Knock. Knock. Knock. Pause. Knock. Knock. Knock. Konner lowered his hand, and the door opened. He and Aldin entered.
Ash followed them in and stood by the open door, blocking Remina from closing it. “It’s good to see you, Councillor Birge,” he said.
“I’ve told you to call me Remina,” she said. “Come in; it’s chilly out there.”
“Pardon me.” Ash entered the building, and Remina closed the door. But his delay had been long enough for Evitt to squeeze in behind him. Remina led the three men through the hallway, and Evitt followed.
They reached the building’s lobby. Ash set his crate down, and Aldin dropped his bag next to it. Remina stood off to the side, watching them.
“Let’s get started,” Konner said.
Evitt stood behind Konner, Ash, and Aldin as they methodically filled the cast iron containers with black powder. The charcoal scent of the powder filled Evitt’s nostrils, reminding him of the bomb demonstration he’d witnessed in the clearing. His stomach cramped with trepidation.
When the men had filled most of the bombs, Ash said, “I’ll be lighting the fuses half an hour before the building opens, correct?”
Konner’s eyes flitted up to Ash before returning to the metal container in front of him. “That part of the plan has changed; I was certain I’d mentioned it. This will be far more effective if it takes place a bit later, once the celebration has really picked up. There will be a much larger crowd outside.”
Ash’s head jerked up, and he jostled the iron bomb he was filling, nearly spilling it. “There will also be a crowd inside,” he said in a low voice.
Konner sat back on his heels. This time he met Ash’s eyes, his gaze bold. “There will.”
“You told me—” Ash began.
“I told you no unnecessary loss of life,” Konner said. “We must do this in a way that’s effective, or it will all be for naught. If we meet our goal in the most efficient, effective way possible and someone is killed, that loss of life is, by definition, necessary.”
Ash nudged Aldin, who was filling the last container. “How do you feel about this?”
Aldin didn’t look up or pause in his task. “I read all those epics Konner gave us. You did too. It seems like sometimes people have to die to make the world better.”
Ash stood and turned toward Remina. “And you?”
“I value practicality above all,” she said. “You should take note.”
Konner stood and strode to Ash, standing directly in front of the younger man. Despite being shorter, Konner exuded power. His muscles filled the sleeves of his shirt, and the lantern light highlighted small scars on his forehead and jaw, souvenirs from a youth spent fighting. Evitt watched the two men, glad he wasn’t in Ash’s position.
“Ash,” Konner said, his voice full of quiet control, “if this is going to be a problem, I need to know now.”
“It won’t.” Ash said, every muscle in his face taut.
“I’m glad to hear that.” Konner’s grin made Evitt shudder. “Let’s get the lids on and the fuses in, shall we?”
Once the lids were on, Konner asked, “Where’s the fuse bag?”
Aldin and Ash looked around, but neither of them answered.
“Ash, I told you to grab it on the way out,” Konner said.
Ash’s eyes widened defensively. “I didn’t hear that!”
Konner threw his hands up. “Unbelievable. Ash, take the carriage and go get the fuses. They’re inside my house, next to the front door.”
Without a word, Ash strode toward the back door, jaw muscles working. Evitt followed.
At the back door, Evitt murmured, “I’m here too.”
Ash jerked at the sound, but he held the door open for Evitt to exit. When they were both outside, Ash growled, “You should stay in there and keep an eye on things.”
“Not a chance,” Evitt said.
Ash shook his head but didn’t argue. After he untied the horses, he and Evitt both sat on the driver’s bench. “I’m terrible at driving these things,” Ash said, but he got the horses going, and they exited onto the street.
Once they were out of view of the council building, Evitt released his magic. Ash jumped in response to his companion’s sudden appearance, and Evitt squelched his urge to laugh. Instead, he gave Ash a hard look. “Please tell me you’re not going to let those bombs go off tomorrow.”
Ash glanced at him, then looked back at the road. “I don’t like it any more than you do,” he said. “But in this case, Konner is right. We have to do what it takes to show the people they need a change.”
