Read Online The Just City by Jo Walton - Free Book Online Page B

him back to his feet.
    â€œTruly, you’ll be able to do it if you let yourself go.”
    â€œI know how dolphins swim.”
    â€œI love dolphins. They often swim out by the rocks, there where the sea darkens to wine. When you have learned to swim, you will be able to swim out to them.”
    I had never seen anyone try so hard and keep on failing. Pytheas could not float, but he couldn’t believe he could not. He watched me treading water and floating on my back, and couldn’t believe he couldn’t master the skill by sheer strength of will. I tried supporting him on his stomach, telling him it was more like the way dolphins do it, but it worked only a little better. He kept thrashing about and sinking. “Maybe we should try another day,” I said, seeing that he was growing cold and his fingers were wrinkling from the water.
    â€œI want to swim today.” He bit his lip and looked far younger than he was. “I understand I can’t master the art in one day, but I want to make a beginning. This is so stupid. I feel such a fool. I’ve wasted your whole afternoon when I know you want to be in the library.”
    â€œIt isn’t a waste teaching you,” I said. “But how do you know that?”
    â€œSeptima says you’re always reading in the library when you have a moment.”
    â€œSeptima’s always in the library,” I said. It was true. Septima was a tall grey-eyed girl from the Athens hall who could read when she first came, and in the time since had made herself almost an assistant librarian. “Did you ask her about me?”
    â€œWhen I heard you were teaching swimming.”
    â€œBut why her? How do you know her? She’s Athens and you’re Delphi.”
    He looked caught out, then raised his chin boldly. “I knew her before.”
    â€œBefore you came here?” Even though we were out in the sea with nobody near us, I lowered my voice. “Now I think about it, you look alike. A kind of family resemblance, maybe?”
    â€œShe’s my sister,” he admitted. “But here we’re all to be brothers and sisters, so what difference does it make? She’s my friend, and why shouldn’t she be?”
    â€œNo reason she shouldn’t be,” I said. “So you asked her about me?”
    â€œI thought she’d know. I only knew you’d won the race. Now I know you’ve taught the others to swim, and you clearly understand the methods, and you’ve been very patient. I want to learn. I want to swim at least a little today. I can’t let it defeat me.”
    I think what did it was the way he blamed himself and not me, and the sheer force of his will. “All right, then,” I said. “There is another way, but it’s dangerous. Put your hands on my shoulders. Don’t clutch, and don’t panic and thrash, even if you go under. You could drown us both if you do. Let go of me if you feel yourself sinking. As long as you don’t panic, I can rescue you, but if you drive us both under and I can’t come up, we could both die.”
    â€œAll right.” He stood behind me and put one hand on each of my shoulders.
    â€œNow I’m going to slide slowly forward, and I’ll tow you. Keep your arms still, and let your legs come up. I’ll be underneath you.” I slid forward and took one stroke with my arms, drawing him forward. I could feel the whole length of his body on top of mine. He did not clutch or panic, and I kicked my legs gently, swimming for perhaps six or seven strokes and drawing him along on top of me. I turned my head sideways. “Now keep your arms still but kick your legs just a little.” I was ready to put my own legs down and stand up if he panicked now—I knew the slope of the beach well, and I was still in my depth. I had done this before with my little cousins when they were very small. He began to move his legs, and I kept mine still