The Bone Valley, page 3
She set down the chicken, and it followed her like a puppy to her already sprawled out blanket. A musty aroma wafted off from the cloth, and it would need to be washed in the lake soon.
After taking a seat, she broke off another piece of bread and shared it with the hen. She grabbed her silver flask from the edge of the blanket and drank all the water inside, which wasn’t enough to sate her thirst.
Why did I ever come here? Oh right, Zikri’s bright idea. Zikri. She couldn’t stop herself from thinking about him.
“Zikri, my parents are forcing me to marry,” Nahli said, sobbing softly into her hands. She was conditioned to handle her parents’ emotional abuse at home but being betrothed to someone she didn’t know affected her more.
He ran a hand through his dark hair before wrapping his gangly arms around her, his golden-brown eyes studying her. “They can’t do that.”
“They’re sending me off in two weeks.”
“I have an idea,” he whispered in her ear.
His idea had involved the both of them stowing away on a ship across the ocean. The idea had been brilliant ... until it wasn’t.
Zikri convinced Nahli to steal as much coin as she could from her parents, and he’d promised her they could send money when they had enough to pay them back.
He had been her childhood friend, her best friend, the one she’d fallen in love with. When they’d arrived in Kedaf, they found rest at an inn. Zikri then told her he loved her, and so she gave him the two things that were truly hers ... her heart, her body. He’d been gentle as he entered and moved inside her, even though she didn’t find the blissful release he had. She hadn’t cared.
The next morning she’d woken to him opening the door to leave.
“I’m going to get breakfast,” he’d said over his shoulder.
Something in his voice had sounded off. Yet she’d still waited.
She shouldn’t have waited.
After getting dressed, she sifted through her pack, finding her coin bag missing. He’d left her with nothing and never returned.
Tears streaked Nahli’s cheeks when she thought about the last words he’d said, and she hastily wiped them away. She didn’t want anything else to be for Zikri, including her tears.
The breeze picked up and Nahli threw on Anton’s shirt, which smelled of a combination of herbs. She allowed the comforting aroma to wash away the lingering thoughts of Zikri.
A soft nudge pushed at her ankles as the chicken curled up beside her. She scooted closer to the soft feathers of the hen and tried to drift to sleep so she could dream of somewhere better.
The dream that washed over her was of a place filled with bones.
THREE
ANTON
Anton could not believe it. No, he could believe it. The girl—Nahli—with the black braid and dimples from the market had stolen his clothing. He wasn’t surprised she’d taken his clothes, but more so at the fact he’d seen her twice in the same day.
He knew he wouldn’t be able to catch up to her to swipe his things back. By the time he swam long strokes to reach the edge of the lake, she would already be long gone. Instead, he decided to finish bathing, then think about what had occurred with Nahli. He’d come to escape for a little while, to not think about Maryska, to not think about his family.
Leaning back, Anton dipped his hair into the lake and let his mind clear. With his eyes tightly shut, he floated down into the lukewarm water, as far as his body would go.
When he spread his arms and let himself resurface from under the blue liquid, a blast of cool wind struck his face. Just as it had earlier. But when he stood to look around, he was met with only the sun’s warmth and the sight of his lonely boots. He groaned with irritation at what he would have to do.
Before Anton had come to cleanse himself, he’d dropped off the things he’d purchased from the market, along with the satchel that would be a gift for someone. He’d given the remainder of his coin to Pav before trailing his way to the lake. If the thief from the market had stolen those things, he would have most certainly tried to track her down.
Squeezing out his wet hair, he lifted himself from the shifting water to go to what Nahli had left him. His boots. “Well, there’s that,” he said aloud to himself as beads of water slid down his shoulders and chest.
If he had to trudge home like a newborn babe, then so be it. It couldn’t be worse than having to see Maryska that night. Anton lifted the worn boots, holding one in front of himself and the other over his buttocks, before he started to shuffle his way home.
