“Sorry, just checking.”
Dust, Shadows Fade and Penelope gathered their things in the silence that followed, watched either slyly or openly. No-one had too much to collect so they were soon stood at the chapel door, ready to move out.
“I know Penelope asked it but don’t you lie about where I’m headed,” he said to the chapel. Their good moods drained as he spoke. “People from the Solution will come and you shouldn’t trust them. Nor should you mess with them. Just listen to the Father and he’ll steer you well.”
Silence was their only response. They mightn’t appreciate his words now but they would when the Solution arrived. He took a final look around the battered church before giving them a nod. Then his strange band went to collect Horse from the stables behind the tavern.
When they were safely out of earshot, Penelope said “None of them thanked you. After all you’ve done for them. Both of you.”
“Nope,” Dust said.
“Doesn’t that anger you?”
He cast a look back at the chapel. “Nope.”
Horse whinnied impatiently when they neared. Dust had protected him with invisibility spells and wards and the lack of markings on the stables proved he hadn’t been discovered last night. The whinnies continued when he opened the stable door, unimpressed noises that told him the beast was hungry and annoyed.
“Sorry Horse,” he said. “We’ll rustle something up for you on the way.”
He got a dismissive snort in response.
“I know. But we’ve all got something to put up with.”
Horse accepted a pat on the nose, if not the sentiment that preceded it.
When Penelope was settled and ready, he and Shadows Fade led Horse out of Crucifix. Godly Claw padded beside them. They walked toward the sunrise, which cast their long shadows back onto the town for some time.
The End
