Elias covered them, walking backward, until they had rounded a bend in the path and it was no longer possible to see the Pilatans gathered by the riverbank. The giant turned so that he could walk in a more regular manner, but still kept vigilant for attack from the rear or the sides.
“Don’t need to tell you, I know, but keep your ears open, Jak. I don’t think we can trust them,” he said.
“Already there,” the albino replied. He had a leaf-bladed knife in each hand and was alert for the slightest sound.
“This is really gonna let the shit hit the wall,” J.B. said through gritted teeth as they progressed. “What the fuck will Markos and Mildred make of this one?”
COMPLETELY UNAWARE at that moment of what was going on in the woods, the sec boss and Mildred were about to part company. After leaving the wood felling sites, they had walked down to the beach where work was progressing on the refashioning of the boats. From here, they had moved into the ville itself, where there were moves afoot to pack up as much of the ville as possible for transportation while still keeping it running until such time came for them to depart. Both at the beach and in the ville, Mildred was aware that there were sections of the community that resented her presence as an overseer and were more inclined to talk to the sec boss than they were to her directly. She wondered if Sineta would have been wiser to make the round of the works herself with the sec boss rather than send Mildred, for the doctor had heard some talk among sections of the populace concerning herself and J.B., and also talk of resentment that such a mere interloper should be acting as a liaison between the baron and the Pilatans.
They couldn’t know the truth. Barras was approaching the end of his life. Despite the painkillers she had given him, Mildred had known from the first that the baron’s condition was critical. What had surprised her was the sudden worsening of that condition. It was as though the old man had been grimly hanging on, waiting for the deadlock in his people to be broken. The arrival of Mildred and the rest of the companions had been the catalyst and now action had finally been taken. With nothing left to live for, and the knowledge that any attempt to move him would hasten his demise, the old baron had let go and was rapidly approaching the crisis point. So his daughter was spending as much time with him as possible, deputing Mildred to fulfill her tasks. But the people couldn’t be told, as they couldn’t be distracted from their purpose at this time.
Mildred and the sec boss arrived back at Sineta’s quarters and entered. As Mildred had expected, the baron’s daughter wasn’t there.
“You’d better get on with your own tasks,” Mildred said wearily. “I’ve kept you from them enough. Lord knows, if I’m tired, you must be exhausted by the time you finish your working day right now, having to nursemaid me, as well.”
Markos lingered for a moment, as if shaping the words that he spoke. “On the contrary, I would argue that it is a vital part of my duty—and a part from which I derive great satisfaction—to work alongside you.”
Mildred allowed herself a smile before answering. “It’s good of you, but it must be a real pain in the ass to have to follow me around.”
“It is something I would do from choice,” the sec boss returned.
He was looking at her intently, and as her eyes locked on to his, she felt a wave of emotion sweep over her. Qualms she had felt about consequences of any actions on the companions were swept from her mind.
Markos crossed the room and embraced her, bending so that his lips could meet hers. Mildred responded eagerly, pulling him to her fiercely.
As Markos’s hands slid down Mildred’s back to cup her buttocks, the couple was distracted by the sounds of a gathering crowd outside. He broke the embrace, shot Mildred a puzzled glance, then rushed to the door.