Raging Star

NIGHT TWO

ONCE THEY WERE LYING ON THEIR HARD BUNKS, BEFORE SLEEP TOOK hold, Emmi did as she’d done last night. Her first night at Edenhome. She spoke quietly but clearly, so every girl in the bunkhouse could hear. She said,

My name is Emmi. I come from Silverlake. My folks was Willem an Allis. I got a sister an a brother. He’s got blue eyes, the same as me.

She started them off, then they took it in turns, up and down the bunks and around and along, keeping strictly to order. Their name, where they came from, who their people were. The more timid ones whispered so you could hardly hear.

It’s what Mercy had done, when she was in the slave gangs. She’d talked to Mercy a lot. Told her how afraid she’d been when the Pinches snatched them. When Saba was taken from her to fight in the Cage. When the Tonton took her prisoner to Resurrection. Mercy said she’d been afraid when they slaved her. Saying her name and where she was from helped her remember who she was. And it helped the other slaves too. It helped keep them strong. The kids here were prisoners as much as the slaves.

Last night, as they’d settled in for sleep, she knew she had to do the same. Even though such talk was forbidden. They had no family now but Mother Earth. They only lived to serve her. Emmi had no idea if the girls could be trusted. If anyone told on her she’d be set for a beating. Like the boy at supper yesterday. He couldn’t sit for the pain, couldn’t eat. He was made to stand at his place, red-eyed from crying, a warning to them all. So, before she could lose her nerve, she just dived in and did like Mercy. When she’d finished, there was a long silence. Then, from the bunk below, Nell began to speak who she was. After her, the rest followed on.

And nobody told. Not yet, anyway. But secrets would be hard to keep in this place. The only safe place for a secret was inside your own head, shared with no one. If only they knew. She had the biggest secret of all inside hers.

Soon Saba would come. The Angel of Death was coming to free them. To take them back to their families.

As their voices murmured in the dark, her hand went to it cautiously. That very afternoon, she’d been sent for a hammer. And there it was, in a dark corner on the floor of the shed. It must have fallen and nobody noticed. In the leap of a heartbeat, it was in her hand and she’d tucked it in the waist of her unders. Now she pushed it out of sight, into the space between her bunk and the wall. Her stolen treasure. A wire cutter.

Another big secret that no one could know.

I come to with a stone-heavy head. Dull an dull-witted. Fer a long moment, I cain’t place where I am. There’s the wide sound of rainfall. The smell of damp cool. The wash of grey dawnlight on smooth pale stone walls. I’m in the den. Nass Camp. Dismay jolts me. I must of slept through the night. I told Molly clearly, a couple of hours, no more. She’s still here. Sat on the ground, leaned aginst the wall with closed eyes. Has she bin watchin on me the whole time? She starts awake at the first sounds of my stirrin.

It’s rainin, I says.

Jest started, she says.

You coshed me, I says. Slowly, stupidly, I start to sit.

No, no, don’t move. She props me up aginst her shoulder. Here, drink this. It’ll help clear yer head. I sip from the cup she holds to my lips. It’s water. With the faintest hint of somethin bitter. That dose I gave you was nuthin, she says. But you was on yer last legs. It hit you hard.

I says, One dose to sleep, another to wake. How often d’you do this, Moll?

She gives me brown-eyed blankness. I know that look. I should mind my own business. Drink it all down, she says.

I drain the cup, to my dry throat’s relief. How often d’you do it? I says.

Hardly at all these days, she says. I save it fer the big stuff. Y’know—she gives a little shrug—when life jest gits too much to bear. You do look better fer a night of rest.

I may thank you fer it later, but not now, I says. I should of bin gone ages ago. Gimme a hand up.

Outside, a chill grey world rains an rains. Steadily. Patiently. The ground’s turnin to mud. I find Nero huddled half asleep on the dry of a ledge. Webb Reno’s there too. Crouched on his haunches with a little cloth bundle, shelterin unner his drippin cloak. He jumps to his feet. Ready when you are, ma’am, he says.

No more ma’am, please. I’m Saba, I says. You kissed yer wife g’bye, Webb?

Well, sure, he says.

Go kiss her agin. I got a couple things to do.

Nass Camp’s bin awake fer some time, includin Lugh an Tommo. I got a hunger on me fer once. They take me to a shelter that’s bin rigged fer cookin. A stringy old fella fries me a tin of corn porridge. While I share it with Nero they tell me how the war parties slipped away in the night one by one. Slim an Creed, Ash an Manuel an their peaceful army of sixty souls. They couldn’t wait to be gone, Lugh says, their hearts was so fired by what I said.

It was stirrin stuff, says Molly.