“We could sabotage the bombs. Figure out how to make faulty fuses or something,” Evitt insisted.
“We can’t do that!” Ash sounded nearly as frustrated as Evitt felt. “It’s time to move forward with things. Cormina is rotting from complacency, and if we don’t fix things now, we may never get another chance.”
“Now you sound like Konner.”
Ash shot Evitt an angry glance. “He’s a dangerous man, and that’s why we’re going to stop him. But he’s also smart, and his strategy is good. Listen, Evitt, I know it’s hard to compromise your ideals. But sometimes the end does justify the means. It will all be worth it. I promise.”
Evitt crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the bench seat. “Well, I hope you’re not expecting me to do anything with the bombs.”
With a deep sigh, Ash shook his head. “Sometimes I forget you’re only sixteen. I won’t ask you to light the fuses or anything, all right, Evitt? Just be ready to help in other ways. And after we pick up the fuses, come back with me so you can see if he’s trying to do anything shady.”
Evitt’s only response was an angry nod.
Tavi woke to the sound of persistent pounding on the door of the midwife house. She rolled over in bed, releasing a groan that Reba and Narre echoed. These rude awakenings were a regular occurrence, one of the hazards of living at a place that served clients who needed care at all hours.
A quieter knock would have been sufficient. There was always a midwife or apprentice on duty, depending on tea to keep her awake. But fathers-to-be, friends, and sisters liked to channel their anxieties into frantic door-pounding, no matter the hour.
Tavi was nearly asleep again when she heard raised voices. And maybe she was crazy, but one of them sounded like Evitt. She put her pillow over her head. A minute later, however, someone opened the bedroom door. Tavi uncovered her head and squinted at the lantern light invading the room.
“Girls?” It was Jenevy’s voice. “You need to get dressed and head downstairs.”
“Why?” Tavi moaned.
“It’s Liberation Day,” Jenevy said. “Evitt is here, and he has something to tell us.”
Tavi wanted to argue, but she figured it would take too much energy. She sat up on her bunk and looked out the window. The sun wasn’t close to rising, but the moon shone behind clouds, turning them gray. Tavi found the color foreboding on such a day.
She dressed slowly. She knew they should hear Evitt out, but she hated that they’d reached such a desperate place. She and Tullen had listened for countless hours over the previous two weeks, but they still didn’t have an inkling of what the Grays might be planning. When Ash and Konner needed to talk about their strategies, they always left the house, traveling far enough away that Tavi and Tullen lost their ability to hear the conversation.
The Golds had a simple plan: Attend the festivities and try to figure out what was going on. Even the most optimistic of them thought it was a pitiful scheme, just one notch above hopeless.
When they were dressed, Tavi, Reba, and Narre went downstairs. They found the others sitting in the dining room, along with Evitt. His eyes met Tavi’s, and she stared at him, keeping her countenance as cold and unmoving as the icy cobblestones they’d walked on together. He looked away.
Pala spoke first. “Please have a seat, ladies.” She turned to Evitt. “I was up with a laboring mother all night, and I’d ju
st gotten to sleep when Jenevy woke me. Why are you here?”
“First,” Evitt said, his eyes downcast, “I want to say I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t show up at this time of the morning to apologize to us,” Tavi said. “You’ve had weeks to do that.”
Evitt gave her a sidelong glance and nodded. “I—I don’t know where to start.”
Where Tavi’s voice had been angry, Tullen’s was cold. “Start with the truth,” he said. “If that’s possible.”
Evitt huffed. “Of course it’s possible. I guess I’ll start by telling you what the Grays have been planning for today. I know you’re all new to Savala. You may not realize what a big celebration Liberation Day is. People will gather—”
Tavi interrupted, “We know all about Liberation Day.”
“Oh. Well, good, then. You probably know one of the largest gatherings is at the council building. The council will meet in the morning to make a declaration honoring Relin. It’s what they do every year.”
