The Rivening

Grimm Tales

Tori got up and pantomimed that she was leaving. "Find travel English."

She put a few provisions in a bag, placed some food and water on a table near Connie, and brought a stick that Connie could use as a cane, pointing to small building presumably the outhouse. She held up three fingers. "Tick," and looked questioningly at Connie who nodded that she understood. Tori would be gone for three ticks.

Aldo stood to go. Tori gave a short command and the wolf laid down and looked at Connie.

Tori went to a shed in back that had a large, tall whirligig-type device on top. She rode out on a sort of scooter with a quiet humming motor. Charged by the whirligig? Connie wondered.

Three ticks was around seven hours. Was she going to get Rennish? On the scooter, she would have ample time. Connie watched her head down the road toward Ladore.

Connie turned to the wolf, "So Aldo, are you here to protect me? Or guard me? You know, I was priding myself on my new motto – no dithering. Yet here I am. Dithering away about what I should do. Thing is, I have a feeling about your Tori." Aldo's ears perked up. "She seems nice. Maybe she's like Tessa and Brome and wants to help me." Aldo kept her eyes locked on Connie's face. "I know. Based on what? I can't talk to her, any better than I can talk to you."

No reply from Aldo, who settled back down, eyes half closed. Connie ate and drank a little. Only as she was feeling sleepy did it occur to her that Tori may have added something soporific to the water.

When she woke and checked her watch, two hours had passed and she scolded herself for falling under the spell of the calm, competent woman. Of course, Tori was on her way to turn her in, what was she thinking? She should pull herself together and keep going as best as she could. Maybe she could manage pedalling with one leg and sleep in the woods hiding with Tessa's tent.

Connie took the stick and pushed herself up. Aldo came over to her and stuck close beside her as she slowly hobbled to the backdoor.

"I'm going to use your facilities. Okay with you? You know, my ankle feels a little better already.

Whatever magic your mistress worked, I think it's helping."

Aldo waited outside the outhouse until Connie emerged, "My god. A five-star privy. You Dahrians really have this living off the grid stuff worked out."

Hobbling back inside, Connie gathered whatever looked edible and stuffed it into her backpack, shuddering at the pistol lying in the bottom. The immediate challenge would be getting out of the house without Aldo following her. She could simply shoot the wolf and walk away. The thought horrified her.

"Don't worry. I would never, ever do that. I don't know why I even took the stupid thing. Okay, now I'm going to pretend I'm going back to the outhouse except, this time, you're staying inside."

Connie worked out a way to position the stick and herself to quickly pivot out the door and close it behind her, leaving Aldo secured in the house. Her choreography worked - barely. Aldo was outraged, growling and scratching at the door.

Connie limped her way to the front of the house where she'd left the bike. The sound of Aldo's fury trailed off as she rounded the house. When she got to the front, she understood why she no longer heard the wolf. Aldo sat in the lane, teeth bared, faintly growling.

The front door stood open.

"I should have known. You're far too clever for me."

Connie went back in. Held the door open for the wolf.

"Come on. Let's make up. I won't try that again. My ankle's throbbing now anyway."

Taking care to rest her ankle, Connie passed the day poking around the house. The array of unusual and slightly familiar musical instruments lining the shelves fascinated her. She never felt she had any talent for playing an instrument but loved listening to music. Many of these were lovingly crafted stringed and drum instruments. Had Tori made them? But why so many?