I cain’t remember more’n bits of it, flashes. It’s hazy in my memory, like I dreamed it. I ain’t never bin a good talker, but it’s strange what you can do in the moment. It won’t be long now till some of ’em show up to New Eden farms. What I’d give to be there. To know right away if this works. It has to work. What can I wish by? The stars, the sun? Maybe Slim’s old rabbit foot. No doubt he’ll rub it enough fer all of us.

The moment I sat down to eat, a gaggle of silent kids gathered to stare. I can jest see ’em from the corner of my eye. One tow-headed chancer, braver’n the rest, edges closer, bit by bit. Till I can hear his breath, shallow an nervous, at my elbow. They’re puttin me off my grub. I growl an they scatter, shriekin with terrified delight.

After food an sage tea, I’m anxious to be gone. My head’s clearin, but the weather sure ain’t. I wrap my sheema around an pull my coat collar up. As I splash to an fro in the mud, gittin Hermes ready, I realize I ain’t seen Auriel this mornin. I better say g’bye before we ride out.

Lugh an Tommo walk their horses towards me, wavin that we need to go. They’re in their Tonton gear, lookin smart. Black knee robes, polished boots an kit. Webb follows behind on a pony. With him along, I figgered on travellin to Edenhome the roundabout ways. Far safer. But I didn’t figger we’d be so late to set off. An cross country will be rough goin in this rain. Do we dare try our luck on the roads agin?

In that silent way of hers, Auriel appears by my side. A patchwork parasol keeps the rain off. In such murk, she don’t need her eyeshield. Her pale eyes flare like ice in the gloom. I came to wish you luck, she says.

I’m sure I’ll need it, I says.

I got every confidence in you. She hesitates a moment, then she says, I don’t think you know this. We wouldn’t of made it in time if it warn’t fer Emmi.

Emmi, I says.

The starfall told us to come, says Auriel, but when I started gittin her messages, we hurried here quick as we could.

What messages? I says.

They came through the light, she says. But they started in the earth.

Speak plain, I says. I ain’t got time fer this.

Yer sister’s had the call, she says. Emmi’s a shaman, Saba. She’s an earth speaker. An I’d say a powerful one if this is how she starts off, without no teacher to guide her.

I stare at her, speechless. Emmi, a shaman.

Saba, calls Lugh. We need to go.

Don’t worry an don’t dwell on it, says Auriel. It’s a wonderful thing. I’ll see her right. D’you have all you need fer now?

Fer the first time, I notice the clothes she’s got on. The same long black tunic she wore yesterday. I’m that much taller’n her, it would hang on me like a robe. A black Tonton robe.

There is one thing I could do with, I says.

So far an no further. The first four checkpoints went easy. Lugh shouted out the password as we drew alongside an after a second shout, sometimes a third, the lowliest grunt would run from the guard hut. He’d splash through the chill rain an mud to lift the barrier. Then, wait, wetly sullen, fer us to pass through. Three Tonton with our prisoner, Webb, chained at the wrists. We hardly even got glanced at.

Now it seems we’re outta luck. Our fifth checkpoint. The start of the Sector Eight Eastway. The guy that comes runnin is keen-eyed an bright. What right away attracts the notice of them keen eyes is me. An, in particular, my boots.

They’re knee high, like the ones Tommo an Lugh wear. An we’re all of us muddy an wet through. But my boots is brown an scuffed. Not like theirs, black with a high shine. Which is how Tonton boots oughta be. None of us gave a thought to it. I damn myself fer a hasty fool. Danger bristles my spine as his gaze takes me in, head to toe. My hands tighten on the reins. Both my gear an Hermes’ kit is well offa the Tonton mark.

I’m ridin at the rear. He ignores Webb, on a pony in front of me. Goes directly to Lugh an Tommo, ridin side by side at the front. Careful, boys, take care, we cain’t fail now. I can see the tension in their backs, in their shoulders, as the guy circles, givin them an their horses a good look. He takes his time. Not bothered that rain drips from his chin. That his hair’s plastered to his head. He pauses beside Lugh. Says somethin to him. Lugh says somethin back. Then he goes to Tommo an checks him over. Says somethin to him. Tommo nods.

I’ve had to let the boys wear weapons. They wouldn’t pass fer Tonton if they didn’t. Shooters, knives, ammo belts, the works. I don’t want we should hafta use ’em, but—

Then I sag with relief. He’s liftin the barrier an wavin us on. I nod as I pass by him, but he don’t look my way. Whatever the boys said, it’s turned his notice. From my dodgy gear to the comferts of a stove. His eyes is fixed on the guard hut. Maybe a sly tot to warm his blood.

We’re through. Now, no stoppin till Edenhome.

