“Can we have a different light for a moment? Just need to check on Cathal.”
“No problem.”
She heard them moving about, and the light in the hold-out dimmed, taking on a blue hue. It felt cold, but Ryann told herself it was only for a moment.
She pulled back Cathal’s blanket. He looked so peaceful, with his eyes shut and his face betraying no signs of inner turmoil.
Yet his skin was changing. His forehead felt rough under her fingers, and icy too. The leathery exoskeleton—and that didn’t quite describe the blackness, but it came close—stretched high on his neck, reaching up round his jaw. She pulled back his gums, and his teeth were yellow, not the smooth white they had been before. She pulled his upper lip further back, and his canines rose to sharp points.
She let his lips close, all too aware of Keelin at her shoulder.
<That’s bad, isn’t it?>
There was no reason to lie. <Yes.>
<What does it mean?>
<It means he needs help.>
<No.>
Ryann spun round. <No?>
Keelin didn’t move her eyes from Cathal’s face. <Yes, he needs help. But his teeth, and his skin. That means something else. That means he’s turning into one of those things, doesn’t it?>
There was no point lying. <That would appear to be the case. One of those creatures, or something similar.>
<And he’s in here with us.>
<Yes.>
<But we have torches.>
<We do.> Ryann gave nothing, letting Keelin work through this.
<But inside he’s still Cathal.>
<I believe so.> Ryann could feel him, in there somewhere. The taste of his trace still existed, beneath the frantic activity and the harsh barriers his lattice was constructing.
<So what do we do?>
Ryann looked across the room, to where Tris was now sealing two packs and handing one to Brice. Neither smiled. They didn’t make eye contact.
<We do what we have to do.>
She dropped the blanket back over Cathal, protecting him from the light that would flood the hold-out in a moment. Protecting him from the very thing that they might be called on to use against him.
But not yet. There was still time. She had to believe that.
“You ready?” she asked the boys.
“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Tris said, shuffling a shoulder to show her the pack he wore. “Boosters linked and primed, relay coded. Just a short walk.”
“You got the map?”
He tapped the side of his head. “A quarter-k. Ten minutes.”
“Eight,” Brice said. “Let’s go for eight.”
“Eight,” Tris agreed. “We can do that.”
“Okay. Torches on.” Ryann reached round to their backs while they thumbed the torches strapped to their chests. The hold-out filled with light, and Ryann called up filters to protect her eyes. “While you’re in range, keep us informed.”
Tris nodded. “And when we’ve got this system in place, you’ll hear us again.”
Once more, she stood at the bottom of the ladder as they climbed, and again the rain cascaded down when Brice opened the hatch.
<Good luck,> she sussed, and felt terrible for that, terrible that she was relying on luck when she should be confident in their skills and abilities. She should trust her crew.
She climbed after them, and the light from the relay shone into her eyes. She squinted, pulling up tighter filters, and saw Brice lowering himself over the edge of the hold-out. She followed the path of their light as it slid through the trees, sending shadows running and hiding. And she could feel the creatures, could sense…something like pain, but it was like they viewed it with cold logic rather than the vibrant urgency she’d expect from a warth.
But these things were not warths. They were something new.
<At the landing pad, turning right,> Tris sussed.
<I can still see your light.> But as it moved away from the hold-out, the trees blurred, and the shadows started to smother it.
<You sitting on the roof in the rain or something?>
<Just watching. Good job fixing the relay down, boys.>
<Thanks. How Keelin’s doing?>
Interesting question. Ryann couldn’t decide if that could be taken at face value, or if Tris was trying to tell her to get inside.
<Going down to check now.>
But she waited until she could see their light no more. Only then, after taking a deep breath and feeling a lump in her throat, did Ryann climb inside and close the hatch. The space was dark, the rungs glowing green through her filters, and the water dripping down the walls seemed alien and alive.
Keelin was by Cathal again. She looked up when Ryann entered, and forced a smile.
“They’re on their way.”
“I heard.”
<There are creatures all around,> Tris sussed. There was a touch of echo on his voice, and Ryann knew she was receiving it through the relay. <Can’t see them clearly, because they hide too fast. Don’t know if they’re some of the ones from the hold-out, though.>
<You think they’re following you?>
<Possibly. But they’re staying back. Some are up in the trees, though. I don’t like how covered this path is.>
<Torches pointing up still working?>
<Seem to be, although…crap, that was close!>
<Tris?> Keelin called with a gasp.
<We’re fine. Just had one jump, tree to tree. Fairly low down. Think the light kept it off though. Smelt terrible.>
<They do,> Ryann sussed. She glanced at Keelin, noting the relief on her face.
<Yeah, but this was a smell of burning.>
<From the light?>
<Could be.> There was a pause. <Be good to fry as many of them as possible.>
But that hesitation belied his bravado. <Do the job first.>
<Will do. But…was that one smoking? Hell! Yeah, we just caught one with a torch, and it stumbled back. Couldn’t get to cover. Kept the torch on it, tightened the beam, and the thing’s chest started to steam or something. I think this could work!>
<Of course it will. You’re doing fine, both of you.>
<As long as we have these torches, we’re good.>
But the echo on his voice was stronger now. Ryann boosted the signal through her lattice, pushing to the relay.
<How far along are you, Tris? Just an estimate.>
<Checking map. Third
