The Whispering Dead (Gravekeeper #1) - Darcy Coates Page 0,27

pot had boiled over while she was lost in thought, and Keira quickly dumped the steaming rice into a bowl. She didn’t notice until she sat back in front of the fire that it hadn’t fully cooked, and by then she was feeling too sleepy and lazy to put it back on to boil. The rice was crunchy but edible, so she finished the bowl while massaging the cat with her feet. He’d dried quickly in the fire’s heat and was pleasantly warm. She hoped his owner wasn’t missing him. He seemed comfortable in the cottage and had claimed the spot in front of the fire as though he slept there every night.

It must be nice to feel like you belong somewhere. That you’re not inconveniencing other people or taking things you don’t deserve.

She snorted a laugh. You’re getting awfully maudlin there, Keira. Time for some rest.

Chapter Ten

Sleep didn’t want to release Keira from its grip. Something was poking at her back, but she just batted it away and grumbled as she tried to fall back under. A cold, scratchy object touched her cheek. Groaning, Keira recoiled, then cracked her eyes open to see what was assaulting her.

Pale morning sunlight came through the cottage’s windows and painted the room in washed-out tones. She’d fallen asleep in the bed—something her back thanked her for—and the scrawny, big-eared cat perched on the mattress’s edge as it blinked its huge, liquid-amber eyes at her.

“Please, not yet,” she mumbled as the cold nose came in to nuzzle at her cheek again. “I’m tired.”

He responded by climbing onto her back and kneading at the space between her shoulder blades. Keira squeaked as the claws made it through her sweater and poked at her skin and carefully rolled him off. “Okay, okay, you win. Let’s go out.”

She rubbed sleep out of her eyes as she shuffled to the door. The cat followed her at a quick trot, tail held up like a flag, head swiveling as he watched her. Keira braced herself against the cold and opened the door. “There you go, buddy. Safe journey.”

He ignored the door and continued to stare at her. Keira shivered as cold air rushed through the opening. “Isn’t this what you wanted?”

His mouth opened, and he exhaled the tiniest, squeakiest mewl imaginable. Keira grimaced and closed the door. Her brain was starting to wake up, and its deductions weren’t good news. The cat didn’t want to leave; he was hungry.

All I have is rice and potatoes, and neither of those is remotely appropriate for cats.

She ran a hand over her face. The simplest solution would be to return the cat to its owner, but she had no idea who that was. She couldn’t go door-to-door searching, especially not at such an early hour, and double especially not while carrying the feline. It would be cruel to boot him out of the cottage and even crueler not to give him anything to eat. But she had no money left to buy him food.

There was only one option left, and it wasn’t remotely appealing. She would have to beg.

“Crap.” Keira collected her boots from the fireplace and pulled them on. They were still damp. It was another big tick in the “how to have a bad morning” checklist, and Keira scrunched up her face as she pulled a spare hoodie over her sweater and stepped into the freezing morning.

The rain had receded but left heavy, low clouds and thick, white mist in its place. Keira fixed her attention on the ground as she jogged through the cemetery. She found it easier to keep moving if her eyes weren’t trying to pick out shapes amid the swirling fog.

She kept her pace brisk, and her core had warmed by the time she reached the main stretch of road leading into town, even if her nose was dripping and her fingers were numb. She slowed to a walk and looked into the first store she passed, the florist. Bouquets covered every visible surface in the tiny shop, but the lights were off and the possibly-a-bank-robber pince-nez-wearing owner was nowhere to be seen.

I didn’t realize it was so early. What time do the Blighty stores open?

She turned toward the central fountain. The streets were empty, and she hoped she wouldn’t look too out of place if she sat on the fountain’s edge while she waited for the general store to open its doors.

To her surprise, a voice called her name just as she was crossing the