worry about me.” I wave off his struggle to apologize, and his jaw softens in what seems to be relief. Of all things he’s dealing with, I should be the least of his concerns.

Under the weight of his intense gaze, I divert my eyes downward, finding solace in the velvety softness of Scathe’s plush fur. My hand glides gently along his neck, and he releases a satisfied sigh.

“The last few bodies that were found…” Archer starts, slowly articulating his words as if he’s calculating how he wants to reveal what’s coming next. “They had an unknown substance in their blood.”

This grabs my attention. I study him. Where is this going? I’m grateful he’s finally discussing things with me.

“Dreamdust hasn’t been on the streets in a while, and I’m hard-pressed to believe it’s a coincidence that there’s been a resurgence alongside an uptick of violence and sudden deaths.”

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