Spidertouch by Alex Thomson

Author:Alex Thomson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780857669612
Publisher: Watkins Media
Published: 2021-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Back outside, I’m in no hurry to join Ansić and his men. I go north, plotting a circuitous route, to see Jakub and Ira. Jakub will be first – he should be stationed by the Gate of Triumph. Hundreds of soldiers are by the gate, and captains are shouting commands. I see two boys – must be Street Rats, for they look about fifteen – frantically struggling with armour; one drops his shield with a clatter, and one of the more experienced militia glares at him. I climb up to the walls – one of the benefits of wearing the interpreter’s armband is that nobody ever challenges where you’re going, not if you walk with enough confidence.

I look out at the Dagmari army. They’re in the same position, but there is plenty of action. They’re not exactly battle-ready – no formation to speak of – but something is about to happen. It looks like Mecunio’s hopes of negotiation are in vain. His message to Shakan has gone unanswered.

A hundred paces along the wall I see Jakub standing in position with some archers. I walk purposefully past the other soldiers. He sees me coming, and detaches himself from the archers.

“All right?” I say.

“Fine,” he murmurs. “Are we in the clear?”

“I think so. Naima got the interpreter. And the Crawlers believe he killed Chicken. As long as we keep his body hidden, they’ll be chasing shadows for a while.”

“Good.”

“But a Blue saw us,” I tell him. “So keep clear of Val Firuz. They know a soldier was involved.”

“Right you are. Now clear off, will you? I’m supposed to be on duty. And Razvan?”

“Yes?”

“Stay alive.”

“Why does everyone keep reminding me not to die? I promise, I’ll do my best.”

To my surprise, he puts an arm around me and squeezes me in a bear hug, then sends me on my way. I go down the next stairs and follow the wall west, all the way to the north-west corner of the city. Even though Ira’s quarter is Blackstone, she has been billeted up here. I suspect some of the more senior interpreters arranged to go on the wall in Blackstone – by the coast, and relatively speaking, a safe place to hide. The greenhorns have been shoved onto the northern wall: the most dangerous section, but also where good communication with the Keda is essential. So it goes.

It takes me a bit of time to find Ira, but eventually I catch sight of her, standing in the shade at the base of the wall. No Keda in sight. I see the relief in her eyes as I approach.

“Razvan,” she says. “What the hell happened?”

I give her a condensed version of the events of last night, from the moment we left her in the safehouse, to seeing Naima back in Wesson.

“So she killed Darius?”

“Yeah. It doesn’t sit that well with me, but… I guess it had to be done.”

“I suppose.”

“I’m just glad I wasn’t the one who had to do it. How about you? How was your night?”

“Not as exciting as yours.

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