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My mouth opened and closed like a fish, and she let out a long breath.
“Look, I get it. What happened to the man in the street was scary. What’s happening with Lázaros is terrifying. And, in the midst of death, investigations, and stealing, you dressed up like an Élite.” She grabbed my hand with her other palm. “I am going to keep telling you this as many times as you need to hear it. I don’t care if I’m being repetitive. No one recognized you. You got back here without any problems. The Guardias are too busy with this affair turned stealing scandal to care what you are doing. And soon enough, everyone will be too focused on the tournament to even care about the investigations. Things always get a bit crazy during this time.”
I didn’t respond, and she smiled.
“Todo va a estar bien, Carmencita,” she said gently.
I squeezed my eyes shut and nodded. I desperately wanted to believe her—to hope that everything would be all right soon.
I started walking, and was grateful when she reentered the stream of people alongside me.
My breath sounded strange in my ears. It was too labored to be normal. I spoke again, “You’re right, but I’m nervous about everything that could happen. I mean, Miriam is still with the Guardias—”
“Stop.” Magda hissed, though she kept walking at my side. “Worrying about this isn’t going to fix anything. You are incapable of doing anything to change the situation.”
I focused on the ever-changing faces walking alongside us and past us.
Magda continued. “You have the power to either hurt yourself or help create a safe space for both of us. You aren’t a bad person for being unable to change the world. Those who have the power are bad because they sit around and do nothing. In fact, they support the world we live in because it benefitsthem.”
My gaze flicked down to the cracked sidewalk as we continued moving. “You’re right,” I murmured after about ten steps.
Magda scoffed. “There are a lot of problems in our world, but there are also a lot of people. Share the weight with all of them. If you had the means to do something big, I know you would.” She nudged me with her shoulder. “Te quiero mucho, amiga,” she said.
“Gracias,” I said back. I did love her a lot, she was my best friend. Practically my sister. But love was impractical. Admitting it out loud would merely give the universe permission to take her away. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. Since when had she gotten so good at piecing the world together? Even though I hadn’t spoken about all of the issues in my heart, I did feel better. Magda was very wise.
We walked back the rest of the way to the theater in silence. About halfway along the way, a shout drew me from my thoughts and made my heart sink. A Guardia was violently gesturing to a Dreg.
I froze in place.
The elderly man was dirty, with a ragged blanket draped over his shoulders. It wasn’t hard to see how old he was. His hair was unkempt, and his face was gaunt, with deep lines etched into his skin from long years of life.
He looked like an Ash user, something that I didn’t see often. Ash came from the volcanoes. It was supposed to have some sort of strange effect on Blood Magic, but I’d heard that it would slowly deteriorate those without the healing magic.
My throat tightened. Drugs were an answer to the cruelty of life. Some people needed an escape.
When the Guardia shoved the poor man against the wall of the nearest home, the Dreg shouted and struggled to get away. Malnutrition had made the man weak, and the Guardia had a tight hold on him.
Magda grabbed my arm and pulled, but I was rooted to the spot, I watching in horror. The Dreg barked in pain when the Guardia twisted his arm behind his back.
I felt a surge of anger and sadness as I watched the scene unfold. What had his crime been? Existing in the street?
I wanted to do something to help, but I was afraid. Most of my life had been won by keeping my head down and obeying. Even though I was eighteen, I still worried they would drag me back to the niñeras if they found out who I really was.
Then I thought of the audition. I had done the impossible for Fernando. The flicker of defiance on the face of the man who had been killed echoed in my own soul.
Defending people wasn’t easy, but it was important. I gathered my courage and before my mind had time to catch up. “Stop it!” I shouted. “You’re hurting him!”
The Guardia looked up at me, surprised by my sudden appearance. For a moment, he hesitated, and I saw a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. That uncertainty was followed by anger.
My blood ran cold, and Magda grabbed my hand.
“Run!” she yelled, and we darted through the crowded streets.
Our legs pumped, and I kept glancing over my shoulder to see if anyone had followed us, but it quickly became apparent that the Guardia had stayed with the man. We slipped into an alleyway near the road which led to Maestra Cecelia’s Theater, and the Guardias rushed past.
There was little chance they would find us now.
Guilt and embarrassment washed over me. I should’ve done more.
