The Falcon in the Barn (Book 4 Forest at the Edge series) (42 page)
Read The Falcon in the Barn (Book 4 Forest at the Edge series) Online
Authors: Trish Mercer
Tags: #family saga, #christian fantasy, #ya fantasy, #christian adventure, #family adventure, #ya christian, #lds fantasy, #action adventure family, #fantasy christian ya family, #lds ya fantasy
She could never tell him what she knew, or
what she did so many years ago, even though she thought he’d
understand and even forgive. She was just too prideful, and she was
ashamed of that.
Not ashamed
enough
, however, to
confess to her husband about sneaking off to the forest and running
back home a coward—
She came up with a perfect avoidance
strategy. “In the meantime,” she said, hoping she sounded coy even
though her mind was reeling, “maybe something marvelous could
happen
now
. . .”
And she kissed him back for so long that he
forgot all about talking for the rest of the night.
---
The next evening Perrin put away his
paperwork and picked up his cap to go home. He’d decided that
morning, while Mahrree was still dozing on his chest, that he had
to put aside the possibility of no more Guarders because the idea
filled him with too many possibilities that’d completely sidetrack
him. But as he looked around the office, he was struck with the
idea that maybe—just maybe—in a year this fort might not even be
needed.
Well not as a defensive structure, but
perhaps instead as a jumping off point for those brave enough to
explore the mountains to the north. Because, he realized with a
growing smile, they’d need a guide through the natural hazards, and
who better to serve as a guide to the forest than Perrin Shin:
former
colonel in the
former
army?
He had to stop thinking like that, because
the grin on his face was just too wide. But perhaps people would
think he was happy for many reasons.
First, all the wounded soldiers were
healing.
Second, nearly the entire village had got
wind of what happened in Moorland, and they were waiting yesterday
to give the returning soldiers a heroes’ welcome.
And
also
to make sure they got their borrowed horses and wagons back because
Edgers, while grateful, were also practical and a bit
distrustful.
Third, Edgers’ surprise and joy at the
success in Moorland inclined them to be more willing to plant extra
crops to fill this year’s local storehouses. The file Perrin put
away was an updated list of villagers who had signed Offra’s
commitment sheet today.
Then fourth—and best of all—Captain Thorne’s
injury meant he was unable to climb the tower stairs for least
another week.
Oh yes; for the past year, life had been
scowling at him, but today? It smiled upon him again.
And now, he was going home.
Maybe . . .
He sighed as he saw Shem bounding up the
stairs to his office, sheets of folded parchment in hand. “Heading
home?” Shem asked.
“
Trying to.”
“
But you’ll want to see
this.”
“
Walk home with me. Eat
dinner with us—I promise Jaytsy’s not cooking tonight—then come
back to man the tower.”
Shem smiled at the invitation and handed
Perrin the file.
He opened it as they headed down the stairs.
“Fadh’s report already? We just got back yesterday!”
“
He didn’t want to waste
any time. He was even dictating it to his assistants when we were
cleaning up in Moorland. He wants Idumea to see his report before
they get word from anyone else.”
As they walked through the compound Perrin
skimmed the facts sheet. Nothing like the grim tallies of the
injured and dead to bring one out of future fantasies.
“
These numbers look right.
Confirmed Guarders dead: 267. Assumed dead in the explosion: 40+.
Prisoners: 0, naturally. Soldiers wounded: 151. Soldiers dead: 36.
Soldiers missing: 14, including Beneff . . . The garrison will see
those as acceptable ratios, as if lives can be reduced to
ratios—”
“
Read the next page, Fadh’s
description of what happened.”
“
I’m avoiding that. Can’t
you tell?”
“
You’ll enjoy it. I
promise.”
Perrin sighed and turned to the next page. He
held it at an angle to catch the last of the sunlight as they left
the fort’s compound. A minute later he moaned. “What’s he
done?”
Shem began to laugh. “It’s beautiful, isn’t
it? Graeson should’ve been a poet.”
Perrin cleared his throat. “‘
Colonel Shin
acted out of intense concern for the welfare of the citizens of
Idumea. His immense devotion extends not only to his village, but
to the surrounding village and more importantly to the
Administrators, High General of Idumea, and the General’s immediate
family’
. . . oh please!”
