I turned off the TV and tossed Zach what was left of the snack mix I’d opened.
“Oooh. This stuff’s good.”
I watched in amusement as he scooped a handful into his mouth and chewed.
“Maybe you better explain what’s going on,” I said.
Given Zach’s mouthful, I looked to Thallirin for an explanation. For the first time ever, the big guy wasn’t studying me. Thallirin’s attention remained on Zach as he answered, and I knew it wasn’t because Zach was horking down the snacks.
“Zach wants to take the supplies you don’t need and trade at Tenacity.”
Instead of asking if he was all right, I decided to let Thallirin’s weirdness slide until we were alone and could talk about what had happened.
Zach finished chewing and rolled up what was left of the bag to put into his pocket.
“Garrett’s in the same boat as we are. He has a surplus of stuff and is hoping he can trade for more diversity. While we could just swap out supplies with what’s in the shed, we figured trading with Tenacity might open up more goodwill. And, with new survivors hopefully coming their way, maybe we can help Matt out without making it look like a freebie.”
“And seeing the fey willing to trade would be a good impression on the new people,” I added.
Zach grinned.
“So, you in?” he asked.
“I’m in.” I hurriedly layered my outerwear then followed the pair to our house, where other fey were coming out with boxes of stuff.
“How much are we trading?” I asked.
“Mom’s inside sorting. It’s up to her.”
“She’s up and dressed?”
“Yeah, Uan came looking for me after this guy woke Mom up to get some clothes for you,” he said, nodding toward Thallirin, who walked in front of us for a change.
I went inside and found Mom in the living room, directing fey.
“Morning, sweetie,” she said with a smile. I went to give her a kiss, and she caught me in a hard hug.
“You, Zach, and I will need to talk tonight. Okay?”
I nodded and hugged her back.
She released me and explained what she was trying to do. We had a surplus of toiletries. She was sending most of that, except for the toilet paper, and some tomato-based canned goods that the fey didn’t really care for.
“I don’t expect to get much food for the soaps, but maybe people would be willing to part with some clothes big enough to fit the fey.” She paused. “You know, so they don’t have to walk around in the buff. And, any canned vegetables that they’re willing to swap for pasta sauce would be good.”
I grinned.
“I’ll do my best. But I don’t think you need to worry so much about clothes for the fey. They always seem to find something to wear when they want it.”
She frowned at Uan, who was watching us.
“We’re an open family, Mom. Remember? It’s no big deal.”
“You weren’t here listening to your brother gag.”
“According to Zach, you were still sleeping.”
Mom flushed.
“Chicken,” I said softly.
She swatted me.
“Go trade and come home for dinner. Both of you.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” I said playfully.
Zach, Thallirin, and I followed the fey to the wall, where we met up with Garrett and a few other fey.
“I’m swapping some stuff out for food, too,” Garrett said, inspecting our boxes. “I think there should be enough interest. Ready?”
One of the fey stepped up to carry me. I looked at Thallirin, who conveniently had a box in his arms.
“Would you mind taking the box so Thallirin can carry me?”
Thallirin flinched a little.
“Unless you don’t want to carry me?”
All the fey around us looked at him, waiting for an answer.
“I want to carry you,” he said gruffly.
“Good.”
The fey beside me took Thallirin’s box, and I stood before him, waiting. He picked me up gently as if I were made of glass. I looked up at him, noting the dark flush in his face as he continued to look anywhere but at me. The slight tremble in his arms melted me a little, and I laid my head against his chest. His flinch at the contact was thoroughly confusing, though. In Uan’s kitchen, Thallirin had been pretty clear that he’d liked me touching him. I’d seen the resulting tent. He’d definitely liked touching me. Why was carrying me different? Wasn’t that what he’d wanted all along? Did seeing me naked turn him off? The idea that it might have hurt more than a little.
“Did I do something wrong?” I asked quietly.
His arms tightened around me ever so slightly.
“No.”
Then he jumped the wall and was running before I could say more. I turned my head into his chest to escape the wind. He smelled nice. Like soap and him. I inhaled more deeply, and he trembled again.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
We arrived at Tenacity before my legs got too cold from the wind. The people who witnessed a swarm of fey coming over the wall were less than welcoming until they saw the supplies in the fey’s arms.
Comments like “take your grey asses back home” were quickly replaced with “I can take that from here.”
“The fey aren’t bringing you supplies,” Garrett said. “This is some of the stuff that Zach and I got on the last run. We have too much of some things and are hoping to trade.”
Some of the bystanders left. One said he’d get Matt for us. The rest grumbled because they weren’t getting the handouts they’d thought they were getting.
Ignoring them, I looked up at Thallirin.
“You going to let me stand?”
The muscle in his jaw flexed as I waited for some kind of answer. Slowly, he lowered me. He still wouldn’t meet my eyes, though, when he straightened.
“Thank you, Thallirin,” I said instead. “Will you carry me home, too?”
He grunted.
Staying by him, I waited for Matt with Garrett and Zach. If Matt was surprised to see us with a bunch of fey and supplies, he didn’t let on.
“Welcome back,” he said with a handshake for each of us. “I hear you want to trade.”
“If you think anyone would be interested,” Garrett said.
“Oh, I think there might be interest. What are you looking to trade for?”
“Anything we don’t currently have,” Garrett said. “We’ll consider each offer.”
Matt waved us over to their supply shed. “Set up in here. It’ll keep you out of the wind. And keep things orderly.” He turned to the crowd.
“Spread the word that some of the humans from Tolerance are here to trade. Everyone’s welcome to see what they have and to make offers.”
People came in droves to look at what we had and left again to check their homes for anything we might want. I spent most of my day negotiating for things I thought any of us might use. There wasn’t much to be had. I let four jars of sauce go in exchange for a can of tuna fish because the woman had seemed a little desperate. Zach started doing the same, taking two new movies in exchange for another jar of pasta sauce.
Near noon, one woman came with a hot portion of stew for Garrett, Zach, and myself in exchange for two cans of diced tomatoes, each. Since my stomach was growling, I readily agreed. We took a small break while the fey watched over our things. I took a bite of potatoes and peas then stabbed a piece of meat and held it out to Thallirin.