The Crippled God

slipped inside without a sound. I followed her, thinking about poor old Ginanse and wondering who was gonna sharpen Ma’s knife now. But Da got up right then and went in a step before me. His hands were dripping melted fat .
    I don’t remember exactly what I saw. Just a flash, really. Up close to Da’s face, just under his huge, bearded jaw. And he made a gurgling sound and his knees bent as if he was about to sit down – right on me. I jumped back, tripped in the doorway and landed in the dust beside the bench .
    Da was making spitting sounds, but not from his mouth. From his neck. And when he landed on his knees, twisting round in thedoorway as if wanting to come back outside, the front of his chest was all wet and bright red. I looked into my father’s eyes. And for the first and only time in my life with him, I actually saw something alive in there. A flicker, a gleam, that went out for good as he slumped on the threshold .
    Behind him, Ma stood holding that little knife in her right hand .
    ‘ Here y’go, boy, hold it careful now. It’s sharp enough to shave a mouse – Bridgeburner magic, what I can do with decent iron. Give us another smile, sweet Elade, it’s all the payment I ask, darling .’
    ‘ Well now, recruit, y’ever stand still? Seen you goin’ round and round and round. Tell me, was your old man a court clown or something? ’
    No, Master-Sergeant, my da was a wood-cutter .
    ‘ Really? Outlier blood? But you’re a scrawny thing for a wood-cutter’s son. Not one for the trade then? ’
    He died when I was seven, Master-Sergeant. I was of no mind to follow his ways. I ended up learning most from my ma’s side of the family – had an aunt and uncle who worked with animals .
    ‘ Found you a name, lad .’
    Master-Sergeant?
    ‘ See, I wrote it right here, making it official. Your name is Widdershins, and you’re now a marine. Now get out of my sight – and get someone to beat those dogs. That barking’s driving me mad .’
    ‘How’s the stomach, Wid?’
    ‘Burns like coals, Sergeant.’
    A half-dozen regulars were coming up alongside them. The one in the lead eyed Balm and said, ‘Fist Blistig assigned us t’this one, Sergeant. We got it in hand—’
    ‘Best under a blanket, Corporal,’ said Balm.
    Throatslitter piped an eerie laugh, and the squad of regulars jumped at the sound.
    ‘Your help’s always welcome,’ Balm added. ‘But from now on, these wagons got details of marines to help guard ’em.’
    The corporal looked nervous enough for Widdershins to give him a closer look. Now that’s an awfully plump face for someone on three tiny cups a day .
    The corporal was stubborn or stupid enough to try again. ‘Fist Blistig—’
    ‘Ain’t commanding marines, Corporal. But tell you what, go to him and tell him all about this conversation, why don’t you? If he’s got a problem he can come to me. I’m Sergeant Balm, Ninth Squad. Or, if I rank too low for him on all this, why, he can hunt down CaptainFiddler, who’s up ahead, on point.’ Balm cocked his head and scratched his jaw. ‘Seem to recall, from my basic training days, that a Fist outranks a captain – hey, Deadsmell, is that right?’
    ‘Mostly, Sergeant. But sometimes, well, it depends on the Fist.’
    ‘And the captain,’ added Throatslitter, nudging Widdershins with a sharp elbow.
    ‘Now there’s a point,’ Balm mused. ‘Kinda sticky, like a hand under a blanket.’
    Throatslitter’s second laugh sent them scurrying.
    ‘Those soldiers looked flush,’ Widdershins muttered once they’d retreated into the gloom. ‘At first, well, the poor fools were just following orders, so I thought you was being unkind, Sergeant – but now I got some suspicions.’
    ‘That’s an executable offence,’ said Deadsmell. ‘What you’re suggesting there, Wid.’
    ‘It’s going to happen soon if it hasn’t already,’ Widdershins said, grimacing. ‘We all know it. Why d’you think Fid nailed us to these wagons?’
    Throatslitter added, ‘Heard we was getting our heavies for this, but then we weren’t.’
    ‘Nervous, Throaty?’ Widdershins asked. ‘Only the four of us, after all. The scariest thing about us is your awful laugh.’
    ‘Worked though, didn’t it?’
    ‘They went to moan at their captain or whoever,’ Balm said. ‘They’ll be back with reinforcements, is my guess.’
    Widdershins jabbed Throatslitter with his elbow, avenging that earlier prod. ‘Scared, Throaty?’
    ‘Only of