She descended from the podium as the journalists closed in, shouting questions. There were disjointed cheers from the crowd, protests from some, silence from others. Elena caught a gold cap spitting on the ground. Someone whistled and another waved a gold flag, praising her name, calling for justice.
“Your Highness, is it true that Jangir conspired against the throne?” a journalist asked.
“Did your father know?”
“Will Jangir and Varun receive the death penalty?”
Elena looked past the guards and recognized the mouse-nosed journalist from Black Sands Day.
“You,” she said to the woman. “What was your question?”
“Are you afraid of a divided nation?” the journalist said. “Though people are applauding your efforts for justice, a significant amount of gold caps believe that the allegations against Jangir are a conspiracy.”
“It was Varun!” came a cry.
Elena saw a gold cap jostling against the guards. “Varun planted the reports. He did this!”
A guard pushed back the gold cap, who stumbled and fell. A woman laughed, and the gold cap turned, snarling.
“What are you laughing at?”
“Easy, yeseri. Daddy Jangir can’t protect you now.”
“Why you—”
“Enough!” Elena called out. She motioned to the guards. “Bring him to me.”
Ferma stepped forward, her hair glistening. The gold cap fell silent at the sight of the Yumi. They all did.
“Please,” Ferma said, her smile sharp as she looked to the gold cap. “Do come with me.”
The reporters turned, watching as Ferma brought the gold cap over. He was young and lanky, with oiled hair neatly parted to the side.
“Your name?” Elena said.
“Kiv,” he replied nervously.
Elena exchanged a glance with Ferma, and her Spear nodded. They were surrounded by journalists, by the public. She could feel their probing eyes, their confusion, their anger.
We could have riots, her father had warned.
And Elena could see it clearly on Kiv’s face, knew that it wouldn’t be a stretch for him to raise a torch and raze a park if left unchecked.
She had promised herself that she would not attempt to manipulate people the way Leo had. It was heartless, callous. But as Elena wrapped her arm around Kiv and turned him to the journalists and the people, she realized how easily they could turn against her. How quickly the crowd could become a raging mob.
You learn to control the mob.
“This woman here,” Elena said, nodding to mouse-nose, “says that we have a divided nation. A divided kingdom. But we have a war on our borders, Kiv. What do you think will happen if we’re still divided when the Jantari come?” Kiv stiffened under her arm. She gave him a gentle, assuring squeeze. “It’s not a trick question.”
“W-we would crumble,” he said.
“And isn’t that what Jantari spies like Jangir want?” she said. The lie burned her throat, but Elena held firm. There was no proof to show her involvement now.Better this way, she thought. Better to use a lie to catch a criminal.Like tasting bitter medicine.
Kiv glanced between her and the journalists. Sweat beaded down his forehead. “Is it true then? Jangir is a spy?”
Elena nodded, looked to mouse-nose. “Our investigations are ongoing, but Jangir will answer for his crimes. He and Varun both.” She turned to Kiv. “And we will be a stronger nation for it.”
Kiv did not look fully convinced, but before the journalists, before the guards and the people, he fell silent.
