Redoubt Read Free Page A

Amily, “Care to try? Finny’s up above, so it’s
     safe as houses.”
    He could just see Amily’s face by craning his neck, and she looked both excited and
     a little bit anxious as she watched one of the Bardic Trainees fling herself into
     the waiting arms of another.
    “If you’re going to catch me, and Finny’s there . . . I think so. But you won’t think
     badly of me if I get scared and ask to be put down on the ground again, will you?”
     She bit her lip a little.
    He wanted to kiss her. “Nay, I’ll just reckon you have more sense than the rest of
     us.” He swung his leg over Dallen’s saddle horn and dropped down to the ground, then
     lifted Amily down. And, feeling emboldened, he led her into the line while Dallen
     ambled off to be divested of his regalia and join the other Companions in the Field.
    :Don’t get yourself knocked silly-sideways,:
Dallen said mildly as he vanished into the darkness.
    :Eh, this is nothing compared to m’roof-running,:
Mags assured him, as he took his place in the sling and waited to be hauled aloft.
     And really, it wasn’t. He’d done
much
more perilous leaps on the nighttime rooftops, and the loft was very well lit. The
     absence of hay meant people could bring up as many lanterns as they chose, and they
     did. A couple of good pumps of his legs got him the height and momentum he wanted,
     and he capped his jump by turning it into a somersaulting tumble through the air,
     rolling to his feet, that left him standing again with his arms spread, taking a little,
     mocking bow.
    “Allo, Finny,” he said, nodding to the short, shy girl who must have changed out of
     her Formal Grays into something more comfortable as soon as she got the chance.
I should’ve done that. Oh, well, too late now. These’ll need a wash.
“Glad to see you’re here to keep us from breaking our necks.”
    Finny blushed with pleased confusion. “Really . . . I couldn’t . . . I mean . . .”
    Mags beamed at her. “Damn shame with a Gift like yours they won’t let you on the Kirball
     teams. Did you think about volunteering for the Healers’ squad? Be
really
useful to have someone that could lift a person with a busted bone without moving
     anything.”
    She flushed even redder. “Do you think . . . would you . . .”
    “I’ll talk to the Captains and Bear as soon as all this wedding flummery is over,”
     he promised. “Bet they’ll all be falling all over each other to ask you first.”
    “Oh!” she said, deep pink with pleasure. He gave her shoulders a friendly squeeze.
     Sometimes being “Mags the Kirball champion” and “Mags the hero” was nice. When he
     could make someone as shy and anxious as Finny feel wanted and good—that was when
     it stopped being annoying.
    She was so happy now her eyes just shone behind her glass lenses. He grinned again.
     “Thenkee, Finny,” he just said, with all the gratitude he could put in his voice.
     “Now, it’ll be Amily coming up next, so let’s make sure she comes in just as soft
     as a feather.” He looked over the edge of the loft door. Amily was just getting into
     the swing; she glanced up and spotted him, lamplight falling softly on her face, and
     she saw Finny’s close-cropped head beside his. She waved, looking relieved.
    “All right, boys, it’s Amily, give her a smooth ride!” cried a young Guard Trainee
     who was helping the girls into the swing down below. Mags looked over to see a cheerful-faced
     young giant of a Guard Trainee on the rope and nodded to him. The youngster nodded
     back and began hauling the rope, slowly, carefully, and very smoothly. At one point,
     only her friends had known Amily was the King’s Own’s daughter, and most people up
     here on the Hill were not aware she existed. But after the first attempted abduction,
everyone
became aware of her, and after the second, successful kidnapping, she suddenly acquired
     a veritable army of protectors.
    Finny remained poised at