“
Right here—read this,”
Shem pointed further down the page. “It’s my favorite. Why you
broke probation.”
“‘
Out of heartfelt
fatherly concern
—’ Hold me, Shem; I may swoon.”
Shem laughed.
Perrin tried again to read the words that
churned his belly. “
‘Out of heartfelt fatherly concern, Colonel
Shin violated the orders of his probation to ascertain the welfare
of the youngest officer, Captain Lemuel Thorne.’
Not a poet,
Shem. A writer of fantastical fiction!”
He continued.
“‘Shin felt that more
important than holding to his confines was the need to ensure that
each of the men under his care was successful in his first major
endeavor. Not only did the valiant efforts,’
” Perrin paused to
shake his head, “
‘of Colonel Shin save Captain Thorne’s life, as
several witnesses can verify (see their attached
testimonies)—
’”
“
Fadh’s very thorough,”
Shem pointed out.
“‘—
but his unsurpassed
skill also preserved the life of Major Yordin and at least a dozen
other soldiers.’
” Perrin slapped the papers. “Nicko’s not going
to buy this! We need to make revisions.”
Shem’s face contorted with pained amusement.
“It’s too late.”
“
What do you
mean?”
“
It went out already, early
this morning. This is a copy. The original should be in the hands
of the Chairman and Cush right about . . . now.”
“
No! Fadh!” Perrin yelled,
as if he could be heard in Quake. “What were you
thinking?”
Shem handed him a small note.
Perrin read it out loud.
“‘Colonel Shin,
you may wonder what I was thinking . . .
” He paused to scowl.
“Fadh can also predict the future. Talented man.
‘ . . . you may
wonder what I was thinking when you read the report. It would be
unrealistic to assume that all of the men would keep quiet as to
your whereabouts. The truth would get out eventually. We might as
well be the ones to present and control it. Remember, you said I
could explain the situation as best as I recalled it. I’m sorry I
didn’t get to find out exactly
why
you
chose to break your probation, but I assumed my explanation was
probably
as accurate as any. Get ready to buy a new jacket,
General. Major Graeson Fadh.’
”
Perrin put the note in the file and folded it
with a frustrated sigh. Maybe the sooner the forts could be shut
down, the better.
“
You don’t want to read the
rest?” Shem elbowed him. “Some riveting stuff in there. I came off
looking quite well, and apparently Thorne dispatched someone before
he got hit, and ‘nobly’.”
“
I’ll read the rest later
when I’ve got nothing better to do,” Perrin grumbled as they turned
down the alley to his home. The men hopped over the back fence and
walked up the back porch.
“
Got room for another for
dinner?” Perrin called as they walked into the kitchen.
“
Always!” Mahrree patted
Shem’s arm as he came in.
“
Mahrree, I’ve got some
great reading for you,” Shem said, pulling the file out of Perrin’s
hand.
“
No, no, no! Give me that!”
Perrin lunged for it vainly.
But Mahrree snatched it out of Shem’s hands.
“If he doesn’t want me to see it, then it means I really
should!”
She opened the file and Perrin, resigned to
the fact that she would’ve finagled it away from him sooner or
later, started for the gathering room.
“
Wait, Perrin!” Mahrree
cried. “I need to warn you—”
But her warning came too late. Perrin
stopped, dead in his tracks, at what he saw on the rug in the
gathering room between his teenagers. For the first time in his
family’s life they heard him swear, and loudly.
“
What the SLAG is
THIS?”
With his hands on his waist, he glared at the
small creature that stared up at him. His perfect day was now
perfectly ruined.
Instantly Mahrree was at his side, taking his
arm in a pretense to calm him, but more likely to keep him from
drawing his sword.
Shem had followed close behind Mahrree, his
hand on his own hilt and expecting the worst. He stopped suddenly
as well, and his shoulders relaxed as Perrin’s tensed.
“
Ah, it’s so cute!” Shem
crooned. “Why, that kitten can’t be more than five weeks
old.”
Perrin shot Shem a look full of daggers
before turning to his two shocked teenagers sitting next to the
tiny cat, their mouths wide open at hearing the word only the
coarsest of soldiers ever uttered.
