"You think you can do this?" Gaen's voice was challenging.

"Numen, Gaen," Judit snapped. "You think you can do this?" She repeated, soft and supportive this time.

Jaddy nodded, his eyes on the floor. "I think so." He looked up, eyes scared, first at Judit then at Gaen. "It's just... What if her screen is locked? I don't know her password."

"If she's on it," Merle said, pursing her lips, "we've probably got like a minute before it switches itself off and you need the password to turn it on again. So we've just gotta be quick."

She lifted a hand to her face, bit her fingernail. Judit could see that her nails were muddy, black rimmed, in the firelight. They'd rushed into the blackhouse from the gardens to confer when the boys had a midday break from hunting.

"But what if she's not on it?" Jaddy looked doubtful.

"Stuck in that boring blackhouse all night? She's bound to be," Merle scoffed.

"He's right," Gaen said. We need a plan. In case she's not."

The four of them sat and thought, the only noise that of the birds in the byre. The chickens were clearly hurled out by the lavy, the caged interlopers in their space, and were vocally registering their distaste.

"So Jaddy can come to the door," Merle said eventually. "If she's not. And just say 'Is everything okay?'. That's the code word. Then we let her go back, leave it ten minutes, and try again."

"You gotta keep 'em both out." Jaddy looked panicked. "For as long as possible. This is gonna take me ages." He scanned Sannah's crumpled six-page instructions.

"I'll wait outside." Merle drummed her hands on her knees. "And if either of them come back, I'll say 'you gotta see Dean! You gotta see Goodmin' or whatever. Take 'em to the other one."

Gaen nodded. "You alright with that?" he asked Jaddy, more gently this time.

"I think so."

"Are you alright with it?" Merle looked at Gaen, doubtful. "I don't see why we can't just pretend."

"No. She'd be back in her blackhouse in no time if I didn't have convincing symptoms. It's gotta be real."

"I still don't know if it's a good idea." Merle pushed her hair off her face, leaving a streak of mud on her cheek. "It's gonna make getting away harder if you're incapacitated. And what if, like last time..." A deep furrow set in her brow as she stared at her brother.

"It won't be like last time." Gaen shook his head. "Agaricus is nothing like Pantherina. I'll just be ill for a bit. I'll get over it. And we've only gotta get on the boat, it doesn't matter if I'm spewing there. I promise to do it over the side."

"I dunno." Merle scowled, but her tone was defeated. "It's your choice, I suppose."

"Yes, it is," Gaen said decisively. He placed three large, pearly-white mushrooms on a flat stone by the fire. The four kids looked at them silently.

"Okay," Judit said finally, trying to prevent the fear from creeping into her voice. "So I'll see you all tonight."

***

It was different to last time. Gaen's face was white, but he didn't collapse. He was shaking, but his mouth didn't foam.

"Now?" Judit asked, wondering if this was a terrible idea after all, if agreeing to it was the worst mistake she'd ever made.

"Now," Gaen said, through shaky breaths. "I want her to see me throwing up."

Judit swallowed, her mouth dry, and headed for the door. She knocked on Merle and Jaddy's door first. They were there straight away. Merle gave her a silent nod. Jaddy came out. He looked terrified. Judit tried to give him a supportive smile, but wasn't sure if she could.

They rounded the corner of the blackhouse and headed for Hegri's. Judit had never been before, and when they knocked, she was terrified she had the wrong one.

Hegri opened immediately, his eyes wide.

"All set?" Judit whispered.

"All set. I didn't think Peasie was gonna go at first. I had to tell her I was planning a surprise." He looked down, suddenly sad. "Spose I am really. Just not what she expects. I kinda feel like a dagcrank about it." He frowned. "I kept thinking she'd notice the lavy. It's really noisy. I don't know how she stays so oblivious."

Judit squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. "Come on, we'll help you." The three of them entered the house. It was identical to theirs, just arranged slightly differently. It was surprisingly messy. Hegri had arranged a neat pile of dry wood and the bed blankets by the fire.

"Okay," he said. "Here goes nothing."

