Page 97 of Suncatcher

Driz had to be alright.

She whirled on her mother, stumbling as her weakened body fought against her. Fuck her body. She fought back. Forced it to work.

“Calm down, Pea.”

“You don’t get to tell me that. You shot her.”

“I…didn’t mean to.”

Pearl shook her head. She didn’t believe that. “I hate you.” She couldn’t look at her.

Molly was outside, watching. Along with apparently everyone else in this town. Molly held out her hand in silent invitation and Pearl staggered over to her.

“Nothing to see here,” Pearl called, meeting a few gawking eyes, which quickly turned away.

Pearl glanced toward the stables. Her first thought was to ride after Driz again.

“You’ll just kill yourself,” Molly murmured, understanding Pearl too well. “At least wait until morning. Come on.”

Exhausted and jittery at once, Pearl followed Molly into her darkened home.

“Get in bed,” Molly instructed.

“No.”

“Get in bed, Pearl.”

Pearl climbed in. She wore only her half-buttoned shirt and trousers, but didn’t bother to remove them. She sniffed, her head still clogged from her sickness.

“It’s alright, doll,” Molly said, lifting herself in beside her.

“I’m not crying,” Pearl protested.

“Yeah, I can see that.” Molly’s callused fingers brushed Pearl’s cheek, wiping away the evidence of her lie. “I met Driz earlier tonight.”

Pearl tensed.

“What a big sweetie. Not at all what I expected. And she complimented my pie.”

“Because you make the best.”

“I do. But that’s beside the point. She’s been outside both nights, asking after you.”

“Really?” Pearl hated how her insides flipped and how pitiful she sounded.

“Until your mother talked to her.”

The warmth evaporated. “I don’t wanna talk about the sheriff.”

“Fair.”

Pearl shut her eyes, but her clogged head continued to leak out of them, along with her heart. “I miss her,” Pearl whispered. Gods, she was pathetic. “But I don’t know how to have her. Or if she’ll want me anymore.”

“I doubt anything as small as one more bullet will stop her.”

Pearl could only see Driz’s heartbreakingly betrayed face. And her anger. Pearl had to admit it had frightened her, when Driz had roared like that and her intimidating nature flared. Pearl had felt it. She recalled the cinderwolf breaking apart beneath Driz’s frenzied hands.

Driz was dangerous. But Pearl dismissed the thought at once. She trusted Driz. She knew her. Driz would never hurt Pearl, or anyone Pearl loved. Even when pushed beyond reason. Even tonight, when she dug up the grave of her birth mother without realizing it.