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The barn needs the most work. There are holes in the wooden shingles on the roof, and the door looks like it might come off the hinges if it’s swung open too hard.
Still carrying the sleeping bag, Ellister points at the wild yard. “When we have cows, chickens, and goats, all this grass will be trimmed down regularly.”
“Nature’s lawnmower,” I comment. “Where will we get the animals?”
“An auction,” Ellister replies.
I follow behind him as he saunters up the walkway to the door, slightly distracted by how good his butt looks in his khakis because they’re a little tight on him. “Not gonna steal those, too, huh?”
So far, Ellister has been swiping people’s belongings on his outings from the cave. That’s why his pants don’t fit right.
My dress isn’t perfect either. The light blue gown I chose from my little collection is beautiful, but it was taken from some unsuspecting noble. A skinnier, taller noble. I’ve never disliked my average height or size, but waif-like bodies seem to be the norm in Valora, and that’s not me.
I might have to learn how to make my own clothes. Or at least how to alter the ones I have.
“I could transport the smaller animals,” Ellister muses, staying on topic as he turns the knob and pushes the wooden door open. A cloud of dust puffs out along with some musty air. “But anything over a few hundred pounds wouldn’t travel well. They could get injured on impact.”
I sigh. “Stealing wasn’t a serious suggestion. I get that we’re outlaws or whatever, but that doesn’t mean we have to live a life of crime. We can be law-abiding citizens.”
“That’s a nice sentiment, darling, but I’ll do what I must to ensure your well-being. You need food.”
“Can’t we just live off each other?” I’m referring to the blood sharing, and he cuts me a dark look as he stands on the threshold, shadowed by the interior of the house.
“Don’t tempt me with that.”
Well, he didn’t try to say it’s not possible. It is. We could.
He disappears inside. When I go in after him, I find myself in a quaint room with an open floor plan and vaulted ceilings being supported by a thick wooden floor-to-ceiling beam.
To my left, there’s a sink embedded in butcher block counter tops, but no faucet. When I peer into the basin, there’s a drain at the bottom. I peek underneath it, pulling up the faded fabric covering the area. The pipe leads outside where it probably just releases the used water into the yard.
Standing, I glance out the cloudy glass of the window and spy a water pump about twenty feet away.
White ceramic dishes are stacked on shelves instead of being hidden in cabinets. The woodburning stove has a pile of logs next to it like it’s ready to be fired up at any moment. A metal tea kettle sits on one of the burners. To complete the rustic look, a dining table crafted from thick wood sits in the middle of the kitchen.
Two rocking chairs are in the living room, along with a bench seat with red handmade cushions. Not the most comfortable-looking furniture, but I doubt we’ll be doing much sitting around anyway.
I spot several cobwebs, and I run my finger over the curved back of one of the dining chairs, collecting dust on my fingertip. The plaster on the walls is cracked and peeling in some places, but nothing is sagging. The wooden floor is flat, indicating a solid foundation.
I can feel Ellister watching me as I walk over to the large window overlooking the backyard where there’s a canopy shading the patio. “Where did the owners go?”
“My guess?” He pounds his fist on the wooden beam to test its solidness. Some dust rains down with the disturbance, but the structure seems sound. “They died and didn’t have any children to pass the property to. It’s a common occurrence with the fae, unfortunately. A woman’s fertility window is small, and if a pair isn’t a fated match, it’s unlikely they’d have children.”
“How do you know they didn’t just leave? Maybe they moved.”
“It’s possible, but the only reason a family would uproot is if one of them has a power the royals are interested in utilizing. In that case, they’d be moved to Hailene and elevated to noble status. But that’s a very rare occurrence. People living this far away from the royal city are as common as commoners get, and their powers tend to be common as well.”
“How far are we from Hailene?”
“Days of travel. The nearest city is Olphene, and that’s fifty miles south.” Ellister touches some dried-up flowers in a white vase, and the petals are so deteriorated that they crumble, sprinkling to the end table like dust. “In any case, I don’t think anyone is coming back to claim this place.”
I scan the bare walls. “Is it weird that there are no pictures?”
“No. We don’t have photography here. There are artists who paint portraits, but it’s very expensive, and the average family wouldn’t have the money for it. I’ll tell you what…” Ellister comes up behind me. Since he dumped our stuff on one of the chairs, his arms are free, and he wraps them around me. “When we have children, we’ll have them draw all kinds of pictures, and we’ll frame them.”
Having kids isn’t something Ellister and I have discussed, but it’s not off the table. I want babies someday. I want the whole family experience—the one I didn’t think I’d get to have while I was dying.
And once we’re gone, our kids can keep the farm going.
