Fourth Watch (Delfii's Song, Snippet 6.1)

A story fragment from the Southsong Cycle

(Read Delfii’s Song, Snippet 5)

Several shadow-mottled men-folk in muted tunics slunk along the rampart ahead. Their glinting harpoons flashed like reef-feeders in the night.

Delfii was halfway to the meeting of the south and east walls when a white-garbed warrior swam across her path. Neither woman broke stride. “My thaen,” murmured Vluta in her soft land-hugger drawl.

She already stood watch this seven-day. Must have been making her usual offerings to the Wright, here on the eve of battle. Useless as the land-huggers’ god was, it was a freewoman’s right to worship as she willed, within reason. All the same, better she should sleep.