‘They’ve begun learning to control the spirit-magic,’ he signed, the gestures cold and precise. ‘Some have said they’ll do it only until the crisis is passed, but the others seem to be embracing the life. They won’t be ready before the start of the next Wet, so we’ll just have to manage this one as best we can.’

Toxte gestured and they walked back up towards the water temple, the dogs following. He didn’t look at her as they ducked inside, just loosened his armour and then began to turn the massive handle. Xessa felt the vibration through her soles and moved to the end of the pipe and the stone trough beneath. Twelve revolutions of the handle and the first splash of water spurted from the mouth and she caught a palmful and lifted it to her lips to drink. Thank you, Malel.

She touched the tears in her armour and the places where the bamboo was missing, but she wasn’t even scratched, not this time. Still alive, despite how close it had been. That was one way to come back to the duty after an absence, she supposed.

Xessa watched the muscles in Toxte’s arms flex as he turned the handle, a smooth, tireless motion. He’d braided half his hair back and she watched the pulse in his throat, steady and slow despite the effort. She tapped his arm. ‘Beer later?’ she signed, though ejab weren’t supposed to drink when the spirit-magic was in them. Most of them did anyway – the magic lasted a day and usually by the time night fell, they were starting to get the shakes and beer or honeypot was the only thing that could stop it.

‘You buy it, I’ll drink it,’ Toxte paused long enough to sign, recognising her offer for the apology it was. They were all worried about the increase in their duties, after all; Xessa just wished she hadn’t been so thoughtless. But Toxte was fine; what had happened was bad luck, nothing more. The spirit-magic wasn’t harming him. ‘And lots of it,’ he added with a grin. They were still alive and so was the Sky City and Xessa planned on celebrating that by getting disgustingly drunk. Then he gestured over her shoulder and she turned to see the first Tokob with their gourds and pitchers and buckets, waiting patiently for their day’s ration.

Xessa moved out of their way. ‘You all right here?’ she asked Toxte. He nodded. ‘I’m going to find Tayan and then the Xenti,’ she went on. ‘I want to be sure she’s absolutely clear on what I’m going to tell her. In detail.’

Toxte winced and grinned again, but he waved her off. The water sputtered in fits and splashes from the end of the pipe and into the trough as he worked the mechanism. The city lived, though the Xenti would soon wish she didn’t.