Chapter 148
Two bodies on the white seam between two worst memories. The dead in the stands lean forward.
the Arbiter's hand, writing itself slowly across the dark sky in huge letters, as if reading something it has never had to read before:
RULE SIX:
TWO WHO SHARE ONE—
The next word starts to form, its first stroke glowing, and burns out. The letters smoulder and go black, as if something on the other side of the rule has sealed it shut.
smaller, almost uncertain:
…THIS MATCH CANNOT BE DECIDED.
THE CALLED ARE RETURNED.
The Marka's deck at night, and out of thin air two bodies drop onto the planks side by side: Kompis and Rougeina, both grey-faced, both still. Mingus howls. The crew is already there, Vigolas on his knees between them with one hand on each chest, Smurjan's third eye blazing, Kali screaming, Drekk shouting for water.
Along the bottom of the spread, two pulse lines side by side, gold for Kompis and silver-rose for Rougeina, both flat.
Then, in the same instant, both lines jump: ba-DUM. Together. ba-DUM. Together. Two hearts restarting on exactly the same beat.
gasping awake, clutching the thin cut across his chest. Mingus all over him, licking his face.
gasping awake an arm's length away, a hand on her own heart, staring at him.
sitting up, white.
Grappling hooks, thunk-thunk-thunk, biting into the Marka's rail. Wolf-pelt hoods climbing over it. Shelf-Wolves, a dozen, who've been tracking the ship since the burning village.
The crew fights around the two still-weak bodies on the deck:
Vigolas plants himself over Kompis, lightning on both fists. "NOBODY touches them!"
Smurjan stands over Rougeina, the Triple Pulse knocking three Wolves back over the rail in one beat.
Kali and Drekk back to back, sickle and axe.
Trollmage, waking with the Gluttony Codex grumbling on his chest, holds it up at the Wolves like a growling dog. "Hungry, is it? Here. Want a book?" The Wolves back away from the amber maw in terror.
Kompis, too weak to Subtick, fires Tyst silently from his back, snapping a Wolf's book-chain. Rougeina, too weak to Swap, throws a blade from the deck and pins a Wolf's sleeve to the mast.
The Wolves retreat over the rail and back to their skiff, cursing. The crew stands panting around the two on the deck.
crouching back down between them, one hand on each shoulder.
quietly.
third eye narrowed.
who has gone very, very quiet, staring at the deck between the two of them. The Gluttony Codex on his chest has gone still too.
Everyone silent. Nobody answers. The question hangs in the night air.
eyes gold, looking at the thread between himself and Rougeina. It isn't like the other threads. It's thicker than it should be, and it doesn't quite look like it was tied. It looks like it grew that way. (He doesn't say it out loud.)
breaking the silence the only way he knows: a forced, too-loud grin.
a small reluctant laugh. Then, quietly, to Kompis:
Her heart, steadier. ba-dum. ba-dum. A little lighter, with eight names now carried by more than one.
The Marka sails on. A market-ship passes in the distance, gaudy, festooned with banners, a barker shouting adverts across the water. Paper flutters off its deck on the wind.
blowing across the water and slapping flat against the Marka's mast. Drekk peels it off, glances at it, and goes very still.
gaudy printing, gold ink:
SKATT — THE MARKET OF EVERYTHING!
RARE MEMORIES · AUTHENTIC · FOR SALE:
— a ship's name (red sails)
— a mother's song
— a captain's face, weathered, laughing
INQUIRE WITHIN.
through the bell-rope mask, holding the pamphlet out to the captain.