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Chapter Eighteen
Often when wereturned to Tenacity, people would be gathered, waiting to see the supplies we brought back. Then they would wait even longer in line for it all to be divided and doled out. Matt’s rule of one box for each house kept things orderly. Everyone knew if they didn’t keep things civil, there was a chance they’d forfeit their home’s rations for that day.
However, nothing about Tenacity was orderly when the fey delivered us over the wall. Two groups of people stood outside the shed, both yelling at the other so loudly there was no possible way they could hear each other. We could hear them, though. Or at least, pieces of what was being said.
“You’re betraying your own kind.”
“We need food.”
“Your hate will kill us all.”
“Go fuck your mother.”
“What the hell is going on?” Bram, the guy I’d high-fived, asked me as we both stared in confusion.
“No idea, but the mom threats are out, so it can’t be good,” I said.
My eyes swept over the area. I noted two young boys watching the group from a nearby house. With crayons in hand and coloring books on their laps, the pair sat on the steps. They didn’t look like they were coloring, though. They looked like they were taking notes.
Clever.
Matt emerged from within the shed.
“This is your last warning. Break it up or I’m telling the fey to keep everything they collected today.”
I could feel Bram bristle beside me. He took a step forward even as the groups started yelling at each other again. I clamped my hand over his arm.
“We don’t know what’s happening. It’s better to wait and voice your objection after the groups threatening to kill each other leave.”
“Of course you’d say that,” he said quietly. “You have a freezer full of meat waiting for you. I risked my life for that food.”
“And you’ll be risking it again by bringing attention to yourself now.” I released him. “But I get it. You worked hard for the food, and it’s not fair to have it taken away because of some assholes. I’ve been in your shoes. And my ex-boyfriend was beaten so badly because of his objections that he can’t walk now. Pick your battles carefully.”
Bram didn’t rush forward. He crossed his arms and waited next to me and the other humans who’d gone out for supplies. The fey who’d delivered us inside stood just behind us, watching and listening as well.
Matt’s flushed face swung our way, then he cupped his hands to bellow to the fey. “Anyone who doesn’t leave by the time I count to twenty, you have permission to throw over the wall!”
The guy next to me swore when Matt started counting.
Ashkii came forward and tapped my shoulder.
“Mya says it’s not safe to throw humans. She will be upset if we throw them like Matt asks, right?”
The guy next to me did a double-take at the fey.
“Probably,” I said. “But Matt’s going to be upset if these humans start fighting.” I pointed out the two boys across the street. “And it’s likely innocent bystanders would get hurt in the process.”
“These humans would hurt the children?” Noru asked.
The guy and I shared a look, and he gave me a clueless shrug like he had no idea how to answer. I faced my group of fey and answered honestly.
“Unintentionally, most likely. But yes.”
Fortunately, none of the fey needed to worry about human-tossing. The group broke up rapidly when Matt reached twelve and kept counting. By the time he hit seventeen, the opening to the shed was clear.
A group of women hesitantly walked out. One of them was holding a kid’s hand. The little girl couldn’t have been more than two or three and had a tear-streaked face.
While the woman spoke in low tones to Matt, I turned and whispered to Noru.
