Except, well, not quite everyone was hustling. There was Issa, moving defiantly against the tide of soldiers to come down the hill, and then there was the matter of Thiagos lieutenants. Except for Sarsagon, who had been given a direct order, the Wolfs entourage remained clustered around him. Ten, Nisk, Lisseth, Rark, and Virko. These were the same chimaera who had conspired to get Karou alone at the pit with Thiagowith the exception of Ten, who had made the mistake of taking on Issa and was now as much Ten as Thiago was Thiagoand she hated them. She had no doubt theyd have held her down for him if hed asked, and could only be glad that he hadnt thought it necessary.
Now their lingering was ominous. They hadnt followed Thiagos order because they believed themselves exempt from it. Because they expected to be given other orders. And the way they were regarding Akiva and Liraz left no doubt what they assumed those would be.
Karou, whispered Zuzana, at Karous shoulder. What the hell is going on?
What the hell wasnt going on? All the collisions Karou thought shed averted in the past days had boomeranged around to crash into one another right here. Everything, she said, through gritted teeth. Everything is going on.
The monstrous Nisk and Lisseth with their hands half-upraised, ready to flare their hamsas at Akiva and Liraz, weaken them and go in for the killor try . Akiva and Liraz, unflinching in the face of it, and Ziri in the middle. Poor sweet Ziri, wearing Thiagos flesh and trying to wear his savagery, toobut only the face of it and not the heart. That was his challenge now. It was more than his challenge. It was his life , and everything depended on it. The rebellion, the futurewhether there would be onefor all the chimaera still living, and all the souls buried in Brimstones cathedral. This deception was their only hope.
The next ten seconds felt as dense as folded iron.
Issa reached them at the same moment that Lisseth spoke up. What orders, sir, for us ?
Issa embraced Mik and Zuzana, and shot Karou a look that glittered with some bright meaning. She looked excited, Karou saw. She looked vindicated .
Ive given my order, Thiago told Lisseth, cool. Was I less than perfectly clear?
Vindicated? About what ? Karous mind leapt at once to the previous night. After she had dismissed Akiva with a cool finality she certainly didnt feel, and sent him away for what shed guessed would be the last time, Issa had told her, Your heart is not wrong. You dont have to be ashamed.
Of loving Akiva, shed meant. And what had Karous answer been? It doesnt matter. Shed tried to believe it: that her heart didnt matter, that she and Akiva didnt matter, that there were worlds at stake and that was what mattered.
Sir, argued Nisk, Lisseths Naja partner. You cant mean to let these angels live
Let these angels live. That this could even be in question: Akivas life, and Lirazs. They had come back here to warn them. The real Thiago wouldnt have hesitated to gut them for their trouble. Akiva didnt know this wasnt the real Thiago, and hed come back anyway. For her sake.
Karou looked to him, found his eyes waiting
for hers, and met them with a sting of clarity that was the final dissolution of the lie.
It mattered. They mattered, and whatever it was that had made them not kill each other on Bullfinch beach all those years ago mattered.
Thiago didnt answer Nisk. Not with words, anyway. The look he turned on him scythed the rest of the soldiers words into silence. The Wolf had always had that power; Ziris appropriation of it was startling.
To the court, he said with soft menace. Except for Ten. We will have words about my expectations when Im done here. Go.
They went. Karou might have enjoyed their shame-faced retreat, but that the Wolf turned his gaze on Issa next, and on her. You, too, he said.
As the Wolf would. He had never trusted Karou, but only manipulated and lied to her, and in this situation he absolutely would dismiss her along with the rest. And just as Ziri had his part to play, she had hers. In secret she might be the guiding strength of this new purpose, anointed by Brimstone with the Warlords blessing, but in the eyes of the chimaera army, she was stillat least for nowthe girl who had stumbled back blood-soaked from the pit.
Thiagos broken doll.
They could only work from the starting point they had, and that was the pitgravel, blood, death, and liesand she had no choice in this moment but to uphold the charade. She nodded her obedience to the Wolf, and it was acid in the pit of her belly to see Akivas eyes darken. By his side, Liraz was worse. Liraz was contemptuous.
That was a little hard to take.
The Wolf is dead! She wanted to scream. I killed him. Dont look at me like that! But of course, she couldnt. Right now, she had to be strong enough to look weak.
Come on, Karou said, urging Issa, Zuzana, and Mik forward.
But Akiva didnt let it go so easily. Wait. He spoke in Seraphic, which none but Karou would understand. Its not him I came to talk to. I would have sought you alone to give you the choice if I could. I want to know what you want.