Alis by Naomi Rich

Author:Naomi Rich
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Social Issues, Emotions & Feelings, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Family, Historical - Other, Social Issues - Emotions & Feelings, Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9), Juvenile Fiction, Religious - General, General, Runaways, Religion, Other, Assertiveness (Psychology), Historical, Arranged marriage, Missing persons, Marriage & Divorce, Fiction, Religious, Children's 12-Up - Fiction - History
ISBN: 9780670011254
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2009-02-15T07:47:28.328000+00:00

14

“Here.” Edge threw a clutch of small coins onto the table for Weasel to count. He looked up at her. “About time.”

Alis looked up anxiously. Joel had been sick all through the winter, and Weasel had not hesitated to point out that they could not go on supporting someone who ate but did not work. Edge picked up one of the coins from the table and was spinning it between her fingers. Weasel finished counting and nodded. “Not bad.” He scooped the coins into an old pot and then reached for the one still turning under Edge’s gaze. He whipped it away and her knife was out before he could move.

“Don’t try it, Weasel. You’ll be sorry.”

He hesitated, then shrugged as if he’d meant to confront her but thought better of it. “All right. But keep it coming. Food costs.”

Alis grabbed Edge by the hand. “How did you get the money?”

Edge looked at her. “How do you think? I was nice to someone and he paid up like a good boy! I’m going to see how Joel is. Coming?”

They went along the corridor together, but at the door of Joel’s room, Alis changed her mind and made instead for the staircase down to the courtyard. It was not wise to go out alone, but she knew her way about now and no longer looked like a country girl, an easy target.

Once in the street, she walked rapidly toward the river, driven on by anger, misery, and fear. Joel might never get better—he might even die. Weasel was already making most of the decisions. And he hated her. Might she and Edge be able to survive together and support Joel, too? But she could not stand on a street corner and sell herself for the price of a meal. And yet if Edge did, then surely she must, too, if they were to make a living for themselves and Joel. She carried her knife now, sheathed at her waist, but she had never used it. She could not support herself that way.

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