Redwing by Holly Bennett Read Free Book Online Page B

caravan. “I was beginning to think you would never speak of her.”
    â€œDo you still see her?”
    â€œYes, she’s here. Not as clear as last night.”
    â€œWhy is that—is she leaving?” Rowan didn’t know if he would be relieved or sorry if Ettie left.
    â€œI don’t think so. We were sitting beside the stove that night—spirits are stronger around fire.”
    â€œWhy?”
    The covers rustled, and Rowan could picture Aydin’s elaborate rippling shrug. “Who knows? Maybe the heat gives them energy.”
    â€œAydin…” Rowan paused, trying to marshal his thoughts. What did he actually want to ask? “Why is she here?”
    â€œHow should I know? I don’t talk to them, I just see them.” The dismissive, almost contemptuous tone was back ( stupid Backender ), but Rowan made himself ignore it. This was too important to get sidetracked into an argument.
    â€œYes, but…how does she seem? I mean, does she look sad or in trouble, or what?” Something had kept her from moving on to the deadlands. Why hadn’t she gone with his parents?
    Aydin’s voice softened. “I don’t think so. They say the dead sometimes stay because they get lost and cannot find their way to the spirit world, and that others stay because of a great anger that holds them to the earth. I do not think either is true of your sister. She is not drifting about aimlessly—she stays very close to you. It’s hard to see ghosts in bright daylight, but she came up very clear on our first meeting, when I tried to chase you out of the square. And she doesn’t look angry. She looks—” There was a pause while Aydin considered. “She looks watchful. ”
    She’s watching over me. The thought came to Rowan with a certainty that took his breath away. Hadn’t she been like that in life, mending the rip in his shirt before their mother was even aware of it, slipping him the last honey cake from a pocket in her apron? Rowan was stricken with remorse at how little notice he’d taken of these gestures and how often he’d brushed off the little girl trailing behind him.
    Oh, Ettie. The tears welled up and spilled down Rowan’s cheeks when he tried to blink them away. She was here because of him, so he wouldn’t be left alone. But she shouldn’t have stayed. He was holding her to the earth when she should be resting in the peace of the dead-lands before entering her next life.
    Snores broke the dark silence. Aydin or Wolf? He couldn’t tell. Either way, Rowan found it comforting rather than annoying. It was nice not to be completely alone. And it was nice—he surprised himself with this thought—yes, it was nice to think that Ettie was nearby. All the guilt he felt about keeping her earthbound could not change that fact: it felt good to fall asleep in his chilly caravan thinking that his sister was, in some way, still in the bunk across from his.

EIGHT
    D espite their late night, the boys had the mules harnessed and ready to go well before midmorning. It had been decided over dinner that they would travel together for a while.
    â€œSo you have plans?” Aydin had asked in his direct way. “Besides wandering around piss-pot towns in a caravan, I mean?”
    â€œOf course I do.” Rowan’s voice was a little too vehement, mainly because, until very recently, he hadn’t had any plans. He had not been able to think in terms of a future extending beyond the next couple of days. Not that it had taken much thinking—it was obvious what he should do.
    â€œI need to get to Clifton, on the south coast, by the beginning of the Month of Rains. That’s…” Rowan squinted across the smoky inn, trying in vain to figure it out. “Well, I’m not sure exactly when that is. I’ve kind of lost track of time lately. But it’s coming up soon.”
    Aydin raised his eyebrows in