The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn by Sam Gayton

Author:Sam Gayton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Where the Wind Blows

Lettie woke to the salty smell of more soup on the stove. She sat up and groaned. “What time is it?”

“Late enough for supper,” Noah said. “You slept for the whole day.”

Lettie looked through the porthole, at the darkness.

“Is Blüstav still out there?” she asked.

“Course he is. I had to give him a gas lantern, though. He says he doesn’t like the dark.”

“Serves him right for everything,” said Lettie, and flopped back in her chair.

“How do you feel?”

“Like one big bruise.”

“Eat,” he commanded, handing her a bowl of broth and gray shells.

“Only if you tell me what it is.”

“Clam soup,” he said proudly. “Another of my specialties. Even Blüstav enjoyed it!”

“Blüstav.” Lettie scowled at the mention of him. “You fed him too, did you?”

“I had to,” chuckled Noah. “He can’t feed himself with that cloud under his coat. He spilled most of the soup, but he managed a clam or two.”

Lettie looked down at her bowl. The clams didn’t look very tasty, but it would be rude not to try. She scooped one from its shell and chewed. It was hot, salty, and delicious. She sipped the broth and sighed with happiness.

“Thank you, Noah. They’re delicious.”

He laughed. “All part of the service!”

She laughed too. “You shouldn’t have let me sleep so long, though!”

“I couldn’t wake you,” said Noah. “You were dreaming deep, saying things.”

“Was I?” Lettie felt herself turn red. “What things?”

“Mostly mumbles,” said Noah, going over to his desk and sifting through the maps. “Then you started talking about your ma.”

“Oh,” said Lettie. “So it was a good dream.” She cursed herself for not being able to remember it.

“You said, ‘The first rule of alchemy is: Things change,’ ” Noah told her. “Here it is!” He found the star map he wanted and rolled it up.

Lettie nodded. “That sounds like something my ma would say to me. I suppose it’s true. But can things ever change back, Noah?”

“Course they can!” he said, stopping to look at her. “You took æther; you were colder than anyone’s ever been before. But now you’re fine again.”

“Thanks to you.”

“What else do you want to change back, Lettie?”

She took a deep breath, because what she wanted to say next could only be said in the simplest of words and she had to make sure that Noah understood them.

“I just want to see Ma, and for it not to be a dream.”

Noah nodded and waited for her to carry on.

“I want to see the inn and Da back to normal too, but I’m at sea now and everything seems so far away.”

“I know.”

“Will I ever see the inn again?”

His eyes shone. “Yes.”

“What about Da? Will I ever see him back to normal?”

“Yes.”

“And what about Ma?”

“Yes, Lettie. You’ll see her.”

Lettie smiled. Somehow, Noah saying it made her sure that it would happen. Then she bit her lip. “But when? Where?”

Noah took a gas lantern, stuck the map under his arm, and shrugged on his coat. “Where the Wind blows, of course.”

“What does that mean?”

“That’s where we’ll find her.

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