His body was trembling as they rode on. He’d done it. He could hardly believe his luck. The moment she said they’d go by road, he’d known this would be his best and probably his only chance to get the message to DeMalo in time. After they’d been waved through the first four checkpoints, he’d started to fear that he wouldn’t manage it. That the whole thing would fall apart. And he dreaded the moment of being stopped, of making his move. So much could go wrong. What if DeMalo hadn’t set it up like he said he would?

But he had. It worked just as they’d discussed.

He’d moved, just a little. Shifted so the Tonton could see what he needed to. The grunt’s eyes widened. He knew who he was. Then, as they rode on, he let the little roll of oilskin drop to the ground. The grunt would look for it, find it when they were out of sight. Then the message would be rushed to DeMalo.

And Jack would be gone from their lives forever.

We’re back where we was three nights ago. In the shelter of the woods lookin through the fencewire at Edenhome. We left our horses in the same mossy dell. We was three that night-time. This day-time, with Webb, we’re four. The rain’s stopped at last. The sun cooks the world to a close, damp warmth. Steam rises from the trees an our clothes as the water melts to the air. About the only place that ain’t heavy with wet is the woodland floor beneath our feet.

The same cain’t be said of Edenhome. The open ground between the buildins is a lake of mud. A straggly trail of ankle-deep bootprints runs to the half-raised junkbarn. There a handful of older boys work with a man who ain’t a Tonton. We can see a few kids an a couple of women walkin on boards between the beast sheds. The ducks quackle complaints as Nero teases ’em from his perch on their house. It appears everybody else is keepin indoors. The sound of kids’ voices raised in song spills from a open window. Saws an hammers racket in a workshop. There’s movement inside the two bunkhouses. There ain’t no fence patrols, no sign of the armoured boarhounds. They’re fer night watch only, it seems.

Beside me, Webb’s got a death grip on the looker. He scans it back an forth, twitchy with hope that his daughter might be here. The door of the right hand bunkhouse stands open. A girl with a bucket appears there. She empties it in a slow stream onto the muddy ground below. After her, there’s a little parade of girls. To an fro, they come an go. Ditchin dirty water, emptyin dustpans, shakin rags. They’re on cleanup duty. Four girls in all. But no sign of copper-top Nell.

Nero caws insults. The ducks quack their fury.

We’re wastin time, says Webb. He lowers the looker, shakin his head. Let’s check out them sheds an barns.

Hang on, I says. A girl with blaze-red hair’s jest appeared in the doorway of the bunkhouse.

Webb whips the looker onto her. Yes! he hisses. It’s her!

She flings out the dirt from her dustpan. With a glance at the duckpond commotion she’s gone in a swish of long red plait.

Webb grabs my arm, his face fired with joy. That’s my Nell! It’s her! She’s here!

Emmi! Nell laughed. You should see this crow! It’s out there drivin the ducks crazy.

The other four girls carried on with their chores. Wiping down the bunks, scrubbing the floor on their hands and knees. Emmi stared at Nell, her heart pounding. A crow. Could it be? She dropped her broom with a clatter and ran to the door. Yes! It was. It was Nero. Circling above the ducks, teasing them. She had to stop herself yelling his name.

She stepped barefoot into the mud and stared at the woods the other side of the fence. Was Saba in there? The trees grew too thick and it was too far to see. But she had other ways of knowing. She crouched briefly, her eyes closed, and pressed her hands through the mud to solid ground. She was already used to the earthsong of this place. A low sad murmur. Always the same, day and night. Now her hands and feet brought another song to her. The same one she’d followed from Starlight Lanes. They were here. Saba and Lugh and Tommo. The song was coming from the woods.

This was it. Jest like Saba had promised. This was the big gawdamn rumble. And she was ready. She was ready to move.

We draw back a bit an talk in whispers. Nell’s inside. That’s the first step. I’d feared Webb might be the excitable sort, that I’d hafta rein him in, but it turns out he’s steady. An he claims his Nell’s steady too. I hope so. She’ll need to be.

Lugh starts tellin us this plan he’s cooked up. It’s way too complicated an won’t ever work. But I keep my mouth shut. Let him have his say. It’ll gimme some time to think this through. I glance at Nero, who’s jest lofted into the branches above. He’s so well trained as a messenger, he might be the key. Meantime, I’ll keep my eye on what’s happenin. You never know what lucky chance might arise. I train the looker on the yard.

I catch the last flash of another girl, as she disappears back inside the bunkhouse. By her size it’s one we ain’t seen before. That’s four girls, plus Nell, an now this one makes six.

Emmi ran back inside and scrambled onto her bunk.

As a couple of the girls rushed to mop the tracks of mud, scolding her in low, furious voices, Nell said, Emmi? What is it? What’s up?

By now she’d pulled the wire cutter from the gap next to the wall. She jumped to the floor. Listen, she said. Listen! There ain’t much time! The girls fell silent and stared at her. At the cutters she held in her hand.

