Book 1 - Page 35 (2/2)

“What do you want?” Her tone wasn’t friendly.

“Longshot sent us over. He said you might let us sleep in your spare rooms.”

“And why would I do that? You lot are filthy.”

This wasn’t going well, so I dredged up my best manners, learned through trying to appease the elders—and Silk, of course. “Please, sir. We’ll clean up outside and we can help with work if you tell us what needs doing. We’ve come a very long ways.”

“Oh?” That piqued her interest. “From where? Appleton?”

At first I couldn’t remember the name of the ruins. I’d seen it, I thought, at the library. I squeezed my mind tight, trying to dig it out, and then I had it. I said the name out loud, though probably wrong.

Her face paled. “You lie. n.o.body lives there anymore. Not since the evacuations.”

“It’s not a lie,” Stalker growled.

I put up a hand, not wanting him to scare her. She was already upset with us. If she thought he was dangerous, she’d shut the door, and then where would we be?

“Show her the book,” Fade said softly.

I smiled, dug into my battered bag, and pulled out our copy of The Day Boy and the Night Girl. She took it with reverent hands, examining the age of it, and then she opened it and flipped to the back. An old yellow card was stuck there, stamped with the letters PROPERTY OF THE NY PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Her eyes lifted and met mine. “You do come from the city. I must tell the town council at once. Edmund!” she called to someone out of sight. “Listen, there are people living to the south in Gotham.”

“Are there?” a man asked.

I heard movement and then he stood beside his wife, peering at us. He, too, was old in a way that lightened my heart. His face spoke of years lived, not lost to the withering sickness. Maybe living here could grant us that health.

Momma Oaks murmured, “Come in. You must tell me your story, child.”

I almost said, I’m not a child, I’m a Huntress—the very last, but then I looked on her kindly face and knew the truth would scar her in ways she might not be able to bear. When she opened the door to us fully, we went inside.

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