The Raven and the Reindeer by Kingfisher T

The Raven and the Reindeer by Kingfisher T

Author:Kingfisher, T. [Kingfisher, T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance, Science Fiction
Amazon: B01BKTT73A
Goodreads: 28963596
Publisher: Red Wombat Tea Co.
Published: 2016-02-07T08:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“No,” said Gerta. “Absolutely not! It’s horrible! I won’t let you!”

Janna rubbed her face. “I have to believe that was Mousebones,” she said. “It would take a raven to come up with something that revolting.”

Mousebones looked proud and a bit smug.

The reindeer laughed his soft, wheezing laugh again.

“Humans are so touchy about skin,” translated Mousebones. “It is only a shape. My soul will go on to the herd of stars, and then when I am tired of stars, into the young calves that sleep in their mother’s bellies. I will die soon anyway. Let me give you a gift, for kindness’s sake.”

“But to cut off his skin and wear it?” Gerta felt ill. She could imagine how the inside of the skin would feel. Raw and bloody and squishy. I’d be inside a horrible bloody tent.

“It will let you walk the reindeer road, he says,” said Mousebones. “And—ah—” He tilted his head, listening. “Oh. Hmm.”

“Thirdhand conversations are maddening,” said Janna, to no one in particular.

“He says that it’s too hot down here in this country,” said Gerta bleakly. “He wants his skin to lie somewhere cold, where a reindeer can be comfortable for more than one season a year. He will be a spirit, but even a spirit likes to know that his old home is well-cared for.”

“Sounds fair,” said Janna practically. “I can skin him, if you like.”

Gerta gave her a shocked look. “But he’s not dead!”

“I can do that, too, if it’s really what he wants.”

Gerta put her face in her hands.

The reindeer took a few steps forward and rested his muzzle on Janna’s arm. She looked down into his eyes.

“Yes,” she said after a minute. “I believe it is.”

“No!” said Gerta. “He can’t—I mean—not for me. Nobody dies for me!”

Janna rubbed the reindeer behind the ears. “Are you willing to die for your little friend the Queen took?”

“Yes.” Gerta raked her hands through her hair. “But it’s different. He doesn’t even know Kay. And I mean—it’s Kay. I’m just me. It doesn’t matter if I do it.”

Janna’s eyes narrowed, and Gerta had a strong feeling that the other girl was angry. But she kept stroking the reindeer behind the ears and said nothing.

Mousebones flapped a bit. “Can I have your eyes?” he asked the reindeer.

“Mousebones!”

“What? He’s not going to be using them.”

The reindeer snorted.

“There’s got to be another way,” said Gerta hopelessly. “Where nobody has to die.”

The raven rippled his wings in a shrug. “Maybe the human flock coming knows one.”

“What?” Janna’s head shot up.

“The human flock,” said Mousebones. “From the south.”

It occurred to Gerta belatedly that she shouldn’t have translated that. If someone was coming to rescue her, she’d have had a better chance to get away if Janna didn’t know about it.

Except she’s going to let me go. And I know she said she’d go with me, but I could get away, or convince her to leave—but how do I get to the far north, then? I’d have to walk through the snow…

…unless I walked the reindeer road.



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