Sacred Tenets

by Beth Reason

  Chapter 11

  Wren was a very large warrior who was in charge of the hunting details in times of peace. He was also extremely adept at wiring, for which Tenet was exceedingly grateful. He called up the ladder with his thanks yet again.

  "I really appreciate this, Wren."

  The man sighed. "One expression of gratitude is enough. You'll likely give me a swelled head if you continue, and my wife would never forgive you." He flashed a quick grin at Tenet, then went back to twisting the wires of the solar collector. After Tenet had finished the wood for Mordin, Mirvena approached Wren and directed him to assist in the installation of the collector. Wren was a hunter. He was not scared of a little cursed dwelling. Besides, having met the wife, his curiosity was at its highest to meet the other stranger who would be living among them all winter.

  Wren wasn't disappointed. The man, Tenet, was as different from his wife as anyone could be. Upon introduction, the very first thing Tenet did was ask about his woman, whereas she had not mentioned a thing about the man. It hadn't set well with him, and he had sought Mirvena's council. She sat and meditated with him about it. In hindsight, what he perceived as an uncaring slight was probably the opposite. She was probably trying not to draw the attention of a warrior to her man. And after meeting Tenet for himself, he agreed with Mirvena's wise assessment. Though he was clearly strong and certainly able to care for himself, Wren knew Tenet was no warrior.

  Wren finished the wiring, then closed the control door. "There. It is connected to the holding unit." He climbed down the ladder and walked to the large unit on the ground beside the small horse pen. "Are you familiar with how this works?"

  Tenet nodded. "I know the basics. It's not much different from the style we used back home."

  "And where was that?"

  Wren had been digging for information all morning, and Tenet struggled not to laugh. He wasn't as direct as Mirvena, nor as talkative as Gwyn. However, he was just as curious as the others. He simply showed more cunning in trying to get the answers. "Oh, a ways south. Is there anyone in Ogden or in Nortaberg that would trade me for a heat coil?"

  Wren's broad smile spread over his face. Nice way to change the subject, brother, he thought to himself. This man was certainly clever! He'd have to give it thought on how to catch Tenet off guard. It would be a fun way to pass the winter months. "Which style would you be looking for?"

  Tenet shook his head. "I'm not exactly sure. I'd like whatever I could make work to take the chill out of the bath water."

  Wren rubbed the long, thin beard on his chin, thinking. "Hm. That's a tall order. This is a standard collector, you know. If you are using it to power a water heater, that will draw the whole load. You wouldn't be able to use the electric for anything else."

  Tenet figured as much. "I was hoping a coil instead of a water heater might ease the burden on the system a little." He had been giving it a lot of thought since Mirvena offered the solar collector. He was already sick of ice cold baths. He'd give just about anything for even a lukewarm bathing experience, and heating water up on the stove in the one pot they had took forever.

  "Here's my thought," Tenet explained to Wren. "I can use the water collector for the toilet and pipe it to the bathtub instead."

  Wren's eyes went wide. "And how would you flush the toilet?"

  "With the pump."

  "That's a pain."

  Tenet shrugged. "Less of a pain than pumping a whole tub full and then having to chatter in the cold. It's all about priorities."

  In a perfect world, he'd take Tenet to Nortaberg and get him a good deal on a real water heater with a secondary solar collector that could handle the load and produce as much hot water as he could ever want. That's how his own home was set up and it would take only a day for him to help Tenet get it set up. But, he knew Tenet could not afford anything like that. Not this year. Perhaps not for several years, if they even lasted in Ogden. "I do not understand where the heating coil enters into this plan."

  "See, I was thinking that..." He went on to explain his idea. To his disappointment, Wren pointed out several flaws in the plan, the most important being that the water level was not a constant, and the coil would have to be fixed.

  "However, you have given me an idea that I believe we can make work. If you've got enough gold for some therm tape, we could wind it in circles all the way down your collection tank."

