Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 74
way back up. He debated turning and running--but he had no
picking his way down the hill.
About halfway down he took a long look at the lights
burning in the distance, and felt a chill greater than the rain
settle on him. He ran the last few meters a bit recklessly, but
arrived next to May still on his feet.
"Don't you know that's a Wind manse?" he said, pointing
at the distant lights. "If we go in there, we'll be killed!"
She had that serene, unconcerned look about her again.
"No we won't. I have protection," she said. Ahead of them,
tall stately red maples stood in even ranks. The underbrush
was sparse, as if someone regularly cut it back.
Jordan shook his head. They jogged through tall wet
grass and into the shelter of the trees. Calandria pointed to a
brighter area ahead. "Clearing. I guess there's extensive
grounds around this one."
She led him on. After a minute he said, "So you've been
in other manses?"
"Yes. I have a way of getting in." She stopped and
rooted around in one of her belt pouches. "This." She brought
out a thick packet of some gauzy material, which she shook out
into a square about two meters on a side. "We wear this over
us, like we're playing Ghost."
She held it out to him and he touched it. The material
was rather rough, and glittered like metal. It crackled a bit
when it folded.
"Stand close." Reluctantly, Jordan did so. She pulled the
sheet over both their heads. It was easy to see through, but a
little awkward to walk with, as it tended to bell stiffly out.
They had to take handfuls of the stuff and hold it close. "Put