Against the Elements by Esme Carpenter

Author:Esme Carpenter [Carpenter, Esme]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy
ISBN: 9781925148404
Publisher: IFWG Publishing Australia
Published: 2012-03-09T13:00:00+00:00

“Ulysses, I have to ask you something.”

“Delphi, now is not really the time,” he said in a muffled way, biting the twine he was using to fix the hole he had made in the cart. After breaking it when he slammed it against the wall, he decided that fixing it would be in his best interests, and it had given him something to do for the last half an hour.

Delphi checked on Owen; he was making patterns in the ash and grit on the floor some distance back, out of earshot.

“Why do you hate Brigid the way you do?” she asked.

Ulysses scowled and didn’t answer, weaving in the thick cord.

“I hate her already but not how you do. I don’t think anyone hates her like you. What did she do?”

“You just don’t get it, do you?” he growled, shooting her a dirty look with his eyes burning again. “Drop the whole Brigid thing and get on with your quest, alright?”

“Uly, I’m bored,” whined Owen from his corner.

Ulysses looked over. “And I’m busy. Not my problem,” he said bitterly, tying a tight knot. “Talk to your imaginary friends and keep quiet, or I’ll whack you one.”

Owen sniffed and mumbled to himself.

Delphi sighed. She couldn’t get anything out of Ulysses when he was in this kind of mood. She sat with Owen.

He looked at her morosely. “I tried to draw you but it went all funny,” he said, scowling at the picture on the floor. Delphi was the figure with the wiggly strip in one hand and jagged hair, a wide smile in her big circular head and two dotted eyes. The arms were too long, the nose was wonky and her feet were skew-whiff.

“It’s okay,” she said, crossing her legs as she sat. “We can start over.”

“I drew Uly too,” Owen said proudly. The picture of Ulysses was better, but his hair was all spiky. Delphi didn’t point this out, as this seemed to be the bit Owen admired most, and she smiled.

“It’s very good.”

Owen looked over at Ulysses. His face changed and he drew a scowl on the picture, over the smile that had been there previously. “It’s right now,” he said, sounding upset and angry.

Delphi sighed. “He’s just nervous, I suppose,” she said as they rubbed her picture out, trying to find excuses for him and not knowing why. The strength inside Ulysses had moved something in her, and she found herself with a weird respect for him, so she felt inclined to protect him.

“I’m not,” said Owen, making a circle for Delphi’s head and carefully dotting the eyes into the grit with his little finger. “I’m brave. Just like you.”

Delphi smiled, despite the hole in her stomach. “I’m not that brave, Owen,” she said, putting a skirt on stick-Delphi.

“Of course you are! You fought warriors and escaped from prison and you’re going to steal the crown!” cried Owen, a gleaming smile on his face. Delphi laughed nervously.

“Shut up Owen!” snarled Ulysses, with emphasis on every word.

Owen’s smile faded and he obediently went back to his picture.

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