by Kate L. Mary
Shame filled me. I should have listened to him. Should have given him more of a chance to explain. I should have known that if Asa told me not to come here, he had a good reason.
“I am so sorry.” The urge to go to him, to wrap my arms around him and kiss him and tell him how wrong I had been, pulsed through me, but shame forced me to keep my distance. “I should have listened.”
“This is why I’m not like the other Fortis. I saw my sister when she was born, saw that she was just a baby with a small defect, and I wanted her to stay. But the village was superstitious. They believed allowing the untouchables to stay would only cause more to be born, my parents included, so they sent Elora here.”
I looked back at the girl, the sister Asa had risked everything to protect, and the expression in her brown eyes squeezed at my heart. “How old was she?”
“A day old. I brought her here myself so I’d know she made it okay, and even though my parents didn’t want me to, I visited her as much as I could. I’m not alone in this. The other people who fled the village with me, most of them have family here, too. Children, brothers, and sisters. I told you we weren’t all the same.”
“I know. I should have listened.”
My gaze moved over the pathetic people living here. Most were like Elora. Most could have had led completely normal lives had they not been sent away. But they had, and because of it they lived in horrible conditions. They were hidden away from the world and totally dependent on the Sovereign. Asa had been right. Bringing the fury of the city down on these people would have been wrong. They deserved to be liberated just as much as we did.
“We will not attack you,” Roan called out, drawing my attention to him.
So focused on Asa and his sister, I had completely forgotten the Mountari Head was here. Sorrow shimmered in Roan’s eyes, but there was fury, too. Only, it was not directed at Asa anymore, but at the Sovereign.
“We will not destroy the mirrors and send the Sovereign down on you,” Roan continued. “We will find another way, and once the Sovereign are no longer in charge, you will be free to leave this tower.”
My gaze moved to Elora, and I gave her a small smile. “You will be able to return to your family.”
Asa’s hand touched my back, and the contact was more welcome than I ever would have guessed. After our earlier confrontation, I had worried there might never be any intimacy between us again. Knowing we could still find common ground was a relief even though some of the other Outliers might not be able to forgive Asa for the part he had played today. More than that, it made me more certain of things. For years, Asa and I had been traveling down two separate paths that were destined to cross. Sooner rather than later, if I had anything to say about it.
But that would have to wait. With our promise delivered, it was imperative that we returned to our people. They needed to be told this had not been an act of hostility, but an act of love.
“We must go,” Roan said, as if reading my mind.
He was already walking to the door when I turned to Asa. “We need to explain to the others what is happening here before someone gets hurt.”
As he so often did, Asa nodded in response. He gave his sister a goodbye hug, and then together we joined Roan at the stairs so we could head down together.
“It isn’t just the Fortis who have children like these,” Asa said when we were halfway to the first floor. “It’s the Sovereign, too. Don’t the Outliers have this problem?”
“No,” Roan replied. “We have never had this happen in our village.”
I opened my mouth to agree, but paused. What about the children in the Huni village? Could these two things be connected?
“We do not have babies born like this, but the Huni do.” I stopped as realization dawned on me. “They live closer to the wastelands than the rest of us. Maybe that is why this happens. Maybe it is because you live in the wastelands. Nothing will grow there, and the earth has turned to dust. Maybe it is poison. Our water comes from the wilds, closer to the source, which I now know is in the caves where we live. From there it runs through the valley and to the lake, half of which is in the wastelands. Maybe the water there is as poisoned as the land is.”
“It is possible,” Roan said.
“The reason doesn’t matter to me,” Asa replied. “I just want to keep my sister safe.”
“We will make sure it happens,” I said, answering for both Roan and myself.
People stirred when we stepped outside. The Outliers were no longer held down by the Fortis, but instead sitting on the ground, waiting for our return. Asa’s people stood over them with swords and spears, but their stance was defensive. Now that I was able to look them over better, I noticed the ones closest to the tower were untouchables. They kept mostly to the shadows, but a few small defects were visible among them. Still, though, they were large and impressive like all the Fortis, and no doubt could have contributed in so many ways had they not been forced to live in hiding.
A few of Roan’s people moved as if to go for their weapons, but he lifted his hands as a signal for them to stop. “It is okay,” he called. “There is no need for weapons. We will not be attacking the tower or the mirrors.”
“What?” Outrage rang in Emori’s voice as she got to her feet, shoving her way by the Fortis man in front of her despite her lack of weapons. “You cannot do this. This is how we will win.”
I stood tall and met her gaze. “The people here are not a threat, and they need our protection. We must find another way.”
All around me, the Fortis and untouchables relaxed. They lowered their weapons and moved as the Outliers began climbing to their feet. Emori was still fuming, but it was something I was almost used to.
At her side, Mira only looked curious. “Who is it?”
“They are called untouchables.” I searched for Ontari in the crowd. “Like the children I saw in your village, these people have been born with deformities. Only they have been cast aside because of it.”