You stole that? said Frankie.

What do I care fer stealin? she said. My real name’s Emmi of the Free Hawks. I defeated the Tonton at Resurrection an Hopetown. My sister’s the mighty warrior they call the Angel of Death. She’s here, right now, in the woods with our fighters. They’re gonna take you back to yer families. An I’m gonna git you outta here. She held the cutter high. We’re gonna escape through the fence.

I know! said Nell. The buckets! We’ll pretend to weed. She seized the nearest one and dumped out the water. Here! She shoved it at Bly, who was standing there, open mouthed. Well, are you comin? she said.

Yes, said Bly.

Me too! Frankie jumped to her feet and emptied her bucket.

The Angel of Death! Lin clutched her scrub brush to her chest. Only just eight and timid to the bone, she’d do whatever her friend Runa did.

Don’t be afeared, she won’t hurt you, said Emmi.

Runa dumped out their buckets, saying, Me an Lin’s comin too. But today ain’t a garden work day. Becuz of the mud. An there ain’t no weeds to weed.

Now that the moment was here, Emmi was surprised at how cool she was. How calm. Just like Saba had told her to be. If we do it like we mean it, she said, nobody’ll say boo. They’ll think somebody else told us to weed. We walk there in a line, like normal. Nell goes first. Me last. When we git there, stick close together, right next to the fence. If there ain’t no weeds, pick the mud. Frankie, you keep watch. The rest of yuz, cover me while I cut the wire. Git ready to move fast when I tell you. If we do this quick an quiet, nobody’ll even know we’re gone. Don’t worry, I done loads of escapes. You ready?

They all nodded. Their eyes were wide and excited and fearful.

She put the cutter in her bucket. Let’s go, she said.

As I sweep the looker back to the bunkhouse, Nell slips out the door, bucket in hand. A little line of girls follows behind her, different ages an sizes, all carryin buckets. They’re makin a straight line fer the garden patch in front of us. Webb’s right, his Nell’s got a determined look about her.

Quick, this might be our chance, I says.

They hustle to crouch beside me. Look! says Tommo. At the back there!

I train the looker on the girl bringin up the rear. My heart stops. That stubborn chin. Them eyes. As big an blue as the sky.

Emmi! says Lugh. What’s she doin here?

Ohmigawd, I says.

The penny drops. Why nobody could find her the other mornin at the Lanes. She was gone. She was already here.

She followed us, I says. The other night. She’s bin here ever since. C’mon, we need to git closer.

We dodge our way to a big bull pine that crowds the fence next to the garden patch. The girls squelch their way through the mud an kneel near the wire, close together. They start dumpin handfuls of wet dirt in their buckets. I stare, puzzled fer a moment. Then I realize. From a distance, it’ll look like they’re weedin. This ain’t no lucky chance. Em saw Nero. She’s got a plan.

Lugh an Tommo huddle close to me. They know we’re here, I whisper. Lugh mouths it to Webb, behind the tree next to us. He nods.

There’s one girl on watch. She keeps checkin to see if anybody’s takin notice of ’em. Nobody is. The ducks paddle on the pond. The junkbarn work party bashes an clatters a good seventy foot away. Emmi scuttles right to the fence. She takes a wire cutter from her bucket an starts snippin. She has to use both hands.

Emmi, I hiss, it’s me! No, no, don’t look. Stop what yer doin an listen. What the hell’re you up to?

She keeps on cuttin. Whaddya think? she says. I’m cuttin the fence so these can escape. That’s why yer here. I told ’em so.

Emmi, stop! I says. We need more’n six to git out. D’you hear me, Em? Stop!

She don’t pay no heed. On she snips. We still okay, Frankie? she says.

All clear, says the girl on watch.

While they’re talkin, Webb’s sayin to me, I dunno whatever else you got planned, but my girl’s comin outta there right now.

Nell’s head shoots up. Pa, is that you?

It is, but you hush, girl, he tells her. Play it steady.

While they’re goin on, Lugh’s whisperin to me, I want Em outta there, Saba.

Listen, I says, there’s more at stake than—

Nearly done, says Emmi. I’m through. She throws down her cutter. Help pull it back, she tells Nell. Careful, mind yer fingers. They bend back a flap of wire. She’s cut a hole big enough fer a child to slip through. Go, Nell, quick!

Then it’s all happenin. All at once. All too fast.

As Nell bellies through the fence an Webb grabs her into his arms, Em’s sayin, Now you, Bly, an the blonde girl’s wriggled through the hole an Tommo’s pullin her behind the tree with us.

At that moment Frankie, the girl on watch, says, Emmi! He seen us! He’s comin!

A boy workin on the barn’s noticed what’s happenin here. He pelts towards the girls as fast as he can. Judgin by his speed, he aims to join ’em, not to stop ’em. The man in charge shouts, Where you goin? Git back here!

