Kingdom of Cages (27 page)

Stop being a baby.
Chena forced her eyes around to look up into his face. His expression was pleasant, not harsh or embarrassed or judgmental.
“Sure. Thanks.”

“Thank you.” Farin gave her a quick salute. “Now I’ll let you get where you were going in such a hurry.” He stepped aside,
pulling the woman with him. She smiled up at him and snuggled a little closer into the crook of his arm.

Chena bit down hard on her lower lip and hurried past them.

Don’t be stupid,
she told herself as her throat constricted.
Of course he has a girlfriend. What do you think? He was waiting for you?

But even as she thought it, she felt sick. She had to lean on the boardwalk rail and take a couple of deep breaths before
she could risk a glance around. Farin and the woman had disappeared, and so, thankfully, had the tailor-hacker-mushroom man.

Chena pushed herself away from the railing.
Okay, it’s just a weird day,
she told herself.
Nothing big. Better go find Sadia and get back home before anything else happens.

She checked her list and hurried back into the dunes. She also checked her comptroller. Eleven-fifteen, and there were still
a couple of deliveries to make.

But by the time she was able to return to the market, it was well past noon and Chena was beginning to worry about getting
home. The days were already at least an hour shorter than they had been in summer. The bikes had lights, and there wasn’t
supposed to be anything in the dark that could get through the shock fences, but Mom worried, and besides, Chena wanted to
get the Offshoot deliveries made tonight so she could pay Sadia something major for the day’s work.

Sadia was leaning on the boardwalk railing just outside the picnic area where Farin had first taken Chena for lunch. She munched
on dark bread and swigged water from a bottle. She was wearing a quilted jacket like Chena’s except it was brown, and an oiled
canvas hat covered her hair.

“Hey.” Chena came up behind her. “You get the replies?”

Sadia nodded, her mouth full. She pulled out a sheaf of letters and handed them over. Chena checked each one and made a notation
against the client list in her comptroller. “Great. Now give me some of that.” She grabbed for the loaf.

“Hey, hey!” Sadia held it out of her reach. “Manners!”

“I’m paying here,” said Chena haughtily. “I don’t need manners.”

“Who raised you? Squirrels?” Sadia broke off half the loaf and handed it to Chena. It was good stuff, rich and nutty. They
ate and drank in silence for a while, watching the boats and the sunlight on the water.

“Do you really think you can earn enough to get off of here?” asked Sadia at last.

Chena shrugged and took a swallow of water from her own bottle. “I don’t know. Maybe not for a few years. But I can earn enough
to make things better.”

“Yeah,” agreed Sadia. “That’s what everybody wants, isn’t it? That’s what my dad wanted.”

“At least your dad wanted something for you,” murmured Chena. Sadia gave her a sideways glance, but didn’t ask. Chena was
glad.

Even though the remaining few pickups went smoothly, they were back on the rail later than Chena would have liked. Alone,
she might have been flying, but Sadia, as strong as she was, was not used to the bikes. They went slowly and the sun sank.
By the time they made it back to Offshoot, the bikes’ lights were on and the world around them was dark.

“Mom is going to kill me,” said Chena as they parked the bikes in the line. “I’ll split the money with you tomorrow, all right?”

“Okay,” said Sadia.

Chena hesitated. “The dining hall will be closed down. Mom might have something on the stove. You want to come?” Chena jerked
her chin up toward the catwalks.

“No,” said Sadia. “Thanks, though. I’d better just get back and check on Shond. If I’m not around, he might decide to do something
really stupid.”

“You think?” said Chena, her voice full of sarcasm. They both laughed and saluted each other quickly. “See you tomorrow.”

Sadia took off down the path and Chena took a minute to let her eyes adjust all the way to the darkness. There was a little
moonlight coming in from under the trees, and a few lights from the houses. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for her to find
her way.

Chena took her bearings and headed for the nearest stairway. She thought she saw the faint glimmer of light back in the trees
that meant Mom had left a lamp on for her.

Who am I kidding? Mom is probably waiting up for me.

