Horde (Razorland #3)(50)

I watched him do it, and it seemed easy, but when I tried it, I found it impossible to assemble into a neat cube. Instead I had a jumble of components going every which way. Smiling, Fade took it from me and put it back together.

“But what does it do?”

The seller seemed puzzled. “It’s a toy. Children play with it.”

There hadn’t been any fun down below. Even the brats trained in basic knowledge necessary for survival and when they weren’t training, they performed minor maintenance and sanitary tasks that the older enclave citizens didn’t have time to handle. I remembered running all the time with few moments to myself. As a Huntress, I’d had more leisure because my job was more dangerous.

“Thanks for your time,” Fade said, replacing the box in the basket.

He knew my thoughts too well. Since we had eight bits of metal between us, we had to buy things the group needed, not a funny little box. In the end, I bought dried meat and herbs and a lightweight pot so that we could have stew as we traveled. Later, we met the others in the middle of the market, their packs bulging with whatever they’d spent their money on.

I could delay no longer.

Taking a deep breath, I hopped up onto an overturned crate. But the reaction wasn’t usual. No laughter. No derision. The silence was worse somehow, but I pushed on, until I’d finished. It was the same speech I had used in Soldier’s Pond; I wasn’t one for talking. And maybe that was why I kept failing.

Then a vendor shouted, “Call the watch! They’re disturbing the peace!”

“Did you hear what she said? Coming out of the earth from where she lived down below … she’s either a madwoman or a witch!”

I had no idea what a witch was, but I recognized fear and anger when I heard it. This wouldn’t end well for any of us. I bit out a curse. If we ended up in the stocks, the few men I had would probably leave me once they cut us free. I ran toward the gate, hoping to outpace the commotion in the market. No such luck. Armed men surrounded us, their blades similar to Morrow’s, only not as light and graceful. These were weapons made for brutality and strength; they could hack off a head or a limb with equal facility.

“What did I tell you about causing trouble?” the guard demanded.

“You were against it, as I recall,” Tegan said.

It was awful, but I wanted to laugh; she looked so small and innocent, the least likely of our group to give anyone lip, but appearances could be deceiving. In an instant, however, circumstances changed. My men drew their weapons and stepped in to protect me. They put their bodies between the guards and me. I didn’t move, didn’t protest.

I had no idea how to resolve this standoff.

Change

“Did you hear what she said, Sarge?” a guard asked.

The commander snapped back, “No, I was on duty, like you were supposed to be.”

His cheeks colored. “I only popped down to the market for a drink, and there she was, bold as brass, declaiming like a loon. She wants to steal our soldiers!”

“Steal” was a strong word. I drew my knives, calculating the odds. We could kill these men, but it would do our cause no good to be hunted by the Gaspard townsfolk. With the Freaks massing, that was a complication we didn’t need, so a peaceful resolution would be best.

“We didn’t realize there were ordinances regarding public speech,” Morrow said soothingly. “Why don’t we call it a misunderstanding? And we’ll leave at once.”

It was lowering to have him speak on my behalf, but he was better at it. Maybe he should make the recruitment speeches from now on. People thought I was crazy. But the guard shook his head, and his men stepped closer.

“We’re big on abiding the law here. You broke it. So you’ll pay the penalty.”

“For speaking in the marketplace?” I demanded, incredulous.

“Inciting a public disturbance,” the guard corrected.

That was patently absurd. It didn’t seem like a huge problem that a few people got agitated and yelled a bit. For that, I deserved to go into the stocks?

But the guard went on, “And now you’re resisting arrest. Tell your men to stand down immediately. If they don’t, that’s a hanging offense.”

Fade snarled. I knew what that sound meant. The half-feral boy slept lightly under his skin, and that ferocity kept him alive down below. I wished I could soothe him, but given his precarious emotional state, that might make things worse. Touch was a trigger, and I didn’t want Fade to go off like a flint to dry kindling.

“Bend the rules for a change,” Stalker suggested in a low tone. “Let us go. Or not. It’s your life.”

I couldn’t be sure whether it was the way the rest of the men lofted their weapons or the shine in his icy eyes. From his set jaw to his livid scars, in that moment, he looked every bit a savage, like he could slay them all himself. The Gaspard guards took a collective half step back, giving us some room.

One of them offered in a small voice, “Perhaps this once—”

“Get out,” Sarge snapped. “If you come back, I’ll see you dead if it’s the last thing I do.”

He barked an order at the men to raise the gates for us. Behind us, the citizens from the market were gathering, yelling questions and protests. We got out as fast as we could, and the gate slammed shut behind us. Instead of offering up some recruits, they’d threatened us with a hanging and booted us out of town.