“Tell us what the Grays are planning,” Pala said.
Evitt took a deep breath. “Mr. Burrell—Konner—has access to black powder.” He looked at Tavi and Tullen. “I guess you already know that. But he stole a lot of it, and somehow he hasn’t been caught.”
“Who did he steal it from?” Jenevy asked.
“From the nation of Cormina. The government keeps a stockpile of it. It’s very secretive, but one of the councillors figured it out and told Konner about it. Konner stole an entire barrel of it without anyone finding out.”
“How?” Narre asked. Then she shook her head. “Never mind, you can tell us that later. What are the Grays going to do with it?”
Evitt hesitated, his eyes shifting around the room. He took a deep breath. “They’ve made bombs with it.”
“Bombs?” Pala asked. “Do you mean like the ones they used in the ancient wars?”
“Yes,” Evitt said, a note of desperation in his voice. “He’s managed to get some old books with instructions on how to make them.”
“How long have you known about this?” Tavi demanded.
Evitt pressed his lips together and looked down at his hands.
“You knew about it when you met with Tavi and me, didn’t you?” Tullen asked.
“I’m sorry,” Evitt said.
“I have a fantastic idea.” Tavi pasted a bright, fake smile on her face. “I don’t trust a word that comes out of Evitt’s mouth. But guess what?” All eyes were on her, and she took a moment to close her eyes and imagine herself kicking Evitt, the same way she had done to Konner.
With that desire fresh in her mind, her magic activated. She sent it straight to her mouth and looked around the room. “Does anyone have a problem with me using my speech magic on Evitt?” she asked.
Everyone answered; her magic compelled them to. No one objected except Evitt himself, who said matter-of-factly, “I’d rather you not.”
Tavi laughed. “I don’t care what you think, Evitt. Now, let’s do this the quickest way we can. You’ve told us several things today. Have you lied at all?”
“No.”
“What are they going to do with the bombs?”
“We already took them to the council building. It was the middle of the night. We put them in planters in the lobby. Later this morning, Ash will go in there and light the fuses.”
“Why?” Tavi asked.
“Konner said it was to create fear. He’s set up several of the non-gray councillors to take the blame for it. He wants people to see the destruction and be afraid more things like that will happen. Then he’ll tell them the council caused it, and they won’t trust their leaders anymore. They’ll be willing to accept a king.”
Tullen turned to Tavi. “Please ask him why he’s here.”
Tavi nodded. “Why are you here?”
“Last night when they were setting up, Konner told us the bombs will go off when the building is open, even if it means people die.”
“Ash didn’t have a problem with that?” Tavi asked. “You told us he didn’t want any violence.”
“He doesn’t. But he’s been thinking about being king for so long. He’s in too deep now. I don’t think he’ll be willing to stand up to Konner on this. We have to stop them!”
“Ask if Ash knows he’s here,” Narre said.
Tavi asked the question, and Evitt replied, “Of course not! He thinks I went home.”
Tavi took a moment to peer at Evitt. “You’re going to help us come up with a plan to stop this. But I’d like to release my speech gift. I don’t mind using it on you, but I don’t like using it on friends. Tell me this: Do you intend to lie to us about anything from here on out?”
“No,” Evitt replied. “I’ll tell you the truth.”
“And will you fully cooperate as we come against Konner and Ash?”
“Yes.”
“Very well.” Tavi released her magic. “I’ve talked to him enough for now; can someone else take over?” She looked around the room and found Tullen watching her. His expression contained a mixture of amusement and admiration, and Tavi looked away, trying to stifle a smile.
Sall spoke first. “Clearly it’s time to talk to the safety officers,” he said. “With all Evitt’s information, they’ll have enough to act on. We could get all the Grays arrested before lunchtime, or at least Ash and Konner.”
“We can’t go to the authorities!” Evitt said. “Bringing in safety officers is more likely to get us arrested than the Grays. Haven’t you ever noticed there’s always a safety officer in front of Konner’s house?”
