Holding Izzy’s ruff and Tea’s shoulder, Robbie tottered into the narrow space.
Then he took Grant in his arms and kissed him.
Kissed him!
That was illegal!
A flicker passed over Robbie, head to feet. For a moment, his hair lengthened into tatty but proud victory rolls. Shoulders narrowed, chest broadened, hips curved out, beard disappeared, cheekbones became taut, lips plumped up, and eyelashes lengthened.
Oh. Oh. Like me, but unlike me.
Tea stared, eyes so wide she felt them drying up in the cold air.
Robbie’s other self, his whaiwhaiā, was a herself. A beautiful self.
“What … how—”
“Later,” Izzy whispered, nudging at her shins. “Grant. Change. Now.”
Thankfully no-one was nearby when Tea peered back around the truck. She slid out and beckoned to the others that the coast was clear.
She helped Robbie slide into a seated position in the lean-to. “I’ve got to go. I’m sorry. I wish I could stay and help more—”
“You’ve done more than enough.” Robbie grasped her right arm, hard, and the old constant friend of pain slid away to a murmur. “I—I’m proud of you.”
Her brother. Sister? Proud of her. The idea pounded through her head, circling round the image of her brother kissing another man.
Tea could find no words other than a useless goodbye. With a clench of her fist, she pulled the shroud of shadows around them. As the ground sang the tell-tale song of approaching footsteps, they slipped farther into the stand of rocks.
Tea took one last look back. Her heart almost squeezed its way out through her ribs. The strange silent soldier, Brixt, stood sentry at the end of the truck, his gaze on their retreat as if he could see through the shadows Tea made dance to her song.
Then the crust of blood cracked around his thin mouth. He nodded and raised his hand in farewell.
9.
“Oh gosh, I’ve stolen some soldier’s jacket.”
“Under the circumstances, it’s the least of your worries. Hey, aren’t we going the wrong way?”
“We can’t go back the way we came, Izz. I smell water this way. Um, is that a well cover?”
“Huh. So it is. Grant, you all right there?”
“Tired.”
“Hang on. We’re almost home. So, what does water smell like?”
“It’s different everywhere. This one … ow, these steps are steep, sorry Grant. This one smells the way cold off tin tastes.”
“Right-oh. Oh. Well, you’re getting quicker at it.”
“That one hurt. Everything hurts. Come on, hurry up. I want to get out of … this place. Grant?”
“I’m ready. Izz?”
“Your scales really are very pretty.”
“Izzy!”
“Nah nah, don’t fash yourself. Let me get out … of … this …”
“Ohhhh. That didn’t sound good.”
“Hush. I’m hungry.”
*
“Where in all the bloody hells have you three been!”
“Sorry, Mr MacGregor. The pig went bush. Took us ages to track.”
The farmer grunted. “Why the hell are all three of you wet?”
“The pig charged Tea and we fell in the river getting out of its way.”
“Well, that was bloody stupid of you. Hmph. Sure you weren’t up to no shenanigans up there? Better be no bloody shenanigans. I’ll have your guts for garters, ladies. You’d be out of here in a moment!”
“No, sir. I absolutely swear, sir. I would never do wrong by the girls.”
“Hmmh. There’s nothing to be smirking about here, Miss Gray. You didn’t even bring the bloody pig back!”
“Not grinning, sir. Just cold.”
“Mind your lip. Well? What are you waiting for? Get the horses unhitched and get back up to the bloody house! Your dinner’s getting cold. And I’m sure Mrs MacGregor will have a word or two for you.”
“Yessir.”
“And don’t think you’re finished with that pig either. First job after milking tomorrow is get back out there and shoot that sunuvabitch. I don’t want it scaring up my ewes.”
“Yessir.”
*
“There you are.”
“Izzy! How many times have I told you? Don’t sneak up on me like that.”
“Sorry. Habit. Gosh, I could almost see your tonsils there.”
“Sorry. I’m bushwhacked. It’s been, uh, a long day. Ha.”
“It’s all right. Alison and Carmel are still up at the farmhouse with their knitting. And seems you’re not so tired that you have your skin sitting right.”
“Thanks. Oh, silly … there I go … yawning again. Mmh. The water sings right, now we’re home. Where’s Grant? Is he all right?”
“Out like a light. Sleeping like the dead.”
“Don’t say that.”
“Sorry.”
“No, I … I mean. Is he … what happened … back there …”
“You’re not upset? Going to the police?”
“The police? No! That’s my brother! They’re friends. And their whaiwhaiā … mixes. And … oh, I don’t know. I’m very tired, and it all feels like a bit of a bad dream.”
“Bad?”
“No … no, I mean … yes, it’s bad. Illegal bad. I can’t stop thinking that. But the way they … Robbie looked like, like life had been put back into him when they … when they …”
“Kissed. I know. It’s hard to say it. Was for me the first time I found out about it.”
“It. Mmh. Oh, apologies for my noisy tummy. I don’t know why, but I’m still hungry, even after that extra potato and slice of mutton.”
“You didn’t get pudding—”
“—that was a shame.”
“—but I have something to make up for it. Tah dah!”
“Are those Soldier Crispies?”
“Is that what you townies call them? Yes, Anzac biscuits.”
“Izzy, where did get them?”