Engines & Demons - The Undestined

Chapter 10ii

As Maddock climbed the final slope of the hill, one of the cart's wheels hit a lump of stone half imbedded in the track bed. The whole thing leapt and jolted loose a splinter of thigh bone from the pile, which rolled from the back of the cart and away under his feet. Maddock set the cart down carefully before he stooped and picked up the fallen bone, its bloody stickiness now covered in plain's dust. He threw it back into the cart, took the time to clean his hands on his tunic, then lifted it to wipe the sweat that coated his face.

"It is hot, is it not," said a voice from behind him.

Maddock spun around, hastily pulling his tunic back down over his stomach.

Not far behind him stood a girl, dressed in creased and sweaty riding clothes, her tawny hair tied untidily back behind her head.

"Hello again," she said.

"Hello," said Maddock. "It's..."

"Tahlia," said Tahlia.

"Yes, I remember. I'm not daft!"

"Oh, I am sorry, I rather thought you might be."

Maddock scowled at her.

"What do you want?"

"Well, I have just had another terrible morning with Mistress Battista, and I was going to find something nice to eat to cheer myself up, when I saw you, and it occurred to me that you never got the chance to thank me the other day. You know, for stopping my brother from giving you a beating."

Maddock continued to stare at her.

"And, by the way, you should really address me as 'my lady'."

"My lady?"

"Exactly!"

Maddock shook his head.

"So why are you here? Did you just happen by, saw me, and decided that you were due some thanks?"

"Actually, I have been following you since you left the abattoir-shed."

"Why?"

"Oh, just because I have not got anything better to be doing."

"Well, it's all right for some."

Maddock lifted his cart of bones and gristle, and pushed it off up the hill.

"That is no way to talk to a lady!" said Tahlia.

"It's all right for some, my lady!"

"That is better."

Maddock didn't look behind him, but he knew the girl was following him because he could hear her whistling an annoyingly tuneless tune.

"Where are we going?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Well I'm going to the composting-pits. Don't know where you're going."

"I think I will go there as well. How lucky for you."

Maddock turned to look at her fiercely.

"Why? Are you going to help me push the cart or something?"

Tahlia giggled.

"Oh you are funny," she said, then jumped off the path and ran past him up the slope.

* * * * *

When Maddock eventually pushed his way through the krodillis vine, he found the composting-pits curiously quiet. The triangles of tragasaur tarp had been tightly closed around the water tank. Nothing could be seen of the Pit-master beyond them, and the only Grower he could see was the tall three legged Sofree. The creature stood alone beside the Pit-master's pool, its trunk-leg standing in the water with its wrapping removed and resting on the pool's side.