prepare enough buckwheat flour for the evening meal, and Mica went with her to help. Since the grinding was done by hand—a slow and time-consuming process—it was impossible to make more than necessary for one recipe, given that the bread supplied the whole community. Rosa sometimes worried that Abigail was too old to work so hard, but she knew how to bake and claimed to appreciate being useful. At least Mica showed some willingness to apprentice to her, so there would still be bread even after Abigail was gone.
Ingrid and Rosa finished in the garden and went to clean their shovels and tools. Though Ex could repair them and make more, they’d learned to be careful with their possessions. Sometimes a sturdy tool made the difference between life and death.
“Something eating you?” Rosa asked, sliding a rag up and down the metal.
Ingrid glanced at her in surprise, her mind returning from wherever it had gone. “Nothing I can put my finger on, but that new leader, Peltz, is bothering me.”
“In what way?”
“I feel like his strikes are more feints than a fully committed assault.”
“Like he’s testing our weaknesses?”
“Exactly.”
From Ingrid, Rosa took such words seriously. The tall, lean blonde had a martial bearing and knew krav maga, one of the most efficient, dangerous hand-to-hand fighting styles. Once, after having a bit to drink, Ingrid had confessed that her style had been practiced by the military of various provisional governments—particularly after the East Coast Fuel Wars that followed the Change. Rather than probe for salacious details, Rosa had merely asked for additional training to supplement the dirty street fighting she’d learned growing up. So if Ingrid felt that greater battles loomed on the horizon, Rosa would do well to listen to her warning.
She stacked their gardening implements in the storage shed. “Your recommendation?”
Ingrid shrugged. “We’ve already got patrols out, trying to locate their camp. But so far we’ve only found the remnants. Cold ashes. Garbage. For now, they’re staying one step ahead of us.”
“I’d love to know how,” Rosa muttered. “It’s not like they’re so well organized.”
“They weren’t before.”
“You think Peltz is that smart?” Dios , she hoped not.
“Hard to say, but he’s doing something right with the constant relocating. They’re always within striking distance, though, and that makes me nervous.”
“Agreed.”
She walked with Ingrid toward the taberna , mulling the problem. “Can you think of a way we could lay a trap?”
“Like how? Tie a naked woman to a rock?”
Rosa laughed despite herself. “ Cabrona . Not what I had in mind.”
“Then no, not off the top of my head. I’ll keep thinking and let you know if I come up with anything.”
“Gracias.” As Ingrid was about to go into the taberna , Rosa touched her arm. “ Oye , I wanted to say something.”
“Can you tell me over a drink?”
“Claro.”
Inside was dim and cool. Between meals, only a few townsfolk lingered. Qué bueno. This wasn’t for anyone else’s ears, as Falco would shit kittens if he got wind of it. Rosa picked a table as Ingrid retrieved a couple of mugs of tiswin . No ice, but even lukewarm beer tasted good after working in the hot morning sun.
“What’s up, Rosa?”
Ingrid was the closest thing she had to a female friend. Though Rosa cared for the other girls, they had a softness she couldn’t understand. Ingrid was forged of familiar steel. This woman would fight tooth and nail until her last breath. Pale blue eyes shone with strength and courage.
“Falco’s been putting the pressure on lately. With the raider attacks getting worse and supplies running low . . .” She shrugged. “I don’t know what the future holds. If anything did happen to me, I want you to step up. Don’t let him run Valle unchallenged.”
“You’re asking me to be your successor? Are you having premonitions or something?” It
Ingrid and Rosa finished in the garden and went to clean their shovels and tools. Though Ex could repair them and make more, they’d learned to be careful with their possessions. Sometimes a sturdy tool made the difference between life and death.
“Something eating you?” Rosa asked, sliding a rag up and down the metal.
Ingrid glanced at her in surprise, her mind returning from wherever it had gone. “Nothing I can put my finger on, but that new leader, Peltz, is bothering me.”
“In what way?”
“I feel like his strikes are more feints than a fully committed assault.”
“Like he’s testing our weaknesses?”
“Exactly.”
From Ingrid, Rosa took such words seriously. The tall, lean blonde had a martial bearing and knew krav maga, one of the most efficient, dangerous hand-to-hand fighting styles. Once, after having a bit to drink, Ingrid had confessed that her style had been practiced by the military of various provisional governments—particularly after the East Coast Fuel Wars that followed the Change. Rather than probe for salacious details, Rosa had merely asked for additional training to supplement the dirty street fighting she’d learned growing up. So if Ingrid felt that greater battles loomed on the horizon, Rosa would do well to listen to her warning.
She stacked their gardening implements in the storage shed. “Your recommendation?”
Ingrid shrugged. “We’ve already got patrols out, trying to locate their camp. But so far we’ve only found the remnants. Cold ashes. Garbage. For now, they’re staying one step ahead of us.”
“I’d love to know how,” Rosa muttered. “It’s not like they’re so well organized.”
“They weren’t before.”
“You think Peltz is that smart?” Dios , she hoped not.
“Hard to say, but he’s doing something right with the constant relocating. They’re always within striking distance, though, and that makes me nervous.”
“Agreed.”
She walked with Ingrid toward the taberna , mulling the problem. “Can you think of a way we could lay a trap?”
“Like how? Tie a naked woman to a rock?”
Rosa laughed despite herself. “ Cabrona . Not what I had in mind.”
“Then no, not off the top of my head. I’ll keep thinking and let you know if I come up with anything.”
“Gracias.” As Ingrid was about to go into the taberna , Rosa touched her arm. “ Oye , I wanted to say something.”
“Can you tell me over a drink?”
“Claro.”
Inside was dim and cool. Between meals, only a few townsfolk lingered. Qué bueno. This wasn’t for anyone else’s ears, as Falco would shit kittens if he got wind of it. Rosa picked a table as Ingrid retrieved a couple of mugs of tiswin . No ice, but even lukewarm beer tasted good after working in the hot morning sun.
“What’s up, Rosa?”
Ingrid was the closest thing she had to a female friend. Though Rosa cared for the other girls, they had a softness she couldn’t understand. Ingrid was forged of familiar steel. This woman would fight tooth and nail until her last breath. Pale blue eyes shone with strength and courage.
“Falco’s been putting the pressure on lately. With the raider attacks getting worse and supplies running low . . .” She shrugged. “I don’t know what the future holds. If anything did happen to me, I want you to step up. Don’t let him run Valle unchallenged.”
“You’re asking me to be your successor? Are you having premonitions or something?” It
Similar Books
