trees breaking under the weight of the snow, but not as many as last time. I guess the trees that were going to break did it back then.
It keeps getting darker, and when the two warriors stop, I realize we’re in the village. Everything is white with snow, but it’s not snowing anymore and the air is clear and icy cold. Many campfires burn all over the army camp, and in the distance I spot two larger fires where the girls are probably huddled together right now.
“We’re here,” Vera’zan says. “Less snow here than in the other place.”
“Yes,” I agree, my lips numb with cold. “Easier to walk. Thank you.”
Both the warriors slap the hilts of their swords as their way to salute.
I shuffle on, duck under the fence into the main part of the village, and make for my hut. I’m not in any mood to talk to people right now.
The hut is empty, dark, and cold. It wasn’t built for these wintry conditions.
I dump my backpack on the floor and just stand there.
How is he there now, alone? There will be much more snow there, I’m sure.
Before I collapse I have to tell the girls that I’m here, at least.
I make my way over to the campfire.
The girls greet me with happy cheers, as expected. But they settle down fast, probably seeing the look on my face.
“Delyah has told us not to ask you anything,” Sophia says. “You’re a secret agent, she says. You want a vodka martini, shaken not stirred?” She pats the log beside her.
“No thanks.”
“Good. We don’t have that. We only have the not-tequila. And some of us are too pregnant to enjoy it. Won’t you sit down? You’ve walked far, you need some food in you.”
“I’m not hungry right now. Thanks.”
She frowns. “Is everything all right, Dolly? You seem a little down.”
“It’s just been a long day,” I manage, then find Delyah with my eyes and nod towards the hut. “I think I’ll get some rest. See you tomorrow, guys.”
Jennifer gets up. “I’ll help you get the hut warm.”
The two of us trudge back to the hut without a word, and Delyah catches up with us when we enter.
Jennifer gets busy lighting oil lamps and getting a fire going in the little fireplace we built last time it snowed.
“Did it work?” Delyah asks and sits down on a rickety chair.
I lean against the wall. “It worked. We can make gunpowder. It goes bang, the way it’s supposed to.”
“How much can we make?”
“We set up a factory in Old Bune. The only limit is the amount of guano we can get, and that looks like a bottomless supply, pretty much. We can make as much as we want.”
She gives me a little smile. “I don’t need to tell you how crazy it is that you can actually do that. You know better than me how impossible it should be. And still, you keep coming through for us. How is Brank’ox?”
I sigh. “He’s still there.”
She frowns. “Still there? In the snow? Why?”
I can’t have that conversation now. “He didn’t want to come here. That’s all I know. I brought some gunpowder and a simple gun we made. I’ll show you tomorrow, if you want. Or is it still secret?”
She taps her lips. “Let’s be secretive about it for now. We also don’t want the dragons to know. If and when we use this, we want the shock effect to be as great as possible.”
“It’s okay, I won’t tell,” Jennifer assures us. “Not that I heard anything. But will it really shock the dragons? Feels like they must have seen guns before.”
“In their dragon form, I’m sure they’ve seen all kinds of weaponry,” Delyah says. “In their human form, and weakened like they are now, they’re not expecting anyone here to have actual firearms. There are limits to how big we can make swords or crossbows. But guns? They can be made extremely big and powerful. I doubt any dragon will relish the idea of being shot at with a cannon.”
“When the weather returns to normal, we should make a lot of it,” I suggest. “No need to keep the Factory going forever. We’ll make a ton of it and then dismantle the place. Ensure that none of the tribes discover it and are tempted to make some themselves.”
“Noted,” Delyah says and reaches over to squeeze my wrist. “I can see that there are some things you’re not telling me. It’s okay, get some rest now.” She