Chapter 50: The Night Before
This was the last night before the beast tide. Violet stood on the city wall and walked it from east to west, then west to east. She walked every section of the wall. She thought perhaps she should wait until after the beast tide to tell everyone about the flood and the unknown disaster. If they couldn't take it in, it might hurt morale. Gray Ear followed at her heels. Today he didn't lie down. He stayed standing the whole time. Ears up. His nose twitching toward the north.
Leon followed half a step behind her.
"The wall is finished." He said.
"Yes."
"The granary is full."
"Yes."
"The salt store is full."
"Yes."
"The Self-Defense Force has finished training. The traps are dug. The wolves are ready."
Violet stopped and turned to look at him. "Are you afraid?"
Leon's slit pupils contracted in the moonlight. "Not afraid."
"You're lying."
"Why would I lie to you?"
"Every time you say you're not afraid, you are. You say you're not afraid, but your ears are moving."
Leon reached up and touched his own ear. The ear was indeed moving. Not from fear. She had made it move by saying so.
The corner of Violet's mouth lifted.
"Come on." She said. "Let's go see the Self-Defense Force again."
The Self-Defense Force was sleeping in the sheds beside the training ground. Fifty people pressed together. Some were snoring. Some were grinding their teeth. Some were talking in their sleep. Gray Bone slept at the very outside. His shovel placed beside his hand. Finn was curled in a corner, clutching his long blade. Ak slept beside the wolves. Black Stone's head rested on his leg. Eyes closed.
Violet crouched down and pulled back the blanket Gray Bone had kicked aside. Covered his feet. Gray Bone didn't wake.
Leon stood at the shed doorway watching her.
She stood and walked out. The two of them continued on. At the granary door, Astrid sat on the steps. A ledger in her hand. She flipped through it in the moonlight. When she saw Violet, she closed the ledger.
"Still not asleep?" Violet asked.
"Can't sleep."
"The granary accounts balanced?"
"Balanced. The numbers are correct."
"Then go sleep."
"Not going. I'm keeping watch here."
Violet looked at her. Astrid's face was very calm. Different from before. Before, there had always been something on Astrid's face. Hatred. Resentment. Defiance. Now there was nothing. Clean as a piece of hide that had never been written on.
"You've changed." Violet said.
"Haven't changed. I just don't want to lose anymore."
Violet nodded. She continued walking. At the salt store entrance, Hagen emerged from inside. A sack of salt in his hand.
"What are you doing here?" Violet asked.
"Counting salt. Afraid it might be short."
"What if it's short?"
"I'll make up the difference."
Violet looked at him. "Hagen."
"Yes."
"Are you afraid?"
Hagen was silent for a moment. "Afraid. Afraid that when the beast tide comes, too many Frost Claw people will die. I won't be able to face their families."
"You'll keep them alive."
"How do you know?"
"Because you'll charge at the very front. The one who charges at the front won't let the ones behind die."
Hagen stared at her for a long time. He set the salt sack on the ground and reached out his hand. Violet took it. His hand was large. Very rough. But very steady.
"See you tomorrow." He said.
"See you tomorrow."
She continued on. At the west side of the city, Eve stood beside the piled pelts. A blade in her hand. Not her own blade. One forged by the blacksmith. When she saw Violet, she raised the blade.
"Take a look at this blade."
Violet took it. The edge was thick. The spine heavy. The tip narrow. Forged by the blacksmith. Made specifically to kill Thorn Wolves.
"A good blade." She returned it.
"The blacksmith forged fifty. One for each person." Eve sheathed the blade into the leather scabbard at her waist. "My Frost Wolf people. One for each. If not enough, we'll use old blades."
"Eve."
"Yes."
"Are you afraid?"
Eve looked at her. "Afraid. Afraid that if I die, no one will take care of Frost Wolf."
"You won't die."
"How do you know?"
"Because if you die, Frost Wolf will scatter. You don't want Frost Wolf to scatter."
