Page 71 of Abducting Sarah

I dug my hands and feet into the sides for purchase and started to climb my way back up. The mostly healed wound in my heart stabbed at me as a reminder that I was supposed to be taking it easy. I ignored it as best I could, but halfway up, my arm seized up and I dropped back down.Fuck.

The crone peeked over the edge and laughed manically. “Do you think you can get out of my pit, boy? Better men than you have tried. Just sit tight. I’ll be back soon.” Then, she vanished from view.

Oh, fuck this shit. I grabbed two long bones from some of her corpses and used them to anchor into the dirt walls on my wayback up. Searing pain shot through me, but I had expected it and forged on this time. When I reached the top, the cabin was empty, and the door was open. Everyone was outside.

I spied around the edge of the doorframe, so no one saw me. Kapok and Tiger were on their knees in the middle of a circle made of dead conduit ghosts. Mother Portend stood behind the Orne cousins. “These boys came to my home and accused me of letting you lot run wild,” she said to the ghosts. “They seem to think you are not operating under my orders. Are any of you under that impression?”

The dead conduits shook their heads. One said, “None of us have disobeyed you, Mother.”

“Someone thinks you are operating on your own,” she said, then regarded Kapok and Tiger again. “Boys, who told you I was here by myself? The first one who speaks lives.”

“We were just following our boss’ orders,” Tiger answered quickly. “You would have to ask him.”

“We don’t know anything,” Kapok said.

“The youngster is smarter than you. It’s a shame. You had spirit.” Mother Portend rammed a bone knife through Kapok’s heart from behind. It pierced through the front of his chest and he made a gurgling sound as blood poured out of him.

I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop from shouting as Kapok collapsed to the ground, his body lifeless, but I heard a scream anyway. It wasn’t Tiger, either—he had passed out.

Wave. Shit.

She had walked up just as Kapok was murdered. The crone held her hand up and Wave was dragged into the middle of the circle by her throat. Wave’s eyes were huge and filled with fear, as they ought to be considering what this ghost was capable of.

Mother Portend said, “You with them?”

“Sss,” Wave hissed around being strangled.

“Good.” She dropped her to the ground next to Kapok’s body. “Your friend is dead. The youngster hasn’t the stomach for this kind of thing, and your other friend is in the hole inside my cabin. Would you care to join any of them?”

Wave shook her head frantically. “No, ma’am.”

“Finally, some reverence,” Mother Portend said, sounding pleased with Wave’s acquiescence. “Tell me, girl, why are you running with such terrible men?”

“I don’t have a lot of options,” she croaked out. “I’m just a historian.”

“For what family?” Mother Portend demanded to know.

“The Ladrangs.”

Fuck. Why did she have to tell the truth?

Mother Portend paused at that bit of information. “Employments end when your employer dies, so Valor didn’t send you since his own brother beheaded him. Who then?”

Wave swallowed hard. “I…I work for Deacon.”

The crone’s eyes narrowed on Wave. “Why is he poking around my planet?”

“I don’t know.” Wave visibly shook in fear. “I was bored at Valor’s house and went for a ride with Jac. That’s all I know.”

“Deacon came to visit his father?”

Shut your mouth, Wave. Do not mention Sarah, Silence, or the twins.

“Last I heard, Deacon was yelling at his dad about Silence Bateen.”

The crone chuckled. “Can’t say I blame him there, considering Valor’s betrayal. Is Deacon fond of the men with you?”

She nodded jerkily. “I believe so.”

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