Elfhome

“Lately, I’ve been empathizing with him.” Tinker grumbled low but back in Elvish. She kept pace with Oilcan as he headed toward the distant gossamer. Apparently she intended to keep an eye on Oilcan while the gossamer was still close enough to whisk him away. “If you read between the lines in his codex, Dufae was hiding on Earth. He never comes out and says it, but I think he found out that someone in the Stone Clan was cooperating with the Skin Clan. It might seem like a long time ago for us, but most likely, all the parties except Dufae are still alive.”

Dufae and his mother who’d been desperately trying to figure out what had happened to her son — searching to find what had made him disappear. He wondered how Amaranth died. Had Amaranth actually killed herself?

If she hadn’t, then two households worth of possible killers were about to arrive.

Would the kids be safe? Someone in the Stone Clan had already betrayed them once. “I found something out,” Oilcan said. “All the kids are naelinsanota—a caste that the Skin Clan was developing. The weird thing was that it’s a bit of a stigma — families weren’t advertising the fact that they were naelinsanota.”

Tinker cursed loudly, looking like she wanted to hit someone hard. Frustrated, she settled for kicking at a clump of grass. “I bet the dead children were hiding the fact that they were naelinsanota too. Lain says all the kids, the ones that lived and the ones that were killed, were related. It means they’re all the same caste; even Baby Duck even though she can’t remember or not. All seven! This wasn’t a random call for sponsorship. Earth Son, or whoever was using his name, had to have all but hand deliver his offer to specific families.”

“To specific children.” Oilcan said. “It can’t be a coincidence that all of them are still doubles.”

“Only doubles are free to change households without shame.” Pony’s voice echoed Tinker’s anger. “The only caste that waits until their hundredth year to chose their Beholding are sekasha. But to find seven doubles of any one caste — that is not coincidence.”

“Do you think Forge has anything to do with this?” Tinker eyed Oilcan. He could almost see the little cogs and wheels in her brain spinning quickly, planning ways to kidnap him herself.

“No.” Oilcan said firmly. “Thorne asked me for our lineage. The news traveled to Forge and he came to find us. Me.” Forge’s emotions felt too genuine to be faked. “He loved Amaranth beyond reason. There’s no way he could have killed her and stayed sane.”

“So maybe he’s crazy.” Tinker said.

“I–I doubt it.” Pony shook himself like a wet dog at the idea. “His Hand would know if he’s unstable enough for that and if they suspected he was monster enough to kill his domi, then — no — he can’t be insane.”

It was comforting to know — assuming that the sekasha were as all-knowing as Pony thought. Certainly Pony had been the first to realize Tinker was slipping over the edge when Esme was invading her dreams. But what if Tinker had been twisted before Pony met her? Would Pony see past a mask of sanity? Thorne Scratch hadn’t.

#

There was chaos on the faire ground by the massive anchors. Apparently Earth Son and Jewel Tear’s orphaned households had heard of the arrival of a Stone Clan airship. They were gathered around Forge, carrying travel bags. Some stoically quiet. Some in tears. Some pleading and weeping loudly.

“Anyone that wants to go back to Easternlands can.” Forge must have cast an amplification spell because his voice carried as if he was using a bullhorn. “Anyone seeking to join my household will need to stay here in Pittsburgh and wait until I can decide to accept anyone.”

Oilcan glanced to Thorne Scratch. He hadn’t even considered that she might leave completely. Certainly there was nothing he could offer to make her stay. He took comfort that she made no move to leave his side, collect her gear, and go back to the Easternlands on the great living airship. Did she plan to offer to Forge or Iron Mace? Surrounded by Tinker’s and Forge’s Hands, Thorne had her face set to warrior neutral so he could glean nothing of her intentions.

Forge pushed through the throng to where Oilcan and Tinker stood. “Is something wrong?”

Oilcan realized then that they hadn’t actually talked about how much he’ll charge Forge. Maybe the elf thought he was staying in exchange for the defensive spells he planned — but Tinker could probably do just as good a job. It was food that Oilcan couldn’t get easily elsewhere. “The city is under siege and running low on food. We’ll be happy to have you stay with us — but there’s no place we can buy enough food to feed everyone. I was hoping that part of your…”

He wasn’t sure what elves called it.

“Mau.” Pony murmured.

“Mau would be in supplies from Easternland. Flour, salt, sugar, keva beans.”

Forge nodded. “Of course, of course. If you need something, and if it is mine to give, you may have it.”