‘What would you do?’ Roofkeeper asks.
Ice rolls her eyes. ‘I don’tknow. Because I don’t know what’s out there, because I’ve never bloody been. But I’ve got a good spear arm, and half a brain, and I think I’m not a total cunt, so I’m pretty sure we could do something.’ She sinks her head into her hands and scratches at her scalp.
‘Look, I’m tired,we’retired of being locked away. There’s a world out there, and it might be fucked or it might not be, but I know in my bones we can see it and still protect our folk here. It doesn’t have to be either or. No matter what my da says.’
Quickfish laughs, and that little latch eases. ‘Well, you are looking at the crown prince of ignoring your dad.’
Ice blinks. ‘Did you say clown prince?’ She snorts. ‘Well, aye, welcome to the club. My da’s a good man, but he fought for most of his life. He can’t think of a peaceful world, or a road to it.’
She sips, swirling the tea around her mouth.
‘He struggles to see it, they all do. They fought too hard and too long to risk what they’ve made, but Steel and I, we want more. Lot of folks here do.’
She glances down. ‘And Nigh, she deserves better. Wider, wilder. This mountain isn’t big enough for her.’
She kisses the top of her head. ‘Is it, you little snot?’
Steelfinder gestures at the small girl. ‘Look at her, she’s got a world to conquer.’
Nigh burps and smiles at Quickfish, who holds his arms out reflexively. She walks across, climbs into his lap, and drums inquisitively on his collarbone.
‘She’s talking to you,’ Steel says. ‘That’s how she talks. Learnt it from the Singers after she couldn’t do anything else.’
Quickfish smiles. The little girl is surprisingly heavy, but she leans back against his stomach contentedly. ‘What’s she asking?’
Ice grimaces. ‘Well, shewasasking if you were a friend, but as usual, she’s made her own mind up, without waiting for anyone else’s opinion.’
She sets the tea down, fixing him again with that more familiar, harder look.
‘Soarewe friends Quickfish? Are you going to tell me what you want? Have I bared enough of my soul to you, or do you need another bloody little piece?’
For a moment he returns her hard look in kind, but what’s the point? He’s come too far, and he’s too desperate. His mum’s still shrivelling in a starched seaward bed, and his pride isn’t going to save her.
‘I’m hoping there’s someone here that can help my mum. Someone that understand blood and body. She’s been lost since the South. Since Crowkisser came for her.’
‘Lost?’ Steelfinder says, skewering the evasion.
‘Coma.’ Quick says, and even saying it feels like lifting the stone on something that shouldn’t see light.
‘Shit,’ they both say. ‘I’m sorry,’ Ice adds, and there’s no hardness in it.
She sits for a second, thoughts running across her face like foxes over a field.
‘Might be we can help you. Our resident warlock does things with bodies that I’ve never seen done, and Steel’s no slouch herself.’
Steelfinder nods modestly.
‘We could come with you even, if we get my da to agree.’
Icecaller pauses, exhales. ‘I should go talk to him. Before you bring this before everybody. If it goes to Council first, and someone sticks their oar in …’ She puffs out her cheeks. ‘Then you’re fucked. Or we’re at this for months, which is worse than being fucked.’
Quickfish’s head swims. ‘Resident warlock?’
Ice nods. ‘Skinpainter. Old as my da, I think. Doesn’t look it. Was there back in the day when your mum came to fight for us, and brought half the western coast with her. I think it’s safe to say that they’re a safe bet.’ She drums her fingers on Steelfinder’s thigh. Realisation creeping across her face. ‘Shit. If I can get my daddy dearest to agree, we could actually take a crack at helping you, at helping her. Tits on a snake, we could finally fuckingdosomething.’
She wriggles her leg free of Nigh, and stands. ‘You trust me with this, Fish? You’re a wet nit, right enough, but I can do this for you. For us.’
She holds out a hand. ‘Go on, skinny. Take a chance.’