  "How much does therm tape cost?" Wren gave an estimate and Tenet felt his hopes sink. "What about a trade?"

  Wren shook his head. "The only dealer would be army. They never trade, unless it's a personal deal."

  "Damn."

  Wren felt bad for him. His mind really had worked out an intricate plan, even if the specifics would not work out. He was smart and friendly, and Wren wanted to help him. "I accept trades, though. What have you to trade? Perhaps I will see something of yours I would like to buy."

  Tenet didn't know what he had of any value, so he invited Wren in to see what he had to offer. Wren hesitated only a second before crossing into the cursed house. If he did buy anything from Tenet, he would never tell his wife where it came from! He looked around the living area, surprised at what he saw. He didn't know what he expected. Something scary. At the very least, creepy. It was a cursed house, after all. But the normalcy of it all was almost a let down.

  "See anything you like?" Tenet asked hopefully.

  Wren looked around and assessed what he saw. His eyes stopped on the com station, but he discounted that. It would be valuable to Tenet in a true financial emergency. He walked around the kitchen area, and commented on the food cooler. His wife would love it, but he didn't want to give away too much too quickly. He may have liked Tenet well enough, but business was business. He toured around the house casually, until he ended back up in the kitchen. "I don't suppose your wife would appreciate it if you sold your food cooler."

  Tenet laughed. "I don't think she'd care. I'm in charge of the kitchen here."

  Wren's eyebrow shot up. A wife that hunts and a husband that cooks? His own wife would be thrilled with all the gossip about the newcomers. "Then I am dealing directly with the one concerned, am I?"

  "Yep."

  "I notice it is not wired."

  Tenet bit back a smile. Of course it wasn't wired. The man knew that full well. He wanted it, but he would make Tenet squirm and work for the deal. "No, it's not wired," Tenet agreed.

  Wren frowned and knelt to fiddle with the connection. "Hm. I have no idea if it is working or not."

  "It doesn't look very old," Tenet offered.

  Wren stood and opened it. It was empty. The man was not using it. He felt his hopes at a hero's welcome as he brought it through his front door rise. He had enough money on him to give Tenet what he needed for the therm tape, but a refrigerator cost more than he could lay out. He made a show of looking at the door seal while his mind scrambled to think of what he could offer to make the trade fair. Wren loved a good deal. He did not like taking advantage, though.

  "My wife would be well pleased if I was to bring home a refrigerator. However, I cannot pay for it outright. I have only about half of the money this is worth."

  "Would it be enough for the therm tape?"

  "Yes."

  "Then we'll make the deal."

  Wren shook his head. The man was not a salesman, either. "That is not a fair deal. You should never sell something for less than what it is worth simply because you need a quick pocket of gold."

  Tenet was more amused than offended. He knew business. If Wren had any idea of his personal history, he'd feel foolish lecturing. Of course he knew that. Of course he knew it was short sighted to take the quick payout. To him, it was a matter of value. The value of a hot bath vastly exceeded the value of a cold dinner. Tenet didn't want to offend Wren. He liked him, and felt that with time, they might be friends. It seemed important to Wren to pay what he considered to be a fair price. "What would you suggest then?"

  "I have two sacks of oats.
They are fine quality, but my wife has developed a distaste for them. They sit unused since we've sold our livestock for the winter. I will offer you seven coins of gold and one hundred pounds of oats."

  Tenet would have agreed to anything Wren offered, but was thrilled with the offer of a hundred pounds of oats. Oats were versatile for human food or horse feed. They were also very familiar to him, and he happily stuck his hand out to shake on the deal. "Sold!"

  Wren grinned and pumped Tenet's hand. He would get a warrior's welcome tonight! He turned to the refrigerator. "Now we need to make a plan on how to get this to my house. I think I need to borrow some mules."

