Arron's eyes narrowed at the ovrth. “Who is dying, Sisters?”
Balt said nothing. She just gripped her sister's arm so hard, Lynn could see Entsh's skin squirm in protest.
“Our sister Plenth has lost three of her daughters. Two more are ill with joint-rot.” She bared her teeth at Lynn. “Could the Humans save them?”
“I don't know,” said Lynn honestly. “But if Bioverse leaves, we can't try, can we? If Bioverse leaves before the real cures are found, how many more are going to die?”
“Help us,” Arron extended both hands just a little, not enough to touch them, even accidentally. “Let us help your family. No one has to die from this mistake.”
Entsh shook her head until her ears flapped. “How can we break our promise?”
“It depends what's more important, your family's debts or the lives of your sister's children. There is still time. There is still a chance, if our care-takers can reach them.” Lynn wished she could speak as smoothly as Arron did. At the moment, it didn't matter. The ovrth had stopped paying attention to her. They were looking at each other. Entsh's ears stood up so straight they quivered. Balt's were flat against her scalp.
“Just make up your minds,” breathed Res in t'Therian. Lynn looked at her and shook her head helplessly. Res's skin was practically jumping off her bones.
I feel the same, believe me.
Then, Entsh's ears dipped. “You'll have to stay here tonight. There's a crossroads across the northwest field. We can meet you there at first light with a carrier.”
“But we have to …”
“It doesn't matter,” said Ovrth Entsh. “The roads and tunnels are crawling with our people. They won't have moved on until morning.”
Lynn bit her lip. “Can you get a message to the outpost for us? We have to warn …”
Bait's ears dropped back. “We aren't doing enough for you?”
Arron laid a hand on Lynn's arm. “We are sorry. But our family is in danger. You can understand that?”
“Yes,” said Entsh softly. “We can understand that.”
Lynn closed her eyes and tried to control the fear that had grabbed hold of her. Arron kept his hand on her arm. “There is an outpost near here, though?” he asked.
“About forty miles southeast.” Balt flicked her ears toward the window. “On the other side of Mrant Chavan.”
“We'll head out now.” Entsh caught her sister's shoulder and steered her toward the stairwell. “And start thinking of what we're going to tell our trindt.”
They shouldered their guns and marched into the woods. No one else moved. They all just stood around listening until the stomping and rustling of the ovrths’ passage faded away.
Arron looked at Lynn and leaned against the wall of the house.
“I did not think that was going to work.”
Lynn collapsed beside him. “How do you know them?”
Arron shook his head. “I don't remember.”
Res's jaw dropped. “You're joking.”
Arron shrugged. “I've lived here for ten years. I've met a lot of people. I've got teragigs worm of recordings.”
Res bowed to him. “Good bluff.”
“Thank you.” He cast Resaime an appraising look. “Are you good?”
“Yes.” Resaime rubbed her arms. “I just haven't stopped twitching yet.”
“Neither have I.” Lynn pushed herself away from the wall. She thought about David. Imagination pictured him hiding behind a desk, like they had, hearing the sound of gunfire and destruction all around him.
She looked across the farmyard and for a moment seriously wondered if she could make all forty miles in a night if she started now.
Arron coughed. “I'm going to check the house just to make sure there's … Nothing.” He rubbed his forearms briefly. “There should be a garden near the house. There might be something edible left in it. You and Res could check.”
“Good idea.” She gestured toward the screening trees. “The brush should give us enough cover so Balt and Entsh's arms-sisters won't see us from the roads, as long as we don't go out into the fields. Want to help me, Res?”
Resaime hesitated. Her skin bunched and twitched. She looked nervously around, as if expecting more Getesaph to drop out of the trees. “All right,” she said at last.
They circled the house and found a weed-choked garden. A lot of the plants had been trampled and broken, but a couple of rows of spiky, broad-leaved plants had survived. Resaime squatted down and rummaged through the leaves. After a moment she held up a broad, flat pod. “Beans,” she said. “I've seen Humans eat these, so we're good.”
“Great.” Unsure of her balance, Lynn knelt and began plucking pods to stuff into her pants pockets, which were, remarkably, still whole. A rich, green scent filled the air around her.