Page 83 of Iris
“But the Council won’t let us have that change,” the woman says. “The Nightshades must take it. By any means, and if that means ousting the rich, everyone else, we should.”
I take a step and Killian pulls me to him. “What did I say about being quiet. Listen and don’t speak.”
“Why don’t you say something,” I whisper. “This isn’t right.”
“And what is? She isn’t wrong, but Val is on the extreme side of it. Her ways won’t happen, they can’t, but she has ideas.”
So I listen.
“Good luck with that,” someone shouts. “We take it and what? Distribute, form a system where we’re all equal? That doesn’t work other than in theory. It’s why the big packs that exist have hierarchies. They have money, and others don’t. The world needs balance, Val.”
The history book connoisseur speaks up again. “Take away the only system of law and order and we’re left in chaos. That doesn’t help anyone.”
“I’m not advocating chaos, Chase,” Val snaps, “I’m just stating we need change. We need a voice. And we don’t have one. A government is meant to be for the people, not the rich.”
That blows up into a fight and I can see she’s right. But she’s wrong too. I look at Killian. I don’t know where Xavier went, but it isn’t the time to ask that. “The rich aren’t just Alphas and Omegas. It’s everyone. If this is about class, it should be changed by bringing it to the Council.”
“Naïve little girl. Don’t you think it’s been tried? This is the head of the Council. But most places, the Councils don’t listen. Rich is rich and have their own rules,” Killian mutters as they battle out the pros and cons of bringing down the Council or bringing about reform.
“We’re as much a victim to the whims of the Council as everyone else.”
“With servants. In giant houses. With lots of money.” He shakes his head.
“You won’t get rid of the rich,” I whisper. “Quinn’s Beta…my friend. And so many don’t want to play the game. But no one wants to be ousted or to?—”
“Maybe,” Killian says, “we need to find a way to infiltrate the Council.”
His words spark off a new debate and someone else takes the stage. The talk runs the spectrum from some kind of sit-in to bombs, which is nixed.
But I’m full of delight, even though I disagree with some of the extreme ends of the ideas, the underlying ideology is one a lot of society could get behind.
Right now, same sex couples are soft-banned here. Two men can’t walk down the street holding hands and though no one’s about to get arrested, especially in the Lower Side and in the towns and countryside of Sabine, I know how harsh is it for those who fall for someone outside their circle. Omegas are forbidden to mate with Deltas or Gammas, since their unions are always fruitless.
And thus unwanted.
Same with Alphas.
Two Alphas can work, but never two Omegas. And if you happen to fall for someone of your own sex, or want to break away from the norms the way most of this room have, the personwould be shunned, cut off, their life and their family’s lives destroyed.
So those people keep it under cover.
I’ve heard rumors of the clubs that exist, clandestine, for those to be how they really are. But they’re also all mated or searching for a mate and dress and act like everyone else in society.
I’m sure there must be a lot of people willing to join the cause.
And if there are enough, then Sophine would have to listen. Wouldn’t she?
“Killian,” I whisper, “wouldn’t it be better to seek an audience with Sophine?”
“How?” he asks. “Do you have an idea?”
The man in the kilt is close enough to overhear. “Does the pretty, badly dressed Omega have a plan?”
His voice carries and the room quietens and I think I see Killian smile as he turns away. But I’m imagining it because he turns to glare at me as he steps back to gesture for me to talk.
“I just mean,” I say, “wouldn’t it be better to talk to her when she’s open to it, rather than force our way in? It’s your Council as much as the Upper Side’s. So someone here should have a say.”
Someone starts laughing. “And how do we do that, Upper Side girl?”