  Wren lead Tenet into the business center of town as if Tenet fully belonged. Wren nodded to everyone, but kept walking, and Tenet followed his lead. There were many more people than Tenet imagined milling around, and they all stopped what they were doing to stare. Wren paid no attention to the gawking or whispers. "Hans will have mules for us to borrow," he told Tenet. "And he's the one to arrange for therm tape. He's good. Trades fair. Avoid Colin over there," he said, nodding to a building across the road. "He'll charge you your firstborn. He hates outsiders."

  "Thanks for the warning."

  They went up the stairs of a large store. There were many people shopping, and as soon as Tenet entered they stopped and stared at him, as those outside had. They were all dressed in similar style with furs, but each with a unique twist. There were old and young, thin and fat, tall and short. Again, an assumption of his went out the window. Mirvena and Gwyn were so similar he had assumed that there was a community standard. In this one store, there was more variety and individualism than there had been in any shop he could remember in Southland or New Canada.

  Wren marched up the aisle to the front counter and rang a bell. In a moment, a large older man shuffled out from a room in the back.

  "Hold the peace, boy. What do you mean slamming on the bell like that?"

  Wren gave the man an affectionate smile without a hint of contrition. "I've got a hot deal I don't want to go cold. Eat your lunch later. You could stand to skip it all together, now that you mention."

  The man behind the counter grinned and patted his large belly. "And lose this shape I worked so hard for? Now, what do you want?"

  "I would like to borrow two mules and a cart, Hans."

  Hans nodded without hesitation and waved a hand towards the back of the store. "You know where they are. They've been fed for the day and only one is feeling testy."

  "Much appreciated. Also, I need you to get hold of some therm tape."

  Hans quirked an eyebrow. "More?"

  "Not for me, for our new neighbor."

  Tenet stepped forward and stuck his hand out. "Tenet Lorne."

  Hans looked at the hand and Tenet could hear the entire store hush and wait to see what happened. After a tense moment, he shook Tenet's hand, and the gossip mill began to turn behind Tenet as people whispered their shared surprise. "I heard we had a new resident. How much therm tape you be needing?"

  Tenet took out the gold and put it on the counter. "As much as that will buy."

  Hans quirked an eyebrow, then looked to Wren who gave a small nod. He scooped up the gold and put it in his cash machine. He leaned to the side and called past Tenet. "Runner!" In a second, a young man trotted up. "Get ready to fill an order in Nortaberg," Hans told the boy.

  "Yes, sir," the boy said, then disappeared in the room behind the counter.

  "That all?" Hans asked Wren.

  "That will do it."

  "Thank you," Tenet said.

  Hans nodded. "I expect we'll be seeing you in here more often."

  "I expect so," Tenet said.

  Wren turned and strode back down the aisle to the door. Tenet quickly followed, doing his best to ignore the eyes of the townspeople that never left him. They walked around the back of the building to a stable, and just as Hans said, there were mules and carts inside. A sign said they were for rent, and Tenet wondered about payment.

  "He owes me for more than the cost of a few mule trips," Wren said. He didn't elaborate, and Tenet didn't press. Wren hitched up the mules, explaining the steps to Tenet as he went. When the cart was secure, he clicked his tongue and the mules started walking. "Keep to the side and watch your feet," he instructed.

  They made the trip to Tenet's house and got the refrigerator loaded. It was heavy and awkward to get out the squat door, but between them they managed. Wren accepted a drink of water, then thanked Tenet for the refrigerator. "I'll return with the oats and the therm tape in the morning," he said firmly, leaving no room for debate. Tenet assumed he'd accompany Wren home and help him wrestle the refrigerator into it's new house. Apparently, Wren was not ready to have Tenet go to his house. He tried not to feel hurt by this knowledge, but Wren could see it in his eyes. It couldn't happen, though. Not yet. Maybe not ever. As nice as Tenet was, Wren's marital harmony was far more important. His wife would pitch a fit if the stranger from the cursed house crossed her threshold, and the townspeople would overwhelmingly back her up. He gave a nod and took off, hoping Tenet could figure out for himself why he couldn't be invited over.