Other kids workin on the barn start to run this way.

Suddenly the man twigs. There’s kids escapin through the fence. Jest as he opens his mouth to yell, Lugh pulls Tommo from behind the tree. Lugh raises his arm an shouts, It’s okay! We got ’em!

The man sees what he thinks is two Tonton. They seem control of the trouble. He stops dead, not knowin what to do.

Meanwhile, Emmi’s goin, Lin! Runa! Come on!

The littlest girl’s froze to the spot. I cain’t! she says. They’ll catch us! They’ll beat me! She takes off, back towards the bunkhouse. Lin! her friend cries an races after her.

Em’s sayin, Frankie! Quick! An Frankie’s scramblin towards the fence an crawlin through. By now, the barn boy’s scant feet away an Em’s callin to him, Hurry!

Emmi, come through, that’s enough, says Lugh.

But she’s wavin the other barn kids on. Faster! she hisses. C’mon!

The barn man’s sniffed a big rat. He’s yellin fer help. Runnin fer help.

Go! I tell Webb an Tommo. We’ll see you back at the Lanes.

Webb lights out fer the dell where we left the horses. Nell an Frankie stick close on his heels. Tommo grabs my arm. Emmi! he says.

He’s grabbed me with our hands high, in front of our faces. A thin silver band circles his left wrist. It’s got marks etched into it. Jest like DeMalo’s bracelet. I look at Tommo dumbly. Why is he wearin it? How’d he come by it?

Saba! He shakes me. What about Em?

We’ll git her out, I says. Lead the rest of ’em to the Lanes. Take the girl. We’re right behind you.

Then he’s runnin fer the horses, pullin the blonde girl by the hand.

An Lugh’s sayin, Emmi! Now! but she’s urgin the kids from the barn through the fence. They race off to scatter to the woods an beyond. Five, six, seven of ’em.

Emmi, c’mon, that’s enough, I says.

The barn man’s brought a Tonton to help. They come runnin towards us. The Tonton’s got a firestick. Stop! he shouts. Don’t move!

Emmi! says Lugh.

She dives fer the hole. Me an Lugh haul her through. We turn an start to run. I did it, Saba! I really did it! she cries.

Yer my girl, Em, I says. Yer the best. Come on now! Run!

We’re runnin an pullin her along by her hands. Lugh one side, me the other.

There’s a crack.

I feel the shot hit her.

The blast throws her forwards. I hold tight to her hand. She goes limp between us. We stumble.

Lugh! I cry.

Keep goin, he says.

What’re you doin? I says.

He’s shiftin her to my arms, drawin his shooter, turnin around to go back. Run! he says. Run, Saba, run!

I scoop Emmi up an I run an I run an she’s heavy so heavy an I don’t dare think I jest run an run as fast as I can with her so heavy, an Nero flyin above us callin out an

behind me Lugh shoots, then he shoots agin

then he’s poundin after us an he snatches Em from me an we’re runnin fer the horses with her clutched to his chest

an I’m runnin beside him an holdin her hand an sayin to her, Em yer okay, it’s okay, but her head’s slack an I know it my body knows it, an her eyes is empty an I know our Em’s dead but she cain’t be she cain’t

an—Please, I’m goin, please oh please oh please, an Lugh’s goin, Shut up shut up gawdamnmit

then we’re at the horses, Webb an Tommo’s set to leave, with the kids on their horses, an Tommo sees Emmi, right away he knows the truth an, No! he cries out, like he’s bin shot too

an the girls, her little friends, they all bust out weepin

an Lugh’s somehow, I dunno how, he’s got on his horse without fer a moment lettin go of Em an now he takes off with her, rides fast through the trees, but not the way he should be, not towards the Lanes

an there’s Tommo sayin, Where’s Lugh goin

an I tell him, Tommo, ride fast, don’t stop

an him an Webb they ride off with the girls an I jump onto Hermes an head after Lugh an

my heart beats Emmi

Emmi

she’s dead

Emmi

Emmi

she’s dead.

Lugh rides like a demon. At first I think he’s jest ridin wild. But he’s headed somewhere fer some reason. I follow over fields, down roads. Plenty see us. None stop us. Two in dark robes at full gallop.

Keep my body tight. Like stone. If my bones, if my blood, if my skin don’t know, then it won’t then it won’t then it won’t be true. Not Emmi, not her, no, never. She’s our light, she’s our hope, Lugh an me.

I cain’t feel. Don’t feel. Won’t feel.

The sky turns dark. The rains come agin. Heavier this time than last. The roads turn to rivers. The fields turn to lakes. I’m soaked to the bone. I don’t feel it. Rain on. Rain me gone from this life.

