Chapter Seventeen
Safina
Mrs. Jenkens hastilydressed me and pinned my hair. The old woman fussed, vacillating between shock at my indecency and amazement at my courage. The voices in the parlor below grew louder, and I feared Mrs. Jenkens's home would be bursting with curious spectators who had no business being in the house other than to glean a bit of gossip.
Though I wanted nothing more than to hide from all the curious eyes, I needed to see Gabriel. His fear and self-loathing had left a hollow ache in my chest, and I had to know if he was all right.
Refusing to be shamed by the mortals below, I held my head high after I descended the stairs into the small parlor. Luckily, the crowd was too engrossed in watching two men argue to pay me any heed.
The men, one short and stout with white tufts of hair, and the other tall and lean with a bushy gray mustache, were pointing at each other, their voices growing ever louder.
"I saw something, Ball. A huge fin." The tall man held his arms out, his eyes opening wider with the movement.
"Goldman, you old fool." The short man called Ball tossed back his head and laughed, a deep, hearty chuckle. "You most likely saw a whale."
"A whale?" Goldman shook his head, scowling. "Whales don't come up these parts." He turned his sharp gaze on me. "What did you see, girl? What was in the water?"
I did my best not to cower as all eyes in the room turned to me. I cleared my throat as I recalled the tale I'd been rehearsing in my mind. "The shark... he... he let go of Pedro and went after me. He ripped off my clothes." I made sure to tremble at that part. "I kicked him in the eye, and he swam off."
I stared at bulging eyes and slackened jaws, waiting for some sort of reaction, and praying to the Almighty Mother they believed me.
The man called Ball marched up to me with a stiff back. He loudly cleared his throat as he addressed the crowd. "In all my days, I have never seen such bravery. To think, this girl rushed into the sea to save the boy while all the men watched on shore." He held his hat against his chest and bowed. "Child, you humble this old man."
"I'm telling you, I saw a big fin and a tail, like a sea monster!" Goldman shouted.
"Sea monster?" Ball waved his hat at the man as if he was shooing a fly. "Will you stop going on about that?"
The crowd broke as Gabriel wheeled into the room. "That's a tall tale if I ever heard one." He winked as he headed toward me.
My chest expanded with joy and relief when he came to my aid.
Goldman stomped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum. "I know what I saw!"
Mrs. Jenkens stormed into the room, waving her hands about like a fussy mother hen. "Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you kindly for inquiring about the boy. If you would please go. Miss Fiona needs peace and quiet if she's to mend his wound."
"That wound can't be mended," Goldman said in a tone mixed with morbid excitement and sadness as he bowed his head, his hat in his hands. "He'll die before nightfall."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Mrs. Jenkens wagged a finger before ushering him outside. "Miss Fiona is a skilled healer."
"I don't care how skilled she is," Mr. Goldman said over his shoulder as she pushed him out the door. "I saw his innards."
"Yes, well, thank you again for calling." Mrs. Jenkens maintained a frozen smile. "Good evening," she said to the others as they followed Mr. Goldman outside.
Mrs. Jenkens turned to me. "If you would excuse me, I need to assist your mother." She exited quickly, leaving me alone with Gabriel.
Or so I had thought. At the sound of footsteps on the stairwell, I looked up to see Abby standing there as frozen as a statue, clutching the banister while she gawked at me.
Gabriel spun his wheels around, craning his neck and breathing out an impatient huff as Abby slowly descended.
She looked hesitantly from Gabriel to me as she stood at the bottom of the stairs. I felt fear and confusion radiating off Abby in strong pulses.
Abby turned up her chin and cleared her throat. "Safi, what did you see in the water?"
I matched the girl's stare with one of my own. "I already said what I saw."
Abby raised a shaky finger, pointing it accusingly at me. "Mr. Goldman wasn't telling no tall tale. I saw it, too. I saw a big fin and a tail. I saw scales. Red scales."
"Nobody would believe either of you," Gabriel rumbled darkly.
Seemingly unaffected by Gabriel's warning, she planted both hands on her hips, scowling down at him. "I know that." Her assessing gaze shot back to me. "The shark ripped off your clothes, and you don't have a scratch. How can that be?"
I shrugged, my bravery waning. "I told you I kicked him."
Abby's eyes sharpened to two fine points. "How is it that your mom can put her hands on people and make them well?"
I looked uneasily at Gabriel. His expression was as hard as stone, his stare fixed on Abby.
Abby took a hesitant step toward us. "You and your mama, you aren't human, are you?"
I swallowed a lump of panic. I had no idea how to answer Abby's question, for I feared Abby would run screaming if she knew the truth.
"Safi." Abby tapped out an impatient rhythm with her foot. "Answer me."
Gabriel wheeled toward her, looking up at her with a scowl. "What does it matter what they are? Have they harmed anyone?"
Abby took a step back, nearly falling onto the stairs. "No."
"Then you'd do best to keep your suspicions to yourself."
Abby's face fell. "I won't tell no one. Miss Fiona saved my life, and that shark could have come after me." She turned her back on Gabriel and fixed me with a pointed stare. "Safi, what was in the water? I know you know."