  Tenet watched the mule cart until he couldn't see it anymore. It was nice to spend a day talking to someone, and he was sad to hear the silence once again. He could feel a good funk taking over, as Fratz would say, and shook himself out of it. He was now definitely getting therm tape, and that meant he had a lot of work to do to convert the holding tank from the toilet to the bathtub. He planned. He plotted. He looked at the problem from every angle. And finally, he just dug in and got to work.

  By the time Wren delivered the oats and therm tape the next morning, Tenet had a blistered thumb from missing with the hammer in the tight space of the bathroom, a knot on his head from the pipe flexing back with a thwack, and he didn't look like he had slept at all. However, he had the conversion complete, and Wren was impressed. Using the few supplies he had in the house, Tenet designed a trough to go from the holding tank above the toilet, along the wall, and above the tub. He demonstrated for Wren, and while a little sloshed over, almost all of the water trickled into the tub where it was supposed to go.

  "The tank doesn't hold a lot at once, about enough for seven or so flushes," Tenet said.

  It appeared to be a standard collection tank for a toilet. "That sounds about right."

  "So that's about a half a tub, at best, from what I can figure." When Wren agreed, Tenet explained the rest of the plan. "Now, if I put all this therm tape into the tank, and crank up the output to max from the solar collector, I should be able to get the water damn near boiling. I'll pump the bulk in cold, then heat it up with the boiling water and if I'm right, my wife will have a hot tub by the time she gets back from hunting." He grinned in triumph.

  Wren had to admit, the man was creative. The idea just might work, too. "I'll bring in the oats then and let you get back to work."

  The therm tape took forever to heat up for the first time, having to heat water from near freezing. It was full dark by the time Tenet judged the water in the holding tank to be hot. He pulled the chain and watched the steamy stream trickle down the pipe into the tub. While it that ran, he pumped the cold up from the well, and within five minutes had a remarkably warm bath. He gave a hoot and a holler and dove in for the first warm bath in his new home. He sighed and soaked his sore muscles. When the water cooled, he discovered a flaw in his plan. He couldn't reach the warm water pull without getting up and making his wet way over to the chain. If he extended the chain and looped it over to the tub, anyone taking a bath could easily add more warm water without dripping all over the floor. He made a mental note to worry about that part of the plan tomorrow. For tonight, that was good enough. He stood and pulled the plug, then wrapped himself in a spare blanket they'd been using for a towel.

  Tenet checked the tank. One concern of Wren's that was legitimate was the fact that he didn't want all that heat on an empty tank. There was still plenty in holding, b
ut Tenet knew he'd have to consider how to keep the tank full even if they were in a dry period. He added that to the list of things to do in the morning, his muscles warm and heavy, his body really ready for sleep for the first time in over a week. He didn't even bother getting dressed before he flopped into the bed.

  Scarab was cold. She was bone weary beyond anything she'd felt in a long, long time. The weather and conditions conspired against her the entire hunting trip and what should have been a week turned into nearly two. The hunting was better than she imagined, though. She had already sold four cat pelts, three beautiful red fox furs, a handful of beaver, and several rabbits, along with the pelts and meat from two deer. And then, then there was the bear. He had been huge and terrifying and she still shook a little with the memory. She wasn't sure if she'd ever tell Tenet about that one. She had unloaded the entire kill to a grateful farmer outside Nortaberg who actually had a taste for the gamy meat and great plans for the fur as soon as he saw it.

  She brought home with her the meat and pelt of one deer, though she knew Tenet didn't overly care for venison. They'd salt it for trade in the lean winter months if they got desperate. She also trailed two cows behind the horse. They weren't long for the earth. They were retired milk cows set for the slaughter. Because of this, she'd managed to convince the rancher they were cheaper than the meat itself would have been, since it would be tedious, messy, and time consuming to slaughter and butcher them. Tenet liked beef, and she'd long gotten over the irony of her wanting to please him with a cow as her father had done for her mother. It was a different situation entirely.