Roan spoke up next, telling them about the people living in the building who had nowhere else to go and no chance of surviving if we destroyed the mirrors. Asa stopped at my side, and I glanced back at the tower to find the other Fortis still present while the untouchables had retreated into the building.
“Asa did not come here intending to kill us—” I looked to Ontari, knowing she, too, would have to concede in order for us to walk away now. “—but only to stop us from making a mistake we would not have been able to recover from. He did what he thought was best. Would you be able to condemn helpless people to death?”
“No,” the Huni Head said. “When children like this are born in our village, we teach them to be strong. Many grow up to become great hunters despite their disadvantages.”
Asa visibly relaxed at my side. “Thank you.”
“This is not over, Fortis.” Roan turned on Asa. “You have still risen up against us only hours after pledging to stand with us.”
“His sister is here. You saw it with your own eyes.” I stepped between Roan and Asa. “I would not listen to him. This is my fault. I pushed him to make this decision.”
Ontari lifted her hand. “We will discuss this tomorrow at the pond. For now, we must retreat before we are spotted by anyone in the city. We have no way of knowing if they are watching for us.”
I lowered my head. “You are right.”
Roan and Ontari turned away. They called for their people to follow, and the Outliers standing around the mirrors began to retreat, some of my own people with them. Mira stayed behind, though, and Anja as well. My sister stared up at Asa as if trying to figure out who he was, and it occurred to me that I had not yet confessed my feelings to her. It was partly because I was still uncomfortable with the sentiment, but also had a lot to do with Bodhi. He had been like a brother to Anja, and I worried she would not accept Asa.
The red haired man came to stand at Asa’s side, and once again, the feeling that I had seen him before came over me. It was no
t until he slipped his sword into a sheath on his back that I remembered.
“I saw you once.” I thought back to the first day Bodhi had taken me out into the woods. “I was hunting with my husband, and you killed the forest cat I was about to shoot. We hid so you would not see us.”
The man’s eyebrows lifted, and he gave me a smile that was partly hidden under his beard. “Then I’m lucky you hid instead of killing me.”
Heat flared across my cheeks. If I had come across him only a few months later, I would not have hidden, but would have instead shot him and not thought twice about it. I would have assumed he was just like the others—a Fortis man who wanted nothing more than to oppress and hurt my people.
“This is Nyko,” Asa said. “He’s a friend.”
Shame made it impossible to meet the large man’s gaze. “I am sorry.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” Nyko grunted. “I’m not a fool. The Fortis were bastards, and I know what they’ve done to your people. If you had shot me that day, my blood would’ve been on their hands, not yours.”
I peered at him through lowered lashes, finding it impossible to lift my head despite his words. “How can you be so forgiving?”
“Because,” his grin widened, showing off his white teeth, “I’m not a bastard.”
“Indra,” Mira called to me. “We need to leave.”
“Yes.” I glanced back to find the remaining Outliers waiting for me, but I did not move to join them. Instead, I looked back at Asa. “Where will your people go?”
“We’ll sleep here tonight and head into the forest tomorrow. We can’t stay here permanently or we’ll be discovered.” He looked toward the tower as if uncertain, then said, “One night shouldn’t be too risky.”
“You will come to the caves.”
Asa’s brown eyes flicked back to me. “The other Heads won’t allow me into your treaty after this.”
“I will make them.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off when I pressed my lips to his, and only a beat passed before his hands were on my hips. We had never kissed in front of anyone else before, but after today, I no longer cared. Like my people and like the untouchables, I had decided I needed to stand up for Asa and the other Fortis who had chosen to stand with us.
29
The next day, when the sun was directly overhead, Mira and I met the other Heads in the clearing. Ontari brought Arkin as usual, while Roan had Zuri accompany him. Asa brought Nyko.
While he needed the backup, I could not help wishing Asa had chosen someone less imposing. Nyko was young, thirty at the most, and he fit the physical description of a Fortis guard perfectly, even more so than Asa. His height made even Arkin seem short, and he was broad, with arms like tree trunks. Despite his size, the softness in his blue eyes told me he was as trustworthy as Asa, but I was an exception when it came to Outliers. Most would only see a Fortis man when they looked at Nyko.
“I ask again that you allow Asa’s people to join us,” I began once we were all assembled. “They have proven they are not like the rest of their people, and they need our help. Not only that, but they will also be an asset when we go into the city.”
“He has betrayed us.” The way Ontari shook her head made it seem like she was more sad than angry. “He asked to join our treaty, but then took his tribe out into the wastelands to stop us.”
“He did not attack,” I pointed out. “He only wanted to show me why we could not destroy the mirrors. Who he was protecting.”
“Ontari is right.” Roan’s voice came out much harder than I had expected, considering how he had acted in the tower. “Asa did not attack us, but he would have if necessary.”
“Last night you said you agreed with him. Have you changed your minds?” I looked back and forth between the two other Heads. “Would you have attacked the people in that tower?”
“That is not the point,” Roan said.
“It is to Asa.”
“Enough, Indra.” Ontari lifted her hand. “We know you care for this Fortis, but he has proven he is not on our side. Not completely. We cannot bring his people into our alliance knowing he might take sides against us again.”