He placed the corner of the blanket in the fire. They stood silently and watched, waiting. The flames licked along the fabric, reaching the wood. The fire burst orange as the dry branches began to ignite.

Hegri's face looked drawn in the blaze of light. "Okay," he said weakly. "Let's go."

He ran ahead of them, knocked on Dean and Goodmin's door. Jaddy and Judit hung back, watching from a safe distance.

The door opened.

"Goodmin," Judit whispered.

Hegri asked for Dean, his voice deceptively calm. Goodmin disappeared, and after a few long seconds, the male teacher took her place. Hegri's voice was more urgent now, and the teacher came out. Judit and Jaddy pulled back as Hegri and Dean passed their hiding place on the way to Hegri's blackhouse.

"Now?" Jaddy's word came out like a croak.

Judit shook her head. "Nah. Give her time to get back on her screen."

They waited, staring at the dark doorway in the dim moonlight.

"Now," Judit said decisively. She half-walked, half-ran, to the door. She turned to glimpse at Jaddy, hidden around the corner of the teacher's rough blackhouse wall. He gave her a nod, and she knocked.

She had time to breathe in before Goodmin answered.

"It's Gaen!" Judit put as much panic into her voice as she could. "You've got to come now! Please! Quickly!"

"What's happened?" Goodmin frowned, her voice stern, but she came out, and followed her to the blackhouse when Judit started to run. We're on.

Gaen was crouching on the floor, moaning, and Judit was hit with terror. He was wrong. He misjudged the mushrooms. He's going to die.

"What is this?" Goodmin rushed to his side, lifting his head.

"I'm so sorry," Judit said, weakly. "We had mushrooms again. I think..."

"This is outrageous!" Goodmin looked from Gaen to Judit, her eyes livid. "How could you do this again? I specifically asked you to consult me if you foraged again, after last time. How could you? Really, Judit, I'm furious at you." She sounded it, too.

"Sorry," Judit said weakly, her face colouring. Even though it wasn't real it still felt like dag.

"Gaen?" Can you hear me?" Goodmin's voice was sharp.

"Yes... I-"

He was interrupted by the sound of the door. Judit's chest contracted. Oh, no. Who was that?

It was bad.

It was Jaddy.

"How is everything... I m...mean, what's going on?" Jaddy didn't take his eyes off Goodmin, his face terrified.

Gaen looked up, eyes wide, illness temporarily forgotten. Relief washed over Judit. He's play acting. Putting it on for Goodmin. Thank skit for that. The relief was quickly tempered by her dismay at Jaddy's appearance.

"I'm fine Jadrun. I feel okay. I think it was just..." Gaen sat up, looking at Goodmin, still kneeling beside him.

"You're burning up," she said, sceptical, touching his brow.

He battered her away. "I've just got a bug, or something. In fact–" He looked at Judit and Jaddy, panicked. "I think I might have the squits. Can I have some privacy please? So I can..." He pointed at the wooden bedpan bucket.

Goodmin frowned. "Alright. I'll go. But come and get me immediately if anything changes, alright?" She addressed this to Judit, her voice icy.

Goodmin stood up and headed out of the blackhouse, Jaddy moving out of her way like she could give him an electric shock or something. Judit approached him behind Goodmin's back, gave his arm a squeeze. He was wet with sweat, shaking like a leaf.

They turned to face Gaen when the blackhouse door was closed.

"Do you really need... y'know?" Judit asked, embarrassed. "We can..."

"No," Gaen snapped, his face glowing like a stop-light. "Skit off. It was just to get rid of her."

"How you feeling?" Judit said, aware she was blushing too.

"I'm okay. Not great, but I'm okay. Better than before. Did you find it?" He said this to Jaddy.

"Yes." Jaddy's voice was shaking. "But it wasn't on. You should see it in there, it's well lux. Sofas and lights and everything. They must have a mini-generator in the byre."

Judit raised her eyebrows. "We'll give it a few minutes, then go back. Say you're badly again. Let's just pray Hegri can keep Dean away."

"Did the fire work?" Gaen asked, still sitting on the floor. His brow looked clammy, and he had his arms wrapped around himself, as if he were cold. Goodmin was right. He didn't look well.