“
I
know
what it is,”
he said darkly. “I want to know
why
.”
The black and white kitten offered up a
pitiful mew, and Peto scooped it up.
“
He didn’t mean to scare
you,” he said to the kitten. He held it up to his father. “Look at
that face. Tiny little nose. Whiskers. Come on, admit it. It’s
cute.”
“
It’s a
cat
,” Perrin
snarled. “Why is it here?”
Peto looked at Jaytsy, who was cringing.
“It’s a gift,” she murmured.
“
Who gives gifts like
THIS?” Perrin bellowed.
Mahrree now gripped his sword arm with both
hands. “It’s a thank you gift,” she said gingerly, “from Captain
Thorne.”
“
THORNE!”
“
I don’t think he meant
anything by it—”
“
A CAT? Wanna
bet?”
Still cringing, Jaytsy held up a piece of
paper. “This was in the basket the messenger brought this
afternoon.”
Perrin snatched it out of her hands.
Shem read aloud over his shoulder. “
Miss
Jaytsy, this lonely little animal was found lost and wandering in
the surgery wing. All it needs is someone to love and care for
it—someone to
save
it—and it will turn
into a devoted creature that will adore you until the day it dies.
When I saw it, I thought of you. When you care for it, please think
of me. Thank you for your tender care on the field. Yours
devotedly, Lemuel.
”
Shem’s voice developed a sneering quality
halfway through the message, which grew into disdain with the final
three words.
“
Mahrree, I’ve lost my
appetite. Permanently.” Perrin sat down on one of the stuffed
chairs and crumpled the note in his hand. He held it up. “Sorry,
Jayts. Did you want to keep this?”
She quickly shook her head.
“
Give me the cat,” Perrin
ordered. “I’ll take care of it.”
Never had five words sounded so final.
“
No!” four people shouted
at him.
“
Father,” said Jaytsy
tentatively, “I’d like to keep it. Not as a remembrance of Thorne,
but because it has nowhere else to go.”
“
How about the river?” he
suggested.
“
Perrin!” Mahrree
snapped.
He held up his hands. “Seriously? You all
want to keep this . . . thing?”
The kitten wriggled out of Peto’s hands and
walked clumsily to Perrin. It sat down in front of his boots and
gave him a pitiful cry.
“
Ah, he wants you, Father!”
Peto said.
Perrin remained unyielding, staring at
it.
It wobbled to the side of the upholstered
chair and began to climb it with its needle-like claws.
“
No, don’t do that!” He
pulled the kitten roughly off the cloth and was surprised by how
light it was, its thin ribs poking out of its paper-thin skin and
fur. Not knowing what to do with the fragile thing, he dropped it
on his lap. It mewed again, curled up into a ball, and began to
purr.
Perrin glowered at it.
His family smiled at him adoringly.
“
My father had a theory
about cats,” Mahrree said. “No matter how many people are in the
room, they always find the person who hates them the most and try
to win him over. Colonel Cuddly, you have a kitten.”
Shem turned to her. “Colonel
Cuddly
?”
Mahrree turned pink, remembering that she’d
never used that name in front of Shem. “I best check on dinner.
Children, make sure your father doesn’t take a walk with that
kitten,” and she darted into the kitchen.
Shem raised his eyebrows at Perrin. “When
you’re promoted, will you be General Giggles?”
“
You’re no longer invited
for dinner, Zenos,” Perrin said steadily. “You may leave now. And
take this with you,” he pointed at the ball of ragged fluff on his
lap.
“
Oh, Father,” Jaytsy
crawled over to him and took the kitten. “If we really need to, we
can find it a new home tomorrow.”
“
It needs a name,” Peto
said, petting its head with his finger as it rested in Jaytsy’s
arms.
“
No it doesn’t!” Perrin
protested. “Give the cat a name, you get attached. And why are all
of you still touching it?”
Shem sat down on the floor with Jaytsy and
Peto, and pulled a short rope from his pocket. He dangled it in
front of the kitten who batted at it awkwardly. The three of them
laughed when the tiny cat got a claw caught in the rope.