The Orphan and the Thief

Chapter 25: Saint Brenda's Orphanage

Toad and Melena retreated to the steps of an apartment building located on the opposite side of the street, just far enough away from the throng of pedestrians, but still within view of Bell's Brews. Melena's hair was singed and she kept coughing. Her hands were bleeding; she didn't even flinch when Toad pulled out the glass. Her eyes were fixed upon the shop, just barely visible through the crowd of onlookers, smoke billowing up into the night. Joe was safely sandwiched between them on the step, with not a crack, not a chip, even after Melena had stepped on him.

"I did this," Melena whispered, tears leaving long streaks on her sooty face. "I brought him here. I—"

"You were buying time," said Toad firmly. "How were you to know that this was gonna happen?"

"Do you think they'll get them out alive?"

"Course," said Toad stoutly, following up with a sentence he'd never said in his life: "The Guard's the best."

Hazel landed on Melena's shoulders and tucked her scaly head under Melena's chin. Her presence seemed to awaken something in Melena.

"How did you get out of the house?" she asked, turning to Toad, as if she'd just realized he was there.

"Lynch came along through the window and cut us all free. Jack and the others did a runner. I've got a feeling they're leaving Hickory for the time being."

"You didn't go with them?"

"No ...We've gone our separate ways."

Toad could feel Melena's eyes on him.

"Thanks for those boxes," he said.

"What boxes?"

"The ones in your bag. They fell out, remember. When I was trying to escape, Ogg came at me and all I had were those boxes so I threw one at him and he started sneezing. He could hardly see straight. What was that stuff?"

"Sneezing Snuff. It's filled with powdered prickleberch seeds. There was a man selling them on the street."

"Saved my life, that stuff."

Melena gave a watery smile. Toad watched her as she tried to mop up her face. Her hands would need bandages. The crowd of onlookers was growing as a brigade of fire wagons arrived. The whole street was awake now; people leaned out of the windows above Toad and Melena as the Guard manned the pumps.

Toad felt wired. Unsettled. Jerky. He twisted the hem of his coat to try to settle his nerves, watching water spray onto the apothecary. How was he supposed to say it?

This might sound crazy, but you know that Milo you were always yammering about? He's me!

Toad grimaced. It sounded stupid inside his own head. Even if he did manage to say it, would she believe him? What proof did he have other than what Bone and Wilson had said?

Toad's stomach flipped sickly as a new thought came to him.

What if she refused to believe him? What if she was insulted and marched off? He'd been with her for so long now that the thought of Melena and Hazel leaving him behind made his heart constrict.

He had to tell her

Just say it.

Say, I'm Milo.

I'm Milo.

"Melena, I'm—"

But the crowd buzzed in a new frenzy and Melena jumped to her feet.