when the time comes.”
There was a long pause. Ethan could see the concern on the old woman’s face.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
“No thanks,” Kat replied. “We’re fine.”
Mildred sighed. “If you say so. I’ll bring you something in the morning then.” She gave Kat a fond embrace. “But I want you to get out of Miltino as soon as you can.”
“I promise,” she said.
Ethan and Jonas thanked the woman once again before she left.
Ethan considered asking Kat why Mildred had said she shouldn’t have returned, but the girl was already laying on the sofa with her back turned.
Sleep came slowly to him, but it eventually arrived. And when it did, the stress of the day ensured a dreamless slumber.
*
Jonas woke to the sound of stifled sobs. The lamp was still shining, albeit very dimly, and he could see that Ethan was still fast asleep. He could also make out the frail form of Kat laying on the sofa, her body quivering as she tried to suppress her cries. He rose as quietly as he could and crept across the room. Nevertheless, Kat heard him coming and her sobs instantly ceased. Jonas sat on the edge of the sofa and stared down at her.
“Go away,” she demanded.
“Why are you crying?” he asked. The harsh tone he had used with her up until now was gone, replaced with one of kindness and compassion.
She turned her head. “What do you care?”
“Who says that I do? I’m just curious.”
Kat stared at him for a long moment, trying to look defiant and strong. It was a losing battle. Eventually her tears began to flow again.
“I’ve…I’ve never killed anyone before,” she whispered.
This struck Jonas. He had not considered how she would feel about causing the death of Hank. Her attitude and resourcefulness made it easy to forget that she was only a child.
“You didn’t have a choice.”
“I know.” She wiped her eyes. “But I can’t get the picture of it out of my head.”
Jonas brushed her hair from her face. “I really do understand. I’ve had to kill before as well.”
“You?” she said doubtfully. “How?”
Jonas laughed softly. “I may not be very good with a blade, but that isn’t the only way to kill someone, my dear.”
She looked at him thoughtfully. “So how did you get over it?”
He tilted his head and shrugged. “I didn’t. Not really. After it happened, it was on my mind constantly. But as time passed it gradually got easier until eventually I learned to live with what I’d done.”
Kat frowned. “So you’re saying there’s nothing I can do for now? How is that supposed to help?”
“It’s not,” he replied flatly. “I’m not going to lie to you and say that it will all be better in the morning. You’re too grown up for that, I think. But know that the pain will subside in time. You’ll learn to cope with the fact that we often have to do things we hate in order to survive.” He paused. “But that’s a lesson you’ve already learned, isn’t it?”
Kat nodded. Her tears had ceased.
“Now tell me one more thing and I’ll let you get to sleep.” He locked eyes with her. “Who is Jared?”
“No one,” she replied, but her lie was obvious as she turned her head away.
“You can tell me,” he assured her. “I won’t say anything to Ethan if you don’t want me to.”
After a moment her eyes shifted to Ethan’s sleeping silhouette, then back to Jonas. “He runs a brothel. I used to work for him.”
His eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. “Doing what?”
“I’m a thief remember? I used to steal things and give him part of what I took.”
Jonas relaxed somewhat. “And what did you get in return for this?”
“Protection,” she replied. “The guards and the daiva dealers left me alone.”
“Why did you run? What changed?”
Kat’s lips quivered. “I – I became a woman.”
It took Jonas a moment to understand what she was getting at. “You mean, you bled?”
She nodded. “I tried to hide it, but Jared found out anyway. Mildred hid me here for a few days until I was able to slip out of the city unseen.”
“And now that he knows you’re back, what will happen?”
“He’ll try to force me to do daiva until I can’t live without it.” The fear in her voice was increasing with each word. “Then he’ll…he’ll make me one of his girls.”
Jonas grunted with a combination of anger and disgust. “Then Mildred is right. You should leave right away.”
“I can’t,” she replied. “Hank was