4—The Edge of the WorldAround me, everyone was rushing back and forth across the courtyard, loading supplies on the two pack horses, putting on extra layers of clothing.
When I reached them, Emi smiled, a small grin, and handed me a warmer coat, and then a sleeping mat. “That’s for tonight. Put it with ours on the white horse.”
I was so surprised at the tiny smile that it took me a moment to accept the bundle from her.
When I had stowed my bedroll with everyone else’s and pulled the padded jacket over the thin blue one, the younger Little Brother handed each of us a lumpy coat made of straw and a pair of straw boots. “We’re going to be walking through snow,” he said, placidly. “We can’t afford to have you freeze your feet.”
We each stepped into the boots, which gave me the unstable fee
