“What Authority?” Karra mutters. “Fiona’s dead. Teriq will be dead soon.”
Gray disagrees with her bleak assessment. “There’s a reason they took him prisoner. They must consider him useful.”
“When is this vote?” I ask.
“Tonight,” he says.
“And what will happen to Adrienne?”
“This big of a screwup? She’ll be stripped of leadership regardless of how the vote plays out. Maybe spend some time in a cell.”
“She doesn’t deserve that,” I protest.
Nobody answers, and for a moment I wonder if they believe she does deserve it. Why, though? Because her idea of peace is different from theirs?
After breakfast, I pull Gray aside.
“You can’t vote to let Kallister take charge,” I say, unable to tamp down my uneasiness.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to do yet.”
“You know I’m right. The Uprising needs the balance that the Authority provides. We can try to get Teriq back. Replace Fiona. But that group leadership is crucial. You don’t want one person making all the decisions. Not even Kallister.”
“Maybe.” I can see him relenting a little.
“Why don’t we go talk to him? Try to convince him it wasn’t Adrienne’s fault that everything went south. Evlynne is the one who compromised the bunker.”
When Gray hesitates, I take his hand.
“Please. Let’s talk to Kallister. Maybe he’s had a change of heart after sleeping on it.”
Although he looks unconvinced, Gray shrugs. “All right,” he says, but I think it’s mostly for my benefit. “I guess it couldn’t hurt.”
When I link with his mind, Kallister says he’s at the Temple, so Gray and I head down there. He’s talking to Hawkins, but the scowl-faced inciter stalks off the moment he sees us. I can’t say I miss training with the guy. He’s always such a surly ass.
With the blue glow of the daggerstone and those old religious symbols both below and above us, it feels almost fitting meeting here. Like we’re offering some sort of sacrifice to try to save Adrienne’s position in the Authority.
“Look, Adrienne messed up,” I start, getting right to the point.
“She did more than mess up,” Kallister retorts. “She endangered hundreds of lives and cost us an invaluable military installation. Fiona’s dead because of her. Teriq is a prisoner.”
“Yes, but it’s not like she set out for that to happen. Nobodycould’ve predicted that Evlynne would reveal the bunker’s location to the Company.”
“If that’s what happened,” Kallister says, lifting a dubious brow.
“It is.” I hesitate, but after sitting on the news all night, I decide it’s time to reveal Evlynne’s secret. “When we linked, Evlynne did more than apologize. She told me Fisher is Travis Redden’s son.”
I’m met with dead silence.
“Hellfuck,” Gray says in disbelief. “Why didn’t you say anything last night?”
“I was still wrapping my head around it. And before you ask, she didn’t offer any other details,” I lie, keeping Fisher’s bloodmark to myself. For now, anyway. “But shedidbetray us, Kallister. Why else would she abandon us and steal that plane? Why else is Fisher missing from the valley? Their house deserted? I know you want to place all the blame for this on Adrienne, but none of us anticipated what Evlynne did. As for Adrienne, she has certain ideas of what this world can be, and yes, maybe they’re more idealistic than yours—”
“I think the correct words arenaïveandimpossible,” he interrupts. “The Continent doesn’t do peace. Even before the Last War. Humans are not built for peace.”
That brings a frown to Gray’s lips. “So, what, the world is doomed, then? Should we just go and slaughter everyone on the other side and be done with it?”
Kallister looks annoyed. “Of course not. I’m just saying, working with the enemy? It’s not going to happen. We take the enemy out, and we work with the people who are left.”
