Dark Space - Marianne de Pierres [95]
‘What does that have to do with the Mulraveys?’
‘Maybe nothing. Maybe something. Sometimes you have to trust your gut instinct about people and other times you gotta ignore it. I haven’t decided which camp they fall into.’
Mira opened her mouth but the words stuck in her throat. She had no evidence. No facts. Rast might have saved her life, but Rast was a mercenary. That made her as much an adversary as Innis. Mira fumbled with the bed cover to hide her indecision.
Rast watched her closely. ‘Why don’t you move up here with me? Be less crowded than the dorms.’
Mira dropped the cover in surprise. ‘W-why would you suggest—that?’
‘I like your voice. And your body.’ Rast got up off the chair and sat close to Mira on the bed.
Mira closed her eyes. How desperately she wanted some privacy. Some space. Here with Rast she would not have to share ablutions or listen to the moans of women who were scared even as they slept.
But then she would be indebted to Rast and that was something she could tolerate less than the overcrowding or the intimate touch of another woman. Araldisian women did not exchange physical love with each other.
Mira stood up, drawing a deep breath. ‘No.’
* * * *
TRIN
‘You came for me.’ Tears filled Scali’s eyes again.
‘Lower your voice, idios. I knew that if you were alive you would think of here.’ Trin ignored the twist of his conscience. He would never tell Scali he’d thought only of saving himself and that he’d left Nathaniel Montforte behind for the same reason. Never tell anyone. Familia prized sacrifice and courage. Joe would be for ever indebted to him and that could be useful enough.
Trin pushed his friend back inside the office, locking the door. ‘Malocchi is dead. I’ve just seen him at his table in the refectory.’
‘I always wanted to sit there,’ Scali said.
But Trin was distracted by the conversation on his shortcast.
‘They’re still in the building,’ Genarro was shouting.
‘Capitano. Capitano.’
‘He’s dead. Leave him and get out.’ Genarro again.
Trin grabbed Joe Scali’s arm. ‘We must leave.’
Scali moved towards the door but Trin stopped him. He stepped across the office to the shelves and wrenched them away from the wall. The hole was still there.
‘What’s this?’
Trin kicked away his makeshift patch and peered into the gap between wall and mountainside. Rock had fallen, blocking the path to the light. He thrust his gloved hands in, tearing at the pile until he had created a space. He climbed into it and repeated his actions, scooping rocks back into the office. When there was enough space for them both he called Scali. ‘Nobile. Follow me,’ he said. ‘I will pass the rock to you, and you drop it here like so.’
The bigger man hesitated. ‘I cannot fit.’
Trin stifled his impatience and edged back to the hole. ‘You have to.’
Joe shook his head. ‘I will go the other way, through the building. I will look for Rantha.’
Trin reached for his hand and squeezed it. ‘You saw the ginkos, Nobile?’
‘Yes, for a moment before I ran. Great thick-crusted creatures with claws and many mouths. But they were slow. I could run past them.’
Trin tugged his hand fiercely ‘You are scared and not thinking. Theses ginkos are called Saqr. Their many mouths are lobes and inside them are needles. They herded everyone into the refectory and pierced their skulls and their eyes. Then they sucked the life from them.’
‘Everyone?’
Trin nodded, panting. The narrow gap he had created squeezed his chest, making it hard to breathe.
‘But you said Rantha-’
‘I lied.’ Trin knew how harsh his words were but