"I think so," Judit replied, trying to stop pity seeping into her voice. "Can I get you a glass of water or something?"

"No." Gaen was stern. "I need to seem really badly. When she comes back. To keep her here."

Judit nodded and they waited in silence, all looking at each other. There was a sound at the door, and they looked to it, alarmed.

"Goodmin's back in." It was Merle, eyes wide. "Ready to try again?"

Judit swallowed her fear, and nodded.

Merle, Judit and Jaddy left together. The night was colder than it had been, a bite in the air. Judit heard something and spun around, a warning hand on Merle's arm.

"It's Hegri," Merle whispered. "Taking Dean to the well. He thought if he had no water in the house, he could keep him for longer putting out the fire."

Judit nodded and bit her bottom lip. Please let this work. She left Merle and Jaddy lurking in the shadows, lifted her fist, and knocked on the door. She was surprised how quickly Goodmin opened.

"I think you need to come back." Judit couldn't help cringing under the teacher's accusatory glare.

***

Gaen did a good job, that's for sure. Judit had to keep telling herself he was acting as he retched and heaved, and still didn't quite believe it. Her palms were sweaty, adrenalin stiff in her muscles. She couldn't keep still, jumping at every noise. At one point, one of the caged lavy in the byre squawked loudly, and Judit's eyes shot to Goodmin, terrified. She didn't seem to have noticed it.

But then there was another noise in the byre, the door opening, which she did notice. Judit's heart sank. Jaddy. Failed again.

It wasn't Jaddy. It was Dean. Judit struggled to regulate her breathing.

At least I don't have to hide my panic, she thought with relief. They'll just think I'm worried about Gaen.

"I just ran into Merle. Outside," Dean said, deadly serious. "She told me what happened. How is he?"

"Not good. He's burning up." Goodmin's face was pale as she looked up at Dean.

Judit saw Gaen sneak a peek at her with one eye. "Ow, ow," he moaned. "I'm dying. Please don't leave me." He grabbed the teacher's hand.

"I can't believe this," Dean snapped, glaring at Judit before kneeling down next to Gaen.

A loud noise in the byre shocked Judit out of her mortification. Skit. Skit skit skit. It's the lavy. Her eyes scanned the teachers. They didn't seem to have noticed. It was getting louder now, screeching and squawking, so surely they would soon?

Panic rose in Judit's throat as Dean looked up.

"What's that?" He said sharply.

"I'll go see," Judit croaked, stumbling for the door.

The birds were making a huge commotion, screaming and squawking, the chickens clucking in alarm. Judit closed the door to the living room, trying to keep some soundproofing, and threw open the exterior door to let some light in.

The lavy's rough wooden cage was rocking on the floor as the two lavy launched themselves at one another, screaming as they fought. Skit skit skit skit skit. I've got to get them out of here.

Judit grabbed the bars and lifted the heavy cage, wincing at the strong movement of the birds, their gleaming sharp beaks, their unearthly screams. It's gonna peck me skit I can't carry this oh skit Dean's gonna come out, they're so noisy.

Judit struggled out of the door, the cage jerking in her hands as the birds hurled themselves at one another. She ran, stumbling, the cage rattling and painful-heavy in her hands, up the meadow, to the woods, trying to get her hysterical passengers as far away from the blackhouses as possible.

She dropped the cage when she reached the wood, screaming herself as a hard beak cut into her finger. The cage fell on its side and the fight temporarily stopped as the startled birds righted themselves.

It wasn't long before they lunged at one another again. They shouldn't hear them, up here, but there were feathers everywhere now, blood darkening one bird's neck, black rather than red in the moonlight. Should I let them out? They're gonna kill one another. She couldn't. It would ruin the plan.

Judit thought of Gaen. It's even worse when you have to kill them. "Sorry," she rasped to the injured lavy, tears in her eyes. She turned and ran back to the blackhouses, trying to block out their savage cries.

"It was just birds," she said breathless, as she pushed in. Dean and Goodmin were still hunched over Gaen. "Fighting outside. On the roof. They've gone now." She hesitated, hearing a noise by the door. "I'll just go check."

