A Poison Dark and Drowning (Kingdom on Fire #2)(98)
Murmuring began. One man in the back called out, “What are you suggesting, sir?” His tone was harsh. Enemy. Blackwood didn’t falter.
“We go north to Sorrow-Fell and stay behind the faerie protections.”
There was instant and explosive arguing about the faeries. I tried to piece together how he intended for this to work. Blackwood held up his hand until order was gradually restored.
“Sorrow-Fell was a gift from one of Queen Titania’s nobles, of the light court. Mab’s army cannot cross those boundaries any more than Titania’s can. It is physically impossible without an invitation from me. Thus, the estate becomes the one place in our kingdom where we are completely safe from both Ancients and faeries.”
He was right. I heard people reluctantly agreeing.
“What about the survivors in London?” Magnus asked, standing up.
“Yes.” Blackwood sounded regretful. “We can take only those who are most essential. Therefore, all survivors who are non-sorcerer must be left behind.”
At that, there was full-throated shouting, and if I hadn’t been so weak, I’d have joined in. Leaning against Wolff, I recalled a night at Agrippa’s where Blackwood and I had hotly debated protecting the strong over the weak. I couldn’t have heard him right just now. He had once said no innocent life is worth more than another, and now this? Abandon the people we were sworn to protect?
Her Majesty commended you.
“It is the only way to ensure survival.” Blackwood waited until everyone was calm enough for him to continue, though there was still angry buzzing at the back. He looked blank, as though he’d anticipated our reaction, anticipated every reaction. It dawned on me that he was fully in his element. “Those innocents who die in the coming months will be a hard burden to bear, but the generations that come after will exist because of what we do today. There is hope ahead. We have the weapons. We know that R’hlem has been severely wounded.” His eyes found mine. “If we rely solely upon one another, victory could be mere weeks away.”
Some were not prepared to move on, however. Valens stood, livid with anger.
“This goes against everything in our commendation vows!” he cried, and I quite agreed. A hush gathered as he kicked aside a pile of broken obsidian. “We cannot leave these people to slaughter!”
“We hid beneath the ward for years.” Blackwood’s voice was icy. “I’m asking for months.”
“Monstrous,” Valens snapped. Blackwood closed his eyes, and a cold wind sprang up, chilling me to the bone. The men cried out in surprise. Blackwood looked at every one of us in turn, power surging from him and out to us, just as it had with Whitechurch.
But Whitechurch had never used his power to silence us. When Blackwood ceased his warning, no one spoke.
“United, we will survive. Divided,” he said, looking quickly at Valens, “we won’t last the winter. We will be safe, but not complacent. Palehook performed monstrous acts to keep us sheltered from reality, but I will have none of that.” His eyes blazed as he reached out to us. “We will work tirelessly until the Ancients have been destroyed. Who in this room has not lost a friend in this attack? A brother? God forbid, a son?” Some of the older men placed hands over hearts. Blackwood had them now—he had them in his very palm. “I lost a father to these monsters long ago. I will be damned if I lose another member of my family.” He beat his breast. “And the Order is my family, now and always.”
He was lying. He didn’t grieve his father; he had no great love for the Order. But right now, the boy who hated artifice above all else was reveling in it, because they were all turning to him. Following him. Believing in him. Cursing, Valens returned to his seat. He knew he’d lost.
“Give me your trust this one time. Let us work together to end this war. Then, when peace has been restored, I will step down as Imperator.” He bowed his head. “You’ve my word.”
He burned with sincerity, and the crowd broke into applause. In a matter of minutes, he’d won them all over, desperate as they were for someone to take charge. The boys and I, however, were silent.
“As I say, we shall provide a united front, and I must have the best possible advisors by my side. Which brings me to another, more joyous announcement.” He held out a hand to me. “Henrietta Howel is to become my wife.”
Magnus gave an astonished laugh. The rest of the room buzzed once more, not angry so much as bewildered. I merely stared at Blackwood. In fact, I smiled. Smartly done.
The Imperator had the job of dictating the Earl of Sorrow-Fell’s marriage. Blackwood had maneuvered things brilliantly. Somehow, I began to laugh a little.
“What’s so bloody amusing?” Magnus sounded incredulous.
How could I explain that, between Eliza and her brother, Blackwoods were expert at springing surprise engagements?
Soon after these revelations, the meeting broke up. There was much to do, loading wagons and carriages with provisions, assigning a guard for the queen’s protective unit, bandaging the sick so that they would be able to travel, and simply devising a clean exit out of the city. London was to be left to rubble and ruin with the hope that one day, we’d be back to rebuild.
I was able to hobble up the stairs to the Imperator’s—Blackwood’s—chamber on my own. Magnus had wanted to escort me, but I’d declined. This was between Blackwood and me.