Blood Red Road

cool. Cold even. It’s threaded on a leather thong to wear around the neck. I hold it up an the light gleams through it, milky an dull.
    It’s pretty, says Emmi.
    It’s a heartstone, says Mercy. She lifts it over my head. Your mother gave it to me, an now I’m givin it to you.
    I touch it. A gift from my mother. I ain’t never had nuthin that belonged to her.
    What’s a heartstone? says Emmi.
    It lets you know when you’ve found your heart’s desire, says Mercy.
    How does it do that? Emmi frowns.
    D’you feel how cold it is now? Even though it’s next to Saba’s skin?
    Uh huh, she says, touchin it.
    A normal stone ’ud warm up next to your body. Not this one. It stays cold until you get close to your heart’s desire. Then the stone becomes warm. The closer you get to your heart’s desire, the hotter the stone burns. An that’s how you know.
    I frown. I didn’t think you’d believe in that kinda thing, I says.
    I don’t, says Mercy, not really, but your mother did. She said it showed her the way to Willem, to your father. So she gave it to me. Said she hoped it would show me my own heart’s desire.
    An did it? I says.
    Well, says Mercy, I found this valley. I guess you could say it’s my heart’s desire.
    But did the heartstone turn warm? I says.
    Mercy don’t answer fer a moment. Then she says, It’s a long time ago now. I don’t remember.
    I look at her. I cain’t tell if she’s lyin or not.
    Why’re you givin it to Saba? says Emmi.
    Allis always said you don’t own a heartstone, says Mercy, you just become its keeper for a time. Once you have your heart’s desire, you pass it on to someone else. Someone who needs its help.
    I don’t need no help, I says. I already know what my heart’s desire is. It’s to find Lugh an git him back.
    I’m sure you’re right, says Mercy. Anyways, whether you believe it or not, it’s nice for you to have somethin that belonged to your mother. That meant somethin to her.
    Thanks, I says. I mean, fer this an … well, everythin. I better git goin.
    When you get to Hopetown, don’t start askin questions, she says. You’ll only draw attention to yourself an that means trouble. Be on your guard. Don’t trust anybody.
    I can take care of myself, I says.
    An Saba … take care crossin Sandsea. It’s one of the wild places. Listen to the winds. She hugs me fiercely. I wish you’d take my advice an travel by night.
    I look at Em. She stares at the ground.
    We’ll be back before you know it, I says. Me an Lugh.
    I reach out to mess her hair an she ducks away.
    Well, I says. Best be on my way.
    I pick up my barksack an start walkin. I ain’t gone more’n ten paces before I hear, Saba!
    Emmi runs up an flings her arms around my waist, clings on tight. Hurry back! she says.
    You be a good girl fer Mercy, I says. I’m countin on you.
    I step away.
    Bye, Em, I says.
    G’bye, Saba, she says.
    When I reach the woods, the second I’m outta sight, I take the heartstone from around my neck an stuff it in my pocket.
    I know what my heart’s desire is.
    I don’t need no stone to tell me when I’ve found it.

SANDSEA

A NOTHER DAWN .
    I bin travelin fast. Almost runnin at times. Since I left Crosscreek yesterday mornin, I bin so anxious to make up fer lost time that I kept goin all day an all through last night, only stoppin to sleep fer a couple hours. I don’t feel tired. Not at all. I wish I never had to sleep agin. Not till I find Lugh anyways.
    Here’s my cairn. The marker I left to remind me where the hoofprints end. My heart lifts. Deep down inside, I was afeared it wouldn’t be here. That I’d only dreamed I left it here to guide me.
    The hoofprints is still here. The last trace of Lugh. If no rain comes to wash ’em away, it’ll be a long time till the wind wears ’em down an they disappear. Maybe they’ll still be here when I come back with him.
    I dump my stuff on the ground—barksack, crossbow, quiver. Nero’s bin flyin the last little while, swoopin an divin at me fer fun. Now he flaps down to have a rest on top of the gear.
    I ease my shoulders while I uncap my waterskin an take a long swig. I pour some in my hands an wash the dust from my hot face. Wipe it dry with the ends of my sheema. I pour a little water in my eatin tin an put it on the ground fer Nero.
    I look out across the wide open desert. Sandsea. It stretches ahead as far as I can see. No trees, no hills, nuthin but flat dry land fer days. The moment I step past this