Read Stranger for Free Online Page B

clinging to her perch. He drew the only weapon he had left, the knife at his belt. The useless knife—owls swooped overhead, easily evading his reach.
    Paco snatched up a fallen branch and swung at an owl striking at Julio’s eyes. It veered away, then grabbed the branch in its talons. Paco tried to shake off the owl, but it held fast, flapping its wings and screeching. He flung down the branch and went to grab another. An owl dove at Paco’s unprotected back, its wingtips slicing down. Yuki lunged out with his knife, knowing he’d be too late.
    A crossbow twanged. The owl thumped to the ground. Mrs. Callahan had managed to grab her bow before the horses bolted.
    â€œFall back!” yelled Julio. “They’re protecting their nest.”
    The patrol ran into the woods. The owls didn’t pursue them. They found the horses in a glen, clustered around Fuego.
    Belatedly, Yuki reported, “I didn’t see anything going on in town.”
    â€œIt’s probably a false alarm. But let’s play it safe.” Julio began pointing at patrollers. “You three stay with the horses. You two come with me. And you . . .” Yuki’s elation when Julio pointed to him and Paco dissipated when Julio’s finger moved to include Mrs. Callahan.
    He sent them to a boulder-strewn promontory. “Keep watch over there. Stay low, and don’t create a silhouette for someone to shoot at.”
    Yuki sat in a narrow niche between two boulders, the only place that offered both cover and a view of the plains below. He pointed to a smaller promontory higher up. “Kogatana, watch.”
    The rat scurried off.
    Paco settled down next to him, and Mrs. Callahan plumped herself down on his other side. She wriggled into a comfortable position, shoving him against Paco. Yuki gritted his teeth, embarrassed, then forced himself to relax. He felt Paco vibrate with silent laughter.
    â€œAre you okay?” Paco’s breath was warm on his ear. “Your hand is bleeding.”
    â€œIt’s fine.”
    Mrs. Callahan snapped, “What were you thinking, Yuki, sticking your hand into an owl’s nest?”
    He shrugged and twisted his handkerchief around his palm. How much more of a signal could he send? On the Taka , people had often been in tighter quarters than this, but that only made them more mindful of not intruding on each other.
    Mrs. Callahan was still going on about Yuki’s carelessness, and he tried to shut her out. It wasn’t hard, when he could focus on the press of Paco’s arm, his body so close that Yuki could inhale his scent of clean sweat.
    â€œThat nest was perfectly camouflaged, and he was climbing down,” Paco pointed out. “You wouldn’t have seen it either.”
    Mrs. Callahan ignored him. “Yuki, you should have sent Kogatana to scout. Isn’t that what you have her for? Your problem is that you only make an effort with things that you care about. Take that garden of yours. I saw four giant tomato worms munching away yesterday.”
    Yuki pretended to examine the slash across his palm. Of course she’d been watching his garden. Everyone watched everything. If he locked himself in his room, pulled the curtains, and coughed, the next morning three people would offer him honey and lemon juice.
    â€œAnd dandelions everywhere,” she went on. “Isn’t the weeding your—”
    â€œMrs. Callahan!” When she stopped talking, startled, Paco said, “Thank you for shooting that owl.”
    She looked slightly abashed. “Oh, well, don’t mention it. Anyone who had their crossbow would have done the same.”
    As silence fell, Yuki felt Paco shift his weight. Strong brown fingers took the handkerchief from Yuki’s hand, where he’d been twisting and twisting it. Paco untwisted the handkerchief, then rewrapped and tied it securely. “I should have asked,” he said softly. “Sorry. I