Either there is a conspiracy
involving the murder of Day Boys and, by extension, us. Or there is not.’
‘Which is what we need to know. The answer lies in the city.’
‘But what other boy has been so threatened? Just yours, one near enough to his last
days to know better.’ Egan smiles. ‘And you talk so fondly of those who cast us out.
As though they hold answers. Do you really trust our tormentors so? Did they not
ruin you, as they ruined us?’
Dain’s lips grow ever so thin. ‘They were wise to send me here.’
And there we have the enmity between them. Egan never missing the chance to blame
Dain, to remind him that they could still be in the city. Dain reminding him it wasn’t
as simple as that.
‘Always so reasonable. Always so respectful. Do not even begin to think that we share
your fondness for those in the city, for that Council of Teeth. Do not make that
mistake.’
‘I would never think such a thing of you.’
Egan frowns. ‘Michael, you overstep. The miles are long between here and the city,
and the Sun…well, you know about the Sun.’
Dain almost rises from his chair. The hall is a-creak with pressures manifest. A
window rattles in its pane, then stops. The air cools till it’s stinging. ‘You’d
threaten me? Stephen?’
There’s a gasp. Old names. Old names and so publicly spoken.
Egan ignores it, in fact he lifts a hand, all dismissive, but he keeps talking like
Dain isn’t even there. ‘No, no! Nothing of the sort.’ His gaze takes them all in.
‘And what do you think, my fellows? Yes or no to whimpering and begging for our overlords’
indulgence? Do we crawl on our bellies at the slightest trouble, like snakes to our
makers?’
‘Nay.’ There is no need for a second vote.
Dain lowers his head.
‘This is for us to manage,’ Egan says. ‘As the townfolk cull the deer, so we shall
cull those Hunters who dare approach this town. We will extend our territories a
little. The fate of our servants is ours to deal with, let these Hunters seek out
others, not little boys who should know better. Now, there are other matters to attend
to. The ridge is to be made off limits to all those of mortal blood. As is the river
east of the last turn, as it always was. Do I need to remind you that our word is
law, boys? Well, do I?’
‘No, Master,’ we chorus.
He looks at me, belts away my breath again, and all I am is a bird, caught in fingers
that could crush it. ‘There’s some I believe less than others. But we shall see.’
The meeting lasts another full hour before we’re out, and deep in that summer night,
low clouds passing over. And the boys and their Masters heading to their homes. Just
me and Dain walking together in the dark.
‘Overindulgent,’ Dain grumbles. ‘Overindulgent, says he, standing shoulder to shoulder
with the Master of Thuggery. I’ve long known he’s no patience with Sobel, and yet
he hurls that at me. Bad blood’s rising between us again, so be it. And the rest…Fools,
every single one of them. May the sea take them all. There’s new webs in the making,
so you best look out for spiders.’ He clenches his fists, looks east to Mount Pleasance,
and growls. ‘This isn’t an ending boy, this is a beginning. To bed with you. There’s
work in the morning.’
I take a step towards the house, and his hands fall upon my shoulders, and he turns
me to him, crouching low, like he did when I was younger, scarcely out of napkins.
When Dav was around, teaching me the tricks, keeping me on my toes.
‘You be careful now,’ Dain says. ‘Eyes are watching, waiting for you to fail. You’ve
enemies. We’ve enemies here in this town.’
‘We ever had friends?’
Dain laughs. ‘No. But I feel I’ve grown complacent. Careful, you must tread as careful
as a fly on the web.’
‘I will,’ I say.
Dain laughs again, and it is like the cold wind running before a summer storm, a
blessed relief and a threat too. ‘Oh, if I could believe it!’
The last of
involving the murder of Day Boys and, by extension, us. Or there is not.’
‘Which is what we need to know. The answer lies in the city.’
‘But what other boy has been so threatened? Just yours, one near enough to his last
days to know better.’ Egan smiles. ‘And you talk so fondly of those who cast us out.
As though they hold answers. Do you really trust our tormentors so? Did they not
ruin you, as they ruined us?’
Dain’s lips grow ever so thin. ‘They were wise to send me here.’
And there we have the enmity between them. Egan never missing the chance to blame
Dain, to remind him that they could still be in the city. Dain reminding him it wasn’t
as simple as that.
‘Always so reasonable. Always so respectful. Do not even begin to think that we share
your fondness for those in the city, for that Council of Teeth. Do not make that
mistake.’
‘I would never think such a thing of you.’
Egan frowns. ‘Michael, you overstep. The miles are long between here and the city,
and the Sun…well, you know about the Sun.’
Dain almost rises from his chair. The hall is a-creak with pressures manifest. A
window rattles in its pane, then stops. The air cools till it’s stinging. ‘You’d
threaten me? Stephen?’
There’s a gasp. Old names. Old names and so publicly spoken.
Egan ignores it, in fact he lifts a hand, all dismissive, but he keeps talking like
Dain isn’t even there. ‘No, no! Nothing of the sort.’ His gaze takes them all in.
‘And what do you think, my fellows? Yes or no to whimpering and begging for our overlords’
indulgence? Do we crawl on our bellies at the slightest trouble, like snakes to our
makers?’
‘Nay.’ There is no need for a second vote.
Dain lowers his head.
‘This is for us to manage,’ Egan says. ‘As the townfolk cull the deer, so we shall
cull those Hunters who dare approach this town. We will extend our territories a
little. The fate of our servants is ours to deal with, let these Hunters seek out
others, not little boys who should know better. Now, there are other matters to attend
to. The ridge is to be made off limits to all those of mortal blood. As is the river
east of the last turn, as it always was. Do I need to remind you that our word is
law, boys? Well, do I?’
‘No, Master,’ we chorus.
He looks at me, belts away my breath again, and all I am is a bird, caught in fingers
that could crush it. ‘There’s some I believe less than others. But we shall see.’
The meeting lasts another full hour before we’re out, and deep in that summer night,
low clouds passing over. And the boys and their Masters heading to their homes. Just
me and Dain walking together in the dark.
‘Overindulgent,’ Dain grumbles. ‘Overindulgent, says he, standing shoulder to shoulder
with the Master of Thuggery. I’ve long known he’s no patience with Sobel, and yet
he hurls that at me. Bad blood’s rising between us again, so be it. And the rest…Fools,
every single one of them. May the sea take them all. There’s new webs in the making,
so you best look out for spiders.’ He clenches his fists, looks east to Mount Pleasance,
and growls. ‘This isn’t an ending boy, this is a beginning. To bed with you. There’s
work in the morning.’
I take a step towards the house, and his hands fall upon my shoulders, and he turns
me to him, crouching low, like he did when I was younger, scarcely out of napkins.
When Dav was around, teaching me the tricks, keeping me on my toes.
‘You be careful now,’ Dain says. ‘Eyes are watching, waiting for you to fail. You’ve
enemies. We’ve enemies here in this town.’
‘We ever had friends?’
Dain laughs. ‘No. But I feel I’ve grown complacent. Careful, you must tread as careful
as a fly on the web.’
‘I will,’ I say.
Dain laughs again, and it is like the cold wind running before a summer storm, a
blessed relief and a threat too. ‘Oh, if I could believe it!’
The last of
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