Page 97 of Fortress of Ambrose
Toushana unfurls from Jordan in an explosion of shadows, forming a wall of darkness between us and Willam. “Yourbreathis a gift.”
Willam’s complexion drains of color.
“There are massacres with that symbol left as a signature,” I say. “Peoplewho are trying to rob Jordan of the world’s magic and do who knows what to me. And you have the audacity tostand here!” People who havesucha horrible reputation for carnage that I couldn’t live my life freely. I was born judged bytheiractions. And he has struck up an alliance with them? He ison their side? Jordan is beside me, and the nearness of him calms the rage hammering my heart. All this time. The lies. The pretending to understand my plight. The offering me a place while supporting the very people who give toushana a bad name.
“It would delight me to rot his bones,” Jordan says.
“I want his answer. I want to know how he looked my mother in the face; how he smiled when he told me he was glad that I was back. I want to hear howthat persondecides to betray me!”
“Willam,” Knox says. “Itoldyou we couldn’t hold this secret. Out with it,allof it.”
Jordan pulls his toushana back inside himself and puts more space between us and them.
After a heavy breath, Willam says, “Knox can see if a person’s heart is pure. That’s a branch of toushana magic that died generations ago. It felt like an erasure of her legacy to let it go, so in our safe house, we made the exception that her magic, which is very useful, could be used.” He lowers his voice. “The others don’t know.”
They’re lying to Dimara, Kedd, and the others about using magic…
“And there are more like Knox who are Darkbearers, technically speaking, bound to toushana, but who wantnothingto do with the carnage you’re seeing in the papers! They are just like the rest of us, trying to find a place in the new world that won’t villainize them.” He stands straighter. “So I agreed to ally and help them. Officially. This is our mark.” He raises his chin to let me see the tattoo fully. It’s a sprawling sun with curved rays wrapped around the side of Willam’s neck.
My heart rends. “These people are signing this mark on bodies.”
“The Darkbearers doing that are not with us. I swear. The Dragunhead must be having them do that to frame us.”
“How could I believe anything you say? You said you’d allied with other safe houses. You meant you’ve allied with Darkbearers.”
Willam’s chin hits his chest. “I shouldn’t have lied.”
“And what do you do for them?” My gut swims.
“For thegoodDarkbearers, I host meetings, connect them with others in our network. Help when needed.”
Jordan folds his arms. “And how can you be absolutely sure that the Darkbearers you’re helpingaren’tthe ones ransacking Unmarked neighborhoods?”
“I know these people. I’m careful.”
Jordantsks.
“You knew about this?” I ask Knox.
“She knew I’d considered it. But she didn’t know I signed on until she came back.”
“I’m sorry, Quell.” There are actual tears in Knox’s eyes now. So glistening and large I feel a pang of grief.
Beside me, Jordan fumes.
“Technically speaking, you’re a Darkbearer, too,” Willam says.
I never labeled myself or joined anyone’s cause. All I did was bind with my toushana because it is part of me. But I remember studying Darkbearers at Hartsboro. How Beaulah tried to make me embrace being one, which had nothing to do with appreciating who I am and everything to do with manipulating me for control.
“Just because the world calls me a name,” I say, “that doesn’t make me a monster.”
“Exactly, Quell. Isn’t it the same for others?” Knox dabs her tears from her cheek.
“Of course it is.”I slip my hand in hers and squeeze.
Jordan stiffens beside me.
“But you should have told me up front. We have to be careful. Where are thesegoodDarkbearers?”
