Ten weaves us through the people until we stand on the perimeter of the circle of chairs and see Darien, Portia, as well as Aurelia and Nova gathered. All the custodians. All the Orders.
“The Warriors will stay,” Orion proclaims. “They will increase the perimeter defences. Help the rebuilding process. We have taken the insurgents into custody. Many Kirrians have fled, but they must be stopped. We cannot let their poison spread.
“Darien, Portia, we need your support.”
“We are happy to, but disagree with your priorities, Orion. We must look to heal first,” Darien states, and I think it’s the first time I’ve heard him speak.
“We were attacked!” Orion yells. “And you all doubted me. I know this. I know what you all thought!”
He’s spouting the same elitism that caused this all in the first place.
“Orion, calm yourself.” Aurelia steps forward but stops herself from sitting in the empty Guard chair. “We have all suffered. But we shouldn’t make any rash judgments. Not now.”
“Rash! Kamari would have seen me in the cells. She would have seen me banished, and opened us up to slaughter, and you see me as rash?”
I sneak a look at Ten but can’t read his expression.
“Orion, we can see to the defences after the integrity of The Court has been restored. We have the burials to see to. We need to lay our people to rest. Let us pay our respects before moving to other actions,” General Aster speaks up with two other Warrior officers at his sides.
“No. Kirrasia must be protected. We will not be deceived again.” His eyes flash up, and he finds me in the crowd. “There are dangers from within. We must ensure that they don’t have the opportunity to take root. We will not fall for deception again.”
I am not here to fight. I am not here to fight.I run the words through my mind as I try to swallow what Orion is saying.
“Kamari was the one to deceive. All the Guards were,” Perrin lends his voice to the debate.
“And I move to remove all Guards from their positions of rule within Kirrasia, and to bring all Guards back to Kirrasia to cut off their influence further. They are dangerous.”
“Orion!” Aurelia’s gasp is echoed amongst most of the Chamber. She moves this time, her long silver hair cascading down her back. “This is unacceptable.”
“It is done.”
“No, it is not.” Portia stands. “You do not dictate, Orion. No Warrior, no Order can.”
I wanted change, but not this. It’s happening all over again.
“Lyle, we need to do something.” I tug Ten, but he lets my hand drop, and I move away from the argument that I fear is about to ensue with Lyle. The crowd around me is only interested in the words of Orion Ciro and the chaos he’s stirring. The murmurings from the Chamber members morph from discussions to arguments. No one is happy with the suggestion from Ten’s father.
I skirt around the people and wander up towards the dais, to the statue of Aslendrix.
This shouldn’t be the way.
A Guard chose to conceal the truth of the Fifths and what started before, but it would have taken everyone for the plan to succeed. Now, a Warrior wants to cut off their voice and position?
“Lyle, what do we do?”
She takes the final step to the dais. “Do you need to do anything?” She tilts her head. “Is this your fight?”
I look down on the people below. Ten has moved to protect his mother, who is facing a tirade from a Warrior. Aurelia and Orion seem locked in an argument, the other Heads of Orders looking to calm the situation.
I said I would only fight my brother. That’s what I came here to do, and I killed him. But what if this doesn’t stop at the border? What if, after everything, the fears for the rest of the continents haven’t been averted?
“Stop!” The command erupts from me as if someone has overtaken me. But it has the desired effect, and the room stills. “There is another way.”
They are the wrong words, as they further push the people into a panic. It all happens so quickly.
One of the Warriors races the steps towards me and seizes my arm, attempting to drag me down. Lyle rushes forward, but another Warrior blocks her.
“Ever!” Ten’s voice travels from across the room, but the man facing me has a tight grip, his fingers digging into my flesh.
