Read House Immortal for Free Online

sweating.
    â€œYes,” Right Ned grunted. “Did you get everything?”
    â€œI think so. Brought some bandaging just in case. And the jelly. It did good for me when the pony put a hole in me last year.”
    Neds stopped next to the bed, which had an old quilt and blanket pulled all the way down to the footboard and fresh, fold-creased sheets stretched out across it.
    â€œReady?” Left Ned said. “Lift on three.”
    I nodded.
    â€œOne, two, three.” Neds lifted and swung the top half of the stranger, while I did the same for his bottom half.
    The springs creaked and moaned under the man’sweight, and the mattress sagged alarmingly. But the frame was hardwood and held up.
    â€œFeet hang over pretty bad,” I noted. I got busy unlacing and unbuckling his boots—a good, sturdy pair that had seen years of wear and repair. I tugged those off and dropped them to the floor.
    Right Ned wiped at his sweaty bangs, then tucked thumbs into the tool loops on the sides of his overalls. “You need anything else? Water and rags for the blood maybe?”
    â€œWater’s a good idea. A bucket should do. Then maybe some help lifting him if I have to wrap the bandage all the way around his middle.”
    â€œHe shouldn’t be here,” Left Ned said. “House Gray. Probably a spy. Or worse.”
    â€œIsn’t your say,” Right Ned replied. “This is Tilly’s house. Her decision.”
    I turned away from setting the supplies on the nightstand to find Neds standing right behind me.
    Left Ned was scowling and obviously working to keep his opinion to himself. Right Ned raised one eyebrow, and I grinned at the spark of humor in his soft blue eyes.
    I didn’t know how that man could stand Left Ned’s attitude sometimes. But they were brothers. What else could he do?
    â€œDo you think there’s something dangerous about our visitor?” I asked. Neds had more worldly experience than I, since he’d been in and out of the big cities and traveled for most of his life. “Seeing as how he’s unarmed and unconscious,” I added.
    â€œGo ahead,” Left Ned said, “joke about it. But he’s trouble. Galvanized trouble.”
    â€œIt’s fine,” Right Ned said. “Nothing about him you can’t handle. We’ve seen you take down crocboars bare-handed.”
    â€œYou should have kicked him out on his heels, not dragged him in here and bedded him down like a lost puppy,” Left Ned muttered. “He’s a stranger.”
    â€œI take in lots of strangers,” I said. “Plus, he’s wounded. A Case always tends to those who are hurt. Even if he was my sworn enemy, I’d patch him up before kicking him to the crocs.”
    â€œWe know that’s your way, Tilly,” Right Ned said. “And we respect it. Don’t we?” he said to Left Ned.
    â€œNo,
we
don’t,” Left Ned said. “Too much kindness will just get you trouble. And that”—he jerked his thumb over his shoulder toward the bed—“is already too much trouble.”
    Right Ned rolled his eyes. “We’ll get the water. Be right back.”
    I knew Left Ned was right. Sometimes it was better for all involved just to let a wounded thing lie. Sometimes kindness only reaped a bitter harvest.
    But the man had come to warn my father. He’d come to help him, quite possibly at the risk of receiving that wound he now suffered. If for nothing more than his stated intentions, I felt he deserved to be mended.
    And quickly, before he drew unwanted attention to my property.
    Neds, probably Right Ned, had pushed the curtain back from the window, letting the daylight in to cheer the place.
    From here I could see the row of oak trees stretched out on either side of it, all the way down the two miles before it ended at the old highway no one used anymore now that the cities were connected by freeways, sky, and