#lyra erso
STRONG MEDICINES AGAINST STUPID PRIDE, 15, 26/30
Samuel Gerrera, Northern Perimeter Reconnaissance Unit, sees the world beyond the Wall - for better and for worse.
“And this isn’t public knowledge because?” Filris enquired, catching both of them in a very pointed stare. “Galen told the Voice of the Nine Day Watch that this was a matter of preserving the integrity of the southern border by cooperating with Ancelstierre.”
Samuel snorted involuntarily. Raddus had a point about Galen being very good at proffering acceptable lies to officers.
“The risk to all three of us,” Lyra said. “Several people have tried to kill Galen and Jyn, I’ve been followed, there have been a few possible attempts - and the Wall isn’t exactly safe.”
Filris’ eyes moved to Samuel.
“I’d be lined up against a wall and shot as a spy,” Samuel said baldly. Lyra flinched, and he reached for her hand; she took his and squeezed it very tightly. “Look, ma’am, the army can’t find out I’m married. And I wouldn’t mind the Kingdom knowing, but I can’t bring carnage down on my men just because someone wants to get at Galen through me. I’d come home, but I swore oaths. There are men counting on me.”
“Hmm,” Filris said, and stared through the pair of them for a while. Then she smiled very slightly, and said: “Very well. I will treat this as privileged information. And I won’t contradict Galen’s outrageous fibs.”
STRONG MEDICINES AGAINST STUPID PRIDE, 15, 27/30
Samuel Gerrera, Northern Perimeter Reconnaissance Unit, sees the world beyond the Wall - for better and for worse.
“Do you know who he is?”
“Was,” Galen said. “The Blackcloak is one of the Greater Dead. Who he was when he lived, I could not say. Probably a Free Magic sorcerer unknown to me. He has created black armour for his construct which is similar to that used by some northern clansmen.” He bit his lower lip, and stared off into the distance again. “It is possible the choice of targets might tell me who he was in Life. But then again, I already know who his master is, and the Emperor’s enemies are legion, as generations of Abhorsens can attest. The Blackcloak might attack anyone on his master’s orders.” He reached for the soap again and began to scrub. “This is not a very cheerful subject. How is your treatment progressing?”
Samuel shrugged. “Filris seems happy. She thinks I’ve got some good years in me.”
Galen dropped the sponge and stared at him in horror. Samuel realised he had run into a cultural difference and rephrased. “She says I’m not getting worse.”
STRONG MEDICINES AGAINST STUPID PRIDE, 15, 30/30
Samuel Gerrera, Northern Perimeter Reconnaissance Unit, sees the world beyond the Wall - for better and for worse.
Instead of immediately taking Jyn behind the wire, he led her to a nearby bench and sat her down. She followed where he led and did what she was told, without any darting off to investigate something interesting, or dawdling because she wanted to see something, and that in itself was alarming.
“Can you tell me what happened, Jyn?” he said, brushing her Charter mark with a thumb so that it glowed with life. “Why are you south of the Wall?”
“Papa says I have to go to school,” Jyn said dully. “To learn things.”
Samuel bit back a bunch of questions and swearwords. “In Ancelstierre?”
“He says it’s safe,” Jyn said. She was tangling the snotty handkerchief with her fingers, twisting and pulling it. “After what happened to Mama.”
“What happened to Lyra?” Samuel said, as gently as he could, and Jyn made a noise like shush. “What?”
She lifted her eyes to his; darker than the grey-green they had been, he thought, and suppressed a spike of panic. It was just the light, he hoped, the pallor of her skin just her grief, but if Galen had taken Jyn to walk in Death at her age, Samuel would kill him. Whatever colour they were, Jyn’s eyes were red-rimmed, and heavy with tears. He pulled her onto his lap, and she curled her hands tightly into the material of his jacket.
“Hish,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “They’re called Hish. I heard Papa telling Mogget. They came and - and hunted us - and Mama told me to hide - and - and wait for the dawn - and - and - and -”
