Part 67 (1/2)

The Creek Widow narrowed her eyes.

”The monster,” said Talen. ”Before it put me back.”

”Talen,” Uncle Argoth said, ”how did you do it? What magic was that?”

Talen shrugged. ”River had said you could kill a man by giving him too much Fire. I gave the monster everything.”

”Incredible,” Uncle Argoth said.

The Creek Widow shook her head. ”My boy”-she took his hand-”My bright, s.h.i.+ning boy. You have s.n.a.t.c.hed victory from the jaws of death.”

”But I didn't,” he said. ”The monster put me back.”

”What are you talking about?”

”The monster,” said Talen. ”It put me back into my body.”

”But the monster lies in pieces,” said Argoth.

”It was there, on the other side. I don't know how else to explain it.”

”This place,” said the Creek Widow surveying the chamber. ”It will take a great many days to understand what went on here.”

”Is the woman gone?” asked Talen.

”Can you feel her inside you?” asked Uncle Argoth.

Talen turned inward. He could not feel her. ”I heard her scream,” he said.

”Yes,” said Uncle Argoth. ”We heard it also.”

”There were doors between us,” said Talen. He felt inward and could find no trace of that link between him and the woman. ”They are gone.”

”Let us hope. But even if she is gone,” said Uncle Argoth, ”I do not think her sisters will sit long. To them we are mad bulls broken from the pens and goring the good villagers.”

”Talen,” said River. ”Do you think you can stand? We need to make our way out while this odd light lasts.”

”I can stand,” he said and rolled over and pushed himself to his hands and knees. Every joint of him protested in pain. His head swam. But he forced himself up. ”I can stand.”

A mult.i.tude of what looked to be pale sea kelp littered the chamber floor. ”What is that?” he asked.

”The woman's creatures,” said River.

”Or were they her children?” asked the Creek Widow.

”We should take some to examine,” said Uncle Argoth.

”I've tried to pick them up,” said River. ”I cannot seem to handle them.”

Uncle Argoth bent and tried to pick one up, but it only slid aside. He tried again and failed.

The Creek Widow shook her head. ”There are simply too many questions. And we don't have time for them. We need to see to Purity.”

When Sugar recovered from the explosion, she ran to Mother who was still chained to the wall and knelt next to her. Mother was covered in dust, slumped. The living collar still coiled about her neck.

”Mother,” Sugar said and grabbed her hand. ”Mother.”

She did not respond.

”Please,” Sugar said and felt for a pulse on Mother's wrist. There was nothing. She moved her fingers. Moved them again, and then felt something. She pressed harder. It was a pulse. It was weak, but it was there.

Legs too was covered in dust. They all were. Legs also had a cut on his head, and the blood had mixed with the dust on his face and in his hair. ”Sugar,” he called.

”Here,” she replied, and then Mother stirred.

Sugar turned round. ”Mother,” she said.

Legs felt his way over and grasped Mother's other hand.

And then Mother wearily opened her eyes. She took a shallow exhausted breath, and then looked up at Legs and then Sugar.

”My dears,” she said. ”Bless the Six.”

”They're gone,” Sugar said. ”We can get you out of here.”

Mother licked her dry and peeling lips then reached out to touch Sugar's and then Legs's face. She smiled wanly. ”You s.h.i.+ning children. You are the moon and the sun.”

”Oh, Mother,” Legs said and pressed into her in a tight embraced. Sugar pressed in as well, gave her mother a kiss on the cheek then enfolded Legs and Mother in her arms.

”They killed Da,” Sugar said.

”I know, Sweet,” Mother said.

The warmth of Mother's body, the stroke of her hand, the touch of her cheek on Sugar's skin-suddenly the stone within her melted and was replaced with a wave of emotion that rose from within, bringing to the surface the grief that had deserted her since the mob attacked. She sobbed tears into the dust on her mother's neck.

”You're wonders,” Mother said and stroked her hair. ”You both are wonders. Thank the Six.”

Then Mother winced and cried out in pain.

Sugar pulled back. ”Matiga!” she called.

”We're here,” Argoth said behind her.

The Creek Widow looked down at Mother and rolled up her dusty sleeves. ”You don't look good, my girl. But we can fix that.”

”Look at that collar,” Argoth said. ”It's moving. Can you still feel the woman?”

Mother reached up and felt the collar about her neck. It moved slightly at her touch. ”The link with her is broken,” she said.