He found himself partially smiling and half frowning at the ridiculousness of it. Nahli had been running off with a chicken of all things. Then the smile vanished when he was unable to control his thoughts from taking a darker turn. Only one more day of this life, of doing what he loathed. As vile as tumbling with strangers made him feel, it had helped his family survive before Yeva had started selling herbs and reading fortunes at the market.
Dirt stuck to his bare feet, smaller bits gathering in between his toes. Perhaps he should just put the boots on, but he didn’t feel like exposing himself to the whole village.
Once he broke out from the forest, Anton scurried as quickly as humanly possible toward his home. Luck was on his side this time since no one was out. His family’s older cottage shifted into view. The charcoal thatch roof needed to be repaired, but the windows were spotless from Pav keeping them clean.
As he edged closer, Mrs. Evanko was out in her garden next door, her fiery-red braid brushing her waist. He tiptoed as silently as he could, just as he used to when he was younger after sneaking about and doing things he shouldn’t have been doing. But nothing ever slipped past Mrs. Evanko.
He saw it coming as she slowly glanced over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing immediately. Anton froze in his indecision on whether he should run inside or have a nonchalant chat.
The chat it is. “Good morning, Mrs. Evanko. Tasha already seems to be getting better.” When he’d dropped off the items earlier, Tasha had appeared well as she slept. However, he could still smell the lingering stench from the empty bucket sitting beside her bed in case she grew nauseated again. “We’ll let you know tomorrow morning if you’re able to watch her, or if she’ll need to stay home again.” He spoke with ease, as if she wouldn’t notice that he was indeed almost as naked as the day he’d been born, despite the boots.
She glanced at his home, then back at him with a chastising look, tapping a finger against her chin. “Hmm.”
“It isn’t what you think.”
She most likely thought he was coming back from making coin. More than once, her disapproval had echoed his own regarding his nightly activities.
“So, you aren’t gallivanting in the village and picking up customers?”
He wanted to scratch his face in nervousness, but instead shifted his boot in front of him to make sure he was completely covered. “Not at the moment, no.”
“Anton, you’re like a son to me, and you need to stop this nonsense.” Small creases appeared at the edges of her eyes, and exhaustion rolled off her as she let out an exasperated huff of air. “Your mother and father would be so disappointed in you if they were still here.”
He wanted to tell her that he was disappointed in his mother for leaving them when she could have tried harder to stay, and at his father for not being more careful. But out of respect for her, he remained silent on the matter. Mrs. Evanko had treated them well over the years, even if she needed to mind her own damn business most of the time.
Before he gave her a response, she shook a pile of weeds in her fist in the direction of her home. “And do go and put some clothes on before Polina and the smaller ones see you.”
Polina was her eldest daughter who had just turned fifteen. She used to follow him around with a childhood infatuation, until not that long ago when she’d finally noticed Pav. His brother had been practicing with the sword, more so lately, gaining strength and hoping to become a soldier one day.
With a final nod at Mrs. Evanko, Anton hurried to the front of his cottage. When he reached the offset door that needed adjusting, he kicked it softly several times with the heel of his foot.
The bolt unlatched with a hard click and Pav opened the door. A brow arched, and his lips twisted to the side as his green eyes quickly skimmed over Anton. “Where in all of Kedaf are your clothes?” He chuckled.
Anton strode past his brother. “Taken by a thief.”
“While you were wearing them?” Pav shook his head and closed the door.
“That’s exactly how it happened, Pavla,” Anton said with sarcasm. “A thief held me at knifepoint and stripped me bare, only to leave me with my boots to cover myself and come home safely to tell you this most magnanimous story.”
Pav’s eyes widened, his freckled cheeks drawing upward. “That is quite a story. How did you manage to barter to keep the boots?”
Anton released a huff of air, his gaze drifting to the roof of the sitting room. “You know that isn’t what really happened.”
