By then, V’s crossed arms had fallen away in shock and horror, and Mat was holding Meri with fierce protectiveness. “I guess they knew my mom would never sacrifice me to save her own skin.” Timothy said softly. Fresh tears threatened to spill from his eyes once more, and he barely held them back. “I… I shouldn’t say any more with a child in the room. I don’t want another kid to experience what happened next, even secondhand.” And he didn’t want to relive it, even with seven years of distance.
“Holy shit.” V breathed. “So you’re…. What, a refugee? A fugitive? Why were you in the Deepshadow?”
Timothy’s fists clenched. “I was alone when I made it to Berrygrove. And I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I figured a cursed forest would be a good place to give any hunters th’slip.” And, at the time, he’d been ready to bite it in the woods. He didn’t say that, though. “As for what I am, I’m neither of those. I’m the Witch of the Deepshadow. I’m an alchemist, a hunter, a survivor. I’ve stood on my own two feet even when they were torn an’ bleeding. And I’ll never be a victim again.” For a brief, satisfying moment, Timothy felt as big as the title he’d dropped. But then his aches piped up, and his extremely empty stomach hurt, and his fatigue weighed him down. The warmth faded away, leaving him just an empty, sad wolf in a cold bed. The witch of a burning forest. “I… I was...”
“Timothy…” Meri sniffled. Mat held her just a little tighter. The kid couldn’t say anything to help at this point. Realistically, he was a dead man now that they— and this mayor Meri was so desperate to change— had seen the mark. He didn’t even know why he’d spilled his guts. It was only a matter of time before either they spilled that he was some kind of Lusundra mongrel, or that woman from earlier would. He’d be dead by daybreak, and that’s if he was lucky. He didn’t have an escape in him, not with the town on high alert. What could he even do…?
He didn’t really register just how awfully guilty Valencia looked at first. He wasn’t exactly at his best. But the dragoness had gone from shocked and horrified to angry and back again. “I… while you were out, and Mat was treating you, I took a look at your clan brand. It was burning pretty bright, and all. It’s the real thing, as far as I can tell.” She bit her lip. “Mat said the burn it leaves on your forehead happens sometimes when the Bonding is done wrong.”
Timothy smiled bitterly. “I always kinda wondered. Guess I get to know before I bite it.”
The dragoness gaped, and Meri twisted around in her brother’s grip to yelp. “What?”
“It’s only a matter of time before word gets out, then it’s torches and pitchforks all over again.” The wolf slowly, creakily swung his legs out to a sitting position. “Last time, I lost my tail. I’m fresh outta spare limbs, so I figure I’m probably done for.” His head hung low.
So he didn’t see Valencia scoff. “Yeah, like hell.” He looked up slowly. The dragoness walked up, looming over him, and he expected his end to come immediately. But, she instead dropped into the bed beside him, lightly kicking him up from her weight. “So, I know you’re Streneli, but you know here in civilization we have laws, right? Anyone tries to give you the ol’ pitchfork special, and the town watch’ll toss’em in the lockup. And, in case you missed my stole, I’m one of the watchmen.” She tossed him a small grin. “We call th’ thought of fighting me a deterrent, y’know?”
Timothy blinked. “One dragoness can’t stop a mob.”
“This dragoness probably could,” she boasted, “But a town watch has more than one sentry to begin with. We run a tight ship. You have my word as the Fresa Town Watch’s strongest that anyone who tries anything’s gonna get laid out on the dirt, and that’s a fact.” Timothy just gaped.
“None of us are disclosing anything you’ve just told us, either.” Mat said gently. The healer carried his sister over, and sat down in front of Timothy. “It’d be wrong.” At Timothy’s skeptical look, he added, “Also, I’d lose my license for violating your private medical information, and V’d lose her stole for putting you in danger..”
“An’ I know how to keep a secret!” Meri tacked on.
“There’s still the mayor. And any townsfolk who sees either the brand light or the brand scar.” Timothy said. ”Either she can order you and the watch to do it, or she can just send a message to the Streneli right across the border. The border I really thought was farther away, n’ all.”
Valencia and Mat exchanged a concerned look.
“Uh, Timothy? No, she can’t. Trying to do that would also be against the law. Also, she didn’t see it lit, only the scar.” Mat pointed out. “It flickered out when I started to get you stabilized.”
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“And given that her trying would give me an excuse to deck her into next week—“ she paused and amended, “and also would probably get her sacked for abusing her power, she ain’t gonna do a thing like that.”
The wolf was dumbfounded. “But she’s in charge.”
Valencia glared, but not at him. “Nobody’s above justice. Trust me, she can’t stir up a mob either.”
