Excerpt: The Everdeath Effect

And now he was outside her door, he was hesitating.

Geraint, behind him, gave his shoulder a huge pat.

‘She’s had a lot to take in and she only woke an hour since. Take your time with her, won’t you?’

Nath drew breath to protest, but before he could, Geraint opened the door, and pushed him into the room.

‘Here’s your Pa come to see you,’ he announced. ‘Don’t you be upsetting him, now.’

For a moment, they just looked at each other. Naharina’s expression was confused, bewildered even, but she saw him and smiled.

‘It’s you? Really?’

Nath’s face split into a smile that lit his entire face.

‘They were telling me all manner of stories, Naharina! What have you been getting up to?’

She gave a grimace that was a shrug that had a smile mixed in with it somewhere and patted the side of the bed.

‘It’s not a short tale…’ She paused, her brow furrowing. ‘Isn’t Mother with you?’

‘No, she had to be somewhere else today. I’ll tell you, presently. I’ll probably be in for a world of scolds when she finds out I’ve stepped Up to see you without her!’

He took the seat beside the bed and looked into her with his Healsense, unable to help himself…

‘Father! Geraint will be cross if he knows you’ve been looking into me; I’m in his care!’

He laughed suddenly.

‘Habit; I’m sorry! But you’d better tell me, then; how was it you managed this fall of yours? Don’t you know better than to wander about near the Edge?’

Pale as she was from her experience, still she flushed scarlet. In truth, she squirmed in embarrassment.

‘Well, it wasn’t so much of a fall… more of a… a jump…’

Nath boggled at her, too stunned for the moment to speak.

‘It’s a long story, and truly, you’d be bored, but… and anyway, it’s all sorted out now…’

‘What… could possibly… make you…? Naharina?’

She couldn’t read his face, couldn’t tell if it was fury or fear or what; all she knew was that she’d never seen her father look quite so emotional before.

‘It was the only thing I could do; the only choice I had left. Otherwise, I would have… it would have been awful, and he really didn’t deserve…only I didn’t realise it’d hurt so much; I need to practice painblocks again, would you show me…’

‘Jumped, though? What possessed you? Were you so unhappy? Could not you have called us, talked about whatever was up? I know you’re an adult and can make your own choices…’

‘That’s just it, though! I couldn’t! They took them all away, one by one, until it was the only thing I had left. And yes, I was, but that’s not why. And I’m not now, anyway, so don’t be worrying about me!’

‘What was your Director about? Prand, isn’t it? I remember him from my time here; I think I ought to speak to him; After all, it was his responsibility to…’

‘Please, Father, no!’

He was startled to see tears starting in her eyes.

‘I’m… actually, I’m not his Operative any more. I… um. I’m not anyone’s Operative any longer. I’m…’ She broke off to take a deep breath, seemed to change what she was going to say in the heartbeat before she said it. ‘…going to go into Educating for a season or so.’

Nath sat back in his chair, puzzled by the range of emotions flooding his daughter. Of course, she had only just come back to herself; and it must be difficult for her, but he could not but feel there was something more. He changed subject, knowing he couldn’t put off his piece of news for much longer.

‘Your mother was at the Soul Tree Grove recently. She said your rowan’s moved…’

‘She’s been keeping an eye on me? Through my soul tree?’

Nath gave a bright, brief laugh.

‘Well, you know Tarine! Apparently, the scramblethorn that was growing all around the roots has shifted away, so she’s convinced herself you’re in the midst of a heartbreak; that being so, you can see why I was startled to hear you’d jumped?’

‘I can…’ She sighed. ‘In all truth, I… there was someone, but he’s gone. He went a long time ago, I think, only he didn’t notice…anyway, it had run its course, so she needn’t worry. Neither should you,’ she finished, with a trace of her usual asperity.

He grinned at her, relaxing again.

‘There’s more to her tale. Apparently, your tree settled by another…’

She picked at something invisible on the fabric of the bedding, her cheeks reddening again; somehow, it felt incredibly awkward to have to try to explain to her father that her Director, who was at least one life older than Nath, was now her Marwe.

Nath gave her a moment before continuing.

‘It’s quite a nice specimen oak the rowan’s settled near; it looks like the roots are growing together..? I’d not meant to embarrass you, Naharina, but you’d probably better be aware that Tarine’s been squawking about she thinks there’s going to be a sapling…?’

She covered her face and began to shake, but before he could reach out in concern, he realised the odd, strangled sounds were not hysterical tears, but stifled laughter. Well, then; that, at least, was the kind of reaction he should have expected…

‘Care to share the humour?’ he asked lightly.

She wiped her eyes.

‘Sorry, Fa – it’s not funny, really, but Mother..! why could she not just ask?’

‘It’s more fun for her to investigate. Besides, she gets things wrong so often it gives me chance to laugh at her; it does her the world of good. I can see she’s going to have some good done to her this day!’

She squirmed again, but at least she was smiling.

‘Well, but not quite yet. I’m going to do a season at Educating first…’

‘You said? It’s truth, then? But when were you going to tell us? And what were you thinking? Jumping!’

‘No, no, Fa, you don’t understand!’ she interrupted hastily. ‘It’s all happened so quickly; I didn’t know about the baby when I did that! Of course I wouldn’t have! Why would I? How could I? I did say it was a long tale. I was sent offworld, and although I was in a taskflesh when I left, the Will stripped it from me and I arrived in my own flesh…we think the reprostop was disconnected when that happened, but, of course, I hadn’t known… and I didn’t remember anything about it, I didn’t Recall when I came back; in truth, I only remembered while I was lying at the bottom of the cliff…’

It all came out in one breath and she had to pause to collect herself. Nath probed gently.

‘You’re not unhappy now, you said?’

‘Not at all.’ Her face relaxed into pure joy. ‘He was a little surprised when he found out, but he’d already suggested we become Marwe while we were away. Of course, coming back and not remembering any of this was a bit of a nuisance, but it’s all sorted out now.’

She gave her shrug-grimace-smile again.

‘Nearly.’

‘What’s the problem, then?’

‘It’s…’ She sighed again. Complicated didn’t begin to cover it. ‘It’s not simple. He’s… he’s a Director, and, you’ll remember…’

‘…Directors and Operatives aren’t supposed to pair off. That’s still the case?’

She nodded.

‘And he didn’t think about that before..?’

‘In truth, Father, I think he thought about nothing but that for far too long! We were away together, you see; not Above, so the rules didn’t apply, and even if they did, we were working as Operatives together, so the rules didn’t apply then, either! Since we got back, we’ve… well, we only got things sorted out about ten minutes before you got here; neither of us knew what had happened!’

Nath shook his head slowly.

‘That’s a lot to take in at one go!’ He grinned again. ‘I don’t mean for me now, but for you! Will I get to meet him?’

‘I would hope so,’ she replied, hesitant again.

‘You know what this will mean? Your mother will want to hold a party!’

Imagining Prand at one of her mother’s parties – so very lively as they were, usually beginning in the village hall and ending all over the village green – and often in the woods and the barns and the stables of the village - made her laugh. Taking advantage of the lightness, Nath chose the moment for a change of subject.

‘Talking of which, if there is a party, you might like to invite your friend Shannah. We had a call from her just a few days ago…’

‘Oh? How is it with her?’

‘Not badly; her sons are well. She had some news, though; she was sorry not to speak to you… you remember Elspa?’

‘Of course! She made things so easy for me at Educating! I…’

Nath interrupted, using the formal phrase that was the traditional way of preparing someone to hear news of an Everdeath. Quietly, gently, and looking directly into the eyes of his daughter, she spoke.

‘I remember Elspa,’ he said.