We ride south fer a time. Then I notice where we are. I know this approach. High River. A creek in a dark rock gorge. With a small Wrecker place on its banks. Me an Jack met here once. I hear its roar before I see it. Bloated by rain, the river’s in flood spate. It runs high an fast, brown with mud.

Lugh don’t falter. He don’t slow. This is where he’s bin headed. He gallops down the slope an I follow.

As Lugh hauls up his horse yellin, DeMalo! DeMalo! four armed Tonton surprise us. They run out from behind the buildin, two on me, two on Lugh.

Why’re we here? I says to him.

They don’t seize him. One guard grabs the bridle as Lugh leaps off, slidin Emmi down into his arms. At gunpoint, the other guard takes Lugh’s weapons belt, but he has to do it on the move becuz Lugh don’t even notice. He’s already walkin towards the doorway yellin, DeMalo! Where are you?

Lugh! I shout. Wait! Stop! My heart pounds danger. He knew DeMalo would be here. But how? Why? This ain’t right. I’m down from Hermes, holdin out my arms, sayin, No weapons, I’m clean, to the Tonton. They check me over quick, then I run after Lugh.

No trouble from them. They’ve had orders. I don’t like this. Not at all. Two of the Tonton follow behind us.

What’re we doin here? Lugh! I says.

We’re through the door.

DeMalo! he yells.

Two at a time he takes the stairs of rusted iron to the room above. It’s a shattered shell with a junk metal roof. A web of rough props keeps it upright. Bare remains of walls an pillars crumble from the iron skellenton. Black firescorch patches the floor. A broke ladder leans aginst a pillar. On one of its rungs DeMalo’s hawk, Culan, huddles hooded an silent. Four great holes gape where windows used to be. Nero lands in one of ’em. He spies the hawk, his old enemy. He caws a challenge. Culan shifts nervously.

DeMalo stands at the room’s far end. Starin out at the rain, at the river below. He turns as we come in.

She’s dead! Lugh yells. He rushes at DeMalo, Emmi limp in his arms. His face seethes. He’s wild with grief an rage. Aware of nuthin but DeMalo. Yer men shot her, he says. A little girl! Look at her, gawdamn you! She’s dead!

I’m draggin at his arm. Lugh, we cain’t be here. C’mon, let’s go.

If my men shot her they must have had reason, says DeMalo.

You sunofabitch, what reason? I says.

She’s a child, says Lugh. What harm could she do? He stops fer a moment, overcome. His chest heaves as he gasps in air. This ain’t how it was meant to go, he chokes out.

Your sister was your responsibility, says DeMalo. If you play the game, be prepared to lose. I did tell you.

I stare at him. The blood pounds in my ears. You told him, I says. When? What game? I turn to Lugh. We rode straight here, I says. You knew he’d be here. What d’you hafta do with this man? Lugh! I shake him. Tell me!

He rips hisself from my grasp. He heads fer a cracked stone table.

I look at DeMalo. I wanna know, so you tell me, right now, I says.

He dismisses the guards with a wave of his hand. His face smooth an blank, as always. Your brother and I met, he says. Just after you’d blown up my bridge. We discovered that we share a mutual interest in traitors. One traitor in particular. Your brother said he could deliver him. In return for a plot of best New Eden farmland.

What’re you talkin about? I says.

A certain rotten apple in my Tonton barrel. A friend of yours, I believe, says DeMalo.

Jack. He means Jack. He cain’t do. Nobody knows Jack’s alive.

Lugh’s bin layin Emmi on the table. Carefully. Like she’s asleep an he don’t wanna wake her. I go to him. What does he mean? I says. What’ve you done?

Nothing yet, says DeMalo. He hasn’t delivered. I’m here at noon, he says to Lugh, as your message instructed. So where’s the traitor? I don’t see him.

Please, Lugh, I says, tell me you ain’t done a deal with this man.

She’d never of bin in that place if it warn’t fer you. Lugh’s breath shudders from him as he tenderly wipes mud from Emmi’s face with his kercheef. Her empty, dead face. She was so desperate to live up to you, she’d of done anythin, anythin to earn yer praise, he says. We should of gone west like I wanted to. Why couldn’t you have a care fer her? He smooths her rain-soaked hair. Why couldn’t you have a care fer me? Becuz of him, that’s why. He’s got you so in his spell, you cain’t think fer yerself, you jest do whatever he tells you. Don’t think I don’t know who’s bin callin the shots. This whole thing, it’s all bin his idea. Well, I’ve seen to him. I’ve seen to Jack.

Jack’s dead, I says faintly.

He looks at me. Give up the lie, he says. I’ve known all along.

I look at him. At Lugh. My brother. My golden heart. He’s betrayed me. As I betrayed him. My skin shrinks to my bones.

