Chapters (51)
- Dedication
- Contents
- PREVIOUSLY …
- PART I
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- PART II
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- PART III
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- PART IV
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- About the Author
- ALSO BY DAVID WRAGG
- About the Publisher
The rain was thickening, fat drops thudding in greater numbers, their sounds melding from patter to rush. Rasha ducked under the narrow overhang of the nearest stable and Chel followed, pressed against the slatted wall beside her as the rain thundered down. A chewing mule, head jutting through a notch in the stable door, glanced in their direction, registered and disregarded them, and went back to staring vacantly into the rain.
He could feel her body, warm beside him, her breath fogging in the dim and filtered light of the stable-boy’s struggling fire. He almost jumped when he felt her cool hand reach for his, her fingers twining his own, drawing him closer. She said nothing, staring ahead just like the mule, but when he took half a step sideways after his hand, she rested her shawled head against his shoulder.
‘There’s something soothing about spring rain, don’t you think?’
Spring. We really don’t have long. ‘Do you think it’s spring already?’
She puffed a half-chuckle, oblivious of his concern. ‘It’s raining and not snowing. That’s usually how we measure it around here.’
He swallowed. He could feel her presence, her warmth, her openness. He was more conscious of it than he’d ever been conscious of anything in his young adult life. And he had a duty.
‘I think it’s easing off. Listen, I’m really sorry about it, but I still need to check on my friend. There’s no point us both getting into trouble – why don’t you head back? If Hesso sees me, it’s just me who gets it. I can claim I didn’t hear the bell in the rain.’
She lifted her head from his shoulder, her hand still in his but withdrawing inch by inch. ‘Go back? What?’
Her hand was gone, and she was facing him, eyes wide, incredulous in the misting murk. He gambled, desperate. ‘The rain’s ruined our chances of a good walk anyway. We can try again tomorrow. Do it properly. Assuming I’m not confined to my room again.’
‘Tomorrow?’
‘Tomorrow. For sure.’
A small smile then, a measure of indulgence, and for a moment he saw a startling echo of Laralim. Could they be related? The question seemed ludicrous, given Rennic’s words on the shallowness of their breeding pool.
She reached up with one cold hand, laying her fingers against his cheek.
‘You’d better not get caught then, had you?’
He nodded. ‘For sure.’ She had no idea how right she was.
SIXTEEN
The rain eased but did not desist, maintaining an even thrum as Chel edged around the stable buildings, his eyes on Hesso and his sorry fire. The rain provided excellent cover, masking the sounds of his movement and obscuring visibility. Chel made sterling progress, but Hesso was a lousy watchman. He seemed to be incapable of keeping his fire dry, his tea a long way from ready.