The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (48 page)

It
was
Osidian
rising
that
flushed
Carnelian
from
his warm
hiding
place.
As
he
drew
himself
out
from
under the
blanket,
he
took
care
not
to
disturb
Poppy.
There
lay another
goodbye
he
was
not
looking
forward
to.
He
pulled on
his
robe
and
made
for
the
hearth.
As
he
approached
its mutter,
he
found
the
smell
of
smoke
and
breakfast
comforting.
He
took
his
place
on
the
rootbench.
Around
him, people
were
scratching,
yawning.
Mothers
were
kissing the
children
that
appeared
tousle-headed,
rubbing
the sleep
from
their
eyes,
grinning
at
gentle
teasings. Carnelian
looked
round
at
Osidian,
whose
gaze
was already
fixed
on
the
fire.
Fern
appeared.
As
he
came
to sit
down
beside
him,
Carnelian
watched
the
light
run

along
his
brass
collar.
Carnelian
had
never
noticed
how tightly
it
clutched
his
throat.
Fern
was
aware
of
where
he was
looking.

'Forgive
me
for
not
working
with
you
today,'
Carnelian managed
to
say.

Fern
leaned
close.
'Just
make
sure
you
take
care today.'

'What're
you
two
whispering
about?'

They
pulled
away
from
each
other,
guiltily,
and
looked across
at
Sil.
The
smile
on
her
face
faltered.
Disturbed, she
looked
from
one
to
the
other.

'I'll
tell
you
...
later,'
said
Fern.

Sil
put
on
a
smile
for
him.

Carnelian
became
aware
Osidian
was
watching
him. The
look
in
his
eyes
intensified
Carnelian's
feeling
of guilt.
He
was
glad
Akaisha
chose
that
moment
to
begin passing
out
the
gruel.

'Carnie,
you
and
your
brother
make
sure
you
eat
well.' Her
face
was
smiling
but
her
eyes
were
filled
with concern.
Even
Whin
seemed
troubled
as
she
looked
at him.
This
only
served
to
make
his
stomach
churn
with anxiety.
He
was
not
sure
he
was
going
to
be
able
to
keep anything
down.
He
stirred
the
gruel
in
the
bowl
that
was passed
into
his
hand.
Something
cast
a
shadow
over
his feet.
Glancing
up
he
saw
it
was
Poppy.
She
sidled
up
and was
soon
sitting
on
his
knee
cradling
her
own
bowl.
He watched
each
spoonful
she
put
into
her
mouth
as
if
it was
the
last
time
he
would
ever
see
her
eat.
He
had
to resist
the
desire
to
hug
her
hard.
He
put
off
speaking to
her
until
she
was
finished.
At
last,
he
nudged
her
with his
chin
and
she
turned
to
look
up
at
him.

'I'm
going
away
today.'

Her
eyes
widened
with
alarm.
'I'm
going
too.'

He
shook
his
head.
'You
can't.
I'm
going
to
fetch
water.'

'I
can't
see
why
I
can't
go
with
you.'

Someone
stood
over
them
making
them
both
look
up.
It was
Akaisha.
'You
know
well
enough,
girl,
that
fetching water
is
men's
work.'

Poppy's
lower
lip
began
trembling.

Akaisha
cracked
a
smile.
'Today,
you
can
come
with me
instead.'

Poppy
looked
at
Carnelian
and
he
could
see
she
was
on the
verge
of
tears.

'You
want
me
to
be
proud
of
you,
don't
you?'

Poppy
gave
a
slow
nod.

'Well
then,
Poppy,
thank
Mother
Akaisha.'

When
the
little
girl
did,
Carnelian
planted
a
kiss
on
the crown
of
her
head
and
then
rested
his
chin
on
her
hair.
He looked
into
Akaisha's
eyes
and
smiled
his
gratitude.

'About
last
night.
I'm
sorry
-'

Akaisha
stopped
his
lips
with
her
fingertips.
Carnelian could
see
the
warmth
in
her
eyes.
She
crouched
to
look Poppy
in
the
face.

'Do
you
want
to
come
with
me
now
and
sit
at
the
head of
the
hearth?'

Poppy
lit
up
and
wiggled
her
way
off
Carnelian
's
knee onto
the
ground.
Akaisha
offered
a
hand
and
Poppy
took it.
Carnelian
glanced
up
at
Akaisha
to
thank
her
and found
she
was
looking
down
the
length
of
the
hollow. Ravan
was
there
standing
in
the
gloom.
At
first
Carnelian thought
the
youth
was
looking
at
him
but
he
quickly realized
his
attention
was
fixed
on
Osidian.

'Come
and
have
your
breakfast,
my
son,'
Akaisha called
to
him.

Ravan
shook
his
head.
'I've
come
to
get
the
Standing Dead.'
He
stared
even
more
intensely
at
Osidian.
'If they're
still
coming,
that
is
...'

'But
you
should
eat
before
you
go.'

'Are
you
coming,
Master?'
Ravan
said
in
Vulgate
as
if his
mother
had
not
spoken.