  It was late. A soft glow from the fireplace shone through the windows, but no lamps were lit. Tenet would be in bed. Scarab wanted to be there with him so badly it was tempting to stake the animals and just hope for the best through the night. But she couldn't do that. She sighed heavily as she dismounted. "Come on, Darla," she said to the horse. She had taken to talking to the animal. She never would have in the past, but Tenet's incessant chatter got to her and the first night on the hunt she was shocked how much she missed it. By the second night, she was pissed. It took three nights more of her denials and self admonishments before she gave in and admitted it wasn't the talking, but the man she really missed. If the hunting wasn't so good, she would have dropped what she was doing and ridden home to him right then.

  She took out her flashlight and shone it over the newly constructed small stable for Darla. It was too dark for her to get a really good look, but it had supports, walls, and a larger roof. Overall, not bad. She'd have to tease Tenet about his craft classes later. She gave Darla some of the hay from the bales she had stacked before they left, gave her a half-assed brush down, then tied the cows' ropes to the beam of the stable and decided to call it good enough. They'd just be steaks tomorrow anyway. And the glow from the house looked so damn inviting.

  She slipped inside as quietly as possible. Tenet hadn't locked the door. She should be angry and wake him up to lecture him about it immediately, but something inside knew he only left it open in case she got home, and that thought made her smile. She took her heavy pack off and set it on the floor, then made her way to the kitchen. Even in the muted firelight, she couldn't help but notice the refrigerator was missing. She grabbed some jerky and some water, and looked around to see what else was different. She munched the jerky as she toured the room. It looked lived-in now, but she couldn't see anything else missing. Fratz was clearly gone. She couldn't hear his snores filling the house and didn't trip on his enormous boots he always left in the middle of the floor. Her frown deepened. They had a deal. Sighing, she decided she was simply too tired to do anything about it tonight. She put the cup in the sink and went to the bathroom. A quick wash up and then bed.

  Scarab lit the bathroom lamp and spent the next few minutes staring at the rigged up piping and wondering what the hell happened while she was gone. She noticed wires leading out of the tank. What? She followed their path along the ceiling and under the thatch. Wiring? Back in the bathroom, she studied the tank again, then pulled the chain. Steaming water poured out, down the tube, and cascaded into the bath. "That clever little monkey," she said, bending to feel the water. It was incredibly hot, and she got the picture. She was tired and longed for a comfortable sleep. But a hot bath would feel heavenly right about then. Without further thought, she ran the hot from the tank and pumped in cold from the well until there was just enough water for a bath.

  Scarab stepped in and cupped the hot water over her hair. Her whole body sank into the feeling. She couldn't stop grinning at the beautiful feeling of the hot water washing away the last two cold, lonely weeks. When she finally felt clean, she stood and toweled off with a blanket that was wadded up on the floor. It was damp. Tenet had used it to towel off his own body, and for some reason the thought sent a heat through her. She put on some light, clean clothes and went to climb into bed. He was sleeping on his back, one arm thrown over his eyes and the other held out to her side of the bed, as if he was just waiting for her to take her place. Scarab didn't think. She didn't analyze. She didn't take any more time to wonder over her feelings or be insecure. His arms were open and waiting for her and she wanted to be there. It was as simple as that.

  Tenet came awake to the feeling of an arm wrapping around him and the familiar smell of his wife. "Scarab?"

  "No, it's Fratz. I decided we should take our friendship to the next level."

  Scarab. His wife was home. She was home and holding him and laughing and teasing. It had to be a dream. He opened his eyes and turned his head and was stunned speechless by her. The firelight caught in her eyes and twinkled and for a second he was certain he really was looking at an angel.

  "Hello," she said quietly.

  He threw his arms around her and pulled her close. "Don't be gone that long again," he said in rushed whisper. Two weeks of worry left him shaking in his relief.

  Scarab swallowed hard at the desperation she heard in his voice. "I won't," she promised, suddenly unsure of how to handle herself, caught up in the wave of overpowering and unfamiliar emotion. "It's okay," she whispered hoarsely. "I'm okay."

