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Side A – Yasgrid

Yasgrid knew her mother had fought Roadies before. Drummers generally didn’t, but drummers generally weren’t her mother either.

“These are our drums though,” Gossma said, which drew a scowl from both Roadies.

“You know that ain’t how it works,” Horgi said.

“Drummers don’t own drums.” Grash’s voice held a note of fatigue, like this was something the Roadies had been explaining for centuries without ever getting it to penetrate the thick skulls of the drummers who, apparently, all refused to listen.

Yasgrid surmised this largely because, as far as she knew, drummers were thick headed clods who refused to listen to a lot of things the Roadies said.

And, yes, she was including everyone in the room with her in that count, even herself.

“I’ve had these drums for years!” Gossma said, with a look which suggested she was about to dive across the room to defend “her” drums from the soon-to-be marauding Roadies.

Osdora put a hand on Gossma’s knee though.

“No. No, they’re right,” she said, striking a far more conciliatory tone than Yasgrid had expected from her mother.

Had some of Naosha’s tact rubbed off on Osdora? Yasgrid’s mind boggled at the notion.

“The hell they are!” Gossma said. “We were given these drums to hold and secure.”

Osdora sighed, but Horgi and Grash simply smiled a knowing sort of smile which invited Gossma to continue on with her line of thought.

“Yes, and they were given by…?” Osdora asked.

A response rose to Gossma’s lips but it sent her indignation crashing down before it could escape.

“Shut up,” she said and jerked her knee away from Osdora’s grasp.

“You own all the Shatter Drums?” Kayelle asked, directing the question to Horgi and Grash, but it was Osdora who answered before the Roadies had a chance.

“No. No one owns the drums. Our Roadies are their primary caretakers however, though they will, occasionally, allow for select drums to be given into the long term care of those who are not near a concert venue, or who require them for practice outside of Band rehearsals.”

“So when Margrada asked about ‘her’ drum…?” Kayelle didn’t need to explain more for Gossma to understand and answer.

“The last drummer who has played on a drum, or  the drummer who’s played it for the longest if it’s been under private care, will have a relationship with the drum which is distinct from anyone else’s.” Gossma cast an eye over towards Margrada. “After what this one played on her drum the last time, that connection probably goes a lot deeper than is usual for a drum and drummer.”

“Seems like,” Horgi said.

“We didn’t  find anything wrong with it,” Grash added, which was clearly the most important thing in the world. “But we probably won’t have anyone else play that one for a while.”

“Not even me?” Margrada asked.

“Not for a little while,” Horgi said, a note of deep apology underlying his words. “We just want to give it time to cool down in case we missed anything.”

“For her safety?” Kayelle asked.

“For everyone’s,” Margrada said, with an understanding nod towards the Roadies.

Side B – Nia

A memory of the Calling swept over Nia. How could a drum be a danger to anyone beyond the drummer? Images played behind her eyelids of the people being erased when a drum got overwhelmed. ‘Quite easily’ was the answer to her question.

Was that why she liked playing so much? Because she knew down to her roots that drumming was unimaginably dangerous but in her hands she could feel it under her control?

Maybe?

That was far from all that drumming gave to her, but there was probably a least a nugget of that thrill buried inside her. Nia spared a quick glance at Margrada and the other drummers. Did they have the same…no, she didn’t even need to ask. No one who touched a drum twice was a fully rational being. Her fellow drummers definitely felt a similar pull too.

“You’re going to take them now aren’t you?” Gossma asked, all grumbly disappointment personified.

Because, of course, there was a chance the Roadies would let the drums possibly be subjected to further peril. That Gossma had even bothered to form that thought in her head confirmed Nia’s evaluation of drummers as a whole. The ones in the room with her, the ones in Gray Rift and Gray Falls, all of them.

“It’s fine,” Osdora said, which, based on what Gossma’s hand did in response, almost earned her a punch. “They’ll give them back soon enough.”

“We can make no such promises,” Grash said.

“You don’t have to,” Osdora said. “I can tell you what you’re going to find already.”

“You don’t know what we’re going to look for,” Horgi said.

“Of course I do,” Osdora said. “It’s the same thing I was watching for. Yeah, yeah, you’ve got different tools. The good ones you don’t share with us lowly drummers. Doesn’t mean we can’t work out what you’re looking for though. Or how to spot it on our own.”

“How? How would you know that?” Grash did not seem at all pleased with Osdora’s claim and was, apparently, looking for an excuse to do something with that unhappiness.

“How else? By watching you.” When the Roadies flinched and began to rise, Osdora waved a hand at them. “Calm your butts down. I wasn’t watching during any of your rituals. You know I give your parties a wide berth ever since the Obsidian Glen. What I watch is which drums you give out to people, and which drums you keep off line.”

“And what’s that supposed to tell you?” Horgi asked, only sounding partially mollified.

“Well, when we get back a drum that I thought was questionable, it tells me that the thing I saw and was worried about wasn’t a big deal. You remember a couple of years back, Jarlstaf scuffed the edge of his drum? You two were the ones who looked it over. You saw the scuff, I know you did, and you pronounced it fit for use the same day.”

“Yeah. We didn’t have the resin to fix it up there,” Grash said.

“We had a drum get scuffed last year too,” Osdora said and both Horgi and Grash groaned at the memory.

“Yeah, we’re still working on that one.”

“I’m not saying I know the drums as well as you do. After watching for a few hundred things like that though is that I’ve got some inkling how to care for a drum. We played these drums a lot, so I know they’re both good. If I’m worried about anything, it’s that you might find them to be a little too good.”

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