“It did sound like quite a tale, but you never know with thieves. One did threaten to cut my hair at ax-point once.” He shrugged with a smirk.
“Pav, stop being ridiculous. We both know that never happened. Also, it wasn’t a he, it was a she, and a very small she at that.”
Pav gently patted Anton on the back. “Poor Anton, growing weaker and weaker by the day.”
“I was in the lake, and she wasn’t. I’m not a fish who can glide through water.”
“Should have grown wings and flown like a bird.”
“What?” Anton shook his head. “I’m done with this conversation, and I’m going to find something to wear.” He inspected the tiny sitting room and the two empty chairs. “How’s Tasha?”
“Still in bed asleep. There hasn’t been any more retching.”
Pav looked like he wanted a pat on the back, but Anton was still holding his boots. So he headed to his bedroom while his brother continued to prattle away about nothing. When he closed the door behind him, Pav was still talking to air.
At the market when his brother worked with Yeva, Pav did more talking than trying to sell anything. But for some reason, people were charmed by him and would continue to come back and chat with him while buying herbs. There were several customers who had asked to get their fortunes told by Pav, and it ended up being absurd, yet the people loved it. His brother was going to be a handful for the women when he was older—Anton was sure of it. That last thought brought another unwelcome one on its heels. Pav wasn’t a child anymore—he would be sixteen in a few days.
Anton set the boots on the floor and drew open a dresser drawer, pulling out a pair of trousers and a tunic. He threw them on and took a seat on the edge of the bed he shared with Pav.
He rested on the flattened pillow, his partially damp hair touching his cheek as he closed his eyes for a little while.
A knock at the door stirred him out of his slumber.
“Yes?” His voice came out groggy as he sat up, rubbing the heel of his hand against his eye.
The door swung open with a soft couple of squeaks. Yeva stood in the doorway, her hair at her forehead soaked with sweat. “Did you decide to stay for dinner?”
Anton’s shoulders stiffened. “I already told you I can’t, Yeva.”
“You can.” Her lips pursed together in agitation.
“All right, I can.” He let his shoulders relax.
She leapt on the bed and wrapped her sweaty arm around his shoulders, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. “Ionna will be thrilled. She should be here soon.” A broad smile crossed her face, showing the two slightly-crooked teeth that he used to tease her about when he was smaller. He used to tell her it made her look as though she was part wolf. Though her personality was never fierce, she was more like a gentle deer.
His thoughts turned to Maryska. “I won’t be able to stay the entire dinner.”
“I will take whatever you’re willing to give us. A little time is better than no time.”
“Ton-Ton?” A soft voice entered the room.
“Tasha, did you grow already?” he asked his younger sister as she tiptoed into his area. Her complexion was no longer pale but a healthy hue. “You look taller than yesterday.”
Tasha’s spine straightened as if she were trying to make herself appear even taller. She was still small for her age, and she was the only one out of the four of them who looked exactly like their father. Tan skin, black hair, and bright green eyes, but the wild curls in her hair were from their mother.
“My feet do seem bigger today.” Tasha padded toward the bed and took a seat on the other side of him, then placed her foot in his face.
Yeva giggled, and Anton wrinkled his nose, pretending to appear disgusted while shoving Tasha’s foot back down. “It smells like goat,” he said.
Tasha lifted her foot to her face and took a long sniff. “It does not!”
“While you two are talking about feet, I’m going to go and finish up dinner,” Yeva said before giving Tasha a hasty tickle to the ribs.
Anton turned to Tasha. “Are you feeling better? You don’t appear sick anymore.”
“Yes, but oh how it was wretched, and I kept feeling nauseous.”
He remembered the smell from earlier. “Such big words. You seem to have a larger vocabulary than I do.” Anton smiled and shook her foot.
“That’s because you need to read more.” She tapped at the book in her hand that he was only now seeing.
“Pav doesn’t read often, either.”