I heaved a sigh as I walked up to Abby. "I can't tell you. It won't hurt you." I took a chance and grasped Abby's shoulder, looking deep into her eyes. Strange, but I didn't see judgment or fear there. "That I can promise."
"And what about the shark?" Abby waved at the front door, as if the shark could somehow come walking up to Mrs. Jenkens's house and present his calling card for tea.
I traced my tongue across the roof of my mouth, remembering the bitter, salty taste of the shark's tail. "It's dead," I said with finality.
"I see." Abby smoothed a hand down her skirt. "Well, thank you, Safi, for whatever you did." Though there was little expression on her face, I read something beneath Abby's eyes—resignation, and perhaps admiration. It was the first time I had seen Abby look upon another with respect and understanding. Perhaps I could count her as a friend after all.
I leveled her with a somber look. "You're welcome."
"I think I'll retire early. Goodnight." She made a slight curtsy and headed up the stairs. Stopping midway, she turned, looking down at me with a soft smile. "I won't tell anyone, Safi. I swear on my mama and papa's graves."
I nodded my thanks. Only after I heard the sound of Abby's door shutting, did my shoulders sag in relief.
I turned to Gabriel, wordlessly following him as he led me to the sofa. His wheel bumped a small table, nearly toppling a porcelain statue of a beautiful woman in a flowing gown. He swore, but I grabbed it in time. The smooth surface was cool against my skin as I righted the statue.
That beautiful, yet delicate, figure reminded me of my life, and how very much my world was on the verge of breaking apart. I slumped onto the hard cushion with a groan, burying my face in my hands.
"Safina, it will be okay." Gabriel grumbled again as he bumped a wheel into the sofa. "Nobody will believe Mr. Goldman."
I looked helplessly at Gabriel. "It's not Mr. Goldman I worry about."
He surprised me by pulling himself out of his chair and sitting beside me. "Your mother?"
"Aye." I sighed, suddenly distracted by Gabriel's nearness and his familiar scent of ink and earth. "She will be displeased with my carelessness."
"You were not being careless. You freed my brother from the shark." He grasped my hand and held it beside him.
At the feel of his tender touch, a wave of emotion surged inside me. Tears threatened at the backs of my eyes. "I hope she sees it that way." I looked at my hand in his, so grateful for his comfort, which helped soothe my fears.
Gabriel cupped my chin, forcing me to get lost in the mahogany swirls in his eyes. "You went into the water."
"I did."
"But you're afraid of the water."
I wished I could melt into Gabriel, letting him wipe away five hundred years of pain and sorrow. I hadn't realized until I'd felt his human touch how very much my heart had suffered locked away in that prison, and how I longed for someone to love.
"I couldn't let your brother die." At the time, I hadn't even recalled my fear of the water; I'd only known Pedro would surely die if I didn't save him.
He cupped my face with both hands, his sideways smile hazy through my sheen of tears. "Thank you, Safi. I can never repay you for what you've done."
"Just promise you'll always be my friend." My throat was so tight with emotion, I could barely choke out the words.
He wiped my tears in the sweetest display of affection. "You already had my friendship. You will always have it."
There was no mistaking the sincerity in his words, but I was shocked and humbled by the outpouring of love that radiated from him, wrapping my soul in warmth and peace.
For several moments, I could only stare into his beautiful, dark eyes. I was overwhelmed with gratitude for his friendship.
My well of tears quickly dried as his love continued to surge through me. I couldn't help but smile, for though I'd had a trying day, being this close to Gabriel made me happy. "Thank you for standing up for me today."
He frowned. "I would have done more if I could."
"I know." I remembered Gabriel's feelings of worthlessness and self-loathing after I'd come out of the water. He'd hated himself because he was incapable of saving Pedro and protecting me.
A soft moan came from beyond the kitchen door, making Gabriel sit up in alarm. "Do you think she can save him?"
Despite the differences I had with my mother, the queen had a caring heart. I turned up my chin, smiling. "I know she can."
* * *
Safina
THE DRAGON QUEEN EMERGEDfrom the kitchen with a blood-stained dress, sallow skin, and heavy-lidded eyes.
I jumped from my seat and rushed to my mother. "Well?"
"Well, what?" She rubbed her lower back. "He will live."
Gabriel cried out something in his grandfather's foreign tongue before hunching over and sobbing uncontrollably. Joy and relief mingled with a new wave of shame. I wanted nothing more than to hold Gabriel in my arms, but I feared my mother's censure.
My mother scowled at Gabriel before stumbling to a chair and falling into it with a heavy sigh.
Mrs. Jenkens emerged from the kitchen and launched toward the dragon queen with a shriek. "Oh, Miss Fiona! Your dress is covered in blood! My brocade!"
Much to my surprise, my mother made no motion to get up. Instead, she slouched in the seat, letting her head fall to one side.
"So much blood," she mumbled. "No more strength."
I had never seen my mother so tired.
"Help me get Fiona upstairs," Mrs. Jenkens said to me. "A warm bath and then straight to bed for you." She scolded the queen as if she were a child while hoisting her out of the chair.
