Wild Magic

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“Why us? Gahhh, that stinks. Why don’t they make those milk-lapping Quiambos do it? I mean, this’s slave work. Fit for those pollutes, not us.”

“Shut up, Chutso. 01’ Yoyay, he don’t trust ’em, thinks they’ll let this potzpile loose. You want that? Let him…” he slapped Juvalgrim on the flank, “get to talking and we’ll be doing worse. Witchman, they say. You wanna be a frog? Hunh! Yatz almost bled hisself ^dry.”

Juvalgrim groaned as they shifted him roughly about, but they ignored that, finished scrubbing him clean, wrapped strips of bandages about the skin breaks, threw a blanket over him and went out, taking with them the rags of his tunic and trousers.

He shivered, chilled by the cold water and the damp in the cell. Not many damp places this side of the River. I must be down by the cisterns. He sneezed. K’lann! Rey oh Rey, I should have listened to you. I should have gone with you, taken my chances out there. No, that’s not true, Id have sucked you in with me, that’s all. Blessings be, you’re out of this.

He swallowed, sank into a drifting lethargy, enduring the pain and discomfort. His panic was over. There was nothing he could do but prepare himself to endure what was coming with as much dignity as he could dredge

‘No days after the collapse of the attack at the Iron Bridge, Penhari pushed straggles of hair back from her face and scowled unhappily at the young messenger. “Again?”

The Naostam girl nodded. “They marchin’. Be at the Bridge ‘bout quarter ‘n hour.” She smoothed her hand down the gray-green tunic with its pale yellow piping, her glowing pride in the Kummo-Runner’s semi-uniform giving her thin plain face a fugitive charm. “Kumm Puruka say I’m her best Runner.” She grinned, showing small crooked teeth, her eyes shutting to furry slits. “She say you want me to Run for you, I sh’d do it.”

“Good. I need you.” Penhari moved to her desk, picked up one of the tokens threaded on a spike. “Tuck this in your pouch. Show it as you need to. I want two Runners from each Kummata, with an alternate to handle emergencies. Let me see… take note of what’s happening outside whenever you’re near the Barrier. I need to know what the army’s doing. Questions?”

“Nayo, heshal.” She jigged from foot to foot… T_ier„

“Go, Runner.” Penhari smiled as the girl sketched a bow and went rushing out, all knees and elbows. The smile faded. “I don’t like this. I don’t trust him… if there’s a way, he’ll find it…” She frowned at the notes she’d been making, struggling to put together a coherent plan for managing Low City and codify the practices that were developing out of need and those that were already in place; sometimes she was terrified things would get away from her. She tightened her lips. It was like trying to close your hands on tadpoles; they wiggled away in every direction. No patterns, no order. I have to do something… no time to think about that now She moved her shoulders, shook her arms, and went briskly out the door.

When Penhari stepped into her private garden at the center of the rambling house, Desantro hit the grass in front of her, came curling up, and went at Panote who turned his shoulder into her and flipped her again.

“/ told you,” he said patiently. “Inside and low.” He saw Penhari, bowed. “Heshal.”

“Pan, it’s starting again. Tell Tai, will you? And see if you can find Faan. I need to know what’s happening with her.”

“Heshal,” he said, went trotting off down one of the gravel walks.

Desantro squatted on the lawn, pulled a blade of grass and stretched it between her thumbs. She blew a shriek, lowered her hands. “Trouble.”

Penhari shook her head, sighed. “Never trust a Mal. It seems I’m going to get you killed, Desa.”

Desantro managed a shrug without loosing her balance on her toes. “Knew you might. From the beginning a this. Doesn’t matter.” She got to her feet. “Been a long time afore now I haven’t much liked being alive. Least I’m not bored. What you want me to do?”

“You’ve made connections with the Wascram, get out to them and let them know they’d better be ready to fight.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Sting! Every step I make I get pushed back two. The people here keep expecting the Barrier to handle everything, they grumble every time I say get ready. I’ve yelled so much my throat’s raw. If they think Mals are fickle… Gods!”

“Y’ really think it’s goin’ to go down?”

“I think Abeyhamal has more on her mind than us and we’d better be prepared for that. You boot the Was-cram into getting busy and I’ll set the Kummate on the others.” She drew her hand across her face. “If I thought it’d to any good, Desa, I’d cross the Bridge this minute, but if I know my brother, he wants this place leveled even more than he wants me in his hands. Go, go, there’s no time. There’s just no time!”