Of the Blood | ✔️

Sixteen

I force myself to ignore the flutter in my stomach. "I'm going in."

"Faith, I really wish you would—"

A twig snapping behind us and cuts him off. We whip around toward the sound, but nothing's there.

After a long beat, Victor squirms, his beetle eyes burrowing into mine. "Someone has to stay out here, and I volunteer to do it."

Another snap.

"I can do it," a tiny voice says.

My muscles tense as an uneasy chill moves through me. "Honor—what are you doing here? I told you to go home!"

Honor emerges from behind a tree trunk, his teeth pulling at his bottom lip. "But I want to help."

"This is no place for a child." I reach for his shoulders and pivot him around in the opposite direction.

His small body stiffens. "But you're a child, too! Papa says so."

"He only says that so you don't feel left out. Now go on." I give him one final shove toward home.

"Faith—" Thomas' mitted hand curls around my arm. "He's already here. What's the harm in letting him stay?"

My chest tightens. "No—he's too little!"

Honor grabs ahold of my hand and squeezes, his glossy eyes pleading as they stare up at me. "Sissy, I can do this. I want to help you. Please?"

A black crow lets out a sudden screech from the limb above us. It swoops toward another tree before disappearing inside the branches.

My breath shudders as my gaze shifts back to my brother. Thomas has a point. I don't want to put Honor in danger, but if he stays outside, he shouldn't come in harm's way.

My shoulders sink as I retuck his scarf into his coat. "Promise me you'll stay hidden. And if there's any sign of trouble, you run home and get Papa. Do you understand?"

Honor nods, his mouth disappearing into a thin line. I'm familiar with this look. He's trying not to grin.

"All right, kid," Thomas says. "Let's hear your best call."

Honor sucks in a massive breath and lets out a hoot. It's a perfect imitation of the owls nesting in our barn.

I shake my head, my fingers and toes numb with cold. "How do you do that?"

He shrugs like it's no big deal. "They like it when I talk to them."

Thomas rumples Honor's hat until it sits cockeyed on his head. "Pretty impressive, kid. Now go find a safe hiding place and don't make a peep unless you have to. And if you do need to send us a warning, make the noise you just made—only real loud. Can you do that?"

Honor straightens his hat then gives a mock salute before scrambling toward a cluster of overgrown evergreens just off the beaten path. He crouches behind the snow-speckled foliage and flashes a thumbs up.

As he turns back to us, a swallow skates down Thomas' throat. "Are we ready?"

Victor and I exchange a look and my breaths quicken. Finally, I nod, fighting to keep my expression neutral. We leave the forest behind and push through the untouched snow toward an entrance at the rear of the residence. The wooden door is half-concealed behind a tangle of dead vines as if it hasn't been used in years.

Thomas stuffs his mittens into his pocket and gets to work. He yanks at the brown leaves and wrinkled berries, but only succeeds in making more of a mess. He unravels the knotted plant from his reddened fingers and tosses it to the side in a heap. "I don't suppose anyone thought to bring shears?"