Darrell Schweitzer (ed) by Secret History of Vampires

Author:Secret History of Vampires
Format: epub
Published: 2013-07-03T16:00:00+00:00

“You’d best not be here tomorrow, Ragosh-ski,” advised the soldier who had questioned him. “It could work against your interests.”

“It might,” said Ragosh-ski, noticing the older boy staring out at him through a knothole in the wall of the shack.

“Well, I have warned you,” the soldier declared as he reached the first turn in the street.

Ragosh-ski watched the three depart, his expression severe. He realized that a decision would have to be reached quickly. Once the soldiers were out of sight, he opened the ramshackle gate and went into the house, tugging the sledge with him. “I know this is not a good time, but you will want what I bring,” he said as much to announce himself as to point out the fruits of his errand.

The woman looked up, staring at him. “I didn’t realize you’d returned,” she said, sounding dazed. She stared at him, as if not trusting her eyes. “You brought—”

The daughter lunged out of the alcove where she had retreated. “Food! He brought food!” She slapped the covering on the sledge. “I can smell it!”

Her mother took her by the shoulder. “Calm down, Thalia.”

The girl did her best to contain herself, stepping back from the sledge and saying only, “I’m hungry.”

“We’re all hungry,” said the woman, sounding utterly weary. She glanced at Ragosh-ski. “So you brought what you said you would bring?”

“Have a look for yourself,” Ragosh-ski offered, bending to untie the twine that held the load in place.

There was a long silence as the woman peeled back the covering and stared at the food and the pot. “You have been . . . most kind.” The words sounded harsh and unfamiliar as she spoke them. She bent down and touched the two bolts of cloth. “Most kind.”

“If this suits your purposes, then I am content,” said Ragosh-ski, stepping back so that the woman could begin to unload the sledge.

“This food will be useless by this time tomorrow, when the soldiers come again. They won’t allow us to take food with us.” She sighed. “But we will have an ample last meal together. Perhaps I can cut new garments for us, as well; we will look less like beggars.”

“You need not be beggars,” said Ragosh-ski.

“No; we can be slaves,” said the woman without emotion.

“Not slaves either,” he said.

She rounded on him. “You saw the soldiers—it must be one or the other.”

“Then I hope you will make the most of your evening to consider what I offer.” Ragosh-ski paused, making sure he had her full attention. “The authorities may watch Piraeus to keep you from leaving, but they will not—they cannot—be at Megara, and I can arrange for you to travel with a merchants’ train of ox carts bound for there at dawn. From that place, I can arrange for you to go overland to the Gulf of Corinth, or by sea to one of the islands, as suits you. You can make your way in the world according to your desires. Depending on your skills, there will be work for you in any place.

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