My phone buzzes in my hand, and I jump so high again, I drop the damn thing. Eagerness rises in me, but immediately falls flat when I see it’s Rex.
I’m coming over to Eccles with a few people for a meeting, and Sloan wants a check-in. How are you coping?
Not great, I type back.
We’ll debrief while we’re there. Stay strong, brother.
I put the phone back on the table, rubbing the back of my neck as I try to stretch out some tension.
The last thing I want now is a fucking pack meeting!
I know I can’t get out of it, though. I made a commitment to this that I can’t abandon now.
I have to do what’s right for these people before I serve myself. Maybe if I can learn this, I can be the kind of man Alisha deserves. Even if she never comes back, I owe her this.
I go upstairs for a quick shower and get changed before heading out to the council building. When I get there, Rex is just pulling up in his truck with Cody, and Gen is waiting inside with Hazel.
“Thanks for meeting, everyone,” Rex says. “I just need to personally chat with you about the next market fair. Gen, Eccles committed to the day, but now they’re pulling out? Can you tell me why?”
Gen sighs. “The townsfolk just aren’t good at working together. The market stalls in this town have always been extremely competitive, and the class divide helps that. People like Scarlett could have exquisite work for sale, but they’d have to mark down their prices to compete with wealthier stalls.”
“That’s the absolute opposite of good management,” Cody mutters.
“But it’s how commerce works,” Hazel says. “The system might be backwards, but milking it like that is how the rich stay rich.”
“And starve the poor!” Cody growls. “In Rose Hollow, there is no one in poverty, and no one is richer than anyone else. We work more on trade than we do with currency, and the only reason we have money at all is to deal with the outside world.”
“Sounds like communism,” Hazel mutters.
“Then you don’t even know what communism is!” Cody shoots back.
Hazel is ready to go with another jab when Rex roars.
“Enough!” Rex’s voice rings around the room, shocking Cody and Hazel into silence. “Hazel, I am trying to appreciate your point of view, but for me and Cody, who were raised in Rose Hollow, this is pretty hard to hear. Gen, what can you tell me about the situation?”
“The five big families at the top have completely withdrawn,” she answers. “That includes my grandparents and, by default, extended family. Since Azarian went down, they’ve been afraid of losing their power. They won’t participate in a fair day where they think they will lose money or resources.”
Cody shakes his head and runs his palm over his face. “But no one loses anything!” he says, a slightly desperate tone inhis voice. “We all bring our best to the day, share what we have, and take home a little of what others bring. We also get to hold an awesome party for us and the kids, eat and drink too much, stay up all night…”
Gen’s smile has grown as she watches Cody talk. “That sounds nice to me, but our first families wouldn’t be seen dead dancing barefoot in the town square, drinking homemade ale.”
“Insanity!” Cody barks.
“Okay,” Rex says. “Forget them. What about the poor? Gen, surely they’ll come. Scarlett was one of them. Should we get her in on this?”
“That couldn’t hurt,” Gen replies. “Some of them are afraid to go against the first families. If they join against the wishes of the higher council, it can look like an insult. They are also a little embarrassed that they don’t have much to bring.”
“But that’s the whole point,” Cody says, more gently now. “We’re more than happy to share our excess. Hell, all of us would even willingly go into negatives to get the others up on their feet and living well. No one should suffer.”
“I do not understand this!” Hazel grumbles.
Cody gives her a hard look. “Then you’re going to learn. People should support each other, not compete and stab each other in the back!”
“Enough,” Rex says. “Gen, tell everyone the market day is still on. We will be coming even if Eccles chooses not to participate. I’ll send Scarlett to talk to the lower quarter with you and encourage them to come.”
“Oh, they’ll come,” Hazel says. “To bleed you fucking dry, then return to the gutters.”
“So what?” Cody answers. “Hungry people get fed. I’m happy with that.”