I tried to help Mrs. Jenkens manage my mother's weight, but the matronly woman was twice my size and bore most of the burden herself. Though I wanted to return to Gabriel, I reluctantly helped Mrs. Jenkens bathe and dress my mother before putting her to bed.
"Safina," my mother mumbled as I tucked the blankets around her shoulders.
I bent closer, so close I could feel the queen's breath on my ear. "Aye, Mother?"
"Stay away from him." The words were surprisingly clear for one so exhausted.
I swallowed a lump of fear. Who was the queen talking about, my dragonslayer father or Gabriel? "Stay away from whom, Mother?" I cringed as I awaited the response, for I knew without a doubt if Mother meant Gabriel, I'd have to defy her.
Fiona turned her head, tucking her hands beneath a pillow. "Men bring only heartbreak, daughter... only heartbreak."
Though the queen hadn't answered my question, I feared my mother had been speaking of Gabriel, and staying away from him would not be an option. He had proven himself to be my only true friend. I was not about to throw away that friendship now, especially when I hoped it could one day be something much more.
* * *
Safina
THE ODD RUMBLE OF SE?ORCortez's cart forced me to make haste returning downstairs. I found his grandsons loading Pedro onto a bed of soft straw in the back.
Pedro moaned once, then went silent, with the exception of the occasional loud snore. He wore a fresh white shirt, which, surprisingly, bore no traces of blood.
After he was safely secure in the cart, Gabriel's brothers got in, one up front with Se?or Cortez and two in the back.
The brother who sat up front, a lean young man with a bushy mustache, pushed one of his brothers out of the cart. "Manny, you have to push Gabriel."
Manny appeared to be the youngest of all five. He had a baby face, more so than Gabriel. He grumbled as he got down. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he dragged his feet toward Gabriel.
I possessively took hold of the handles on the back of Gabriel's chair. "Help your grandfather, Manny. I'll walk him home."
His eyes lit up as he raced back to the cart. "Thanks, se?orita!"
Gabriel smiled at me. "Are you sure? I don't want to be a bother."
I made a snorting sound that took me by surprise. Gabriel's self-loathing made me sad, especially since he obviously failed to see how much I enjoyed his company.
Pushing Gabriel's chair across the bumpy road was a lot more cumbersome than I expected. The terrain was unforgiving to Gabriel's wooden wheels, jarring my bones with each step. I considered myself fortunate, though, for Gabriel had to endure it every day.
Even more reason for me to heal him.
We walked in silence, giving me time to reflect on my day, which had begun pleasantly enough with Gabriel, burritos, and little chicks. Then the afternoon had turned sour after my frightful encounter with Dr. Straw. I wondered what he'd say when he heard of the shark attack. Would he believe Mr. Goldman's account, and would he suspect I knew more than I'd been telling? A feeling of dread settled in my gut when I realized Dr. Straw had the ability to cause me a great deal of trouble.
But the risk had been worth it. I would never forget the fear that gripped me when I'd seen the shark eating Pedro.
Even though Pedro had never shown me any particular kindness, he was Gabriel's brother, and I couldn't stand the thought of Gabriel mourning such a loss.
We arrived at an intersection. Though it was not busy, we still had to wait for a slow mule-drawn carriage to pass.
"Look, it's her."
I jerked my head at the urgent whisper, though it was not spoken in my ear. I knew without a doubt the women who walked by were gossiping about me, for they eyed me suspiciously while talking behind their hands.
My heart quickened, blood rushing to my ears when an elderly couple hurried past. The woman nodded at me, whispering something into her husband's ear.
Gabriel looked up at me and cleared his throat. "Ignore them."
"It's hard," I murmured and then regretted my words. Gabriel most likely dealt with far more censure on a daily basis.
By the time we arrived at Gabriel's house, Pedro had already been put to bed, and Se?or Cortez was sitting on the front porch, chewing on an unlit pipe.
The old man stood up and whistled as we waited at the bottom step. I noted Se?or Cortez's stooped posture seemed even more bent than before. He looked to have aged ten years since I'd seen him that morning.
Gabriel's brothers appeared and grabbed his wheelchair, hauling him up the steps with practiced ease.
Once they reached the top, Manny said, "You coming, se?orita? Papí has supper waiting."
I was surprised by the invitation. Gabriel's brother was actually speaking to me, and there was not a glint of terror in his eyes. Did they truly want me to eat with them? I stood rooted to the spot for a moment and then my stomach rumbled loudly, answering for me.
I smiled at him before ascending the stairs. "Aye, Manny, I'd be delighted."
Even more surprising was when Manny held the door for me. So this was all it took to gain their respect? Bite the tail off a little shark? I was even more pleased when the rest of Gabriel's brothers greeted me inside, asking me to take a seat for supper as if I was part of the family.
I inhaled the rich and spicy aromas of the spread before me and looked into the eyes of every smiling face, suddenly feeling I finally belonged.
I heaved a sigh of contentment as Gabriel filled my water glass. I'd finally found a place with people who knew what I was and liked me. There was absolutely no way I'd ever let my mother take that away.