Mine to Fear (Mine #3)(60)

“Isn't Chancellor Stephen your father?” Tawny asks.

“He is,” Bethany says. “But the only thing he ever gave us of any use was with my mother's help, and that is for us to be alive. Everything else he's done, no parent should ever do to a child.”

I can't help it. I put my arm around Bethany. “Attacking his house is a definite yes.”





***





Stephen's house looms over us. It's dark and unprotected, at least as far as spells I can see go.

“Nathaniel did say that he wouldn't be home tonight, right?” I ask.

“Yes,” Bethany replies.

“But what if he's just sleeping?” Serena asks.

“Then we'll face him head on,” Cynthia says.

“And we'll do it if we have to,” Bethany says.

Yet, they all just stand there.

“Who wants to go first?” I ask.

No one responds.

“Maybe I can start, then, by getting all the servants out of the house.”

“That'd be a good idea,” Serena says.

“Yeah, I can't help with that,” Cynthia adds.

Soon, all three of them are rounding up servants. I'm surprised at how the servants react. Instead of fleeing, the servants are happy to see them. Not just happy, thrilled.

“We've missed you so much,” one of the servants says. “We've been so worried about you.”

When the house is all clear of people, there's more standing around just staring at the house, only this time with the servants.

“Should I start?” I ask, wondering what it will take to get them going.

“No, no,” Cynthia says. “We should do it.”

Still, they stare. The first person to finally move surprises me. Bethany. She holds up her hand and, with a burst of red light, crashes through a window pane. Serena follows by breaking down the door, and then Cynthia knocks out the rest of the windows. Soon, all three of them are working on the house until it's up in flames. Even after it's on fire, they shoot more and more blasting spells at it. They delight in burning down the house.

After this success, we take down two more power plants. We rescue several dozens of people, and stop the production of electricity by not just taking the power source but destroying the building. We lose a few members who become prisoners according to Nathaniel, but not nearly as many as we gain.

The Grand Chancellor may be powerful and have allies, but we have purpose. We are strong and more numerous than he expects. We will take back what belongs to the people.





Chapter Forty-Seven





Katherine's face is pulled down in a somber expression. Too somber for a girl who's supposed to be in love and just found a brother who she's making amends with. I sit on the log next to her, gazing out into the forest.

“I'm sorry the people still aren't treating you better,” I say.

She sighs, heavier than the clouds above us. “Posh. I mean I wish they would, but that's not the problem.”

“Is it Jack?”

A smile tickles her lips. “No. I'm glad to have found him and glad he found you. He's become a much better person than the one I knew growing up.”

“Then what is it?”

“Charles.”

“Are you two having problems? You always look so in love when you're together.”

“We are. That's the problem.” She sighs again, even heavier than the last. “I so badly want to marry him. I'm tired of things getting in the way.”

“Well, why don't you? A wedding may be just what we need.”

“Everyone is so consumed with this war. It doesn't seem right to have a wedding.”

“Maybe that's exactly why we do need one.”

That silences her. The somber lines of her face recede, her face taking on a glow. We sit a minute in silence when Charles walks out.

“I think I'll leave you two alone,” I say.

As I leave, I can't help but sneak a glance back. Katherine’s face is glowing up at Charles. I think everything is going to be all right.





***





“I think we need to go back and rescue those people from the power plant,” I say.

“Do you think it's safe after last time?” Tawny asks.

“Maybe not, but those people need to be saved.” I can't get their faces out of my mind.

“It was hard to leave them behind,” Jack says.

“Exactly. We have to go after them.”

“What if you're caught?” Bethany says. “It feels like things are getting more and more dangerous with each attack you do. I'm not sure we can afford to keep attacking them.”

“We haven't been caught yet,” I say. “I think it's worth the risk.”

“I tend to agree with Bethany,” Serena says. “As much as I want to help those people, I fear we're pushing things too much. The Grand Chancellor is strong.”

She shudders, and it's then that I remember just how much she's seen the Grand Chancellor up close. Not a lot, but more than the rest of us. I've only seen him in the distance at tournaments. I've never actually met the man. But she has. Not just that, but she's told stories of him sacrificing tarnished right in front of her.