  Tenet pulled back and looked at her. She was okay. She wasn't mauled by a bear or eaten by a wildcat. He lifted a shaky hand to her cheek and pressed. "I don't know what I would do if you got hurt," he admitted quietly.

  Scarab could barely breathe, her heart was pounding so hard. She looked at him and wished she had the courage to say she felt the same. As the silence ticked by marked only by her racing heart, a heat that tingled earlier grew. She saw Tenet swallow hard, and the knowledge that he felt the same scared her more than anything.

  Tenet wasn't really sure what to do, either. He ran his shaking hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He was about to throw off the blanket to get some air when he remembered he was naked. His face burned as he scrambled up, clutching the blanket around him and ran to the bathroom to find his discarded clothing. Scarab was grateful for the moment on her own to collect herself. She took a few deep breaths and tried to ignore her own disappointment and calm her burning cheeks.

  When he came back, Tenet sat on the very edge of the bed, unsure how to move forward. "Um, it's good to see you." Even he cringed at how lame it sounded. "Sorry I was in here...like...uh..." That wasn't any better.

  Scarab decided to throw him a life line. "You rigged up hot water."

  He flashed her a quick glance, but couldn't look her in the eye for long. "Yeah. It's not the best and I have to figure out how to keep the tank full in the winter..." His discomfort was making him babble.

  "Where is the refrigerator?"

  He blinked. "Oh. I sold it to Wren to get therm tape for the tank."

  Scarab frowned. "Wren?"

  He suddenly realized how much he had to tell her. His humiliation forgotten, he turned and launched into all she missed, starting with the list of chores and ending with the therm taped holding tank. He told her about Mirvena, Gwyn, and Hans. He let her
know she had already met Wren. "You traded pelts with him in Nortaberg."

  "Mr. McKay?"

  "I don't know his last name."

  "You wouldn't. You're male."

  Tenet raised his eyebrow, but when she didn't explain, he continued his story. When he was finished, Scarab looked even more pensive than before. "Did I...did I do something wrong?" he asked quietly.

  All through his telling of what she missed, Scarab considered each new detail carefully. They needed acceptance into the community. Well, she didn't. She'd be fine remaining on the outskirts for one winter, then setting off on their own, Krupkie be damned. She was certain she could find a place so remote that Krupkie couldn't find them. She learned on her hunt just how unsettled the area still was. A few miles off a main road, and you might as well be a ghost for all humanity would know. Tenet needed people, though. He needed to be accepted, probably far more than even he understood.

  He met the priestess. He met the historian. He met the warrior. And he met the grandfather. While he obviously didn't understand some basics of a Celtist community, he was already granted a greater gift than any outsider she'd ever heard of. Anger flared anew at Fratz. They had discussed this. Fratz was to educate Tenet on the life of a Celtist, the structure of a septad, and, most importantly, the role an outsider who wants to keep his skin was to behave in their presence. He hadn't, and sheer luck kept Tenet from harm.

  Not sheer luck, she corrected herself. Tenet kept himself alive with that open innocence of his, that thing he had about him that made people want to trust him, to know him. It was a magic uniquely his. Not for the first time, she wondered why it never worked on his own people. He could charm a damn Celtist priestess, and yet... She sighed. "So you've completed the winter preparation on the house, made friends with the septad, gained rights to trade in town, and rigged up hot water. I should leave you to your own more often. Next time, I'll come back to a mansion!"

  Tenet smiled at her teasing. He had been half afraid she'd be angry at his intrusion into the community. He was winging it the whole time, and even though the only apparent hitch had been the bit with Gwyn and Mordin, he knew he didn't handle it as Scarab would. "I'll take a pass on you leaving me alone more often. But yes, I have single-handedly improved our situation." He stuck his nose in the air and sniffed, the consummate aristocrat. "Continue to sing my praises at your leisure."

