They dug some beets and carrots, complaining loudly about having to work in the dark as punishment for fighting earlier with Ke and River. Then Talen announced that he would leave the vegetables just inside the garden gate and finish in the morning. Anyone listening in the woods would have heard and known a meal was waiting in the garden.

Then he and Nettle coated their hands, the noose, and trigger pegs with the mud.

Nettle disappeared into the barn. A few moments later, he opened the loft doors. Talen threw him the end of his rope and waited until Nettle had fed it through the outside pulley to the one that hung above the stones.

When Talen heard Nettle’s soft whistle, he knew Nettle had fastened the end to the sack of stones, and he began to pull. Both he and Nettle had to work to lift the stones aloft. When they’d finally lifted them to the pulley crane inside the barn, Talen began his work. He set the noose and trigger line and pegs.

Talen had caught deer with counterweight snares before. It was possible that the noose would grab a leg, but it also might tighten up around the neck. If all worked well, they’d have a hatchling before dawn. Of course, a real deer might trip it as well. But Talen didn’t think so. The dogs were usually very good at chasing most things off.

And that reminded him: the dogs would have to come in. This trap could very easily choke and kill one of them. He went to where Blue lay then picked him up and carried him back to the house.

A double-spout lamp burned on the table. Da held the wastebasket to the edge of the table and brushed wood shavings into it. He’d been working on a rose carved in cherrywood. A soft light from one lamp spilled from River’s room. Ke sat at the edge of the light rubbing sheep’s tallow into his boots.

Queen went to Da silently, wagging her tail and asking for attention.

Da looked up. “I don’t want the dogs in here.”

“I’ll keep them in the loft with me,” said Talen. “Blue won’t rest if we keep them outside.”

“Huh,” Da grunted. He motioned at a harness of parade bells. “Ke’s going to take first watch. He’s going to string a line around the property. That line will be rigged to these bells. Anyone trips that line and we’ll hear it.”

“And where’s Ke going to be?”

“Outside the door in the shadows of the house,” said Ke.

“What were you doing out there?” asked Da.

“Nothing,” said Talen.

“You were doing something.”

Talen glanced at Nettle and back at Da. Talen knew he’d make them take down the snare. “We were just talking.”

“Huh,” Da grunted again. But he turned back to his carving.

Talen took Blue, and all four of them went upstairs.

Nettle suggested they string their bows. They wouldn’t have much time to get downstairs and out into the yard. It wasn’t good to leave a bow strung, but in this case Talen thought it was best. They leaned the bows and the quivers against the wall and lay down in their narrow beds. The dogs came over and licked Talen’s face until he told them to settle down.

The light coming up the stairs diminished. Someone scraped open River’s tin candlesave and closed it. She loved the smell of beeswax and herbs, even if it did cost more than oil or tallow. But the mice loved beeswax so the candles had to be put beyond their nibbling. Soon the light from downstairs disappeared altogether.

Talen heard Da go outside and draw up water from the well then come back in and retire to his room. The house quieted and Talen heard an owl hoot outside.

He lay on his bed unable to sleep. He waited for what seemed a long time, staring at the ceiling.

A jingle sounded from below.

“Nettle,” Talen said.

“I heard it,” said Nettle.

Another small jingle, then one big one.

Talen and Nettle fairly flew down the stairs in the dark. Nettle slipped on the narrow steps at the bottom and crashed into Talen. They would have both sprawled out onto the floor, but Talen held onto the railing and swung into the wall instead.

“Ho!” said Talen. “The alarm!”

There was laughter in the darkness. One small candle ignited at the table. There was Da, holding a glowing piece of tinder, shaking so hard he almost knocked the candle over. River sat next to him holding her sides.

Da grabbed the alarm, gave it a good shake, and laughed even harder.

“Just testing your speed, son. Just testing your speed.”

Ke stood in the doorway of his room, grinning like an idiot.

Da! He was worse than River. “What are you looking at?” said Talen.

That only set all three of them to laughing again.

Nettle wore a half grin on his face.

“Come on,” Talen said to him and marched back upstairs.

When he’d lain down again, there was another jingle.

“Hoy,” he heard Da say from below. “Sleep well, son.”

Da would find crickets in his boots this week. And next week, he’d sink to the ground while sleeping with loose bed ropes. And then it would be Talen’s turn to laugh.

He heard three more jingles and laughter, then Da called up a good night.

Talen knew what Da was doing-he was trying to relax them, just as he did his bowmen when they went into battle. All of which meant that Da was taking this very seriously indeed. Maybe Da was concerned about Sleth after all. Maybe all of his arguing against the Fir-Noy was just a way to help them keep cool heads. This comforted Talen, and he suddenly found he could close his eyes for sleep.

14

Shouts jolted Talen out of bed.

“Hold,” Ke said from below. “Identify yourself.” There was no joking in his voice now.

Talen grabbed his bow in the darkness. This time when he and Nettle reached the bottom of the stairs, the door stood open and Ke had his own bow drawn, pointing it out at something in the moonlit yard.

“Zu,” the soldier said. “We are part of the barbican watch. I bring Captain Argoth’s summons.”

The moon had risen and Talen could see one man wearing a helm and a chain mail shirt standing outside. Men and horses stood behind him.

Talen’s first thought was of the armsmen they’d beaten earlier. But there were no Fir-Noy markings on the soldiers he could see. Only Shoka. This soldier’s wrist also bore the tattoo weave of Shoka bull horns. But, then, it had been Shoka that had beaten him at the village. Talen nocked an arrow and looked to the shuttered window at the back of the main room.

“What’s this about?” asked Da.

“You know the Sleth woman?” the soldier asked.

“You’re referring to Purity, the smith’s wife?”

The soldier said nothing.

“Yes, I know Purity.”

“You are summoned to be in Whitecliff within the hour.”

“For what cause?” asked Da.

“Captain Argoth wants help interrogating her. I can only suppose he thinks a Koramite might win her trust.”

Ke pitched his voice low. “It’s a trap,” he said.

“Only a fool rides at night,” said Da.

“We’ve got a moon,” the soldier said. “And we will escort you back.”

“That’s not enough assurance.”

“No,” said the soldier. “But this should be.” He withdrew a linen handkerchief from his waist pouch and held it out for Da to take.

Da took it. It had embroidery upon one of its corners-three trees and red circle underneath. It was Uncle Argoth’s sign.

Da took in and held it to his nose. “Spearmint,” he said.

Uncle Argoth loved spearmint, planted it around his house, carried it with him. Talen lowered his bow.

Da sighed. “Let me saddle my mule.”

“We have a mount.”

“Moon or no, I’ll trust my own, thank you.”

Da turned to Nettle. “Your father, it seems, can’t wait until morning.” Then he turned back to his room to dress. “Ke, get Iron Boy saddled up.”