“Pav could do with expanding his vocabulary.”
A roar of laughter escaped Anton, and he glanced up to see Pav standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame.
“Are you two talking about me?” Pav asked, cocking his head. “I know everyone here can’t help but enjoy my presence.”
Anton nudged his younger sister. “Tasha here said you needed to expand your vocabulary.”
“My dear lady, what an atrocious discussion to be allowed.” Pav squinted his green eyes at Tasha. “There. Is that better?”
She held up her hand, sliding her index finger and thumb close together. “A little.”
Pav rushed to the bed and rustled Tasha’s curls, making them even wilder. She patted his hands away while giggling.
Anton stood from the bed. “I’m going to see if Yeva needs help with anything in the kitchen.” He inhaled the scent of the herbs, spices, and meat brewing from inside the other room. His stomach ached with hunger for just one single taste.
“Where did you get the meat?” he asked Yeva when he strode up beside her.
“I made a good amount of coin at the booth. People like to tip extra after having their palms read, and there were more customers than usual today.” She shrugged and stirred the liquid in the large pot on the stove, tapping the wooden spoon on the edge before setting it down.
The meat didn’t smell like the scraps they generally had or the tough jerky that was always too hard to chew.
A sense of pride washed over Anton for his sister. She had done this mostly on her own, besides using herbs from Ionna’s farm. But she’d made sure to pay Ionna back each time she took them to sell at the market.
Yeva nodded in the direction of the vegetables sprawled across the table. “If you want to help and slice up those, you can work on that.”
Anton grabbed a knife and a carrot from the table.
She looked at him and smiled warmly. “Thank you for the vegetables and bread, by the way. The meal wouldn’t be the same if you hadn’t gotten those today.”
Nodding while holding his emotions back, he chopped into a carrot. Unlike Yeva being content with how she’d bought the meat, there was nothing pleasing about the way he’d paid for the other things. But he was satisfied nonetheless that his family would be able to have a proper dinner. That was good enough for tonight.
A heavy knock at the door arrived right as Yeva was pouring the meal into ceramic bowls. “Can you answer that?” she asked Anton.
Pav had gone next door to borrow something, but he had really gone to most likely flirt with Polina before dinner. Tasha had returned to her room to rest and read, to make sure her condition kept improving.
“Sure.” Anton walked across the wooden floor and pulled open the door to Ionna’s beaming face.
The yellow tunic she wore complimented her dark skin. Her tight black curls seemed to bounce, and her wide brown eyes automatically flicked over his shoulder toward Yeva, before falling back to him. Anton could understand why Yeva had fallen in love with her, especially when she gave him a genuine smile that highlighted her cheekbones. He hoped that love would always be enough.
“It’s nice to see you, Anton.”
He opened the door the remainder of the way and motioned her inside. “Likewise.”
“I’m coming!” Pav’s loud voice shouted from the direction of Mrs. Evanko’s cottage.
Ionna stopped and turned around to wait beside Anton.
“Sorry, it took longer than expected.” Pav’s breaths came out heavy from his sprint, and his cheeks were reddened. Oddly, so were his lips.
“So, what did you have to go and borrow exactly?” Anton asked, the side of his mouth quirking up.
Pav chewed on the edge of his lip. “I got distracted and forgot to ask.”
“Sure, you did, Pav.”
Ignoring Anton’s comment, Pav ran a hand through his curly hair. “Lovely to see you again, Ionna.” Grasping her delicate hand, Pav lifted it to his mouth and brushed a soft kiss against her skin. Anton had to stop from rolling his eyes.
“You are so sweet.” Ionna patted Pav’s head even though she was a bit shorter than him. Pav had grown over the winter months, and his shoulders had broadened. He was now more muscular than Anton but not quite as tall.
Ionna drew her hand back and smiled, before turning and heading toward Yeva. His sister wrapped her arms around her fiancée and kissed her.
