Page 5 of City of Stone and Silence

“I have no idea,” I tell them. “Other than the obvious.”

The obvious was that, far out ahead of Soliton, there’s a faintly glowing hemisphere of soft gray light. Last night, I hadn’t been able to gauge its size, and I’d thought it might be another ship. When morning came, though, it became obvious that the thing is much farther away—and much bigger—than I’d originally guessed.

“Is that Eddica energy?” Shiara says.

I give a slow nod. “I think so.” I can feel it, a tickle on my mind, even at this distance.

“And we seem to be headed right for it.” She raises one perfect eyebrow. “So it’s reasonable to guess that it has something to do with Soliton.”

“Reasonable,” I parrot. “But I’m not sure what we can do about it.”

“Make sure everyone’s under cover, at least,” Zarun says. “And that the doors are closed, in case the crabs go mad the way they did at the Rot.”

“Take a look at this,” Meroe says. She’s wandered over to the telescope. “At the edge of the light. Either there’s a really big iceberg, or that’s land.”

We take turns looking through the instrument. Sure enough, off to one side of the gray glow, pure white snow mounds up out of the surface of the sea in what looks very much like snow-covered hills. We look at each other for a moment, and Zarun says what everyone’s thinking.

“Maybe this rotting ship has finally gotten where it’s going.”

That’s the news that spreads through the crew, like fire over dry thatch. Wherever we’ve been heading, we’re almost there—my best guess is we’ll arrive by evening. Meroe and I do a tour of inspection, check the big doors on the first floor, the guards and food supplies. Hunters arm themselves and assemble in small groups, and the younger non-combatants are herded into rooms on the upper floor that’ll be easy to defend. To my surprise, there’s no panic, just an air of expectation.

“They’re excited,” I tell Meroe, as we leave another band of eager hunters behind.

“Shouldn’t they be?” She’s back in one of her long green dresses, with an asymmetrical silver band on her right arm. I’m wearing my Deepwalker armor, crafted to show off the blue marks on my skin. Meroe says it improves morale.

“My morale’s not improved,” I say. “Who rotting knows what that thing is?”

“Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”

“You have no way of knowing that.”

She gives me a sly grin. “You worry too much.”

“You don’t worry enough.” I can’t help but smile back, put my arm around her shoulders, and give her a squeeze. She leans into me, and for a moment my morale is improved.

“Besides,” she says, lowering her voice, “you’re not making any progress on getting the ship back to Kahnzoka, are you? So any change has to be for the better.”

I suppress the urge to say, Unless we all die, or something similarly cheerful. I can tell when I’m not being helpful.

We make our way back up to the tower that evening, once Meroe has assured herself everything is in readiness, while the gray wall draws ever closer. The door there is the only remaining opening to the Garden, and the guards are ready to slam and bar it at the first sign of a crab onslaught. I’ve given that duty to Thora and Jack, and they greet us cheerfully as we approach.

“Deepwalker!” Jack gives a low bow. “Clever Jack reports a strange phenomenon indeed. Behold!”

I barely have time to duck as she hurls a snowball at me. It shatters against the wall behind my head, melting rapidly in the heat of the Garden, and Jack cackles. Meroe looks delighted.

“It’s really snowing?” she says.

Thora nods. “Just a little bit so far, but getting heavier. Here.” She offers a pair of heavy blankets. “If you’re still set on going out there.”

“You can trust Jack and lovely Thora with the watch,” Jack says. “You may be needed below.”

“I should be on the tower.” I’m not sure why I think this—some vague notion, maybe, that if strange Eddica powers are afoot I may be able to influence them. And, of course, I want to see, even if there’s nothing I can do. I take the blankets from Thora and hand one to Meroe. “Thanks. If anything goes badly wrong—”

Thora nods. “I’ll shut the door.”

“After I rescue the two of you,” Jack says gallantly.

Meroe and I go out onto the deck. Snow filters down, nearly invisible against a sky that’s white with cloud from horizon to horizon. Meroe stands, arms spread, staring upward with wide eyes. A fat flake lands on her forehead, and she flinches, then giggles.