Last quarter, you got a little hint of Kase's past, but this time, take a stroll into one of Hallie's memories. I'll be doing revisions on this baby this month and hope to post it late July/early August on the site. Of course, as newsletter subscribers, you will have access to the full snippet. Aren't you just lucky?! Keep in mind, this is still an early draft, but enjoy nonetheless! :)
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"All the Stars"
8 May 4493
The sweet scent hit Hallie Walker's nose once more, and the rain streaked down her face in rivulets. It was heavenly. She danced through the back garden and into the side lane, keeping an eye out for her partner in crime. After a few minutes of searching, she found him near the baker’s and eyeing a pie in the window.
On tiptoes, she snuck up behind him. The stars-idiot didn’t even see her in the glass’ reflection because he jumped near out of his trousers when she said, “Papa’s made a cake for tonight. I doubt that pie is going to be any better.”
He spun around, holding his chest. “You rat. Why’d you have to go and scare me like that? Thought you were Ma for a moment.”
Hallie laughed and hooked her arm around his. “Don’t you know I’m also a master ninja.”
Jack rolled his eyes as they continued down the near-empty street. “I should've never lent you that book. Gracious day.”
“Whatever. Where’d you get the last one anyway? I know for a fact you spent your allowance on a new hunting knife.”
Her brother pushed sopping hair out of his eyes. “Niels let me borrow it.”
Hallie’s heart stuttered at the mention of Niels, and she hoped Jack didn’t notice her hesitation. “He did? I haven’t seen him since last week’s market day. You didn’t do anything to scare him off, did you?”
Jack’s mischievous grin crinkled his eyes. “Oh, so when do you care about seeing Niels? You’re usually annoyed he gets all the best parts whenever we put on The Odyssey for the inn’s guests.”
The heat rose up the back of her neck, and she swallowed. “No reason. It’s just that we haven’t seen him in a while.”
“Then you won’t have a problem now if we go visit?”
If her heart could’ve pounded any harder in her chest, it would have flown right out, but she shoved the feeling down. “Let’s go.”
Dragging her by the hand, Niels led her down the lane to the very edge of town. The Metzingers lived just beyond the border, being farmers and all. The fist around Hallie’s stomach tightened with every step toward the newly rebuilt farmhouse just over the hill. She hadn’t always felt this way about Niels. No, he’d simply been Jack’s best friend up until the Metzinger’s old farmhouse burned from a wayward candle a year or so back. Hallie’s family had taken them in until they were able to build a new one. And that’s when Niels became something other than Jack’s friend. She wasn’t sure what, but whatever it was made her feel as if she were sick and her heart pound in her ears whenever she tried speaking to him in the marketplace.
Jack marched up the lane, relishing in every puddle in his way and opened the newly painted wooden gate leading into the front garden. Hallie followed a step behind, pushing her brown soaking hair out of her eyes. The back of her neck and cheeks warmed thinking about how she must look at that moment. Clothes and hair all sodden. She stumbled and pulled away from her twin. Jack turned.
“Hals, you got cold feet now? I thought it wasn’t a problem.”
His grin was satisfied, his eyes alight with mischief. That little stars-idiot knew. And he was enjoying Hallie’s discomfort. She narrowed her eyes. “It’s not! It’s just that I might catch a cold or something being soaked through like this. I’d better go back and –”
Jack’s laughter rang through the rain. “I knew it! You’re sweet on – ”
Hallie slapped her hand over her brother’s mouth, cutting off the rest of his sentence. His eyes were still squinted in mirth as he licked her palm.
“Yech! You blasting dulkop. Why’d you go and do that for?” she screeched as she tore her hand away, wiping it furiously on the wet material of her dress.
“You asked for it,” he said through his laughter.
She just glared. Before she could come up with a good come-back, the front door of the farmhouse opened. Both Hallie and Jack’s heads turned toward the noise, and Hallie squeaked. She tried her best to turn it into a cough, but she wasn’t sure if it was as successful as she’d hoped.