She reached for the stairway railing.
I am in so much—

A hand clamped onto her wrist. Before Chena could react, it yanked her off her feet. She collided with a hard chest. The hand
and arm held her close and another hand groped at her belt.

“Let’s see what you have for us, maybe?” grunted an old man with foul breath.

“Told you she’d be here.” The new voice belonged to a younger man, and for a sharp, sick second, Chena realized she knew who
owned it.

The hand had her throat, but not her mouth. Chena jerked her chin forward and bit down hard. The man, the thief, screamed
and dropped her. Chena landed wrong and fell onto her knees. Someone swore and aimed a kick at her. It caught her on the hip
and sent her rolling over. Now Chena screamed, letting loose at the top of her lungs as she scrabbled away.

A shock caught her on the hand. She’d reached the fence. There was nowhere to go this way. She ducked sideways, even as a
hand caught her ankle.

“No, you don’t,” said Shond.

Lights were coming on. Voices were raised. But the hand did not let her go. It dragged her backward.

“Help!” screamed Chena. Something hit her head hard and the world spun into stars.

“No,” said yet another familiar voice. But dizzy as she was, Chena could not identify this one.

“No,” said the voice again. “She’s mine.”

The hand let go, dropping her foot onto the ground. The sounds of running surrounded Chena. People running away from her.
People running toward her. She blinked her eyes a few times. Dizziness receded, but only slowly.

“Well, now. Let’s see what you did to yourself.”

Leaves crunched as Nan Elle lowered herself into Chena’s line of sight. Chena opened her mouth and closed it again, but no
words came out.

Shond just tried to rob me. What am I going to tell Sadia?

By now, others had reached them. The whole world was floodlit by portable torches and lamps in houses turned up high. Chena
lifted her head in time to see a flock of would-be rescuers skidding to a halt as they saw Nan Elle.

“Just stay where you are,” Nan Elle said to her, or maybe to them. Her fingers pressed against Chena’s skull. They were hard,
but they were quick, running across her scalp. When she finished, she cupped one hand around Chena’s chin.

“Look at me,” she ordered. Chena obeyed. The dizziness was fading, but her vision was still a little blurry. “Good, very good.”

Nan Elle turned to the crowd. “Fell down the stairs,” she announced. “Got startled, poor thing.” As carefully as she had knelt
down, Nan Elle stood up. “I need someone to walk her to her mother.”

“Well, I hope you’ll let me.” Constable Regan slid through the crowd. “Since you seem to have taken charge.”

Nan Elle chuckled. “Oh, no Constable. I would never dream of it.” She stepped away, but her black eyes focused on Chena, and
Chena understood what she was not to say.

“Is there a concussion?” Regan asked Nan Elle.

“There does not seem to be, but her mother should probably wake her every few hours tonight to make sure.”

“Her mother is right here, thank you very much.” The crowd shifted, and the next thing Chena knew, Mom knelt on the ground
beside her. “Chena, look at me. Look at me, Supernova. Are you hurt?”

“Hit my head,” said Chena, a little thickly. She swallowed and tried it again. “I’m okay.”

Mom ran her fingers along Chena’s scalp, just like Nan Elle had. “You’ll have an egg in the morning. Let’s get you home.”
Mom stood and helped her up with both hands under Chena’s elbows. Mom, Chena noticed, did not even look at Nan Elle.

Chena stood unsteadily. Her head throbbed, but nothing spun and her stomach stayed still. She knew enough to know these were
good signs. Mom didn’t let go, though. She held on to Chena’s elbows as they climbed the stairs to the catwalk and started
toward their house.

I just can’t stop attracting crowds today,
thought Chena ruefully.
And stalkers.

Constable Regan walked along behind them. Mom glanced at him but didn’t say anything. He didn’t say anything either. He just
paced along, about half a step behind them, all the way to their front door.

“Thank you for the escort, Brother Constable,” said Mom as she pushed the door open. Teal sat in the front room, hugging one
of the pillows. She jumped up and ran forward when she saw Mom, but stopped as she saw Regan.

