snowflakes swirling in the chill air.
‘Oh, great.’ She pulled her coat tighter.
‘Bad weather could actually be to our advantage,’ Disgleirio reckoned. ‘To the invaders this is unknown territory. The prospect of having to take it in a blizzard could slow them down quite a bit.’
‘Do you always try to wring something positive out of every situation?’
‘Not always, though I tend to the more dire things get. Surely that’s better than the alternative?’
‘So how dire do you think our situation is at the moment? Come on, Quinn, you know you don’t have to hold back for my sake.’
‘It’s as bad as it gets, short of us all having swords at our throats, which is something we should expect in the not too distant future. They have so many ships we’re going to find ourselves stretched to breaking point covering all possible landing places. Man for man, we’re probably outnumbered twenty to one. Barring some miracle, I’m afraid the best we can hope for are honourable deaths.’
‘That’s a pleasant prospect.’
‘You asked.’
They passed columns of armed men trudging towards the coastlines, and long strings of asses laden with weapons and supplies. Warning beacons were being lit on surrounding hilltops and the more distant cliffs.
Twenty minutes later the towers of the central redoubt came into view. Here, too, all was movement and bustle.
‘Want me to come in with you?’ Disgleirio asked. ‘Because otherwise I can be doing a few urgent things and come back for you in, say, no more than an hour?’
‘You get on then, and thanks.’
‘Remember the room where Kinsel was when you left? You’ll find them two doors farther on.’
The guards knew her, and waved her through the heavy, half-open gates.
There was commotion inside too, but once she got to the redoubt’s interior things were a lot quieter. Walking an echoing corridor, she came to the door Disgleirio had indicated, and found it slightly ajar. She knocked lightly, and without waiting for an answer, went in.
Tanalvah sat in an overstuffed armchair, draped in blankets and with her feet on a stool. She seemed to be asleep. Serrah thought she looked pale, and a little too gaunt for an expectant woman.
The room was sparsely furnished, and would have been austere if not for the log fire roaring in its spacious hearth, which gave off a mellow aroma of pine and vanilla. A small table held the remains of a meal, largely uneaten, and several wooden toys were scattered across the floor’s bare boards. There was a door to an adjoining room, left partially open, through which soft voices could be heard.
A woman sleeping, the homely if spartan scene; it struck Serrah as incongruous, given what was happening outside.
Tanalvah’s eyes opened.
For a second, she gave the impression of someone who thought they were dreaming.
‘Tan,’ Serrah whispered.
Tanalvah’s eyes widened. Even more colour drained from her face, and she started to struggle to her feet.
Serrah came forward. ‘No, no, stay where you are, Tan. It’s me. Serrah.’
‘Serrah,’ Tanalvah repeated, the word devoid of any emotional content.
Kneeling, Serrah embraced her. She kissed her cheek. It was cold, and Tanalvah was stiff, almost rigid, to the touch. ‘I’m so glad you made it through,’ Serrah said.
‘I’m…glad you did, too.’
‘I’ve confused you, coming in here when you’re barely awake. Sorry. But I couldn’t wait to see you.’
Tanalvah looked as though she was about to say something, but just stared.
Serrah hadn’t thought their reunion would be like this, but she reminded herself of everything her friend had been through, and made allowance.
To her relief, the uncomfortable silence was broken. From the next room, Kinsel swept in, accompanied by an excited Teg and Lirrin.
‘I thought I heard…Serrah!’
‘Hello, Kinsel.’ She let herself be enveloped by his hug. Then she succumbed to the children tugging at her skirts and stooped to fuss over them.
When calm descended and the children had quietened, Serrah got her chance to ask, ‘How are you, Tan?’
The answer was tearful. ‘Fine. Just…fine.’
Serrah and Kinsel exchanged brief, meaningful looks.
‘Your time must be soon,’ Serrah said.
Tanalvah nodded.
‘She’s tired.’ Kinsel stated the obvious. ‘We’re doing what we can to take some of the load off her. Aren’t we, kids?’
The siblings nodded solemnly.
‘They’ve all been wonderful,’ Tanalvah sniffed. ‘I don’t deserve it.’
Kinsel took her hand. ‘Don’t be silly, my love. You deserve the best of everything.’
‘And how are you faring yourself, Kinsel?’ Serrah asked, hoping to move things away from the maudlin.
‘Well, I’m still trimmer,’ he grinned.
‘So I noticed.’
‘Forgive me, I’ve not asked; how did the mission go?’
‘Weirdly. I’ll fill you in on that later.’
‘How’s Reeth? And Kutch?’
‘We all got back safely. And I think Kutch might have his first sweetheart.’ Serrah smiled at him.
‘Really? Who?’
‘Somebody we came across on our voyage. Hopefully you’ll meet her soon.’
‘Poor kids. Brought here at a time like this.’ He stole a glance at his own adoptive pair. ‘We’ve not heard a lot about what’s been happening today. Can you tell us what’s going on out there?’ His eyes said, be circumspect, for the children’s sake.
‘Something we’ve been expecting for some time. The empires have arrived, in force.’
‘Empires? Both of them?’
‘They’ve combined their fleets and seem to be acting together.’
‘They think we’re that much of a thorn?’
‘Apparently so, and that’s why I came. Well, I came because I really wanted to see you all, of course, but also to ask how you felt about moving to the fortress.’
‘The fort?’ Tanalvah said, looking alarmed. ‘Do I have to?’
‘No. I mean, it’s not an order or anything. But you could be safer there.’
‘Aren’t we safe here? I thought this place was a stronghold too.’
‘It is. It’s just that the thinking is it might be better to concentrate all the noncombatants up there, and keep this place for the defenders so they-Tan?’
Tanalvah’s face twisted and her body writhed.
‘Tan? What’s the matter?’
‘What is it, my love?’ Kinsel said.
‘It’s…all right. Just…just another…spasm.’
Kinsel took a cloth and dabbed her moist brow. The children looked on, fretful.
‘You’re getting these often?’ Serrah asked.
‘Couple of…times a…day.’
Serrah had the ignoble thought that this was rather conveniently timed, then immediately felt ashamed for entertaining the idea. ‘If you’re getting contractions, maybe this isn’t the best time to move you.’
‘Tanalvah’s all right,’ Kinsel told the children. ‘There’s nothing to worry about. Now come on, it’s time you got some sleep.’ He shepherded the complaining youngsters back to their beds. ‘I’ll be right back,’ he mouthed.
Serrah turned to Tanalvah. ‘Sure you’re all right, Tan? Because you don’t look too brilliant, to be honest.’
