The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (36 page)

'Are
you
well?'
he
said
with
a
voice
that
did
not
seem his
own.

Osidian
turned
his
head
to
look
at
him.
Carnelian
was transfixed
by
the
green-eyed
stare.
He
managed
to
find his
tongue.
'Have
you
eaten?'

'You
eat
their
filthy
food,
I
will
not.'

Carnelian
saw
the
two
cakes
he
had
left
there
that morning
were
still
untouched.
The
confusion
of
his emotions
fused
to
anger.
'If
you
will
not
eat,
my
Lord,
then you
shall
die.'

'So
be
it,'
Osidian
answered
in
an
eerie
voice.
His
eyes narrowed,
seeing
something
behind
Carnelian,
then
they closed.

Turning,
Carnelian
saw
it
was
Fern.

'My
mother
sent
me
to
fetch
you.'

Carnelian
turned
back
to
Osidian.
How
much
did
his behaviour
stem
from
jealousy?
Carnelian
felt
wretched. 'Please
come
with
us?'

Osidian
seemed
asleep.
Carnelian
tried
to
find
an argument
that
might
bring
him
back,
but
Fern's
presence was
making
that
impossible.

'What's
the
matter
with
your
brother?'
the
Plainsman asked.

Carnelian
turned
on
him.
'Nothing!'

Fern's
shock
at
his
tone
upset
Carnelian.
Knowing Osidian
was
listening
made
Carnelian
reluctant
to apologize.
He
felt
trapped
between
them.
Unable
to
speak, he
pushed
past
Fern
and
made
off
in
the
direction
of
the hearth.

Ignoring
the
stares,
Carnelian
marched
up
between
the
rootbenches
towards
the
fire.
There
was
a
gap
in
the
line of
men
and
boys
where
he
and
Fern
had
sat
the
night before.
Reaching
it,
he
sat
down
and
focused
his
gaze
on his
hands.
Grime
still
clung
to
the
fine
cracks
in
his
skin. He
felt
Fern
brushing
against
him
as
he
sat
down. Carnelian
busied
himself
prising
rinds
of
dried
blood from
under
his
nails.
The
smell
of
iron
evoked
Osrakum; spilling
into
his
mind
the
usual
horror
and
yearning.

'Fern.
Carnie.'
His
name
was
charming
in
Akaisha's accent.
Carnelian
raised
his
eyes
and
looked
past
Fern
to the
head
of
the
hearth
where
she
was
smiling
at
them.

'We
were
told
you
worked
hard
today.'

Carnelian
gave
her
a
smile.
Whin
at
her
side
was stony-faced.

'It's
only
the
first
day
of
many,'
said
Fern,
gruffly.

Carnelian
glanced
round
at
him.
A
blush
of
ochre lingered
on
Fern's
face.
Their
eyes
locked.
Carnelian
was the
first
to
disengage.
He
knew
he
could
not
explain
his anger
to
him.
A
bad
end
to
an
otherwise
promising
day.

Across
from
him,
Sil
was
regarding
them
both
with
a fixed
concentration.
Carnelian
feared
she
was
seeing
how he
felt
towards
her
man.
She
looked
weary.
Traceries
of red
earth
incised
her
arms
and
hands.

He
tried
a
smile.
'You
seem
to
have
been
working hard
yourself.'

Sil
stared
for
a
moment,
but
her
face
softened
to
a lovely
smile
that
made
Carnelian
warm
to
her.
She
gave a
nod,
then
looked
shyly
down
at
her
hands
and
then
up at
him.
'No
doubt
you'll
find
out
yourself
in
time
...
Carnie.'
She
flashed
a
bright
row
of
teeth.
The
repair
of the
ditches
is
a
task
the
men
share
with
us.'

Sil's
friendliness
smoothed
some
of
the
tension
out
of Carnelian's
shoulders.
He
sank
back
into
the
domestic comfort
of
the
hearth
chatter
as
food
was
passed
down
the line.
He
saw
again
the
thin
Twostone
girl
and
smiled
at her.

When
the
girl
had
passed
on,
Carnelian
leaned
across to
Sil.
'What's
her
name?'

Sil
shrugged.
'She's
not
said
a
word
since
we
found
her living
wild
in
her
koppie.'

Fern
interrupted
them
by
putting
the
first
bowl
in Carnelian's
hands.
Turning,
Carnelian
offered
it
to
Ravan. The
youth
scowled
at
him.

The
Master's
not
eating?'

This
was
the
last
thing
Carnelian
wished
to
discuss. 'He's
still
recovering
from
his
fever.'

'How's
he
going
to
get
better
if
he
doesn't
eat?'

Carnelian
offered
the
bowl
again.
'Go
on,
take
it.'

Ravan
continued
to
scowl
at
him.
Fern
leaned
out
to look
at
his
brother.
Take
the
cursed
thing.
What's
wrong with
you?'

The
youth
turned
his
scowl
on
Fern.

'Ravan,
do
as
your
brother
says,'
Akaisha
said,
loudly. In
response,
her
son
snatched
the
bowl
so
violently
it spilled
half
its
contents
over
Carnelian.
He
jumped
up, scalded.
Fern
leapt
up.