The Frost Child (11 page)

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Any minute now they would sail again. Frantically he reexamined the map. There was no lighthouse with an eye, but then it dawned on him. There was the symbol of a house, with a light in the window. It must represent the lighthouse. Owen was beginning to get an idea of how his grandfather's mind worked, and how he had drawn the maps. The symbols were on the Mortmain to begin with, and his grandfather had copied them and incorporated them into maps. The symbol for a place such as Hadima was easily found--there was no reason to disguise it. But the pirate headquarters of Port Merforian was a secret place, and so his grandfather had added an extra precaution and disguised the lighthouse as an ordinary house.

Owen spun the Mortmain until the Workhouse and the lighthouse were lined up, then grabbed the tiller. The
Wayfarer
responded, surging forward. Soon only the masts of the Harsh ships were visible on the horizon, masts crowded with sail as they too set a course for the Workhouse, a Harsh song of war and ruin rising from the fleet for those with ears to hear.

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Chapter 11

Rose could not believe that the Workhouse was the same place that she had seen on her first night. Owen had bought time for the Resisters to finish building, and now it was a proud fortress, dominating the whole area around the river. Soldiers stood on the battlements and the Resisters' unadorned black flag flew bravely. Walls and trenches had been erected at the river, and these were constantly patrolled.

Inside, the transformation was complete as well. The corridors were crowded with men and women, and the huge kitchens were in full swing. Cati was often called away to meetings. Rosie found herself spending time with Rutgar's soldiers, who were a homely lot.

If she slipped into the kitchen and hung around until Contessa saw her, she would get an extra ration of bread and honey, or perhaps some soup.

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"You've had a hard time," Contessa would say, "and you need building up."

Rosie was amazed by the amount of magno in the Workhouse--it was used for everything from lights to weapons. In Hadima magno was very scarce and precious, and often only found in its raw and dangerous state.

On the second morning she came out of the kitchen carrying soup and water and a hunk of bread. She backed into the corridor, balancing her food in one hand while trying to close the door with the other. She jumped two feet into the air when her heel sank into something soft and there was a yell. The soup spilled all down her front and she swore out loud. She turned to see a barefoot boy sitting on the floor rubbing his foot.

"What did you do that for?" she said angrily.

"What do you mean, what did I do?" the boy snapped back. "It was you stood on my foot with your stupid shoes."

"You shouldn't be walking around in your bare feet, anyway," she said. "It's not ... hygienic. And I just got my dress cleaned and mended as well, and now it's all soup."

They glared at each other.

"Where do come from with your funny clothes and all?" the boy demanded.

"Hadima," Rosie said, "a big city. I'd say a country boy with no shoes has never seen a city."

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Just then Contessa came out of the kitchen and saw them.

"Oh, good," she said, "I'm glad you two have met. Wesley, this is Rosie. You'll have plenty to talk about, both being friends of Owen and Cati's. Which reminds me," she said, looking worried, "has Owen come back yet?"

"I haven't heard," Wesley said. "I'll go to the battlements and look."

"I'll come with you," Rosie said, faintly ashamed of squabbling when Owen was in danger.

"Come on, then," Wesley said. His tone was less sharp and she wondered if he was feeling the same way.

Together they climbed to the battlements, Rosie pulling her coat tight around her. Wesley seemed immune to the cold.

"Do you live in the Workhouse?" Rosie asked, trying to be polite.

"No," Wesley replied shortly, then added, "us Raggies live in the warehouse down by the sea. But Dr. Diamond, he reckons there's a big attack coming and we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves, so we had to come to the Workhouse."

Wesley gave a longing look toward the sea, and Rosie's heart softened toward him. She was starting to miss her home in Hadima.

"Wonder what the doc's up to," Wesley said, looking up at the Skyward. Dr. Diamond had disappeared into his lab at the top of the brass tower a day ago and had not

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come out since. Rosie followed Wesley's gaze. The windows of the Skyward were steamed up, so you couldn't see in.

"I'd love to see him again," Rosie said.

"No disturbing the doc when he's working," Wesley said. "Look!"

Far below them, in the snowy fields, Owen's mother was leading a party of Rutgar's men from the shop. They were carrying what looked like a grandfather clock with great care.

"Wonder what they're doing with that old thing," Rosie said.

"Why do you want to know that?" a sharp voice came from behind. Samual had come up on them so quietly that they hadn't heard.

"No reason," Rosie said, "just wondering."

"I wouldn't do too much wondering around here if I was you," the man said, his thin lips drawn tight.

"She can do what she wants," Wesley said.

"You'd be well advised to stay out of this, Raggie," Samual said, his eyes fixed on Rosie. "I wonder how many of her rat friends from Hadima came through the tunnel with her and are out there spying."

It was more than Rosie could bear. She thought of how her friends had suffered during the attack by the Harsh and the misery that they were enduring in the frozen city. Without thinking she felt in her hair, and a long sharp hairpin appeared in her hand.

Samual's eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to her, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

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"Drawing a knife on an officer of the Workhouse guard, that's a serious offense," Samual said.

"So is being rude to guests of the Workhouse, Samual." The voice came from above. Rosie turned to look. To her great surprise and delight, Dr. Diamond was standing on the top of the Nab staircase.

"And it's not a knife," Wesley said, "it's a hairpin."

"She's a spy," Samual snarled.

"I appreciate your suspicious mind, Samual," Dr. Diamond continued in the same mild tone. "In time of war and intrigue being alert could save lives. But I can vouch for the young lady. She helped and guided us bravely in Hadima."