Behind me, Asa and Nyko stood quietly, waiting to learn their fate. Going into this meeting, we had suspected the other Heads would not be as forgiving as I was, but I refused to let it go without a fight. It was not in my nature to do nothing. Not anymore.
“He would never side with the Sovereign,” I said firmly.
It was Roan’s turn to stop me, only he did it with his sharp gaze. Even though I was grateful the admiration had disappeared from his eyes, there was nothing welcome about this look. “It has been decided, Indra. We cannot trust the Fortis, and we are wasting time arguing about it. We need a new plan. We need to figure out how we will get into the city.”
“I’ll go,” Asa said, speaking for the first time.
The other Heads looked his way, but they did not speak.
“Asa—” I could barely hear my own voice over the thumping of my heart. “It is too dangerous. Xandra and Bowie have not returned, and we have no idea what is happening in there.”
He focused his gaze on Roan, avoiding looking at me. “I understand you don’t trust me and accept that you won’t allow my tribe into your alliance, but it makes sense for me to go. There are no more Outliers in the city, and sending someone from one of your tribes will only risk them getting caught. Inside those walls there are only Sovereign and Fortis. I can get in and move around without raising too much suspicion.”
“He is right,” Ontari said.
“Yes,” Roan agreed with a sigh. “Only I still do not know if we can trust this man.”
Asa stepped forward until he was standing at my side. “You may not trust me, but you have to know I’d never do something to put Indra at risk.”
Ontari leveled her sharp gaze on him. “Only last night you held a knife to her throat.”
“That’s true,” Asa replied, his voice as even as before, “but it was the only way to get you to listen. I wouldn’t have hurt her. She knew it, and I think you did, too.”
Roan frowned and looked me over. Despite the terror rushing through me at the thought of Asa heading into the city, I held my head high as I met the Mountari Head’s gaze. I had no idea how I wanted this discussion to go. If Asa went into the city, it could end in disaster, but his logic was sound, and it could be the only way to get the other Heads to trust him.
A beat of silence passed before Roan nodded, but before he said anything, he turned to face Ontari. “Do you accept these terms?”
“If he is untrustworthy, he will give us away to the Sovereign,” she said.
“The Sovereign already know we are out here. They already know we want them dead,” Roan replied. “We have no plan yet, which means there is nothing to risk by him going inside. It is only his life on the line.”
I swallowed, trying to hold my emotion in until later.
“That is true.” Ontari looked at Asa, and then me. She pressed her lips together before nodding once. “I accept this plan.”
“As do I,” Roan said.
At my side, Asa exhaled. His relief was palpable, but I could not be as grateful, not when I thought about how Xandra had already disappeared. Not when I thought about Asa going into the city where, if he were discovered, he would most certainly be seen as a traitor.
“Nyko will go with me,” he said.
“And you know where this tunnel is?” Ontari asked him.
Asa’s gaze moved to me, and my heart beat faster. “No.”
“We will lead him there,” Mira said before I was able to find words.
“Very good.” Ontari nodded, as did Roan, and then she said, “We will head there tonight. Our whole army. After the Fortis men go inside, we will camp in the valley so we are ready.” Her eyes focused on Asa. “You will open the gates.”
“What if I can’t?” he asked.
“If you cannot, yo
u will come back through the tunnel and tell us what’s happening inside the city.”
Asa’s only response was to nod.
“Until then,” Roan said, “we will prepare our armies.”
“It is a good plan.” Mira’s words were firm, but the worry in her blue eyes when she looked my way matched the emotion swirling through me.
“We will leave before sunset.” How I managed to get a single word out, I did not know, but somehow I did. The others needed to know I was with them, that despite my feelings for Asa and my fear that something might happen to him, I would not back down from this fight. “The rest of you can follow behind.”
“We will leave shortly after the sun has set,” Roan said.
“After the sun has set,” Ontari agreed.
The other Heads took their leave, and the four of us did as well. The walk back to the caves was silent. Mira and Nyko walked ahead of us while Asa kept stride with me. The dread and hope swirling through me made for a nauseous combination, and I found it impossible to talk. My thoughts, too, were jumbled, and it was not until Mira stopped outside the cave that I remembered Nyko was with us, and that I had promised Asa’s people shelter.
“What now?” Mira asked.
At her side, the man with the brilliant red hair shuffled his feet like he was unsure of how to handle himself in this situation. The cave entrance was covered, and having never been here before, he must have been wondering what we were doing. Perhaps he even wondered if he had walked into a trap and was about to be killed by a group of Outliers.
I turned to Asa, lifting my head so I could look him in the eye. “I promised your people sanctuary.”
“I don’t want you to do anything that might get you in trouble with your people.”
I took his hand, my eyes still on his. “You are my people.”
Asa looked down at our entwined fingers, and I followed his gaze, once again marveling at the contrast in both our size and the color of our skin. The summer sun had made me tanner than usual, but I was still pale compared to the man in front of me.
