Ilandeh jogged away from the wall, out of arrow range, beginning to let herself feel her exhaustion, her hurts and aches. This battle was over, but she’d been tasked with one final conquest on this first day. Grim and tight-lipped, she paused to haul air into her lungs and stared north. Uphill. Towards the womb.

TAYAN

The womb, above Sky City, Malel, Tokoban

19th day of the grand absence of the Great Star

This isn’t happening. This can’t be happening. This isn’t happening.

Eja Quin had been in with Tayan, watching over him from the cave mouth, while Eja Nallet had hold of the rope harness Tayan wore. They didn’t know anything was wrong until Tayan had stepped far too close, not noticing because there was no tension on the rope. It was Quin who stopped him and discovered there was no one on the other end.

When they scrambled out of the womb, Nallet and her dog were gone and there were Melody lining the horizon. She hadn’t even jerked on the rope in warning. The Empire had deployed across the hill above the city, cutting it off from the womb. Cutting them off. Quin had ventured out once night fell, but there were too many sentries and too many fires. He hadn’t found a way through.

Now they crouched in the mouth of the tunnel leading into the womb, Eja Quin next to him and his dog Zal at their feet. The spirit-magic Quin had taken had worn off the previous evening, leaving them trapped between the Drowned and the Melody. There was no food, no water, and only Quin’s spear, knife, and net to defend themselves.

‘They’re pulling back. Done for the day, looks like,’ Quin breathed. ‘I say we wait for night and make a run for it.’

‘You didn’t find a way through last night,’ Tayan pointed out.

‘Would you prefer to stay here and be caught by the Pechaqueh with one of their gods tied up and crippled?’ Quin asked and Tayan shuddered. He couldn’t begin to imagine what they’d do to them if that happened. He squinted some more, but it was all just a flowing, many-coloured mass and a roar of noise occasionally punctuated by a scream higher or louder than the rest. He couldn’t tell Tokob from Pechaqueh, friend from enemy. Could only distinguish the city because he knew it was there and knew its colour against the hill.

‘We should have gone when they sent in the eagles,’ Quin said again. He looked at Tayan. ‘First opportunity I get, I’m going. If we can’t get into the city, I’m heading wide around it and down into the jungle. Start looking for survivors, for somewhere to go, to hide. You can come or stay, but if you come, you do what I say when I say.’

‘How did we do?’ Tayan asked.