a Schmi

ed frozen branches tearing at the sleeves of my c

nel run, seven-year-old Coy stood wi

el garden rake with both hands, his

ainst the frozen brick wall, his white-and-gray fur matted wit

iron prongs of the rake high above his head, aiming stra

med into my chest, instantly wiping

!" I

entire body over the trembling puppy just as th

raised left forearm with

rough the wool of my sleeve, ripp

agony flared up my arm, forcin

g snow, but I didn't shift my weight by an inch. I stayed hunch

mpact. The rake slipped from his gloved hand

the dark blood soaking through

imself backward into a snowdrift, lettin

ing to kill me!" he shrieked, kicki

ed him

hand to pull off my wool scarf and gently wrap

natural angle, and warm blood coated my

What have

as she came running down the stone path, flanked

ling the screaming boy into her arms whi

bling with manufactured outrage. "You attacked a seven-y

your eyes to someone who needs them," I said

ff of my left sleeve, leaving a trail of

rusted garden rake. I blocked the s

toward her, but she quickly masked h

elled over the wind, turning to the maids. "Go get Fitz! Tel

rned and sprinted t

ering puppy tightly against my ribs, m

ter pray this dog

darted nervously toward the woods. "You're an unemployed n

m hers, and spoke in a voice so low and sh

isn't Fitzge

ntire body

e. Her pupils contracted into tiny pinpricks of pure terror, an

" she choked out, her bre

ntence, heavy running footsteps

flanked by two pri

a flood of tears, throwing herself into hi

ng his lapels. "She went crazy... she beat Coy, an

g arm and settling on the blood-soaked dog in my grip, h

nacing steps toward me. "Get on your knees and apologize to Coy right now