It was three days following the Bandinette south. The horses were more agreeable with food to eat and water to drink. Niko seemed to take joy in trailing his hand in the water. On the first day, the water would freeze into a hard glove around it, but by the third day it would run cheerfully through his fingers.
Cora was pushing them ever faster now that home was so close. When they saw the white bridge, Lissie watched Cora wipe a tear from her eye. “I’m home. I did it.” Her hand was tight around the bag on her hip full of blue mushrooms.
Crossing the bridge, Lissie did not think they were home.
The horses had been taken from them. They were led across the bridge by soldiers. When they tried to follow, a soldier barked, “You have to disrobe. We have to classify you.” His Gallian accent was thick, and Lissie’s eyes went to his face. But she couldn’t see through the green glass. His lance was tall, sharp and menacing. He was wearing a leather hood with green glass circles over his eyes. All the soldiers were dressed this way, in full-body leather. Fawns danced against their chests.
“Do you know who I am?” Cora tossed her hair back. “My name is Coretta and I am the daughter of Lady Maribelle of Terndowns!” She had her hand on her hip.
“Travelers must be classified, my Lady.” The soldier did not move.
“What classification?” Riley’s eyes narrowed. Her hand was on her sword.
“Rose, Willow, Feverfew, Nightshade, Problem.” He paused and said, “You’re obviously not Problem cases.”
Riley stepped forward. “I’m a problem, don’t you worry about that.”
Alexander peered around. “You do have privacy screens? I don’t see any.”
Lissie looked down the bridge. There were only more soldiers. No structures. “We have been away, we have not encountered anyone with the plague.”
“We don’t say that word, Lady Maribelle instructed us on appropriate terminology.” The soldier sounded bored. His green goggles reflected the sky behind them.
Cora said, “I demand to speak to my mother.”
The soldier wavered. “I will fetch an officer.” He turned and walked down the bridge. The other soldier put his lance crossways. It filled the walkway.
“Why did you not just do as he asked?” Niko asked.
Cora spun on him. “You would have me strip?” She flew her hand out, gesturing at the people, the open air. “In front of all the Six and everyone?”
Niko stood, head cocked, wearing nothing but trousers. He did not reply.
The soldier came back with another leather-clad man. This one had a stag emblazoned on his chest. He said, “It is Coretta!” He turned to the other officer. “Don’t you recognize her? She looks just like our Lady Maribelle.”
“I follow orders, sir.” The soldier still sounded bored.
They were ushered across the bridge. On the other side, where they had expected to see an open path leading to Terndowns, there was a huge structure built of white stone. It smelled of fresh masonry. The soldier approached the open anteroom and waved them past four halls labeled with the categories displayed as intricate carvings. Lissie stared at the rose, and then jumped when she heard a feral snapping and a shriek.
Behind a heavy iron gate, she saw a flash of a man. The soldier pushed them past before she could get a good look. Riley demanded the soldier tell her why they were taking prisoners.
“He is waiting for his bedroom to be readied.” Lissie could hear the wry grin in his voice. “The bellhops will be along shortly.”
The man screamed again.
They were led through a wet room that burnt Lissie’s eyes and throat with the stench of vinegar. “You will be cleaned.” The man left them there, and walked back out.
Nozzles of brass opened above them and showered them with vinegar. It seeped slowly into their heavy travel clothes. Cora was frantic trying to cover the mushrooms.
Lissie saw the vinegar bead on Niko’s skin. It did not freeze. He licked his lips and turned up his mouth to taste it. He looked down at her and smiled. “It is not as good as what you put on the salads.”
The door in front of them opened into another hall. This one without a roof or ceiling. They followed it into a break room full of men with long black hair and their hoods off.