"Hello, Doctor," Rosie said.

"Good afternoon, Rosie. I'm glad to see you, although I hear that things are not good in Hadima. Now put the hairpin away, and let's not see it again in the Workhouse--unless, of course you are showing it to one of the Harsh. Samual is a generous man, and I don't think he would bring charges against a refugee."

Rosie put her hairpin away, blushing. Samual snorted but took his hand from his sword.

"I would be careful whom you vouch for, Doctor," he said coldly, and then, with a dark look in Rosie's direction, he turned on his heel and stalked off.

"Bleeding twit," Rosie said.

"He's been a faithful soldier for the Workhouse," the doctor said, "and I did mean what I said. You have to be suspicious in times of war, sadly. But how are you, Rosie, and what are you doing here?"

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Rosie opened her mouth to speak, and as she did so music mingled with pain swelled in her head.

There was a shout from Wesley. He had caught sight of a movement in the clouds. Far above their heads, but closing every second, the
Wayfarer
descended toward the Workhouse, Owen standing at the tiller, pale-faced and tired but defiant.

For a moment Rosie and Wesley stood openmouthed and staring. Then they started to jump up and down and wave their arms. Owen saw them and altered course. The
Wayfarer
soared toward them in a great curve. Just in time, he leaned back, and the
Wayfarer
came to rest on the snow-covered battlements of the Workhouse.

"Rosie!" Owen said, leaping out onto the ground and throwing an arm around her. "What are you doing here?"

He grasped Wesley's hand and grinned. Cati rushed up the stairs, followed by Contessa.

"I thought you were killed or something," Cati said crossly.

"Good to see you too, Cati," Owen said. Other people came onto the battlements: soldiers in red, and some Raggies who crowded around, wanting to see the marvelous boat that sailed in the air. Among them was Silkie, who gazed shyly at Owen.

"I would like to spend time on greetings," Contessa said, "but we have need of news. What about the Harsh, Owen?"

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"Not far behind." He told them about the chase and his meeting with the buccaneers. Silkie beamed at him, then blushed.

"Tell me about the buccaneers," Dr. Diamond called from the Nab, and it seemed that he would have discussed the pirates all day, but Contessa cut him short.

"The attack is coming! Get everyone behind the defenses and close all gates! Owen, you look exhausted."

"I didn't get much sleep," he said, "and the
Wayfarer
didn't get much rest either."

Behind him, Silkie had approached the boat where it lay on its side.

"It's hurt," she said, touching the scarred planks where the Harsh missile had struck. She gave Owen a look of reproach.

"They attacked ... I couldn't ...," he stammered, unaccountably embarrassed. But she ignored him and knelt to examine the timber more closely, then spoke quietly to one of the other Raggies, who went off immediately.

"I think I can make her better."

Owen looked at her, surprised, and then remembered how, when the Raggies had owned a craft that they referred to simply as Boat, it was Silkie who had maintained it.

"Please," he said, and she smiled at him.

In the Convoke, Owen told his story to Cati, Contessa, Rutgar, Samual, and Pieta.

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"They are almost here," Rutgar said, and rushed off to prepare his forces.

"Someone has to speak to the Resisters before the enemy is upon us, to remind them of what they are fighting for and what is at stake," Contessa said. But Pieta and Samual had raced off to supervise the defenses. Owen swayed, and Cati took his arm.

"I think the Navigator needs some sleep," she said, and he did not protest.

Rosie didn't know what to do with herself. The corridors of the Workhouse were full of men and women in armor. The walls rang with urgent shouts and hammering and banging as last-minute defenses were erected. A crane had appeared on the battlements on the instructions of Dr. Diamond and large flat objects covered in canvas were being lowered into position on the front of the Workhouse. Everywhere she looked there were tense faces and few friendly words. War was upon them, and everyone seemed to have a task except her. She looked up to see Cati, whose face was white.
She's scared
, Rosie thought.

"Come with me, please," Cati said. Rosie followed her up the long stairway to the battlements. Cati's hand found her way into Rosie's. Men and women waited on other parts of the wall, but there was no one here, at the highest point.

"What are you going to do?" Rosie said. In reply, Cati let go of her hand and started to climb up to where the

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Resisters' black flag hung. The footing was slippery with ice, and Rosie watched nervously.

At the very top Cati straightened. She looked down. Rosie thought that she looked very small and alone, but when she spoke, her voice was strong and sure.

"Men and women of the Resisters!" she called. The defenders of the Workhouse looked up in surprise, and gradually all noise ceased.

"This is the darkest part of our history," she said. "We have fought the Harsh many times and each time defeated them. But now a mighty fleet is thrown against us, and we all know in our hearts what that means."

Cati held one hand out in front of her.

"We hold the fate of the world in the palm of our hands. We dare not contemplate defeat, though defeat stares us in the face. We must fight with courage. And if courage fails us, then duty must sustain us. We must fight and if need be die for the world, without anyone knowing what we have done. That is the duty of the Resisters. We stand alone."

"Not alone," a clear voice said. Rosie had climbed onto the battlements. "Not while Rosie is here. Hadima stands with the Workhouse!"

There was a great roar from the Resisters, a wave of cheering that rose from the trenches and redoubts along the river and spread to every window and rooftop of the old building. Far below, Contessa turned to Rutgar.

"With courage like that, perhaps we can hold out."

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