He’ll be here any time. As Lugh speaks to DeMalo, his eyes don’t leave mine. Saba’s message told him noon.

You sent a message from me, I whisper. With Nero.

I’m a busy man, I can’t wait, says DeMalo. No traitor, no land.

I don’t want yer gawdamn land, says Lugh. I wanna see him hang. He’s ruined our lives. He can pay with his.

The floor seems a long way away. I cain’t feel my hands or my feet.

DeMalo’s back at the window. He stares out. Let’s hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow night, he says. I always look forward to seeing the blood moon.

He don’t hafta say no more.

If you keep on, more people will die. People you care about. Your sister. Your brother. My offer’s good until the blood moon.

Formal surrender. Hand in our weapons. Fer Lugh an the others, safe passage over the Waste to the Low China Pass. No doubt a small army of Tonton to escort them, an bound in chains all the way. But they’ll walk free into the mountains an beyond.

If I marry him. That’s fit. It’s just. I’ll atone every day fer Emmi’s death. I trade my freedom fer theirs. That, at least, I can give them. Since the moment I met DeMalo’s eyes at Hopetown, I knew. Somewhere, some day, somehow, it would come down to him an me in the end.

I’d of thought the red hot would of took me by now. Emmi dead. Betrayed by Lugh. Trapped by DeMalo at last. But I’m calm. It’s like I’m watchin everythin from a distance. Like I ain’t in my body. I know it’s the kindness of shock. I listen to myself speak.

Safe passage fer Jack as well as the others, I says.

DeMalo turns his head to look at me. I need to make an example of him, he says.

Jack too. Them’s my terms.

Terms? says Lugh. What’re you talkin about?

I hear but don’t hear him. I’m starin at DeMalo. I’ve jest realized. It was that turn of his head. Jest like Tommo turns his. Now I’m distant from myself, I can see it so clear. The eyes, so dark they’re almost black. The high cheekbones. The full lips. They are so alike. The silver bracelet on his wrist. It’s the same as Tommo’s, the very same. Of course. They’re father an son. Tommo’s dead father is DeMalo.

How impossible. How unmissable. I couldn’t see it before. I was standin too close.

Saba, says Lugh. What terms?

Terms to save yer life, I says.

All right, says DeMalo. Safe passage for your grubby little band of rebels and Jack.

Safe passage? says Lugh. He’s a traitor. A dead man. We made a deal.

DeMalo an me don’t take our eyes from each other. An I see them to the Pass, I says.

No treachery on some lonely road, he says. All right. Agreed.

What the hell is this? says Lugh. Saba, what’s goin on here?

DeMalo wants me. I believe he wants me unbroken. So he’ll keep this promise. Whatever else happens, Lugh will be safe. An Tommo. He believes his father dead. I won’t tell him otherwise. Mercy an Molly. Ash an Creed. Slim. Jack. I’ll make sure they go far far away from this place. Through the mountains an on. To the chance of a decent life.

Not Emmi though. Too late fer her. This world always comes to blood. I should know that by now.

We surrender, I says.

I accept, says DeMalo.

Surrender? Lugh breathes out the word in disbelief. You what? He grabs my shoulder an spins me to face him. Safe passage fer Jack? He spits out his name, digs his fingers in my arms. There ain’t no safe passage fer Emmi, he says. She ain’t goin nowhere ever agin. It’s his fault she’s dead an yer so blinded by him you cain’t see it. We’d be long gone out West if not fer Jack. We’d be safe an settled an she wouldn’t be dead. He’s stolen our future. He’s kept you here an he’s stolen our future an he’s ruined us. We was ruined the moment you let him in yer life. You think I wanted to do this? Make a deal with this man? I only did it to save you, to save our family. Everythin, all my life, all I’ve ever done is fer you an Emmi. An you’d give safe passage to Jack with our sister lyin here dead? Damn you, Saba. Damn you to hell!

He shoves me hard. I stumble an I fall. Nero caws an flies towards me.

Lugh’s rushin to the door, yellin, I’ll see to him myself!

At that moment, Jack appears. Brought in by two guards. His hands tied behind him. He takes in the scene at a glance.

Here’s the traitor, says one. He shoves him in the back.

Jack staggers forwards. Lugh dives at him. Jack twists aside an hits the ladder. As it crashes over, the hawk, still hooded, panics. His great wings flap. His talons slash at the guards. They cringe, cry out, fling their arms. A wild shot blasts the roof. Rubble showers down.

Stop! DeMalo runs to catch Culan. Stop! You’ll hit him, you fools!

I’m on my feet by now, grabbin Nero, tellin him, Go! As I launch him towards the fray, he screams vengeance on the hawk.

Lugh’s got Jack by the neck, chokin him. He hangs backwards, halfway out the window. But Jack’s fightin. He struggles, scrabblin, off balance with his hands trapped behind him. Rain pours down on them. Lugh’s enraged. Strong way beyond his strength.

