The Black North Read Online Free Page B

They’re already here. And the rumours of these Briar-Witches are true. I didn’t believe in them either, but I saw my brother taken by one and that’s no word less than the truth. We were fighting with the Cause me and him and –’
    Then there was too much noise to make herself heard at all.
    â€˜Girls aren’t in the Cause! That’s a sin for you, lying like that!’
    â€˜The Cause is the noble fight for the men to make!’
    â€˜You shouldn’t be in here anyway, girl!’
    â€˜Aye! A female hasn’t stepped foot in Drumbroken Tower for – for – I can’t even remember how long!’
    â€˜
Never
, that’s how long!’
    â€˜A sin for you indeed! Do you want to bring an unholy curse down on us all!’
    â€˜Go and say your sorries to the Sorrowful Lady and hope she’s forgiving tonight!’
    But Oona shouted, ‘I’ll not take anything to the Sorrowful Lady – she’s no good to us as far as I can see! And there’s no man left in the Kavanagh cottage to come here and talk for us! My da is dead and my granda with him, both killed fighting in the Cause! And my brother was taken, like I told! Snatched by them Briar-Witches!’
    But the men barely heard her, too loud and decided on their bloody-minded outrage.
    â€˜Such cheek from you, girl!’
    â€˜Out this instant!’
    â€˜Away home to your bed!’
    Oona cried, ‘Now listen to me! I’m all there’s left of the Kavanagh family and I’ve a right to have some say! And I’ll not go home to my bed when it isn’t safe! I won’t rest, not with those Briar-Witches about. And if you don’t believe me, then look!’
    Oona held her hand to the nearest light: the Briar-Witch wound was black, a bruise just as black surrounding it. Oona flexed her fingers and the wound wept something dark.
    The Tower found some quiet.
    â€˜I don’t know how to fix it,’ said Oona. Her head was beginning to fizz, the pain in her hand too much. ‘I don’t know what to do.’
    Then a voice said, ‘I believe you, child.’
    Oona looked. One of the men was moving towards her, a pair of sticks to prop him up: Bridget’s grandfather. He had churnstaff, the herb of the O’Riley family, twisted into his thistledown hair.
    â€˜I believe you,’ he said once more. ‘But what are we to do against these Invaders? What else but leave and head South? We know what they did up North; it’ll happen here too. And my son in Innislone tells me of more arriving every day, all –’
    â€˜â€“ coming across the Divide,’ finished Oona. She dropped her hand. She tried to shake some of the pain out of it but failed. ‘I know all this, but that doesn’t mean we have to run.’
    Then she heard running. Heavy footfalls heavy breathing and a shout –
    â€˜
Granda!
’
    Oona knew who it was before she saw, and for the second time that day: Bridget O’Riley in a doorway, breathless.
    â€˜What is it?’ said Oona. ‘What’s happened?’
    â€˜It’s them,’ said Bridget. She swallowed. ‘The Invaders, they’re –’
    A single gunshot and everything shivered, stopped – Bridget fell, slowly, and Oona had to rush to catch her.

8
    Out of all silence, a shout –
    â€˜We have the place surrounded so you haven’t got a hope! You’ve got to the count of three to make yourselves known!
One –
’
    Oona held Bridget. She looked for help – to Bridget’s grandfather, who just stared at his grandaughter, eyes brimming with bewilderment.
    â€˜
Two –
’
    And to the other old men of Drumbroken – none moved, not one of them knowing what to do.
    â€˜
Three!
’
    So Oona ordered them, ‘Get down you bunch of doddering old –!’
    The remainder was lost in attack: gunfire, the Tower shaking and shedding more of itself.