“The right thing to do.” Abentha tried the words on for size. “You all agree with your spokesman?”
“Yes,” said Naomi immediately.
“We do,” rumbled Leonis. “I was once known as the Golden King. I would never have ruled as the Houses here do, and would work against them to make things right.”
“Same,” said Lianshi. “Though I was no queen.”
“I mean…” Jova trailed off and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Why not? While I can’t claim to be entirely sympathetic to this brand of idiocy, I’m also not in favor of how the Houses run the city. Yes. If it gets us out to the Fiery Shoals and an audience with the White Queen, sure. We can learn more from her while we’re about your business.”
“Yes,” said Juniper with conviction. “This whole situation needs to be resolved.”
“Agreed,” said Zala with greater uncertainty.
“Then… we shall confer.” Abentha drew herself up. “I can’t make this decision by myself. I’ll meet with the other leaders of our movement and see if we can reach a consensus. In the meantime, you can wait here.”
“Great.” Scorio forced a smile. “Thanks. Oh. Question: have you heard of a group called the Herdsmen?”
The five rebel leaders hesitated and then glanced at each other in confusion. They shook their heads.
“No,” said Abentha. “Who are they?”
“We don’t know either. Never mind.”
“Then wait here. Our uprising has reached a boiling point. If we are to call it off, it is now or never.” Abentha moved to a rough door set in the back wall. “For all your offer’s merit, it may already be too late.”
“Then you’d best hurry.” Scorio held Abentha’s gaze. “Or the streets of Bastion will run red with blood, and your movement will be added to the bottom of a long and already plenty tragic list.”
Chapter 5
They settled down once Abentha and her companions quit the chamber. The lantern light was mellow and easy on the eyes, and while there weren’t any chairs or cushions on which to lounge, nobody complained about finally getting to sit, kick out their legs, and rest.
Nissa sat cross-legged before Scorio but her attention remained fixed on her burns. Slowly, methodically, she peeled scabs off her pink skin, hissing and grimacing as she did so.
“That’s just wrong,” said Leonis. He’d been watching with morbid curiosity. “Why do you have to pick at it?”
“Speeds up the healing,” said Nissa softly. “At least, that’s what I tell myself. I’ve never been the kind who could leave a scab alone.”
“So…” Scorio also couldn’t peel his eyes away. “Your power is… resisting flame?”
“Damage in general.” Nissa didn’t look up. “The more intense the damage, the more I charge up a battery of sorts that fuels my attack.”
“Ow,” said Lianshi in horrified sympathy.
“Oh, it doesn’t hurt.” Nissa glanced up sharply at her, expression intent. “Which makes everything feel… floaty and unreal. Nothing from stab wounds to stubbed toes registers. It slows me down, but I bounce back.”
“What’s your attack?” asked Scorio.
“A mixture of what did that damage to me.” Nissa’s lips drew back from her teeth as she levered a scab the size of her palm off her upper arm. “Ah, that tickles.”
Leonis frowned. “So… you’ll have a fire attack?”
“Right now?” Nissa fixed him with her watery blue stare. “A mixture of flame—mostly flame along with a dozen stab wounds and a nasty fall.”
“Ew,” said Lianshi. “That sounds awful.”
Nissa shrugged one shoulder. “I didn’t ask for it. But I’ll work with what I got.”
“You stabbed yourself, didn’t you?” asked Naomi.
“’Course I did.” Nissa chuckled. “I have to remember not to do it around other people. Makes them upset. But it’s an easy way to ensure I’m always packing a punch. Funny thing, though.” She ran her fingertips lightly over her shoulder, seeking a new ridge to work on. “I’m starting to become more resistant to stabs. It’s taking more work. Maybe I’m building a resistance.”
They sat in silence for a spell. Lianshi got up and joined Juniper against the far wall. They engaged in low, halting conversation. Naomi sighed, lay down, and draped an arm over her eyes. Leonis leaned his head back against the wall and relaxed. Jova and Zala sat shoulder to shoulder, heads resting against each other.
Scorio fought off sleep. He was exhausted, and healing from Bronwen’s assault had massively depleted him, but he felt feverish, restless, too aware of this quiet moment with Nissa.
Who had sat before him for a reason.
“Why’d you run?” he asked at last, voice low. “Back underground with Hestia and Halvert. Why’d you ditch us?”
Nissa froze, then glanced up at him from under her brows. “I was wondering when you’d ask me.”
Scorio held her gaze and said nothing.
“Why?” She sat up straighter. “I’ve asked myself that same question. Replayed that moment again and again in my mind. And you know? I’ve decided I made the right call. A callous one, to be sure, but it’s why I was so glad to see you’d survived.”
“I don’t follow.”
“We’re Red Listers, Scorio. Death means eventual rebirth which means being tossed back into those tunnels. I’d spent four years in the dark with Sal. There was no way I was going to risk dying and repeating that jail time. I couldn’t do that to myself. So I ran. Simple. I felt terrible for everyone else, but I couldn’t risk it.”
“And now you’re a martyr for the people? Doesn’t add up.”
“Now,” said Nissa with a smile, “I get to do all kinds of lovely things for the right reasons and the right people. Sort of. I’m no longer as fragile as an eggshell. I can take a beating. And lo and behold, there’s an entire city of innocents mad for revenge against the very people who’ve locked me up time and time again. Why wouldn’t I help them get justice? And my own pound of flesh in the meantime?”
Scorio studied her. “So you’re just being opportunistic.”
“Aren’t we all?” She ghosted fingertips over her clavicles. “You said yourself you’d not thought twice about this rebellion till you ran right into it. And I’ve seen you in the streets over the past few months. In your nice Academy robes, well fed, with your happy friends. This rebellion is an opportunity for you, too. But I don’t judge you for it. We’re the same, you and I. Red Listers. Survivors. We do what we have to in order to survive, and if we can dole out a little vengeance along the way? All the better.”
Scorio frowned. “That’s not what I’m about.”
“Sure, sure.” She smiled at him, her lips still split and raw. “Either way, it’s good to see you doing well.”
“Thanks. You too.”
“So tell me. How did you go from lost little lamb in the dark to saving Bastion beside Imperator Sol? I’ve been dying to ask you ever since you drove off Imogen.”
Scorio recounted his adventures, but kept it brief and revealed nothing of Naomi’s secrets nor their discovery that the old Gauntlet was yet operational. Nissa listened intently, and when he disrupted Imogen’s concentration for but a fraction of a second, she shook her head in wonder.
“Incredible. And from there they rolled out the red carpet and gifted you with everything the Academy had to offer?”
Scorio smiled wryly. “Something like that. But what of you? How’d you Ignite your Heart? It took me forever to meet up with Naomi here out in the ruins. She taught me the basics, but without her, I’d still be lost.”
“Nosy, aren’t you.” Nissa leaned back on her outstretched arms.