emergency, Nish supposed Flydd and Yggur would agree to his taking the air-floater, though it was exquisitely vulnerable to attack by lyrinx. A single tear in the gasbag meant the loss of the craft and everyone on it, and any chance of recovering thapters. And though it was the mating season, when the enemy avoided all-out war, there would be plenty of lyrinx about who were neither hibernating nor mating. No, it had to be the thapter and they must go today. Flydd needed it in a few days’ time, to visit the manufactories in the south-east, which were to make farspeakers and other devices for the spring offensive.
None of Nish’s trainee pilots had ever been at the controls of a real thapter and there was no possibility that they would be allowed to take this one to Thurkad. He needed the best for such a dangerous mission. He would have to ask Tiaan.
Nish had kept clear of her ever since her return, for Tiaan made it plain that she loathed him. She only spoke to him when she had to, and avoided him whenever she could.
And if she refused, as he expected her to? Nish had no idea what he would do.
He knocked on her door. She did not answer. He knocked again. Still nothing. It was early and she could be asleep. He turned the handle.
‘Tiaan?’ he said quietly.
Her bed was empty. Perhaps she was down the hall having breakfast. Then Nish heard splashing, realised his error and, too late, turned to go. Tiaan appeared around the corner, naked from her bath, towelling her dark hair vigorously.
Had he slipped out at once he might have got away with it, for the towel was over her face. Nish hesitated just long enough for her to open her eyes and see him staring at her.
She fled back into the bathing room. Nish went the other way, scarlet with mortification. Now what was he supposed to do?
Irisis laughed herself sick when he confessed his folly. ‘What a prize clown you are, Nish. You can’t do anything right, can you?’
It stung, even from his best friend. ‘Not with Tiaan. I was trying to do the right thing.’
‘But Nish, she’s such a repressed little chit, and you sneaked into her bedroom. How could you imagine she was going to react?’
‘I didn’t sneak. I knocked twice.’
‘It was her bedroom. You should have knocked loudly and not gone in until she answered.’
‘I was trying not to disturb her.’
‘And she didn’t have any clothes on?’
‘Completely naked,’ he said miserably, ‘and still gleaming wet from her bath …’
‘Remember who you’re talking to,’ Irisis snapped.
‘Sorry.’
‘She’ll never forgive you, not if she lives for a hundred years.’
‘I know. I’ve ruined everything.’
‘Not necessarily. Just because she despises you and holds you in deepest contempt –’
‘You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?’
She sniggered. ‘Of course I am. You were being a rotten little perv and now you’ve got your just desserts.’
‘I wasn’t!’ he said plaintively. ‘Why won’t you believe me?’
‘Because I don’t want to. It’d spoil the story, for me and for everyone.’
‘You’re not going to tell the others! No, please don’t, Irisis.’
‘Of course I am. We can all do with a good laugh. But, just to show good faith, I’ll get you out of your little problem.’
‘How?’ Nish said suspiciously.
‘As I was saying, just because Tiaan despises you more deeply than –’
‘Thank you! I got the message.’
‘– it doesn’t mean that she won’t fly the thapter.’
‘But …’ He looked at Irisis in sudden hope.
‘If you hadn’t caught her at her bath, and she had agreed, would she have done it as a favour to you?’
‘Of course not. She loathes me.’
‘Well, there you are. Now she just loathes you a little more. Er, a lot more, actually.’
‘Thanks! But I still don’t see –’
‘Go and talk to Malien. Confess your folly and get her to ask Tiaan to do it. Malien is her only friend.’
Malien looked a little better, and she also laughed when Nish shamefacedly told her what he’d done. ‘That’s worth two hours with the healer, Nish. How do you get yourself into such messes?’
‘Will you plead with her?’
‘I’ll ask Tiaan. She’s been working night and day on the farspeaker designs, but I believe they’re finished now.’ She pulled the bell cord and asked the servant, who appeared straight away, to fetch Tiaan at once.
‘I’ll go,’ Nish said hastily.
‘No, stay. Time is precious. Sit over there.’
He took a chair by the window.
Shortly Tiaan appeared. ‘How are you, Malien? They said you weren’t