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AMBER HAD NO IDEA THE refugees were down there. The gallery had always existed but not in the manner it was now. She had been surprised when Padg told her but not shocked. Even in the short time she’d led the odd servants revolt, she’d stopped being shocked. She supposed that was a bad thing. She wasn’t sure about anything anymore. She was tired and she wanted to find a burrow and snuggle up with Tali. That was about the start and end of it. But she knew she couldn’t. Not yet anyway.
As if she’d read her mind, Tali was there at her elbow. She leaned up, kissed her on the cheek, and said, “Lost in thought, lovely?”
“You could say that.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“Not really, I wish you could.”
“Hey,” Tali said gently, “don’t be so quick to think I can’t. You don’t have to have this macho got-to-do-it-all-myself thing. We’re in this together. Whatever it takes. Promise.”
“Thank you.” They embraced. Amber didn’t want to let go.
Padg had to cough twice loudly. They broke apart.
“Sorry.” Tali brushed herself down.
“Uh... so... do you want to come down and see then?” Padg said.
“Of course,” Amber said. “Let’s go.”
Amber followed Padg’s scent across the market, still holding Tali’s hand to the tent and the ladder that led down into the gallery. He grunted at the two low key guards, one said, “Ki be with you,” in reply.
“Grab, the ladder. Climb carefully; it swings,” Padg said.
Tali went down first and then Amber. Amber and Tali stood shoulder to shoulder, backs to the ladder, in silence when Padg touched down.
“Huge, isn’t it?”
“Yeah...” Tali said.
“How many?” Amber said.
“Five thousand, maybe? More. No one’s counted, really.”
“You should,” Amber said. “We should.”
“Yeah, y’know, these people need help, feeding and clothing and stuff, not counting.”
“That’s not what she means Padg and you know it,” Tali said.
“Do I? I’m not sure what anything means anymore.”
“I’m pretty sure I don’t know what that means, either,” Amber said.
“Forget it,” Padg said. “Listen, can you help these people or not?”
“Of course, we can,” Amber said. “But I thought you, we, were all doing this together.”
“Yeah,” Padg said. “Listen, there’s this thing and it’s after work span this evening and if you want to come, it’s out here at the temple but if you don’t then no sweat.”
Another scent, an older female approached them. She spoke in a deep confident voice, “He means he’s going to be invested as a Tinkrala,” she said.
“Oh, hey Laly,” Padg said.
“He what?” Tali said.
“He’s joining the Tinkralas,” Padg said.
“The investment is an important rite for our people, it’s... You only invite family.”
“We’ll see what we...” Tali started.
“We’d love to come,” Padg finished for her. “And we’re really flattered you asked.”
“But—” Tali said.
“Later,” Amber said. Then turned to the priestess. “We’ll be back later. Do we need to bring anything or prepare?”
“No.” Laly chuckled. “Just yourselves.”
“We’ll be there,” Amber said and they left.
They walked back to the tent village in near silence. Amber heard Tali open her mouth and draw breath, but she said nothing and closed it again.
After the third time, Amber ventured, “Are you okay?”
“Huh... ?”
“I said are you okay, Tali?”
“Oh... yeah.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“He’ll be okay, you know?”
“Yeah, it’s just...”
“What?”
“Oh gods, Amber. Everything’s changed and everything’s wrong. I love Padg so much but not like that. I love you like that, but he loves me like that and now he hates me because I don’t, and he’s going to run off and join some crackpot new religion, and that’s not like him at all, and the world’s wrecked and the refugees and the fighting, and gods know what’s happening to Dun or if he’s even still alive, and it’s all crap and I hate all of it...”
Amber held Tali while she sobbed. “I know, love, I know.”
“What can I do, Amber? Tell me what I can do.”
“Go to the investment and let him know you care about him.”
“He hates me. I don’t want to go to the stupid investment.”
“I know but he doesn’t hate you.”
“No?”
“No, he’s just hurting and angry.”
“But I don’t want him to be.”
“I know that too, but he’s got to get there in his own time. He’s not a potion you can fix by adding something in.”
Tali sighed.
