Page 76 of Surfaces
Bringing the shell back to my own lips for my next question, I asked, “And have you ever used a new spell in your healing?”
“Well, yes, but—”
“Have you ever invented a spell?”
“Yes, but that’s not—”
“That’s exactly the point,” I protested as I pulled the shell back to my own lips. “I believe that these judges are using a double standard. Creative thinking is okay for some but not for others. What is wit but thinking creatively?” I asked the crowd.
I glanced at each of the judges, my eyes hooded in disapproval. “And why…why would judges who live in a town bursting with creativity suddenly shun it?” I let the question linger, waiting as it made its way through the city.
“I can only think of one reason. People of Navagio, I think that these judges might change their position if the mayor here was controlling them—because he dislikes me, because he wants the city’s power to be greater than the crown’s. Because he wants to handicap my reign and deprive me of people who think like you do—outside the box.”
“Here’s the rub. I think the mayor here is exerting undue influence on this tournament. Why should men who made an effort score below those who found nothing? Does that make sense at all? I don’t think so.”
“Let me also take a quick moment to tell you about the men that these judges are trying to cut. Let me tell you why I believe they deserve to continue their quest to become kings. Both Felipe, who competes on behalf of Keelan, and Valdez are quite sweet and charming men trying to do their best in a timed challenge with items that could have been anywhere or everywhere. One of them is actually my guard, who’s standing in for another man who was injured. Felipe has one of the greatest moral codes you’ve ever seen. In fact, he’s the one who saved me from that vicious attack before our first competition. He took me in his arms and swam me to safety like a knight in a fairy story.” I paused, leaving a moment for the women in the audience to swoon. I hoped they were swooning. My own chest felt tight and tense because I was laying everything on the line right now, trusting that it would all work out. I adjusted my grip on the conch shell, which was necessary because my hands were sweating so much. “On the other hand, Valdez is a pirate. He’s cunning, resourceful, potentially a bit ruthless even—as I’m sure the tavern keepers who lost their signs temporarily today can attest. But Valdez has his own code of honor, one that is fiercely protective of those he cares for. He shifted and fought off sharks during our attack, fearless as the best soldiers. Can a rogue like that become a good king? Can a villain in one circumstance transform into a hero in another? I’d like the chance to find out.”
Here again, I paused to take a breath, and my gaze automatically drifted over to the men in question because I felt vulnerable. In order to counteract everything that Gorgono had thrown at me, I was publicly putting my feelings for them on display. I had to fight to keep my hands from shaking on the shell I held as I met their eyes. Felipe’s blue eyes blazed like dragon fire. Valdez blew me a saucy kiss that made me blush.
Their expressions only reinforced how much I needed this to work—I couldn’t let go of them. The very prospect of losing them made me feel like I was tumbling, tripping, about to smash my face into a rock. It was too painful to think about.
I took a long moment to look out over the crowd before I put the shell to my lips again. “Navagio, you have impressed me from the first moment I arrived. You are a city full of unique thinkers. I value that. And because I value you so much, I’m putting my fate into your hands.”
Gasps went up behind me on the rooftop, but I ignored them in favor of continuing. I had to get this out now. I had to finish it.
“I’m going to enact an old precedent that allows a corrupt judge to be eliminated. I’m going to eliminate these three judges. And I’m going to allow you all to be the judges instead. Should we keep both of these wonderful men in the running? Should we reward those who made an effort over those who brought back nothing? Should we allow them to stay?”
The judges retreated from my sides, shamed and muttering angrily behind me. I heard Gorgono’s protest about rules and replacing the entire panel, but I pressed on. I had the crowd’s attention and I needed to keep it. “If you think that two creative men whose smiles warm the sea, two creative men who put actual effort into today—unlike some other contestants—if you think Valdez and Felipe both deserve to stay, and those who did not bring back any items should be eliminated, please swim up twenty feet above the rooftops. I’ll have my guards count those who vote in favor. If more than half of you vote to keep them, then that’s what I’ll do. If not,” –my voice cracked—“I understand, and I, your queen, accept your decision.”
I passed the shell back to the herald and clasped my hands in front of me because there was absolutely no way I’d be able to wait for the crowd’s decision without wringing them.
I listened as my message slowly made its way street by street through the city. Each echo of my own voice was agonizingly painful to listen to—I second-guessed my actions, my words, all of it. Should I just have declared I was keeping both? Should I just have said sard all the rules, I’m queen and I’ll do what I want?
I could have…but I’d wanted to wrest control from Gorgono. I’d wanted to show the spiteful bastard that I wouldn’t just steal away the ruling he’d concocted, I’d steal the loyalty of his citizens.
Now I felt sick. Had I overplayed my hand? Had I misjudged the people?
The silence was eerie.
Until I saw one mer woman slowly swim up above her roof, on the street just in front of us.
Her three husbands swam up after her.
Then her neighbor on the right did the same.
And another.
Another.
Hope fluttered through my veins. There was movement behind me and suddenly, the two men in question floated beside me, reaching out and clasping my hands.
Together, we watched the city as the people rose up until the jewel-colored rooftops of Navagio were obscured by the crowd.
22
We packed up early,because I refused to stay another minute in Gorgono’s house. The servants rushed around in a bit of a frenzy, but I knew that the treatment we’d all receive would be far worse here than sleeping out in our tents again.
Sahar hovered near, coordinating a huge party at the local taverns for all those men who’d swam out to protect Navagio.
