“Go ahead and start heading home,” he told Sawn. “I’ll break up a couple of these smaller rocks, then head home myself. I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll break up the last bit and clear the area.”
“Yes, Kildar,” Sawn said, nodding. “Weapons can be used for more than killing, apparently.”
“A weapon is a system for applying force,” Mike said. “Force like that can only be used for destruction, but sometimes you can use it for stuff like this, yes.”
Mike was placing a quarter pound of Semtek under a rock the size of a recliner when he heard light footsteps coming up the path.
“You were supposed to go home,” Mike called.
“You have not had dinner, Kildar,” Katrina said.
“And it’s nearly dark,” Mike pointed out, straightening up and turning around. The girl had a basket that probably held food and a bucket with three beer bottles in it. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble coming out into the dark with a man you’re not married to.”
“I was sent out,” Katrina admitted. “But I asked when the men came back. You should eat.”
“I was going to when I got back to the house,” Mike pointed out. “That’s why I have a cook.”
“I called Mother Griffina,” Katrina said, opening up the box and laying out a colored cloth, then pulling out food. “You have been working all day and you did not eat lunch. You will eat.”
“I’m going to wash my hands first,” Mike said, uncomfortably. The girl was about fourteen if she was a day. Not to mention bloody gorgeous. And in her society, being alone with a man was tantamount to admitting you weren’t a virgin. And if you weren’t a virgin, you could never get married. He couldn’t imagine Father Devlich simply letting her come out here to have dinner, even if it was with the Kildar. It was literally unimaginable. On the other hand, there was no way she could have prepared a supper like this without permission; the Keldara were far too careful of their food use.
By the time he got back to the little picnic, Katrina had laid out a plate of cold chicken and potatoes with a small mess of spring greens. A bottle of beer was open and sitting next to it.
“And what are you going to eat?” Mike asked.
“I’ll eat when I get home,” Katrina said, archly.
“Don’t think so,” Mike said, sliding the plate between them. “Eat. So tell me how you really managed to convince them that you should come out here.”
“I simply pointed out that you hadn’t had lunch and that you were going to be late for dinner,” Katrina said.
“And you’d been watching what I ate?” Mike asked, pulling a drumstick off the chicken and handing it to her.
“Everyone knew that,” Katrina said, accepting the chicken diffidently. “The old women had been clucking about it half the day.”
“Oh,” Mike replied, uncomfortably. He knew the Keldara watched him, but he wasn’t aware that the scrutiny was that intense. “And they just let you come out here?”
“Yes,” Katrina said then sighed and shrugged. “I probably would have been sent to town this year if you hadn’t said no one would be. No family will have me. I’m too—”
“Different,” Mike said. “Hardheaded and all that, too. But mostly it’s that you don’t fit the Keldara mold. You’re damned pretty, though,” he added, then realized what he’d said and cleared his throat.
“Pretty doesn’t matter,” Katrina said, a touch angrily. “I know too much, I think too much. And I say too much,” she added, sighing again. “Usually at the wrong time. So… coming out here was not such a… loss to the Family. Whatever anyone thinks. Besides, I’d already been with you. In the car. Remember?”
“Vividly,” Mike admitted. There was just something about snow, even if you thought you were going to die in a blizzard, that was romantic. “So what are you going to do with your life?”
“I’m probably going to be the old aunt that does all the work,” Katrina admitted, shrugging. “Or I’ll run away to town. I’m not sure I can handle being the last woman my whole life.”
“Don’t run to town,” Mike said, sliding the plate closer and handing her the fork. “Bad as it is here, it can be infinitely worse in the hands of the slavers. Some of them aren’t all bad, but you don’t get to pick and choose in advance.”
“There’s another choice, of course,” Katrina said, taking a small bite of potato and handing the fork back. “The Kildaran.”
“I take it that means the wife of the Kildar,” Mike said, surprised at her boldness. “Ain’t gonna happen.”
“Actually, it’s the woman of the Kildar,” Katrina said, taking a small bite of chicken. “Not the wife. I’m not sure of the right name for you.”
“Concubine?” Mike asked. “Mistress? Katrina, there are reasons I don’t have people close to me. You don’t want to be one of them.”
“You’re wrong in that, Kildar,” the girl said, setting down the chicken and looking him in the eye. “I know you have enemies. But I’m strong and I’m the right woman for you.”
“You’re a girl,” Mike said, shaking his head. “In my country, even thinking about fooling around with you is a capital crime.”
“Latya, the one you call Flopsy, is younger than I am,” Katrina said, evenly.
“I’m not terribly happy about that,” Mike admitted.
“And you like Inessa,” Katrina continued, remorselessly. “Because she looks like me, I think. Is it that I’m too smart? Too… headstrong? You like weak women?” she ended angrily.
“No,” Mike admitted, unwilling to meet her eye. “But I don’t want you getting hurt. Either by being here, with me, or by living with me and being a target.”
“I am a woman, Kildar,” Katrina shouted. “This year I would be married if it weren’t for nobody wanting me! And you do want me, I know that!”
“Yes, I do,” Mike said, finally looking at her, his eyes hot and face hard. “But I’m sure as hell not going to take you here on the grass. If the time comes, if it is right, I will consider it. But until then, you’ll have to wait. Understand? Can you do that? You’re an impatient bitch.”
“What’s a promise from a man worth?” Katrina asked, bitterly.
“From one that’s not trying to get in your pants, usually a lot,” Mike said. “And it was anything but a promise. Let things get stable and we’ll discuss it. But right now, it’s out of the question.”
“I’ll wait,” Katrina said, furiously. “For a while, Kildar. But only for a while. You have shown that you will do things even that you don’t promise. For that, I will wait.”
Chapter Fourteen
“Hey, Kildar,” Killjoy said as Mike walked in the caravanserai. The former Marine was sitting in the foyer area with Flopsy curled into his side and a glass of beer in his hand. “This beer is fantastic, you know that? You ought to sell it.”
“They make it in small batches,” Mike said, absently. “You using Flopsy at the moment?”
“No,” Killjoy said, giving the girl a slap on the rump. “Up and to your master, little one.”
“You want me, Kildar?” Flopsy asked.
“Very much,” Mike said, taking her by the wrist and leading her to the stairs. “If anybody wants me, I’ll be busy for a while.”
Mike pulled up to the police station and got out wondering why he’d been called. All that Vadim said was that he needed to talk and not over the phone. Although Mike could call the police station on his sat phone, the local phones used a party line and were less than secure.