Narre said, “That street is full of expensive houses; they probably want to make sure thieves don’t come around.”
“That’s not it,” Evitt said. “None of the other streets in Savala are patrolled that closely. Konner’s been exchanging favors with a group of safety officers for years, including the top officer in the city. Recently, he promised them promotions after the coronation. Some of them will become his royal guards. He bragged about it to Ash. And I know the head officer is on Konner’s side, but I have no idea who else is.”
“It makes sense,” Narre said. “When we all got back to Oren after our last trip to Savala, Officer Andisis sent word to the safety officers here. They said they looked into our claims, and there wasn’t any evidence. Officer Andisis always thought they’d brushed us off because we’re from a small town. Maybe the real reason they brushed us off is because we wanted them to investigate the man who was bribing them.”
Pala gave Evitt her sternest look. “You’ve had a little longer to think about this than we have. Do you have any notion of how we should proceed?”
Evitt sighed. “The problem is, most of you could be recognized. If Konner sees you, I don’t know what he’d do. You need to be disguised if we’re all going to the celebration.”
“Hang on,” Narre said with a smile. She left the room.
Sall turned to Evitt. “We knew the Grays were planning something for Liberation Day, and we’re already prepared to go to the celebration. Narre will show you what we’ve come up with.”
“How did you know something was happening?” Evitt asked.
Sall didn’t answer, but his eyes flitted between Tavi and Tullen.
“The two of you have been listening with your hearing gifts, haven’t you?” Evitt asked.
Tavi raised her eyebrows at Sall in exasperation; she hadn’t planned to share that information with Evitt.
Evitt exclaimed, “Ash was right! The other Grays thought he was crazy for being so paranoid, but he was right!” He laughed, but every person at the table glared at him. He sat back in his seat and cleared his throat.
Narre returned carrying a box, which she set down with a grin. She had reason to be proud of its contents. One of the midwives had told her that many Liberation Day celebrants wore masks to commemorate the birds who’d stolen food from Relin’s enemies. Narre had spent hours over the previous two weeks working on masks for all the Golds.
<
br /> She pulled the first mask out of the box. It was made of blue felt, with an orange beak. “This one’s for Jenevy; she’s our bluebird,” she said. She continued to pass out the masks: a crow for Sall, an eagle for Pala, a woodpecker for herself, a robin for Reba, a dove for Tullen, and a cardinal for Tavi.
“This is perfect!” Evitt said. “You’ll fit right in!”
“That’s the idea,” Tavi said.
Narre pulled the box to herself. “There are extra materials in there; I’ll make a simple mask for Evitt,” she said.
“You forget, he has his own disguise,” Tavi said, shooting Evitt another glare.
“But my magic doesn’t work for very long,” Evitt said. “I need to save it for when I need it most.”
Narre began working, and as she cut and sewed, they all talked. By the time the sun rose on Liberation Day, the Golds were ready to fight the Grays.
Chapter Forty-Five
A new patient arrived, and her belly looked ready to burst. I had been apprenticing for a few months by then and was allowed to examine her under a midwife’s supervision. The whole time, the woman spoke to us in the crudest manner, insulting us and cursing at us. She consented to an internal examination, then kicked me as I conducted it.
After she left, my supervising midwife said, “Ellea, one of our most difficult tasks is giving hateful patients the same quality of care as the kind ones.” The years have proven her correct.
-From Midwife Memoirs by Ellea Kariana
Tavi’s bright red-and-black cardinal mask covered the bottom half of her face, with the beak portion open to allow airflow. On her head she wore a red crest. At least my friends feel as silly as I do, she thought, looking at the bright felt plumage of her companions as they left the midwife house together.
She needn’t have felt uncomfortable. As they walked toward the center of the city, they joined hundreds of people on the streets. Many wore masks, everything from simple paper cutouts held up with sticks, to elaborate creations decorated with hundreds of real feathers. A few people even wore wings on their arms or backs.
Facing the Gray Page 33
