Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(41)

“This isn't just your idea, though,” Theodore says.

“No, as I said, it is something I've discussed with Serena, Waverly, and the tournament winner, Cynthia.”

“We already know how you feel,” someone else calls out. “We've seen how you act, Jack. You're a leader like a man should be. These ideas are mostly from them. That Envadi bringing her strange ideas here.”

“Why should we follow her?”

Whether it's wise to speak up or not I say, “Because it will lead to a better life for everyone. Don't you want more out of life? More freedom? More happiness?”

“You're an Envadi. You’re probably just here trying to get us to overtake our government so we'll be an easy target for your people to come in and rule us.”

“Haven't you seen what Chancellor Zade was doing before they captured him? Haven't you seen how he's helped?” I say.

“And haven't you all seen how Waverly has tried to help us? She's worked harder than anyone else here,” Cynthia says.

“It could all be a ruse,” another says. “A trick to make us think she's helping, but as soon as we let her in, they're going to take over our lives. Make us all like the tarnished to support them.”

“They want to take away the little that we have gained,” Phyllis says.

“They want to help,” Tawny calls from the back.

“I understand your fears and reservations,” Jack says. “Only a short time ago, I was questioning the same ones. Yet after thinking on it, I believe these women are correct. We need to do this. We need to fight against this. Though we don't have warm homes and food readily available, haven't you enjoyed the freedom we've found not living under the Grand Chancellor's constant threat? Even having to hide from them, fearing they may discover us at any time is better than being told you have to be tarnished or a slave for those greedy slobs.”

The crowd is silent now and no longer restless. His words are having an impact on them, making a difference. More than he thought they would.

“What if we did want to overthrow the Grand Chancellor? Then what?” Theodore asks.

“Then we would do it,” Jack says.

The crowd begins to murmur amongst themselves. I bite my lip, hoping against all hope that they understand how much this is really needed. How they are the ones that need it. And how much I wish I could say more. How I wish they would trust me to help them.

“I'd be willing to try,” a woman calls out.

“And so would I,” says a man.

Soon, the whole room is full of affirmations that people want to do this. We are going to do this. Together. Whether wise or not, we are taking on the Grand Chancellor.





***





After the meeting is over and the crowd disperses, I say to Jack, “Thank you. We wouldn't have been able to convince them to help if it wasn't for you.”

“I only used your words to convince them. Perhaps after some time they will grow to understand how much you're trying to assist them. How good you really are.”

Heat floods me. “I'm just trying my best.” I clear my throat. “Now that we have the people on board, what do we do?”

“This was your plan. I thought you knew.”

I suppose I should have thought about that better. “Train them I suppose. And we have contact with Nathaniel. He should be able to give us some insights on where would be good places to attack.” I hope. If he doesn't have the information now, maybe he'll be able to get it for us. “That's what we need to work up to fighting them. Somehow taking them out.”

“There's truly not another woman like you.” He shifts his weight. “It's a good start. I'll see if we can get some of the warlocks in place on the outside. Ones who are the most all right with this plan and won't give under pressure. See what information they can collect for us. Between the two plans, I believe we'll be able to make some progress.”

“If we can get the people to cooperate.”

“We'll be able to do it.”

“It'd be easier if they didn't hate me so much.”

“They just don't know you yet. Look at us. We fought when we first knew each other, and now we're planning a rebellion together. Give it some time.”

“Time is the one thing Zade and Daniel don't have.”





Chapter Twenty-Nine





While we have tried to include others when teaching the girls magic, not many have wanted to participate. Now that they have agreed to help us overthrow the Grand Chancellor, this changes drastically. Almost all of them want to learn, save for a few stragglers, the ones most disinclined to our plan. Cynthia takes over most of the teaching, but Bethany and I continue with Serena and Jack's help. Tawny also helps but in a more subtle way. She guides those teaching, giving them new spells to learn.

None of the women know how to fight, whether with magic or not. A few of the warlocks know how to cast magic, but only the simplest of spells. Of course, that's because most of the stronger spell casters have been recruited for the Grand Chancellor, whether be it as an 'elected' council member or a law officer, or some other person he can keep a close eye on and influence.