Judit slipped out. She was shaking now. She could still hear the lavy, faint and brutal from the distant trees. Now Merle had arrived, and Jaddy. They were holding hands. Jaddy looked terrified.

"Is it done?" Judit could barely speak.

Jaddy just nodded. "It's done. I think I got it right. It looked right. Two of the dots were in the wood for some reason."

"That's ours." Judit said. "They started fighting. Dean and Goodmin could hear. I thought they'd find them. I didn't know what to do. Do you think it's ruined?" She looked from Merle to Jaddy, her breath jerky.

"I'm sure it's fine," Merle didn't sound sure. "If they look, they'll just think two of us are having a rando romantic rub in the forest or something." She smiled weakly at Judit. "How's Gaen?"

"Let's go in and see." Judit turned to the door. The lavy had stopped screaming, thankfully. "Have you told Lintie?"

Merle nodded, reaching out, squeezing Judit's hand with her free one.

"Merle and Jaddy are here," Judit exclaimed meaningfully as they entered. Dean and Goodmin barely acknowledged them.

"I'm feeling better." Gaen sat up.

Zen it, Judit tried to telepath him, be more subtle.

"Loads better. I'm fine, in fact. I just want to sleep. You can go," he turned to the teachers. "Thanks for looking after me. I'd like to go to sleep now. I'll tell Judit if I need you again."

"Are you sure?" Goodmin looked confused.

"Yep. See you later." Gaen made a show of getting up, getting in the bed.

Dean looked at Goodmin and shrugged. "Come on," he said. Judit knows where we are if he has a relapse."

Goodmin frowned, but got up. "Make sure you keep drinking," she said to Gaen. "And get me if anything happens. Anything."

The teachers turned to leave. Gaen was practically pushing them out of the door.

"Way to be obvious," Judit chided him as soon as they were out of earshot.

He ignored her, turning straight to Jaddy. "Did it work?"

Jaddy nodded. "Yeah. I think so." He looked at Gaen, Judit and Merle in turn. Merle had dropped his hand now, Judit noticed. "What now?"

"We wait," Gaen said. "Give it an hour, then we go. Brock will be waiting."

***

Judit pulled the blackhouse door shut behind her. One final time. She couldn't believe this was it. She turned to Gaen, quiet, laden with things, beside her.

"This is it," she whispered.

"This is it." He reached out, gave her hand a squeeze. The contact shocked her. His palm was cold and sweaty, an indication of his poisoned state.

She could see the others, a small, silent group at the other end of the blackhouses, heading towards the cliff.

"We better go join them."

They wove quickly through the buildings. Judit was terrified a door would open, someone would lean out, ask where they were going all packed up. No one did.

The group were ahead, just disappearing over the brow of the hill, when Gaen stopped, leaned over to throw up. His sick looked pale on the dark grass. It made Judit think of the blood, dark on the lavy's pale feathers.

Suddenly Judit's heart sank. "Skit." She slapped her forehead with her palm. "I forgot something. I have to go back."

Gaen frowned. "Can't you just leave it? We need to go."

"No," Judit said firmly. "It's important. I need it." It was her menstrual cup, but there was no way she was dagging telling him that.

He sighed, annoyed. "Alright. I'll meet you on the beach. Be quick, okay?"

She nodded, dropping her baggage for greater speed, picking up her skirts and running back to the house. She wove through the sleeping village, praying that no-one would wake up.

Judit let out a sigh of relief as she opened her blackhouse door, stepped inside to safety. Just grab the cup, then get out, get away.

Would she miss this place? Maybe she would, in an off kilter kinda way. She lifted her eyes as she pushed her way from the byre to the living room, ready to take it all in, commit it to memory, say goodbye.

Fear hit her in the face like a metal bar.

Judit fell back, slamming the door with her shoulder, a raw, visceral noise escaping from her mouth.

Someone was here.

In the house.

Standing by the boxbed, in the darkness.

He turned towards her, taking her in, frozen by the door.

"Judit?" His voice was confused, almost scared, echoing in the darkness.

Oh skit.

Not again.

It was Rama.