Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 60
She laughed. "What about your kid?" he added.
"Asleep. I'll see what I can get out of him today. Maybe
knowing his sister's safe will make him more reasonable."
"Reasonable--" Axel bit back on whatever he was going
to say. "Treat him gently, Cal." He broke the connection.
She dropped the rabbit by Jordan's feet and sat down on
the log to contemplate him. He looked strong enough.
Whatever did Axel mean?
Gently. She frowned down at the smooth skin of her
hand, matched it against the mossy bark of the log. She was as
gentle as water, she knew. It was only that today, and with
regard to this youth, she was as purposeful as a river in flood.
She went to work skinning the rabbit.
Jordan awoke to the smell of cooking. The lady had
prepared a stout meal for him. He avoided her eyes as he ate.
She watched him expressionlessly for a while, then said, "You
sister is safe."
He sat up, eyeing her suspiciously. "Tell me."
She explained that she had gone to a nearby road and
intercepted a courier she knew was scheduled to pass. She'd
told him of the girl's plight, and he went in search of her.
Later, he'd sent another runner back with news she'd been
found.
"How could all that happen in just a few hours?" he
wondered sullenly.
"You needn't believe me. Axel said he found her in some
kind of kid's fort, a hundred or so meters in the forest. Does
that sound familiar?"
Jordan looked down. It did. He hadn't thought of the
place in his own rush; the other kids had used it more than he,
because of his fear of the forest. Emmy probably had more