Sandymancer by David Edison

Author:David Edison
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tor Publishing Group

9

Caralee and Thombthumb stood together, alone for a moment. The crittertender’s brown eyes were wide with worry. She didn’t think she could stand his questions or keep herself from telling the truth.

“Caralee.” Thomb ducked his head level with hers to look her in the eyes, the mask of an oafish yokel gone. “You know you can trust me, right? Who is this person? Where is Joe? Joe would never, ever, ever let you come all the way out here on your own.”

That much was the naked truth, and Caralee looked away, worrying the ribbon around her waist with nervous fingers.

“And not with some fancy man leading you off to who knows where. Caralee…what happened to Joe? He would sooner die than let you off alone or give up his daddy’s jacket.”

“His what?” His what? “His daddy’s…”

“Don’t you know? How don’t you know?” Thombthumb shook his head like they were both idiots. “Of course he didn’t tell you. Caralee, that jacket is all Joe has left of his daddy.”

But…

“It was?” She caught herself too late. “Is?”

Caralee never imagined she could feel so much shame.

Thomb’s full lips turned down at the corners when he looked toward the Son, who’d walked due north across the road and past the gates, leaving Grenshtepple’s behind. “What the fuck happened to Oti? This man is putting you in danger, Caralee. And he smells wrong, sounds wrong. All kinds of wrong.”

“Thomb, it’s…” What could she say? Thombthumb was right about everything.

“Caralee, you know my nose is sharp as tacks, but it’s not just my nose. I can hear it, Caralee. Like music, too much music all at once…” Thomb trailed off and Caralee wondered if Thombthumb possessed other gifts as well.

Caralee’s eyes began to water again. She changed the subject harder and faster than she’d ever done in her life. “Thomb, listen. I can’t learn anything at home. I’m trapped.” She looked at the fractured sky. “And…” She couldn’t possibly tell Thomb that she was off to save Joe and fix the sky. “And back home, I’m nobody.”

“That ent true, and you know it.” He sucked his teeth and looked to the sky for a while before he spoke again. She thought Thomb was trying to keep his eyes dry, too. “You really gonna be a sandymancer?”

She nodded. Everything important went unsaid, too risky or too frightening or too sorrowful for words.

You know I’ve got the sandysense, Thomb. I…I gotta go.” She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to throw her arms around Thombthumb and sob for days, pound her fists on his chest and beg forgiveness for her crimes. For the Son’s crimes. For her silence and her complicity. “Lemme go, sweet Thomb.”

Thomb loosened his grip on Caralee’s hands, but they laced their fingers together. Thomb was frowning, grinding his jaw, tense as a dust hare at twilight.

“Caralee, you trust me with Atu, right?” he asked.

Caralee nodded and poured all she’d left unspoken into her answer.

“Listen, if you need anything—anything—I’m right here. If…when Joe and

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