Eve's lips moved. She didn't speak. She turned and walked away. After a few steps, she stopped. "You're right. I don't want Frost Wolf to scatter."
Violet continued on. At the east side of the city, Ulric sat beside Gray Ear's old den. He held that iron comb in his hand, brushing the fur of a young wolf. The young wolf lay on his knee. Eyes half-closed.
"Ulric."
"Yes."
"Are your wolves ready?"
"Ready. Gray Ear is with you. The rest are with me." He patted the young wolf's head. "Tomorrow they'll charge at the very front."
"Are you afraid?"
Ulric raised his head and looked at her. "Afraid. Afraid too many of my wolves will die. Ice Wolf Clan's wolves are worth more than people."
"They won't die in vain."
"Of course they won't die in vain." Ulric stood and placed the young wolf on the ground. "They'll kill many wolves. When the killing's done, they'll come back and eat the best meat."
Violet looked at him. He didn't speak again. She turned and left.
Finally, she went to the forge. The blacksmith was still forging iron. The steady clanging. The firelight on his face.
"Still not asleep?" Violet asked.
"Last blade. I'll sleep when it's done." The blacksmith pulled the red-hot iron from the fire and placed it on the anvil. Hammered it blow by blow. Sparks flew and landed on his arm. He didn't flinch.
"Blacksmith."
"Yes."
"Are you afraid?"
The blacksmith stopped his hammer. He looked at the blade still not yet formed. The blade body glowed dark red in the firelight.
"Afraid. Afraid my blades aren't good enough. Afraid they'll chip. Afraid they'll snap. Afraid my blades will get your people killed."
"Your blades are good."
"Still not good enough."
He struck another blow. The sparks flew higher.
Violet stood in the doorway of the forge and watched for a long time. Then she turned and walked back to the city wall.
Leon stood in the same place. He hadn't followed her on her rounds, but he had been waiting for her.
She walked over and stood beside him.
"Saw everyone?" He asked.
"Saw everyone."
"They're all here."
"All here."
The two of them stood watching the northern sky. There was light. The moon. Stars. Many, many stars. More than usual. Brighter than usual.
"Leon."
"Yes."
"Tomorrow, if—"
"No if." Leon cut her off. "Tomorrow you'll stand on the city wall. I'll stand beside you. The Self-Defense Force will be below the wall. The wolves will be at the very front. The traps will work. The blades will cut in. We will win."
Violet looked at him.
"When did you learn to say so many words?"
"Just now."
The corner of her mouth lifted. Then she reached out and took his hand. His hand was very warm. Not the warmth from her dreams. Living warmth.
He didn't pull away.
The two of them stood on the city wall. Hands clasped. Watching the north.
In the distance, a wolf howl rose from the east side of the city. Gray Ear's ears swiveled, but he didn't howl.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds. Silver-white. Shining on the city wall. The wall was newly built. The stones were gray. Mud stuffed in the cracks. Not beautiful. But it stood there.
Violet pulled her coat tighter. The old one. The one Leon had stitched.
"Tomorrow." She said.
"Tomorrow." He said.
The wind blew in. From the north. Carrying the chill. Carrying the scorched smell. Carrying something heavy and impossible to name. Like the stifling weight before a rain.
But the rain hadn't come yet.
It would come only after the beast tide.
---
End of Chapter Fifty
End of Volume One
She walked every corner of Water City. The granary. The salt store. The forge. The training ground. The city wall. Gray Bone slept on the ground, his blanket kicked aside. She covered him back up. Astrid sat at the granary door counting ledgers. Hagen crouched in the salt store counting salt sacks. Eve was sharpening her blade. Ulric was brushing wolf fur. The blacksmith was forging the last blade. They were all here. Leon stood beside her. Hands clasped. Not letting go. Tomorrow. The wind blows in. Carrying the northern chill. Tomorrow, the beast tide arrives.