All three girls tumbled on to the floor with a thud. Sandry's and Daja's hair fought to rise out of their braids.
Briar listened at the door. The adults seemed to be too deep into their conversation to pay attention to them. "We won't be allowed on the wall," he pointed out.
"We don't need their permission," Sandry replied. She had given up on reasoning with Tris, and was now sitting on the redhead's stomach. "Remember the other night? How we protected ourselves at the North Gate? I can do that. I can keep anyone from touching us. I don't want to go! If the pirates took this place - if they hurt Lark..."
She looked away, blinking eyes that stung. The lightnings had slowed down, but now they climbed on Sandry and Daja just as they did on Tris. Must be more light then heat, Briar thought, looking at the girls. And isn't that just as well? Or Tris'd cook anyone who came near her.
"I don't think I could bear it, if Winding Circle fell," murmured Daja. "I can be a bellows, and blow people away from us. Or - or I think - I think..." She halted, turning something over in her mind.
"Let me up," said Tris. "I won't go out of the window."
"Promise?" asked Sandry.
"Promise."
Sandry and Daja rose to their feet. Little Bear got in a few licks before Tris could stand, and take her face away from his tongue.
Briar eyed the redhead suspiciously. He didn't like the stubborn set of her mouth. Her lightnings seemed thicker - so did her hair. "You look like a bush," he informed her.
Tris grumbled. Seizing a long scarf, she wrapped it around her head and tied it tightly. Past the cloth her curls still rose to fan out, but at least she didn't look so odd.
"What about their magic barrier?" she asked, sitting on the bed. "You heard Skyfire."
"We can ram through," Daja said. "They're always telling us how much strong we are when we hook up. I wish we had the string, though."
"You sure we need it?" Briar enquired. "We did all right at the North Gate. Maybe we just thought we had to touch it."
"I have to use the privy," Tris announced. "I had too much juice."
"If they'll let you down there," Briar said.
Tris smoothed her skirts. Her lightnings had faded. "I have to go. I'll be right back. Don't make plans without me. I want to get these - jishen." She brushed past him, and trotted downstairs.
"If Sandry protects us, and if I get near the ships, well..." Daja mused.
"Tell us," Sandry urged.
"When Frostpine and I did the harbour chain, he made the chain rise in the air. I'm pretty sure I remember how." It was one of many things burned into her mind when they had magicked the rest of the chain so hard and so fast. "I think I can get metal to pull out of whatever it's attached to, in a small area. Maybe even drag nails from their moorings."
"I'll find something to do," said Briar. "There's always getting seaweed to foul their oars. And if Coppercurls can use her lightning, we might be able to make these turd-eaters back off."
They discussed their plans for a few more minutes. Briar was the first to realize that, for someone who promised to be right back, Tris was taking a very long time.
"Wait here," he told the other two. He swung out of the window, letting himself drop to the pillows on the roof of Rosethorn's shop, where Tris had planned to fall. He landed with little more than a bump, just as another boom-stone exploded. Waving, he dropped to the ground. They waited nervously as he trotted around to the privy. Within moments he was back, scowling furiously.
She's gone! he mouthed.
"Help me down," Sandry told Daja, tucking her skirts between her knees. She sat on the windowsill and swung her legs outside. Daja lowered her as much as she could, until Sandry was able to drop lightly to the workshop roof. On her jump to the ground, Briar was there to catch her.
Daja wasn't about to risk the thump the adults would hear if she dropped. Running into the attic, she got a coil of rope. With a few quick twists, she secured one end to Tris's bed. Clinging to the rope, she lowered herself to the ground.
"Where would she go?" Briar asked when she arrived. They trotted away from the house, coming out of the gardens and on to the grassy strip on the inside of the wall. "There's sentries all over the wall."
From the cottage behind them, they heard the first bark. Little Bear did not like to be left behind.
"Maybe she'll keep them off with lightning, or the wind," Daja said. "You know how she is. They might not know the lightning she wears doesn't hurt."
"Wait," Sandry told them. She closed her eyes and held out her hand, palm-up, wriggling her fingers. "I feel your thread, Daja, and Briar's -" She closed her hand and opened her eyes. "She's headed for the south wall, for certain." As they began to run again, she added, "Maybe the lightning only just tickles us because, well -"
"Her magic's bleeding into ours," said Briar. "So maybe it thinks we're part of her? I hope she sees that before she scorches somebody who isn't part of her."
"When I catch her, I am going to give her a pounding," threatened Daja. "She is the most aggravating girl I ever met - apart from you," she told Sandry.
"How long before they find out we're gone?" asked Briar. "Not too long, if Little Bear keeps it up." They ran faster.