Talen heard Da go outside and draw up water from the well then come back in and retire to his room. The house quieted and Talen heard an owl hoot outside.
He lay on his bed unable to sleep. He waited for what seemed a long time, staring at the ceiling.
A jingle sounded from below.
“Nettle,” Talen said.
“I heard it,” said Nettle.
Another small jingle, then one big one.
Talen and Nettle fairly flew down the stairs in the dark. Nettle slipped on the narrow steps at the bottom and crashed into Talen. They would have both sprawled out onto the floor, but Talen held onto the railing and swung into the wall instead.
“Ho!” said Talen. “The alarm!”
There was laughter in the darkness. One small candle ignited at the table. There was Da, holding a glowing piece of tinder, shaking so hard he almost knocked the candle over. River sat next to him holding her sides.
Da grabbed the alarm, gave it a good shake, and laughed even harder.
“Just testing your speed, son. Just testing your speed.”
Ke stood in the doorway of his room, grinning like an idiot.
Da! He was worse than River. “What are you looking at?” said Talen.
That only set all three of them to laughing again.
Nettle wore a half grin on his face.
“Come on,” Talen said to him and marched back upstairs.
When he’d lain down again, there was another jingle.
“Hoy,” he heard Da say from below. “Sleep well, son.”
Da would find crickets in his boots this week. And next week, he’d sink to the ground while sleeping with loose bed ropes. And then it would be Talen’s turn to laugh.
He heard three more jingles and laughter, then Da called up a good night.
Talen knew what Da was doing—he was trying to relax them, just as he did his bowmen when they went into battle. All of which meant that Da was taking this very seriously indeed. Maybe Da was concerned about Sleth after all. Maybe all of his arguing against the Fir-Noy was just a way to help them keep cool heads. This comforted Talen, and he suddenly found he could close his eyes for sleep.
FUGITIVES
S
houts jolted Talen out of bed.
“Hold,” Ke said from below. “Identify yourself.” There was no joking in his voice now.
Talen grabbed his bow in the darkness. This time when he and Nettle reached the bottom of the stairs, the door stood open and Ke had his own bow drawn, pointing it out at something in the moonlit yard.
“Zu,” the soldier said. “We are part of the barbican watch. I bring Captain Argoth’s summons.”
The moon had risen and Talen could see one man wearing a helm and a chain mail shirt standing outside. Men and horses stood behind him.
Talen’s first thought was of the armsmen they’d beaten earlier. But there were no Fir-Noy markings on the soldiers he could see. Only Shoka. This soldier’s wrist also bore the tattoo weave of Shoka bull horns. But, then, it had been Shoka that had beaten him at the village. Talen nocked an arrow and looked to the shuttered window at the back of the main room.
“What’s this about?” asked Da.
“You know the Sleth woman?” the soldier asked.
“You’re referring to Purity, the smith’s wife?”
The soldier said nothing.
“Yes, I know Purity.”
“You are summoned to be in Whitecliff within the hour.”
“For what cause?” asked Da.
“Captain Argoth wants help interrogating her. I can only suppose he thinks a Koramite might win her trust.”
Ke pitched his voice low. “It’s a trap,” he said.
“Only a fool rides at night,” said Da.
“We’ve got a moon,” the soldier said. “And we will escort you back.”
“That’s not enough assurance.”
“No,” said the soldier. “But this should be.” He withdrew a linen handkerchief from his waist pouch and held it out for Da to take.
Da took it. It had embroidery upon one of its corners—three trees and red circle underneath. It was Uncle Argoth’s sign.
Da took in and held it to his nose. “Spearmint,” he said.
Uncle Argoth loved spearmint, planted it around his house, carried it with him. Talen lowered his bow.
Da sighed. “Let me saddle my mule.”
“We have a mount.”
“Moon or no, I’ll trust my own, thank you.”
Da turned to Nettle. “Your father, it seems, can’t wait until morning.” Then he turned back to his room to dress. “Ke, get Iron Boy saddled up.”
Ke pulled on his pants, lit a lamp, and walked outside. The saddle was in the barn, but Talen didn’t think Ke would notice the trap. A minute later, he changed his mind