“And nobody here wants more attention from the Streneli. Not that they could do anything anyway— we’re in Berrygrove, and more’n that, we’re in Rosan proper. You have rights, and they include not being murdered in the street.”
“But those are just— just pretty words and ideas. They ain’t gonna save me from some townie with a gun and a bellyful of anger.” The only power to protect yourself is your own fangs. Right?
“No, but the promise of getting thrown in jail for th’ rest of their life— REAL jail, in Naran, not just our drunk tank— and the promise of eating a knuckle sandwich lovingly handmade by yours truly are a real good deterrent.” And now V smiled more confidently. “You’re safe here.”
“An’ this town’s full of nice people, Timothy!” Meri smiled brightly. “They’ll be nice to you, too!”
By now, Timothy’s head was spinning. The mayor hadn’t seen the light? He had a chance to bluff her? And all they were saying about the town had to be lies, right? Or exaggerating, at least? If all they were saying was true, then the world would be paradise. Right? Valencia must have seen the ‘I jes’ got Mind Blasted an’ my brain’s oozin’ out’ look on his face, because she surprised him once more. She put a heavy arm around his shoulders.
“Look, I ain’t saying there aren’t some jerks around, or that everyone’s gonna love you. I mean, we’re dragons from normal clans and we still get looks and lip and junk. But Meri’s right. Fresa’s a good town, full of mostly good people. And,” she smiled warmly, “If you’re a half-dragon too, then you’re one of us, and we stick together. You have me in your corner. Count on it!”
“And me!” Meri chirped.
“Me, too, and our moms’ll be glad to meet you.” Mat’s smile was soft but warm.
“And, anyway… you saved my little sister’s life, and you took a lightning bolt to the chest for the two of us.” Valencia’s voice was softer, but still confident. “None of us will forget that. I know I won’t.” She added the last part on very quietly, almost to herself.
“Then… what happens now?” He couldn’t stop himself from sounding like a lost dogbeast. “You all were talkin’ like I was gonna stay here, but I’m broke. I don’t even have the chips to pay for getting healed, if I’m being honest.”
“We don’t charge.” Mat said kindly. “The county and the town pay healers n’ alchemists. As for staying…” his expression turned serious. “Timothy, as your healer, I would strongly recommend against trying to leave town in your state. I’ve done my best with your physical wounds, but even once I’m done, you’re going to need a lot of recovery time to get your strength back. Especially considering your overall health. Your spirit is strained and worn all over. You’ll start doing serious, permanent damage if you push it.”
“But, I seem to remember that my whole family owes you, big time.” Valencia patted his back hard enough to double him over!. “I bet we can put you up while you get on your feet!”
Timothy stared in disbelief. She wanted him to stay at her house? With her family? A complete stranger!? His mouth hung open. “I-I… really? But you don’t even know me!” This has to be a trick. R-right?
“I know you!” Meri chirped. “You saved my life!” And then, the littlun hopped onto the foot of the bed. He could feel her legs still shaking from fatigue. “And, and you almost got fried for it, twice!” The little dragoness’s look was fierce. “Not to mention nightmare’d and bug chopped and, and—“ She looked away. “You helped me, and you got messed up. I wanna help you now! And besides,” she said brightly, “I promised you dinner!”
Valencia laughed again, that same booming laugh like back in the woods. “Not to mention you saved my life back there. Yeah, I know it was mutual,” she smirked at him, “But come on, man. I think you’ve earned a little trust. Heck, you’re a halfie, so you’re practically one of us already.”
They say all dragons are blood. He gaped. He hadn’t expected this, not one bit. They— could they be honest? Were they trapping him after all? But Meri was looking at him with bright, hopeful eyes, and Valencia seemed like she’d be an awful liar. And she’d called him one of them… Would they really have gone to all this trouble to manipulate him? Spun a con that long? Been able to?
The thing was, Timothy didn’t trust easy. If people he’d known all his life could tie him to an altar and lop off his tail, then nobody could be trusted. Faith in anyone made him vulnerable, and that was something he hated more than anything. But, all of a sudden, there was part of him that desperately hoped they were sincere. The feeling of being told that he belonged with someone was like being offered a blanket on a frozen night.
They owed him. That much was true, given what he’d lost because of Meri. He took a long, slow breath. Mom, gran, what would you do? …Well, they sure as frass wouldn’t be freezing up like this. When there’s only hard ways and hard ways, you take the hard way. “Are you sure?” He said softly.
“Yeah!” Meri said.
Nothin’ else for it, then. “Then… I will. Thank you all.” There just wasn’t.
Meri cheered. Her sister clapped him on the back— much more gently this time, which he figured came from Mat’s shooting her a Look— and Mat gave him a broad smile.
“Well! Let’s get you patched up, then, and we’ll take you home.”