Tegan sat back with a weary sigh. “Now we wait and see.”
By morning, however, we saw a vast improvement. His skin tone was better—bright and warm—instead of the ashy gray that marked a man for death. Tegan hugged me, and I squeezed her back, though I hadn’t done anything except stick around. We sped through our morning rituals, the cleaning and tending. At least we didn’t have to feed patients anymore; they were all well enough to hold a cup or a spoon.
Carter’s eyes were sharp and alert as I handed him a mug of broth. With my help, he struggled to a sitting position for the first time since we arrived in Soldier’s Pond. I took it as a personal victory. His hands shook but he downed it all.
“More?” he asked.
I refilled him. “Decided to live, have you?”
“It’s obvious you won’t let me die, so I better quit malingering and get back to the fight.” In his quiet expression, I saw gratitude.
“Thank Tegan,” I said. “She’s the doctor, not me.”
I felt so incredibly proud of her. With nobody’s help, she had come up with a successful treatment for Freak bites. I hoped she recalled the exact proportions of the remedy because I had a feeling we would need that tincture again in the near future. The Freaks hadn’t quit the field; they just hadn’t reached Soldier’s Pond yet. So that meant this was, at best, a lull before the worst of the storm.
Part of me felt anxious and unsettled. We should be laying battle plans, but I had no part in any such arrangements. Here I wasn’t even old enough to join the military. Once again, I had been relegated to the rank of child, regardless of what I could offer. I didn’t regret the time I had spent on nursing, but my skills were better suited to fighting the enemy.
Carter seemed to read my mood and his own expression grew somber. “Don’t worry. I’ll be on the front lines when the time comes.”
“That means a lot to me.”
I wasn’t joking. If I couldn’t have Longshot, then Harry Carter was the next best thing. He was Salvation’s hero, and I had no doubt that once he recovered his strength, he would be a powerful force in the war against the Freaks. He wore a determined look, as focused on recuperation as he had been on despair. If they weren’t terrifying monsters, I’d pity the beasts.
“I don’t mean to be rude,” Tegan said then. “But isn’t it time you rejoined your family? I appreciate your help and all, but I can manage these patients on my own.”
“Are you dismissing me?”
“I believe I am.”
“I’ll swing by to check on you tomorrow,” I said to Carter.
He bobbed his head. “I’ll look forward to it. I might even be strong enough to eat my next meal in the mess I’ve been hearing so much about. Still say food cooked in a place with a name like that can’t be too delicious, though.”
I smiled. “You’re not wrong.”
Though Fade hadn’t showed me the way to Edmund’s shop, I followed my nose. Tanning leather created an unmistakable smell, so it was fairly easy to locate. The workshop was located near the house they had been assigned, closer than it had been in Salvation. I stepped into the shop, inhaling the familiar scents. The process of creating leather from skins was noisome, but the finished product smelled better. Edmund was behind a makeshift counter, checking measurements before he cut the sole. Noises in back said Fade and maybe Rex were here too.
“Are you settling in all right?” I asked.
Genuine pleasure dawned on my father’s face. He came around to hug me. I’d never been touched so much or so easily, and I was adjusting to the idea that it didn’t have to mean weakness. Still, I hugged him back, reveling in my ability to be a girl, not just a Huntress. I was a little backward in some regards, and I wanted to fix that.
“Are you finished in the infirmary?” he asked.
I nodded. “Tegan sent me away. She had some idea you might be missing me.”
“You’ve no idea,” Edmund said. “Your mother is worrying herself sick, so I’d count it a personal favor if you would reassure her.”
“What did she think would happen to me, working with the wounded?” I asked, puzzled.
“You could catch something or get an infection or be hurt by a delirious man—”
“So she’s making up reasons to fret so she doesn’t have to focus on the real problem.”
Soberly, Edmund nodded. “Go see her, please.”
“Is it all right if I have a word with Rex and Fade, first?” I gestured at the back room.
“Go ahead. Just don’t dally too long.” I could tell by his narrow-eyed look that he meant sparking, and I sighed.
With Rex in the room, it was unlikely I would crawl all over Fade, even if he could stand for me to do so. Despite my wishing, we weren’t back to our old standing yet. I just nodded as I moved past Edmund, navigated the counter, and stepped into the dim room where all the materials were gathered. Fade was smearing something that smelled awful on a stretched skin while Rex handled another portion of the process. They both glanced up on my arrival, and Fade actually smiled.
“Come to admire my work?” he teased.
I pretended to study the rack, then offered a patently false criticism, as I had no idea what they were about or if it was well done. Rex laughed, which was the point. It was good to see my foster brother getting along with Fade. We chatted a while, but I couldn’t linger, as they had work to do, and I had to reassure my mother that I numbered among the living, despite her fears.
With a wave for Edmund, I hurried out of the shop. Though it had been dark when I watched them go into their little house, I found it fine. It was smaller than their place in Salvation had been, just a room full of beds, really, and they were odd, too, stacked on top of each other, so there was no privacy at all. I found Momma Oaks sweeping a floor that didn’t need it. Here, she had no place to cook, she’d left her beloved dog behind, and the soldiers didn’t seem to value her work. When you got right down to it, our circumstances were similar.
But she brightened when she spotted me. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Few people had said that to me and meant it. Other than Fade, I couldn’t think of anyone who treated me like the sun. Momma Oaks genuinely loved me, however, even when I was difficult for her to understand.
“This is an odd place,” I said.
At best, it was shelter. Surely there were normal homes, where families cooked their meals and gathered in the parlor to share stories. I’d seen them dotted here and there, but my family had been allotted this instead. Refugees had no rights, though, no reason to expect better.
But my mother didn’t show a hint of dissatisfaction.
“I’m told it used to house soldiers who had no family, but many people died of fever last winter and the Muties have gotten others. So it was standing empty, waiting for us.” She put on a smile. “Isn’t that lucky?”
I loved this woman so much that my heart hurt with it. I wanted to keep my whole family safe and happy, and it cut me to the bone that it might be beyond my power.
True to his word, Harry Carter had supper the next night with Fade and me in the mess hall. He took short walks around town, building his strength, and I admired his determination. The following day, a runner came to the workshop, where I was pitching in. Since they wouldn’t let me train with the men, I had to keep strong somehow—and cleaning served the purpose. This soldier was young, barely older than I was, but apparently of age to volunteer. He stared at the industry as he’d likely never seen people practice a trade before.
“Do you need something?” Edmund asked.
“I’ve been asked to fetch the girl and her friend to the colonel.”
I couldn’t imagine why, but I dusted my hands on my thighs, then called to Fade, “Can you pause for a