“Not at all, Sister,” he said to Mom. “I’ve got a few questions for Chena here, if you don’t mind.” Mom didn’t get a chance
to say whether she did or not. Regan just stepped through the door after her.

“I fell,” said Chena as Mom lowered her onto one of the pillows. “I got startled, that’s all.”

“Right,” said Regan. He knelt on a pillow next to her. Mom didn’t sit. She hovered over Chena like she might have to snatch
her daughter away from the cop. “And that’s all Nan Elle told you to say, I’m sure. Don’t get started down that road, Chena.”

“Look, if you don’t like her, why don’t you just arrest her? snapped Chena. Her head hurt, a low steady ache.

“Chena!” said Mom sharply.

“No.” Regan held up his hand. “It’s a fair question.” He let out a long sigh. “It’s also extremely complicated.”

Yeah, that’s what you all say when you don’t know what you’re doing.
Chena did not say that out loud, however. Not with Mom standing right there. She just rubbed her temple, as if she could
wipe away the hurt.

“I don’t shut her down because without her there would be no one who could help out with things like the nettle blight, or
delivering babies, or potential concussions.” He gave her a smile that Chena thought was supposed to be warm and friendly
but didn’t quite make it. “But I cannot and I will not let her make her own law.” All pretense of smile vanished from his
face. “And I will not let anyone help her make that law. Do you understand me?”

Chena nodded and looked down at her toes. Mom shook her shoulder gently.

“There were two men. I think they were trying to rob me.” She lifted her eyes. “I never saw them.”

But I heard Shond. God’s own, I hope Sadia breaks him in two.

Mom’s hand flew to cover her mouth and she doubled over like she was going to be sick. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Chena shrugged. “I’m sorry.”

“Probably because Nan Elle suggested she shouldn’t,” said Regan to Mom. “Try not to worry about it too much. Nan Elle gets
people doing a lot of things her way. But Chena knows what’s right.” He smiled at Mom. “If I need to talk to her some more,
I’ll come by tomorrow.”

He wished them good night and walked away into the darkness.

Mom looked down at Chena and said nothing.

Chena’s stomach clenched up. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“You’ve said that.” Mom’s voice was tired. “Go to bed, Chena. It’s past your bedtime.”

The knot on the top of Chena’s head throbbed. “Mom—” she tried as she got to her feet.

“Not tonight,” said Mom, waving her away. “Not any more tonight.”

Teal stared at her. Chena felt tears prickle the corners of her eyes. “No, Mom—”

“Go to bed, Chena.”

Chena went. What else was there to do? She shucked off her sweaty clothes and climbed into her nightshirt. She lay on her
pallet in the dark and tried to muster some defiance. All she felt was sick and empty. She had tried to make things better.
That was all. She had managed to mess it up from the beginning.

The door opened and the door closed. Small light feet padded across the floorboards and stopped.

“Chena? What’s really going on?”

“I don’t know.” Chena squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears in. Teal was silent for a long time. “Of course not,” she said,
and Chena was startled by the bitterness in her voice. “Nobody knows what’s going on. You won’t tell me piss. You won’t even
give me a job, will you? No, that’s got to go to your friend Sadia.”

Chena groaned. “Oh, piss, Teal—”

“And you don’t give a twisted damn about anything else, do you?” Teal barreled on. “You don’t even know Mom lost her job today!”

“What?” Chena jerked her head up. The sudden movement sent a new shock of pain through her skull.

“Her boss told her not to come back. She didn’t tell me why.” Teal’s voice grew hard. “Actually, she didn’t tell me at all.
I heard her talking to Madra.”

“But they can’t. She needs…” Chena swallowed the words. Of course they could. They were getting to her. They were going to
take everything away. The house, everything. Maybe they even sent Shond and the other man to knock her down. They could do
anything they wanted and no one would stop them.

Chena lay back down, curling into as tight a ball as she could. “It’ll be okay,” she murmured, more to keep herself from crying
than to reassure Teal. “We’ll think of something.”

“When?” demanded Teal.

“I don’t know,” whispered Chena, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I don’t know.”