The Frost Child by Eoin McNamee

Author:Eoin McNamee [McNamee, Eoin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-375-89104-5
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2009-05-24T16:00:00+00:00

The attack on the Harsh was to take place at dawn on the following day. All evening there was the sound of weapons being prepared and of soldiers practicing drills. Owen moved about the Workhouse as best he could, in spite of Samual’s guards. The soldiers were on extra rations and he helped Contessa serve the men and women. Some of them shook his hand. Others asked him what they might expect from the Harsh, but he had no answers.

Cati slipped past several lots of guards to get to the Skyward. Dr. Diamond was working at his desk. He had cleaned up some of the mess as best he could with his broken arm, but the Albions had done a lot of damage as well as scrawled their graffiti everywhere. When she came in, he stood up with a smile, but she thought he looked tired and worried.

“What are you working on?” Cati asked.

“It was supposed to be a helmet that the soldiers could wear to protect them from the Harsh breath, but the Albions destroyed the original plans and the model that I built.”

“Why is Samual attacking them?” Cati burst out. “They’re far too powerful. He’ll be wiped out.”

“Samual is difficult, but he isn’t stupid,” the doctor said. “Think about the Harsh attacks. They can use their lances and Harsh breath and the cold itself against us, but they have always had men and women to do their fighting for them.”

“Where do these people come from?” Cati asked.

“Time is full of strange people. There are wanderers, mercenaries—bands of fighters for hire. Samual is hoping that he can target the Harsh ships and damage them. He also hopes to deliver a victory to give heart to the Resisters.”

“He’s trying to take over, isn’t he?”

“Samual is doing what he thinks best. If we don’t agree, then we have to show him that he is wrong. After the damage the Albions did, a lot of people agree with him.”

“But blaming the Raggies—that’s not fair!”

“No, it isn’t, but people will always point at somebody different when things go wrong. It’s the way the world is. Now, I have something for you.” He held out a card.

“What’s that—a pass?” Cati asked.

Dr. Diamond smiled wearily. “Yes. Samual is doling them out to a selected few. Contessa is setting up a field hospital in the Convoke hall. If there is any power left in the Yeati’s ring, then that is where you will be needed. I persuaded him to give you one. It took a lot of persuading.”

Cati went back to her quarters. She sat on the bed and thought for a while. It was almost two o’clock in the morning, but she could not sleep. She took out the pass that the doctor had given her, almost of a mind to tear it up. The words on it read: The bearer and all who accompany her are entitled to access to the Convoke hall.

Wish it could get me into the kitchen, she thought, idly rubbing her thumb across the words.

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