Helen said, ‘His breathing is better, I think.’
Roo glanced over and couldn’t see any difference. ‘I think you’re right,’ he lied.
Roo chewed on the bread, finding it was drying out as the days wore on. Still, it was food, as was the hard cheese, and he welcomed the taste.
‘We have a skin of wine,’ said Karli, and she handed it across to Roo.
He thanked her and took a mouthful. The wine tasted particularly piquant in combination with the yellow cheese, but Roo was glad for it.
Helen said, ‘What do we do?’
‘There are three horses. If we can get Luis on one, and two of the children on each of the others, we can lead them out tomorrow.’
Helen looked at Luis and her expression was dubious, but she said nothing. Karli tried a brave smile and failed.
Roo chewed and swallowed, and let his body rest as best it could against the rocks. After finishing his food, he stumbled out of the cave and down the hill, and returned with the four blanket rolls used by the deserters. He didn’t care how filthy they were, these woods could get chilly at night and they couldn’t risk a fire.
After the blankets had been spread and everyone bedded down for the night, he sat staring into the night. Time passed and for all his fatigue he couldn’t risk sleeping.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Helen Jacoby appeared at his side, sitting down next to him. Softly, so as not to wake the others, she said, ‘I think he’s going to be all right.’
Roo whispered, ‘You’ve not seen a wounded man after he’s been strapped to a horse for a day or two. We may kill him if we move him.’
‘Can’t we stay another day?’
Roo said, ‘No. And Luis would be the first to tell me to try to get you to safety. Each day brings more soldiers, from both sides, as well as more deserters into this area.’
Helen slipped her arm through his, putting her head on his shoulder as if it were the most natural act. She hugged his arm, and he was acutely aware of her full breast pressed against him and the scent of her hair. At last she said, ‘Thank you, Roo.’
Roo said, ‘For what?’
‘For being a kind and caring man. You’ve done everything for my babies a father would. You’ve protected us when other men would have left us in ruin and without resources.’
They were quiet a long time, and then Roo felt warmth on his shoulder as her tears soaked into the fabric of his shirt. He patted her hand and could think of nothing to say.
After a silent time, she reached up and turned his head toward hers. She kissed him lightly on the lips, then softly she said, ‘You’re a good man, Roo. The children love you.’ After a pause, she said, ‘And I love you.’
Roo was silent; then he said, ‘You’re the best woman I know, Helen. I admire you.’ He dropped his head, as if unable to look into her eyes, though how much she could see in this darkness was problematic. ‘And I’d be a liar if I said I haven’t thought about you, as a man thinks of women, but to tell you the truth, I find that I can’t bring myself to believe in love.’
She said nothing for a long time, then rose silently and returned to the children. Roo sat alone through the rest of the night.
TWENTY - Decisions
Miranda paced.
Macros said, ‘Will you stop that, please?’ She sat. For days they had been studying the site of the rift between Midkemia and Shila, and they had discovered that it had unusual properties.
Macros had spent a great deal of time investigating the structure of the magic involved and had arrived at the conclusion that the rift had been sealed from this side. He had voiced his suspicions to Miranda, who had said she had no idea what he was talking about.
Miranda said, ‘How long are you going to stare at that thing?’
‘Until I know what it is I’m dealing with.’ She sighed. ‘What else do you need to know?’
‘WeD, there is a great deal I would like to know. I would like to know how the Pantathians have succeeded in creating a rift that Pug couldn’t detect. I’d like to know how they managed to create one that’s different in several significant properties from any I’ve ever seen. This is very much like those rifts created by the accidental combination of too much magic, yet it also behaves in some very stable ways, much like the artificial rifts the Tsurani created. But what has me most concerned is that it has qualities of magic I’ve never thought of, let alone encountered. This one is almost “organic,” if I had to find a word to use, something almost alive.’
‘Alive?’
‘Most rifts are like tunnels or doorways. This one is like a . . . wound.’
‘You’re not serious?’
‘Observe,’ he said, and he waved his hand. Mystic energies came into being, a shimmering gate of blue-white light, woven closed with strands of what appeared to be blue-green energy, a threading of lines so tight nothing could squeeze through.
‘The whiter light is the energy pulse of the rift. Notice how it seems to move slightly, like a thing breathing.’