Coldmaker(59)

I took a deep breath. ‘Okay, it’s more of a concept than an actual idea. I was thinking—’

Just then, a soft rattle came from the side of the room, the loose panel shaking against the casing. We stopped talking for a moment. ‘Must be the wind,’ I said. Abb nodded at me to continue.

‘I was thinking—’

The panel rattled harder, angry almost, ready to burst inwards.

Something was out there.

I bent down, snatching up my reassembled Stinger from its hiding place on the bottom shelf, tucked behind Matty’s game. The weapon wasn’t full, but I’d gathered enough scorpion venom for its capsule that I knew it could take down the Vicaress herself. No one besides Abb or myself used the loose panel – anyone else sneaking in or out of our barracks would go through the fake wall in the uniform closet – unless it was a last resort.

Then there was another violent shake of the metal, this one including a thump that sounded like a foot. The panel had to be slid, not forced. Someone unwelcome was trying to get in.

My knuckles went white around the Stinger. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t use such a weapon unless it was a last resort, but with how things were headed in Paphos, I was glad it was in my hand.

The panel finally slid across and fell to the ground, revealing a shock of dark, braided hair and pointed cheekbones I knew all too well.

My tongue tasted dust and my heart raced. ‘Shilah.’

‘Hey, Micah.’ She began to slip through the space. ‘I heard singing,’ she said in a toneless voice. ‘Figured it was a good time to come in.’

‘That would be my father,’ I mumbled, blushing furiously.

Abb relaxed, raising his eyebrows at me. I decided not to respond; my face was already flushed.

Shilah stood up, as though she sneaked into random barracks all the time. From the corner of my eye, I could see Abb noting the way she stood, so rigid it was almost like she was bending backwards.

My fingers ached to reach out and touch her. As if I could try to guide her posture back to normal.

Abb’s smile broke open and he gave a small wave, so embarrassing that I felt like diving outside and hiding in the sands. ‘Hi! I’m Abb. I’m Micah’s father. Are you his girlfriend? He didn’t tell me about you.’

Shilah didn’t seem to find this amusing. Then, after a moment of reflection, a hint of a smile slipped onto her lips. ‘Your son would have to be quicker on his feet. I need someone that could keep up.’

Abb looked over to me with a wink. ‘She’s great. You’d be lucky indeed!’

I thought my cheeks might explode from embarrassment. ‘Abb!’

He threw his hands up in defence and then started towards the boilweed door. ‘Don’t mind me. I’ll give you both some space.’

I gave him a pleading look. ‘But—’

Abb waved again. ‘You can tell me about your idea later. I’ll leave you two alone.’ He paused, giving me a wry look. ‘You should definitely ask her to be your girlfriend.’

If my father hadn’t been so much bigger than me I would have tried to clamp his mouth shut. The door flapped shut behind him, but not before he’d given me another exaggerated wink. ‘Don’t worry. I’ll snap before I come back in.’

I picked up a wad of boilweed and chucked it at the closed door, careful not to trigger the Stinger.

When I looked back, I found Shilah’s eyes flitting across my tinker-wall, her face still expressionless. I’d hoped she might look impressed.

‘Seems like there should be more,’ she said.

‘I’ve had a strange week,’ I said.

‘I know,’ Shilah said, the corners of her mouth upturned. ‘I watched you destroy all of your stuff.’

I raised an eyebrow, my heart still thumping fast. ‘You watched me do that? You couldn’t have come to say hello, and maybe stop me?’

‘That was your business.’ She shrugged, shoulders tossed back. ‘And then you had your father ask me to be your girlfriend. Bit of a desperate move.’

I felt my stomach clench, my mortification growing. ‘I didn’t tell him to do that. I didn’t even tell him about you.’

She sauntered past me, giving off hints of sweat and dirt, yet for some odd reason I felt my nose following her, finding it impossible not to inhale. She smelled like the deep sands.

‘Sure,’ she said, bending down to the bottom shelf and touching my Dream Web. ‘What do you call this, a Sand Sifter?’

She used the same sarcastic tone as before, and it made me think about the night I tried the Cold Wrap, and how so much had changed in such a short time.

‘Why’d you draw all those symbols on the walls?’ I ventured, having a strong feeling that my guess was right. ‘They got some Jadans killed.’

She stood up, her face so close to mine that I had to step back.

‘What makes you think it was me?’ she asked.

I looked at her incredulously. ‘You’re telling me it wasn’t?’

‘I drew some, yes,’ she said, gesturing at the wall. ‘But do you think I’m the only one in Paphos who believes in the Opened Eye?’

‘I—’

‘Is that a weapon?’ she asked, stone-faced, pointing to my Stinger.