The sun passed and set. Riley slept easily, until Ruskin jumped on her chest. She yelped, and felt his wet nose burrowing into her chin. She shoved him off her bandage, then gave him a pet. “Time to move, huh?”
Tlaso became subdued the further they rode. His rhymes rang more of ritual than of nursemaids. The wind grew calm and silent. Its absence left Riley hearing every breath, every hoof beat, every cricket.
Nothing about the land changed, but Tlaso stood up on his horse’s back. He declared, “I can take you no further, for I have no business with the Dust.”
Riley looked past him and saw only grass. She asked, “Are you going to leave us lost?”
“Absolutely. Was I not clear?” Tlaso sat back down and turned his horse around. As he passed Riley he whispered, “Just keep straight, she’s ahead.”
Riley raised an eyebrow and said to the others, “I will find her. Follow me.”
Cora muttered, “Or she’ll find us.”
They rode straight for another hour before they saw a flickering light. As they approached, Riley saw that it was moving, waving back and forth and swaying. Then it would stop and swing again.
Alexander sounded frightened, “Should… Should we all go? I can wait here, can’t I?”
Lissie was the one who replied, “We all have business with the Dust,” and rode on ahead.
Riley had been expecting another tent, and was shocked to see a wooden cabin. She hadn’t seen a tree in days. There was not a single piece of wood since they crossed out of Kisten. It may as well have been made of ice, or gold.
The light shone from a lantern hanging from a shepherd’s crook in the old lady’s hand. As they approached, she was bent at the waist examining a goat’s hoof. Her voice was creaky and wry, “Don’t you keep pulling, I have to get this thorn out. I know it hurts you. That’s the point.”
I can understand her, Riley thought, she doesn’t even have an accent.
Riley looked down at her from her horse. The woman was clad in a black canvas dress, of a style Riley had never seen before. She had heavy leather boots that poked out from under the hem. The toes were worn and shone like steel. She hadn’t seen metal in the Plains either.
The lady turned to the group. “Alfalfa knows where all the prickly pear is, and he still walks on it. Most goats are brighter than that. I think he just likes the attention.” She turned back to the goat. “What do you have to say to that, eh?”
The goat let out a weary ‘maaa.’
Riley couldn’t think of anything to say. She looked to Lissie for help, but she just shrugged. The lady finally said, “Now isn’t that better?” She stood up, dusting off her skirt.
Alexander dismounted and bowed low, speaking to the grass, “Oh great Woman of Dust, we have traveled far to seek your wisdom—” His voice was cut off as she clocked him with the handle of her crook.
“None of that, silly man. Alexander Zarnovsky Endrindel MacKintosh the third, Lost Bard and Broken Tinkerer of Nowhere and Nothing. You have no business with me, and I no drink for you.” The Woman of Dust looked up at the girls, still on their horses, and pointed at Lissie. “You. Come down here, let me get a look at you.”
Riley watched Lissie fall off of Peach as carefully as she could. The Woman of Dust said, “Those beasts are a pain in my hindquarters. Can’t hack ’em.”
Riley stared, mouth open. She closed it. She watched Lissie make her way over to the lady. She took her crook and lowered her lantern to Lissie’s face. Lissie did not speak.
“Let me see that box you got from the diva.” The woman peered in her face. Lissie searched her pockets and pulled out the little box. It shone in the light.
“You figure out how to get it open yet?” She waited a beat before saying, “Nah, you’ve been busy. It’s a stupid trick.” She took the box and spat on her hand, poking her finger on her palm to gather the spittle. Then she ran the wet finger around the edge of the box. After a moment it popped open. She handed it back.
Lissie lifted the lid. “It’s full of dust?”
“Damn right. What else should a Dust Woman have? Close it back up. Mind girl, don’t spill it. You hold generations.”
Alexander had retreated, and was nearly hiding behind Monsieur D’Cirque. Riley looked at Cora and saw her trembling on Anvil’s back. The old woman sighed, “I guess it’d be rude to leave you lot out here. Come on, everyone in. Except Ruskin, can’t be doing with barking.”