A Sea of Purple Ink by Rebekah Shafer Page B

walking beside her. She was so used to picturing him half-bored, in royal clothes and a crown, but here he seemed alive. Even with a stubble beard and the worn, brown coat and a healing bruise on his forehead. Reese looked back at the road ahead. “We’re not related the way most people would be related,” she said, giving it as final an air as possible. I suppose the next best step would—
    Joplin jogged a few steps past her, then turned and walked backwards. “Oh?” His blue eyes met hers.
    He’s not going to leave it alone. Reese sighed in frustration. “When my mother left my father, she married into Tyrone’s family.”
    Understanding swept across the king’s face. “Oh.” He dropped back to walking beside her. “I’m sorry to bring it up, then.” They turned another corner in silence.
    Reese watched a thin wisp of amethyst-tinted cloud on the distant horizon. He wants to talk. I’d better give him something else to talk about, or he’ll—
    “How long ago was that?” Joplin asked.
    Too late now. “The night the law was passed.” She stole a look at the king’s profile. “The one prohibiting having an ability.” She paused to let the words sink in. “My father and I belonged in that group. Mother didn’t.”
    A frown settled on the king’s face, as if he were wrestling with an unpleasant thought.
    As they reached the back of the empty warehouse, buried thought trails rose to the surface of Reese’s mind. What am I going to do with him? she wondered. I suppose I could just leave him with Tyrone… Farther down the street, a dark shape disappeared through the broken outer wall.
    Reese hesitated. Was that a policeman? She eyed the gap in the wall. It didn’t move like a policeman. She moved forward slowly, listening for any sounds from the other side. “Who’s your contact for this drop?” she whispered. It might be an outlaw in hiding.
    “There isn’t a contact,” Joplin whispered back. “He said to lower them down a storm drain.”
    Really? Unusual. Reese scanned the long street and located the gap in the curb. “It’s right over there,” she said, pointing. “Move fast, and I’ll keep an eye out for anyone coming.” She caught a glimpse of the shadowy figure hiding in the warehouse yard. Not police. But are they one of us or just hiding? She eased after Joplin, keeping an eye on the street and checking every hiding place. If he’s one of us, I might be able to talk to him. In the face of losing her crew, she needed all the help she could find.
    Something moved in a corner of the yard and disappeared behind the remains of a wall. Reese frowned. It’s too hard to tell from a distance. Someday, maybe I can get a reader to join my group. The luxury of having someone to identify those with abilities was almost too much to hope for. If I could get the others to accept him, the benefits might outweigh the dangers of him turning against us. She tried to catch sight of the man again, but he had disappeared. Regretfully, Reese hurried to join Joplin at the gutter drain.
    “Joplin,” she said, as he crouched by the opening. “Did Tyrone say who purchased these?” Why would someone from the canals want… Pieces clicked into place.
    The king pulled a gun from one of the hidden pockets and slipped it into the hole. “No, he didn’t. Why?” He pushed a couple more into the darkness.
    Tyrone’s at it again. Reese listened to the scratching of metal on stone, then heard a clink as the guns landed in a waiting basket. He’s trying to get the canal men to carry out his revolution. She frowned. Maybe we’ll have to have that talk all over again. The thought felt like salt in an old wound.
    Joplin dropped two more of the handguns.
    And the king is delivering guns for the revolt. This is ridiculous. If he’s faking a memory lapse, why would he do this?
    As the king lowered a box of ammunition, Reese’s mind whirred into higher gear. If I keep him with me, I put myself in danger. If I