  Scarab rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of..."

  "Now. Let's talk about your hunting of wild cats."

  Her eyebrow shot up. "How did you know about that?"

  "Wren."

  Scarab set her mouth in a firm line. Had she known the man she traded with was from Ogden, she never would have completed the transaction. Had she known he was a warrior, no less, she wouldn't have even traded in the same town as him while he was there. The knowledge that she inadvertently informed the warrior of the septad that the outsider was alone weighted heavily in her stomach. If Tenet wasn't who he was, she easily could have come home to a dead husband. "Then I will have to thank Mr. McKay next time I see him."

  Tenet crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh no. You don't get to blame this on Wren. You promised you wouldn't go hunting them."

  Scarab sighed. "I didn't hunt them, they hunted me. It was me or them, Tenet."

  He didn't quite believe that. Sure, maybe the first. And then when she saw she could kill them, she went after the expensive pelts. He knew her far too well by then to buy that story. "I'm sure."

  She bit the inside of her lip to keep from smirking. He had her pegged and they both knew it. If only he knew about the bear! She decided to keep that tidbit to herself. The best course was to change the subject. "I got plenty of other animals. Harmless ones. Tasty ones. We've got fifty seven gold pieces and a handful of silver change."

  Tenet was thoroughly impressed. Having seen the prices of things in Hans's store, he knew that amount would easily buy them the rest of the supplies they'd need. "That's great!"

  It wasn't "great". Scarab thought of the opportunities she had missed. If she had another person on the hunt with her, one could have dressed one kill while the other went to make another. There were herds of deer thick as a swarm of bees that bounded through the fields every morning. One other person and she could have gotten so much more. "It was only killing, Tenet."

  He was surprised at the tone of voice. "It wasn't 'only killing'. We needed..."

  Scarab felt uncomfortable with his level of praise, and cut him off. "I've gotten us meat for the winter."

  Tenet felt like pushing. He hated it when she cut off any attempt at a compliment. But he knew the set of her jaw meant she had made her mind up to block out any good words he had for her. He gave in. "Deer?"

  She had to laugh at the dejected note. "Yes, but that's only for emergencies. I picked up two old cows. We'll have to slaughter them and preserve the meat as well as we can."

  "Er, sorry about the refrigerator..."

  "Don't be," she quickly assured him. "We'll smoke and salt the meat. I hadn't planned on having electricity at all this winter, so refrigeration wasn't in my plan." She let out a huge yawn. "Tomorrow. We'll make a list of everything we still need and go into Nortaberg."

  "I think we should trade here."

  Scarab didn't want to go into Ogden proper. She didn't want to cross into the center of the community. Tenet might blend in, but she would not. Yet she knew he was right. Money and goods into the community would yield another level of trust. It annoyed her that she felt this apprehension. She never hesitated to cross any lines as a hunter. She felt like a scared little child again and hated it. "Fine." She'd do it. She'd go into town and stand proud. Or, if not proud, firm.

  Tenet didn't know why she was suddenly so uncomfortable. "We have permission," he reminded her.

  Scarab looked at him. He was eager. He was excited. He was happy and carefree. He was embracing their new life. She wished she could harness a fraction of that, and that thought brought her up short. She never cared about happiness and wellbeing, only making it through another day. She never had a need to reassure anyone, to allow them to keep that level of hope. It was confusing at best, yet she went ahead and did it anyway. "They're just my own personal demons, Tenet." She was tired. She was suddenly very, very tired. She lay down and pulled the covers over her, waiting for him to join her.

  "One of these days, you'll explain what you mean by that," he said quietly, laying next to her. There was a brief awkwardness, each wondering if they should sleep as they used to before Tenet made up his mind and pulled her so her back nestled into his front. She didn't reject the contact. It was warm and it was comfortable and within minutes, she was asleep. She didn't hear Tenet's whispered confessions or feel the kiss he placed on her shoulder before he, too, gave in and found the sleep that had eluded him for weeks.