Absolute Heart by Michael Vance Gurley

Author:Michael Vance Gurley [Gurley, Michael Vance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: young adult
ISBN: 978-1-64080-991-8
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2019-07-23T05:00:00+00:00

A Merry Welcome

THE DEEP green fields and dewy mists of the countryside in the morning rose above them. Sparse trees turned into dense woods sometime in the night, and Gavin found he’d had to slow down the four-legged steamwalker considerably to navigate. Landa had watched the gauges for a while, and Wish fastidiously watched out the window for evidence of any more faeries following. They trod alone through the southern woods of England, far from home. They might not have known why they ran so far away, but Gavin did.

The steamwalker’s gait was fairly gentle, when not in a race from danger, and swayed up and down hills. It lulled the others to sleep. Gavin had nearly given in to the temptation several times himself. Lucas had crawled up close to the driver seat to sleep near him. Gavin looked down at Lucas, his sleek form and feathering brown hair, curled into a ball, asleep. His big boots were so oversized Gavin could see the stockings all the way down. He found it endearing. He also found he wanted to hold him, comfort him, make everything better somehow. He hadn’t been sure of his feelings before, so it was strange to feel so strongly.

He glanced back to see Wish asleep, his legs having fallen across Landa’s. Of course he snored loudly. Gavin never received a proper explanation of how the boy who had made his life a living hell in classes and made him feel weak had ended up with them. Gavin shook it away as he turned to face front and noticed Landa awake, looking at him. He froze a tick before resuming his task. They did not need to end up sideways in a gully or something.

“Get off, you sod,” Landa grumbled when she shoved Wish’s errant legs off her to get up. He murmured something before falling back to sleep.

She checked gauges and adjusted a few knobs that apparently needed moving all of a sudden. When enough time had passed and Wish didn’t stir, she stepped to the front.

“Doing well?” she asked. When he shook his head, she placed her hand gently on his shoulder and continued, “Where do you think we are?”

“Not sure quite yet,” Gavin answered, a small map splayed across his lap. “I’ve been trying to figure it, but it’s been black as pitch. Bath, I think, or just east of it.”

Landa cocked her head sideways. “How do ya’ bleeding come to that?”

“I’m brilliant.” When she stared at the side of his head awhile, he finally added over his shoulder, “Saw a road sign for Trowbridge just a bit ago, so… Bath.”

“Well, I’ll be. This bucket of bolts can move fairly well,” Landa praised. “And that’s cheating, by the by.”

“I think it could do more speed, but honestly, I’m so knackered it’s—”

“What do you reckon his deal is?” Landa asked, cocking her head toward the sleeping Lucas.

“What ya’ mean?” He was being coy but knew full well what she meant.

“Are you two…?”

Before she could

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