The Hammer - Cor Series Book I

Chapter 9

Kate and Corvan walked down the back lane to her house with the late afternoon sun creating a canopy of light overhead. Placing the pastry bowl down in the grass, Corvan held the gate open for Kate.

A voice drawled from the deepening shadows.

"Looks like you got yourself some real good berries there." Billy Fry emerged from behind a stout maple tree and sauntered over with a shotgun cradled haphazardly in the crook of his arm.

"The berries are for my mom to make her pies," Kate said as she stepped away from Bill's advance.

"I seen your footprints in the mud out by our pond, so those are my berries. You can have Corvan pick you some more." He laughed. "Maybe he can get his three-foot high lizard to pick the ones he cain't reach." He grabbed the handle of one of the pails. Berries sprayed into the dirt as Kate hung on.

Corvan let go of the gate, and it swung shut on its spring, slapping the hammer stuck in his back pocket and knocking it halfway out. Corvan shoved it back in, and as his hand touched the smooth stone, the back lane seemed to grow brighter. He looked at Bill, and for the first time, he wasn't afraid of him.

"Leave her alone, Bill."

The large boy jerked back in surprise. He stared at Corvan for a second. Then the wicked smirk returned to his face. Pushing Kate aside, he moved to stand toe to toe with Corvan with his bulk blocking out the light. "Did I say you could speak? Mind your own business. I don't need any advice from no half-breed."

Corvan tightened his grip on the hammer and looked into Bill's narrowed eyes. "When you bully Kate, it is my business. I'm telling you to leave her alone."

Billy blinked, then laughed. "And if I don't, what are you going to do about it?" He jabbed a thick finger at Corvan's chest.

"Whatever it takes."

Billy snorted as confusion flickered across his broad face. "Well, looky here; Stumpy's got hisself a girlfriend, got to show how brave he is. Well, short stuff, you can have her. She's white trash, just like her mother."

Kate whirled to face Bill. Her cheeks were bright red. The boy stepped back.

"Why do you have to be so mean?"

Bill's eyes narrowed, and he gestured with the barrel of his gun. "I'm goin' to be taking them berries, Kate Poley, so I suggest you hand 'em over."

The sun glinted off the barrel of the gun. Fear gripped Corvan's chest, but he took a deep breath and stepped between Billy and Kate.

"Leave us alone, or you'll be in a lot of trouble for pointing a gun at people."

Billy turned to look at Corvan. "Yeah? Who's gonna tell?"

Corvan steadily returned his gaze but didn't answer.

Billy hesitated and then turned back to Kate. "Go ahead, keep the berries. Everyone knows your mom's a rotten cook. I'd rather eat a cow pie than the soggy mess she cooks up." He turned and hollered over his shoulder as he swaggered off down the lane, "When you two get married, your kids will be so short, people will mistake them for gophers and shoot 'em." He gave a loud guffaw and continued on his way.

Corvan let out a sigh of relief. His shoulders relaxed, and he released his grip on the hammer. He turned to find Kate gazing at him with admiration. His face flushed as he picked up the pastry bowl from the grass.

"I'll take that," Kate said.

She put the berry pails down on the other side of the picket fence and reached for the heavy stoneware bowl. For a moment, her hands wrapped around his, and the scent of lilacs filled the air as a breeze rippled between them and flicked a lock of hair across her eyes. She smiled at him. "Thanks, Corvan. Thanks for standing up for me."