Mirror Space (Sentients of Orion) by Marianne de Pierres

Author:Marianne de Pierres [de Pierres, Marianne]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2014-04-01T04:00:00+00:00

TRIN

They carried Djeserit’s catch back along the darkening beach, Joe Scali and Trin sharing the load of the netted fish while Djes struggled under the weight of a large octopus. Trin found his mouth watering for the food, his momentary suspicion of Djes and Joe Scali already fading before his hunger.

None of them spoke, saving energy for the exertion of the sand dunes and twisted coastal brush.

Juno Genarro was waiting for them where the brush gave way to the expanse of thinly vegetated ground, around the boulders among which the survivors rested. He immediately detailed cleaning and gutting of the catch to Tivi Scali and Vespa Malocchi, before the light faded. Semantic would be late rising tonight.

‘Come and rest now,’ Trin told Djes.

She was swaying against his side; partly due to the unaccustomed walking, partly exhaustion.

‘Soon,’ she promised. ‘I would just speak to the women. Ready them to eat.’

‘There is no ne—’

But she stumbled to the nearest cave before he could finish, and sat among the group of women in there.

Cass Mulravey moved in alongside her, offering her the robes that they kept in a bundle for her.

Trin watched Djes slip a robe over the scant rags she’d worn back from the beach. Just a few weeks ago, Djes’s open near-nudity would have shocked and disgusted him, and yet no one noticed her undress, so intent were they all on survival, so trusting and used were they to her ways. Djes had saved them. She would be forgiven anything.

The two women leant in close, murmuring to each other while the Carabinere moved around him, preparing the food. The sight of Djes in such intimate contact with the Mulravey woman made his empty stomach churn. How was it that she could communicate so easily with everyone? Even the difficult ones.

‘Principe,’ said Juno. ‘The food is ready.’

‘Eat!’ Trin commanded in a loud, hoarse voice.

Those that could walk assembled within a few minutes, arranging themselves into a ragged circle around the small, flat rocks that Genarro had gathered to use as a table.

Djes found her way to Trin’s side and sat awkwardly, as though her legs weren’t sure which way to fold. He knew if he looked closely at her bare feet he would see the thick webbing that had grown between her toes.

‘Where is the Principessa?’ she whispered.

Trin scanned the group, suddenly made aware that his madre had not joined them. ‘She was sleeping,’ he said softly. ‘It is best to leave her. Tina will attend her later. What does Cass Mulravey have to say that is for your ears only?’

Djes waited until Trinder had taken his share of the raw octopus flesh offered to him by Tina Galiotto before she replied.

‘The weaker of her women cannot keep moving. We must wait for a time until they can regain strength.’

‘No,’ said Trin, as the iodine-bitter taste assaulted his senses. How he longed for cooked food. ‘The cover here is shallow and an island this size may have dangers. We need better shelter from the sun, somewhere that we can defend.

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