The Breath -Sixth Whale Book 1

*10*

Shae and her clothes were filthy, lying on the floor of a cave had that effect. Mud was clear as day in her pale hair. Almost the second Thandre pulled her out of the caverns she bee-lined for the metal tub that hung from the roof. Balancing precariously on a stool she hefted it down or rather attempted to. Thandre realised perhaps a little too late, once the tub crashed to the floor, that he should really have been helping. To the man who cleaned himself with magic, the tub was really more of a decorative item than something anyone might need to have practical access to. He helped drag the tub into the side bedroom and showed Shae where the water pump was then left her to it.  Even untrained witches could heat water. 

While Shae was bathing Thandre set about creating some food for the pantry. He would do this the proper way soon but for now, he needed to sort things out quickly. It would be strange for him to have no food at all. It all looked okay. The Witchfather was flustered. He hadn't lived with anyone since Derys, and he never needed to hide from him. He closed his eyes for a moment and let himself slide into the memories of their life together. Outside near the edge of the barrier seedling had begun poking through the paving stones. 

Vern was excited for his first day, but the mood in The Halves was understandably wretched. People were angry, and not just the witches. They and theirs had been attacked and threatened and now the entire community was bristling with rage. It was easy to forget that The Halves were a part of the main city and if you asked most of its population they didn't even know its name. 

" Thank you for understand, Sir." Vern bowed deeply to his former Master. The Blacksmith Hendri just gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

" From what I hears he's never taken apprentices before and despite how he looks he must be as ancient as old Aggie. This is a good chance for yous and I can't dispute it. Shame though, you were shaping up to be a fine smith." Vern grinned with pride as the smith waved him off. He had plenty of apprentices and plenty more would come running to fill the empty spot. A good trade was a ticket out of The Halves and as more people arrived it was getting too crowded for comfort. It never expanded outwards, because it was already close to the island's edge, only up but even that was becoming a challenge. 

Getting to the cabin was a challenge, a crowd of Ofrin's followers was camping out now as if protesting something. As he reached the door someone hurled something at him, only to be met with jeers when it missed. He suspected they would have jeered regardless. The door only opened a crack and once Thandre had seen who it was he grabbed Vern by the arm and dragged him inside.

Inside Shae and Mae were arguing. Sat by the fire pit trying to avoid all and any eye contact was a young man that Vern Didn't recognise.

" Just hand him over to them!" Mae was all but yelling. Shae shook her head.

"He was my fiance not there's. His burial rights belong to me." Shae sounded exhausted like she'd been repeating this for a while. Vern went and settled himself next to the young man and decided to keep his head down.

" We'll have the funeral pyre outside the cabin tonight. They can watch if they want, but his body isn't going to be taken off by them and paraded around." Shae looked broken but not yet defeated. Mae sighed, she knew nothing they did would reduce the anger burning in the Halves. Nobody seemed to really know who to be angry at, the families of the dead were angry at the mob, Ofrin's group were angry at the witchfather for not, there were witches mad at Ofrin's followers for not listening and the was Mae who seemed alone in her anger at the dead warlock outside. Despite that Mae couldn't help but agree as Shae elaborated.

" It will just make things worse, they take him and show him off to all those families so lost someone, treating him like a hero and everyone will get angrier. You said yourself that it's bad out there and people are just looking for a reason to fight." Thandre could already tell that nothing would keep the peace, Donnie had told him about all the whispers he's heard as he walked with Mae. They were planning on launching a revenge attack, and soon. Giving them the warlock's body might delay them, but not for very long and it would make things worse within The Halves.