In the time since Amber's son had been taken from her, the unlikely friendship between the two women had grown. Lina was a tall, stern Halrana, with an unforgiving manner and the lines of a hard life written across her face. In contrast, Amber was young and had often been told she was pretty, with dimples when she smiled and gentle eyes. Yet here in the prison camp, both women were determined, more than any of the rest, and both shared the loss of a child. Lina had seen her babe trampled to death at the battle at the Bridge of Sutanesta, but still the woman hadn't given up. Amber knew she, too, would never just fall down and die, like so many others in this terrible place.
Lina had taken care of Amber after the baby's delivery, and they began to take walks around the camp together, ostensibly to help Amber regain her strength, but in reality so the two could talk together and deliver instructions to the other prisoners. With the lean diet and regular exercise, Amber's clothes began to fit her again, and her belt was now as tight as it had been many months before.
The guards again took an interest in her, something Amber took full advantage of, but they knew Moragon had laid claim to her, and she could flirt with them and earn small indulgences without having to compromise her safety.
Then Lina had shown up with the essence and the scrill. Lina knew Amber was an enchantress and that they needed a way to signal their liberators. She didn't tell Amber how she'd managed to get the essence, and Amber never found out more.
Amber sent a message to Rogan Jarvish to say that she would signal the way with a green light. She'd then set about enchanting some flashbombs and a few other tricks. But she knew the light would have to be bright, and with one night remaining, Amber still hadn't finished.
With a sigh, Amber set to work. She knew it was dangerous beyond belief to use essence without gloves — a single spilled drop and she was dead — but there was nothing for it. Amber sat the glass bowl, as large as her head, on her knees, and dipped the scrill into the mouth of the vial of essence, holding it there for the barest instant before withdrawing it and setting to work on the glass.
Smoke rose from the glass, and Amber turned her head to prevent it going into her nostrils. Her hand moved with slow, careful movements, as she struggled to remember her classes at the Academy of Enchanters. She was only trying to enchant a nightlamp, she reminded herself. Well, perhaps a very powerful nightlamp, but a nightlamp nonetheless.
It would serve a double purpose. As bright as she knew how to make, it would shock the guards, and hopefully some would be blinded. It would also be a rally call to the Alturans and Halrana both inside the camp and out. The many thousands of prisoners would be certain to know what was happening, and hopefully they would fight.
Amber knew she was taking a terrible risk. If a guard came to her tent — and they often did — she would need to move quickly indeed to hide what she was doing. With no gloves, fast movements were more than just risky. Amber could only pray to the Lord of the Sky and continue what she was doing.
Suddenly she heard movement outside. Amber's eyes grew wide with fear as she panicked. Fingers were fumbling at the knots at the tent — she'd tied them intentionally tight, but they would only hold a man for so long — and Amber heard breathing.
Everyone in the prison camp knew better than to disturb her unsought. She had made it very clear that any disturbance would compromise their whole plan.
Which meant it could only be a guard.
Amber's hands shook as she tried to put the scrill into the small bottle's opening. A single drop flew out, and her eyes watched it as with terrifying slowness the droplet fell through the air, landing on the sandal on Amber's left foot. She held back a scream and kicked the sandal off with her other foot, waiting for the pain to hit her. When the tent opened and a head poked in, Amber still had the vial on the floor in front of her, the glass bowl on her lap, and tears of terror trickling from the corners of her eyes.
The pain didn't come, and the head was Lina's.
"I'm sorry," Lina said. "I know…"
"Scratch you," Amber whispered. "I almost died, just now. Do you realise that? You almost killed me."
Lina came in and closed the tent flap behind her. "Is it that bad?"
"That bad?" Amber whimpered. "It's essence, Lina. You might not realise, but I know. I'm an enchantress. I've seen what this does to people. Lord of the Sky, you nearly killed me!"
"I said I'm sorry," Lina said, "and I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important. Rayna is about to break."
Amber gathered herself, checking that the vial, scrill, and half-constructed nightlamp were safe, before Lina's words registered.
"About to break? What do you mean?"
"Rayna's scared about tomorrow night. The woman is crazed. She's going to tell the guards. I mean it. Samora has her, and for the moment she's keeping her calm, but in moments the woman will be screaming our plans to the world."
"Can't you take care of it?"
"No, Amber, I can't. Rayna's a friend of Samora. I need you."
"All right. Help me put this back under the pallet. Then let's go and see them."
~