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“Excellent question,” said Graham. He stepped closer to the man. “You work so hard, only to have the city snatch it all away and leave you with barely enough to live on. How would you like to be compensated for your work?”
Low mutters buzzed around us. The teacher gritted his teeth.
“You want to educate your children,” said Graham. “What about books? Materials for learning? I can provide that.”
The man stepped back. “Is that what you think we want most? The Academy’s books? Biased education?” He shook his head. “Then you’re out of touch—like every other noble.”
Graham frowned.
I looked at the red-haired teacher. There was a tangible air of loneliness and loss about him. His gloomy eyes reminded me of Graham’s when I’d first met him, but brown instead of blue, and with an undertone of fury. Graham had been alone, with hardly a friend. He’d lost his brother, and he still suffered from the pain.
I knew what these people wanted.
“You’ve lost someone, haven’t you?” I asked.
The man’s eyes shifted, but he didn’t answer.
“There are people you love in the city,” I said. I raised my voice to address them all. “Many of you had to leave behind family and friends when the Academy banished you to this island. What you want most is to see them again.” I looked back at the teacher, noticing a softness in his eyes. “Am I right?”
Graham smiled at me and mouthed a thank you. “If you promise to keep the peace,” he said. “I’ll do everything in my power to allow those who desire it to come back to the city. If I become king—”
“If?” Rowan interrupted. “Why would there be anif?”
“Well, it’s complicated.” He bit his lip. “But your alliance would help secure my position. The last thing the Cambrians want is a war.”
“What about criminals walking through your gates?” said a woman in the crowd. “Or worse, theuneducated. Your words sound nice and all, but I know the Academy. They’ll never let us be with our families.”
“It’s true that I wouldn’t be the only one with the choice,” said Graham, “but I can promise you I’d never let those Immortals rest until each of you has been given the chance to be with the ones you’ve lost.”
Some villagers nodded. Some still looked suspicious. But not one of them argued.
Graham turned and smiled at me.
Pain rose inside my chest. No, pain was too nice a word for it. Agony. An awareness that all Graham had said—all I’d wanted to be true—were only words. Empty promises. He’d never get a chance to fulfill them. But, as usual, I had no choice but to bury my feelings and put on a false smile.
I went to Graham’s side. “Nice speech. Now, can we go?”
He looked around. “So soon?”
“We can’t leave our boat for too long. We need to get sailing.”
He bit his lip. “I suppose you’re right, but I’m so incredibly exhausted. Would it be possible to rest before trudging through the forest again?”
I wanted to say no, but the truth was that I was exhausted, too. We still had to recover from our dehydration, and resting here on land sounded very appealing. As long as we were in the village, it was unlikely Cael would make an appearance. “Okay. If they’re not going to kill us, I could use a little rest.”
ChapterThirty-One
The villagers fed us,and Rowan let us sleep in her house for the rest of the day. We woke in the evening and returned to the village square, taking a seat on rustic benches and tree trunks around a glowing fire. The light flickered on the faces of those who hadn’t yet gone home.
Graham spoke with them, looking excited to finally be meeting some outlaws. I wished I were capable of being comfortable with crowds the way he was here. But I stayed back, focused on the sound of the crackling fire, trying to absorb a bit of peace into my heart. I couldn’t help but feel alone, like a tiny fish in the wide ocean.
Someone sat on the bench beside me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a thick head of hair lit up to bright orange by the fire. I pretended not to notice him.
“I can’t help but wonder,” he said quietly, “why a girl from Tramore wants to help the heir make peace treaties.”
I wasn’t in the mood to talk, but I took a deep breath and looked at him. “Too many people will die if we attack.”
He nodded. “But maybe that’s the price of freedom.”
