Page 52 of Echo
“I don’t know how to fix the barriers.”
“Yes, you do. Ruby taught you.” He closed his eyes. “I can tell.”
“I’ll take care of it in the morning. Rest.”
Chapter 19:
Iwokeupcuddledinto Echo’s side. His warmth made me want to go back to sleep, but the room was brighter than it should have been. Echo’s heavy arm was locked over me, making it impossible to move.
With a little squirming, I wriggled free. It surprised me that he hadn’t awakened, but I figured he’d had a rougher night than me. I checked his bandages and was pleasantly surprised to find him mostly healed.
I got dressed and ready for the day, fed the animals. and went out to the salt circle, walking along it with Ranger, refreshing the salt lines. Patches of sage were burned, and it made me wonder what creature did that. One thing at a time.
I had no clue how long I’d been following the damn salt line when I felt eyes burning into me. I didn’t say anything and ruin his fun, but I couldn’t help the smile that grew on my face.
Surely, he knew he’d have to do better than that.
Heat moved closer to me. Long fingers and claws wrapped over my throat. “I wish I could carry that for you.” How hemanaged to say something so sweet in that menacing tone was beyond me.
“You’re going to have to up your game,” I told him. He gave a slow chuckle that promised he was up to the challenge. “I’m glad you are feeling better this morning.”
“I heal fast, but your assistance helped move things along.”
“I expected to find bodies this morning.” He made it sound like the place was crawling, but the evidence of the carnage was mostly gone. A spatter of blood here. A burn spot there. Some claw marks that I didn’t think came from him.
“I ate well last night,” he answered. “I can give you their bones if you want them.”
“No. Thank you.” If what he said was true, then I doubted he ate all of them. Were there some still alive hanging from a tree somewhere letting their fear marinate?Don’t think about that, Madison.
“You are like a flower in this sunlight; glowing and in bloom.”
Heat filled my face. I was a mess. With sweat plastering the hair that fell out of my bun to my face. I was sure I had swamp titties and pit stains the size of Texas, based on how my spaghetti straps clung to my skin.
“Thank you,” I said, instead of saying that the glow was probably a greasy sunburn. He’d already expressed that he didn’t appreciate my self-deprecating thoughts.
“I will make it up to you for having to do the heavy lifting.”
“I can do my own heavy lifting.”
“Sure you can.” He shrugged. “That’s not the point.”
He followed me in companionable silence as I finished the salt line. My legs burned and my back screamed. It was suddenly clear how big this place really was. The sun had already begun dipping into the treeline when I made it to my start point.
I panted as we passed the chicken coop, and I couldn’t ignore all the eggs scattered about that I hadn’t gathered. I tossedthe remaining bag of salt on the ground and mentally prepared myself.
“The salt alone will hold the vast majority of them back,” he informed me. “I can handle any stragglers that are immune.”
I opened the coop door. “Alright, Devil Cock, don’t fuck with me and I don’t fuck with you.”
I’d fed them earlier, and he let me in without any complaints. Making peace with beasts was my specialty. I collected the eggs without any incident, stuffing them into the apron I wore that I’d held bags of salt in, except where one hen was hoarding eggs and refused to move. Whenever I reached in to grab one from under her, she pecked at my hand.
I hummed and pulled out my cellphone. Echo said, “She’s brooding.”
“I can be a broody bitch myself.” That said, I had no clue what that meant for a chicken.
He chuckled and Devil Cock ran at the fence, letting out a fierce crow, flapping his wings to make himself as big as possible. The hens fled, hiding in the building that gave them shelter.
“Quit upsetting my chickens. Especially Devil Cock. He makes my life hard enough as it is.”
