Page 35 of A Blade of Air and Darkness

As I walked past him, I murmured, “This is so exciting, so sudden.”

Robert’s breath hissed in irritation as he carried Dmitri back down the hall.

I strolled up the stairs and down the hall to his office. Like Greene’s, the windows overlooked a beautiful view. He collected paper books, the shelves lined with them, many salvaged from before the Fall. The scent reminded me of Ethan’s study, stripped of the love and safety I felt there.

Annoyance at being given a politely-couched order kindled into anger when he walked in and secured the door behind him.

Over a head taller than me, Robert had kept in shape after he left the Corps. He bore the full tattoo of a battlemage, starting on his right temple and curving to fill the area beneath his eye and above his cheekbone with a graceful spiked curve. Appearing purple at a distance, it was actually fine red and blue lines: the higher the rank, the more filled in the tattoo. It clashed magnificently with the green stone of his status; Elise had married down. Probably for love, they did seem to care for one another.

Kara had inherited her dark hair from him, but she looked more like her mother.

I sat on the corner of his desk, squarely on top of the holo control. “I imagine we’re about to have a lovely chat?”

Robert folded his arms, not an ounce of amusement in his voice. “Greene has friends, up to the President’s younger brother. The merciful ones want you thrown so far back in jail you’d need to be fed with a catapult. The rest just want you dead. Why didn’t you simply call the Wardens and turn him over? Do you understand what a court and jury are? Why did you have to mutilate him? Are you insane or just criminally stupid?”

I tapped my lip. “Wait, that’s brown hair, not white. Green forehead gem, not red. You’re not Silver! Does he have a hand up your butt so he can chew me out for the same thing twice? Because you don’t hold my leash, asshole.”

“Be glad of that, because I’d happily tie it to a stake outside, bitch. There’s pressure from on high, because your actions spill over on my son…” The crash of my fist impacting and cracking his deskcomm cut off his shout. I could hit objects, even if I couldn’t hit him.

“He’s not yours,” I hissed. “Don’t you dare—”

“He is my son. Elise and I are raising him, despite your questionable input. Which I have so far reluctantly allowed. Do you want to get sent away? Silver and I are trying to keep it from happening, despite your idiotic actions—”

A wail from downstairs, and we both froze. In the heat of the moment I’d forgotten Dmitri was more sensitive than me in sensing emotions, and we must be scaring him. He picked up on the emotions of people he loved with scary accuracy. I nearly strangled on the words choking my throat; Robert stood clenching and unclenching his fists. Neither of us moved until a happier laugh floated up from the garden.

I forced the words between my teeth. “He broke the Compact, with a major spirit. It wanted his life; I bargained it down to just his pain. You know that if redress isn’t made, if enough people violate the Compact, it could be broken. If I called for him to be arrested, he’d’ve been taken here and let out on bail, and the charges for everything he’s done would be dropped in a minute. Less, since he has the influence to challenge my decision. Then someone else breaks it, and at the end there’s raging spirits rampaging across the land. For fuck’s sake, Silver’s geas makes me judge on the same standards he does! And he’s a Judge!

“This way, the spirit’s appeased, the fields are draining, and that break in the oath is bandaged. Those people will have something to eat in six months. And all the dead have a little justice. Well over a hundred of them died Outside because he didn’t send them medics, and most of them rose as new Ridden. I’ve got no idea how many people the new Ridden have eaten. And Greene would get a fucking slap on the wrist for that, just like all your kind do when they’re caught.”

Robert held up a hand. “It wasn’t in your report.”

“Not the prelim, no. I filed a new one today.”

He pinched his nose between his fingers. “Pay attention, Alys. The Office of the President can’t punish the Judges, no. They do have wide latitude in dealing with state employees, which you technically are. Cohen and his brother Ross are closely allied with the Progressives; Greene’s family supports Ross Cohen. The only reason you’re still in my house is because Elise’s sister is married to the President, and Elise asked her to intervene as soon as you got here and she confirmed you were responsible. Because Cohen married into one of the First Families, he has to look strong in his office, and you’ve hit a major supporter, which means you need to be punished in a public way. Especially because you’re seen as an asset to the Values party, since Silver is perceived as owing a favor to me for putting up with you.

“Go to Dmitri, Alys. Make the most of the time Silver can buy you. He’s good, but they’re going to demand you be bounced to your quarters in DC for public safety.”

I clenched my jaw and narrowed my eyes to keep back the tears that wanted to form.

“I’ll see what I can do to relocate Dmitri and Elise nearby for a vacation,” he continued. “But DC is dangerous. Try not to get in more trouble. Once the scandal dies down, we’ll bring you back. Actions have consequences, even when the responsibility falls on someone else, Alys. And if what you’ve told me is accurate, I apologize for calling your action idiotic.”

I lifted my head high and walked out, heading for the garden. Knowing that what I did was right, but also knowing it might cost me time with the most important person in my life.

Somehow being right never tasted so bitter.

ChapterThirteen

ALYS

Aching and tired, I patted Dmitri’s back. Whatever stomach bug had infected him was a rough one, but it wasn’t the first bug he’d contracted, and it wouldn’t be the last. Kids had a tendency to pass these things around. But, luckily, he’d be feeling better soon. After half the night spent throwing up, he’d finally settled into real sleep, which probably meant the puking portion of this illness was over.

Dawn peeked through the polarized windows. Elise would be here in minutes and the worst seemed over. I kissed his cheek and walked to my room to shower. I needed one—he’d vomited directly on me the last time and I’d only been able to change rather than bathe.

I lifted one of Dmitri’s edureaders. The device was an electronic that allowed children to study and learn outside of school. They contained basic lessons and resources for children. For the wealthy, they were fun and helpful. For many kids on the Outside, they could be their only chance to learn anything educational at all.

I carried the edureader to my room and slid it into the store of items I planned to take back to DC. Dmitri had three more of these readers, color coordinated to the rooms where he played. If one went missing, Elise would replace it without thought, and it would mean much to children in the swamper village in DC. Even a chance to get out of the swamp, if they wanted to.

Vials clinked as I wrapped the device in plastic. I’d recovered aromatherapy oils Elise had thrown out. Still half full, they were a pleasant, useless thing that could still brighten a moment.

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