Page 71 of Last Rites

We sat in silence for several long minutes, sipping coffee so we would have an excuse not to speak.

Eventually, Isla set her mug down on the table beside her and let out a heavy breath.

“This is it, then. We’re out of time. There’s really nothing else we can do?”

“Short of staging an uprising,” I said, “I think we’re out of options. And there’s no time to plan something like that. The people here aren’t soldiers, and no one has weapons, and we’re still outnumbered by the people who believe in what Merrick’s doing.”

“But we could still help Forstford,” Rosie insisted.

I shook my head. “Like I said, Merrick told me he’s sending guards with us to make sure we don’t have any opportunities to do anything. They’ll be armed, but I doubt they’ll let us keep anything to defend ourselves, so we’ll be outnumbered and outmatched on the road, too.”

Quiet descended again, heavy as a stone.

“Rosie and I could take your knives and smuggle them under our skirts,” Isla suggested after a moment.

We all turned to her in varying shades of surprise. It wasn’t a bad idea, and I set my coffee aside—and Penny’s, too, when he handed it to me—so I could tug my Penny-menacing knife off my belt and hold it out to her.

She took it and cradled it between her hands as if it was something precious. And when Penny handed his over too, she smiled weakly.

“At least we’ll be able to defend ourselves if we need to,” she said. “I’ll feel better having these along.”

She wasn’t the only one. I hadn’t relished the idea of being out on the road, outnumbered and unarmed. Even if there was nothing we could do for Forstford, we’d be able to fend off our guards if this turned out to be another one of Merrick’s attempts at murder.

“I know we can’t warn Forstford,” Penny said, “but I wish there was a way to get word to Eastcliff. To warn them.” He leaned heavily into my side. “They have no idea what’s happening, and if we fail, what’s to stop Merrick from sending orders to the men on the farm to have everyone killed? If they aren’t already dead.” The last words came out choked, and I tightened my arm around him, pressing a kiss into his hair.

Thoma leaned forward to catch Penny’s eye. “I’ve needed to fetch fresh horses for some time, but I put it off. Given the state of things, I thought it best to leave that door open in case there was a need to get out of Ashpoint quickly without being followed. Now might be a good time. Do they have fine horses in Eastcliff, Pen?”

The question was rhetorical, but Penny gave a hasty nod anyway.

Thoma nodded back. “I’ve been apprenticing Reimond’s brother, Liam, so I’ll take him with me.”

Penny slumped with relief.

“If you can get to Eastcliff and get word to the silversmith, Jensen Wright, I left the farm to his son, Warren,” he said, rushing through it. “I’m almost certain Warren will be at the farm with my mother and sister, so it shouldn’t be hard to get Jensen and his other sons to help you get to them and overpower the men Merrick sent there.”

“Otis is with them,” Isla said, “so be careful.”

Penny nodded vigorously. “They may even be able to rally the rest of Eastcliff should you need it. Neither of you have brands, so you should be safe if you need to do that. They don’t have to know you’re Bone Men.”

“At this point,” I broke in, “we should assume the farm is forfeit. We’re not worried about the land; just get our family to safety.”

I wasn’t sure anywhere was safe anymore. Merrick knew too much about me, had too much leverage, and there were so few places left that I thought he wouldn’t know. There was the mission outside Emberstead, but that was too far in the wrong direction. Then there was Willowvale, but despite being close to Eastcliff, there were no favors there I could call in. My cousin didn’t know me even when we came face to face, and he didn’t owe me or mine anything. The only other option was a risk all its own, but I hoped misplaced favor might be enough to guarantee protection.

“Take them to Wendwood and ask for Elise and Margot. Tell them we sent you, and that this time we’ll find a way to pay them back for their help. We’ll meet you there if we can.”

Thoma nodded, his face solemn.

Penny tugged free of my grip and pitched forward to throw his arms around Thoma in a crushing embrace.

“Thank you,” Penny mumbled against his shoulder. “When you see them, tell them I love them and I hope we’ll be together soon.”

My throat tightened, and pressure built behind my eyes. This was what Penny’s mother had been afraid of, the thing I promised her I wouldn’t let happen. What I left him behind in Eastcliff to avoid.

I’d always accepted that this endeavor might end with my own death. I resigned myself to it as soon as I decided to help Penny. It felt fitting, then: a much-deserved punishment for what I’d been party to as a teenager. But Penny wasn’t me, and he’d done nothing to warrant having to be the one to sacrifice everything in the end. And he’d convinced me that I didn’t deserve that, either.

“As for the people here,” Rosie said, dragging my thoughts out of their downward spiral, “we’ll make sure they spread the word to be on their guard and be prepared should Merrick try to move against any of them. There are too many for him to silence, but that means there are also too many to get out of town.” She stared down into her coffee and sniffed. “If it comes to it, they’ll have to make their stand here.”

“Let’s hope they don’t have to,” I said.