I haul at Lugh’s arms. His coat. Tryin to pull him off Jack. I hook one leg an he staggers to the side. Jack tips. I grab fer him. Too late. No! I yell. I lean through the window. He lands in the river. It rages him, swirls him away.

What’ve you done? I shout at Lugh.

He’s on his feet, lookin dazed.

A gun thuds. A bolt slams him in the back.

No! I scream

as his arms fly up

as he twists

an falls

to my arms.

Then we tip

we topple

out of the window

down to the river below.

We hit the water. Lugh on top of me. Down we go

down

down

down.

I hold his shirt tight. We’re wrenched an turned. We’re ripped an tumbled apart.

I’m thrown to the surface. Gasp in the rain. I look fer him. I scream his name, Lugh!

Lost to the roar of the river. His name, my voice, my cry. The current grabs me. Sweeps me away. A stout branch swirls past. I seize it. Agin an agin, it saves my bones as I’m flung towards the rocks of the bank. I shoot over rapids. Outta the gorge into a wooded valley.

Nero screeches above. I look around, frantic. I spot Lugh near the bank. He’s caught in the roots of a fallen tree. Sprawled, face down in the water. Jack’s there too. He’s jest pullin hisself from the river. Lugh! I yell. Now, at last, the red hot kicks me. It rages me, burns me as I struggle towards him. As I fight myself free of the current.

Then I’m there. Grabbin hold. Haulin myself out. Jack’s tryin to drag Lugh free.

Don’t touch him! I yell. Lugh! I’m climbin, scramblin among the tangled roots. Give him to me! I’m grabbin fer Lugh. I’m here, I’m here, it’s okay now, I says. I’m lookin, touchin, checkin him over. There’s some blood where he got shot, not much. An Jack’s helpin me. Turnin him into my arms so he’s laid back aginst me.

Yer gonna be fine, I tell him. An he’s so brave, he don’t make a sound. I hold him in my arms, hold him close. Not a mark on his beautiful face. I kiss his birthmoon tattoo, the same as mine. Look at you, I says, yer perfect. I lace our fingers together. I lay my cheek aginst his. He’s fine, I tell Jack. He’s okay.

I hold him so tight. So tight to my heart. I’m shakin. I’m shiverin.

You’ll never guess, I says. We’re goin to the big water. You an me an Em, it’s all arranged. We can leave right away. If I hadn’t of bin so stubborn, if I’d of listened to you, we’d be there by now. But we’ll git there, I promise, we will.

I hafta stop fer a moment.

I need yer help, I whisper. You see … I made some mistakes an—you always know what to do. You always took care of me. I should of told you before, I should of—please don’t leave me. Please. I cain’t be without you. I dunno how to be without you in the world.

Saba. Jack’s crouched beside us.

He’s sleepin, I says.

Jack kisses my temple. He ain’t asleep, he says.

Emmi’s dead, I says.

I know.

I stare down at the river. Brown water rises, tugs at my feet. Drownin’s easy. So they say. If you don’t fight it. I could slide in, with Lugh in my arms. Before the pain comes. Before it takes me.

He’s gone.

Gone.

My golden heart is gone.

The sound of shoutin comes muffled through the rain.

They’re comin, Jack says. Saba, we hafta run. We cain’t take him with us.

I look at Jack. He’s soaked an filthy. His eyes bloom like stars in his muddy face. The rain sheets down upon our heads.

Find that river you talked about, I says. That stretch of water at the top of the map. Find a boat, like you said, keep goin. I don’t trust him to keep his word about you. The rest of ’em he will, but not you.

Saba! DeMalo’s voice, his men’s voices grow closer. Saba! They’re all callin my name.

You did a deal with him, says Jack.

It’s me he wants. Only me. He always wins, I says.

Jack’s drawn back. I see his face change. As some kinda truth starts to dawn in him.

He didn’t even hafta lift a finger, I says. All he had to do was wait. I did this myself. To all of us.

What deal did you make?

To marry him, I says.

His eyes harden to ice. You bought our freedom in his bed, You’ll pardon me if I don’t thank you. You should of listened to yer brother. Listened to me. Left this place, like we told you to. I always knew you’d funk it at the first deep cut. But I never once thought you’d betray us.

I’m doin this to save you, I says.

I didn’t ask to be saved. None of us did. I thought you unnerstood, he says. What we’re doin here is bigger than any of our lives.

It’s over, Jack.

All that’s over, he says, is you an me.

Then he’s gone. Disappeared to the rain.

Saba! It’s DeMalo’s voice. Urgent. There she is!

I hold Lugh tight to my heart. I slide with him into the river.

Then the pain

—sudden

—ecstasy

—of pain.