asks. Several people raise their hands. “That is enough,” the chief says. “The nomination holds. Paika”—he looks at the warrior—“do you move for her liberty?”
“I move that she be granted her life in return for the service she will offer the people,” Paika states.
The Riki frowns. “What service is that?”
“She will help us infiltrate the Yakone network by using this.” Paika holds up what looks like a metal toolbox. Then he opens the lid and pulls something out. My eyes widen when I see what’s in his hand. It’s my Quil.
The crowd erupts, and Paika quickly drops the Quil back in the box.
“Quiet!” the Riki shouts over the noise. “Are there any supporters?”
Miri raises her hand. So does Mokai. The tattoo on his arm bulges as he grips his spear; his brown face turns pale. No one else moves.
“Two is enough,” the chief declares. “The vote will now begin.”
The Riki nods to several members of his council. They move through the crowd, distributing a white stone and a black stone to each person. When every representative has received the stones, the council members walk back through the assembly, this time holding out two bags. As they pass by, each person covers his hand with a cloth and drops one of the stones into the voting sack and the other stone into a discard sack. The rocks make a clicking sound as they fall into the bag.
When all of the rocks have been collected, the council members return with their bags to the front of the meetinghouse.
“The council will count the votes,” the chief says. “We will reassemble shortly.” He walks into the meetinghouse, and the rest of the council members follow him. The drummers resume their beat, but no one sings.
The crowd breaks into small groups as the people converse in quiet but intense voices. Miri walks over to me.
“Your defense,” Miri says, “it was—well, it was good.”
“I just thought about what you told me,” I say distractedly. I notice Paika coming toward us and look down.
“Don’t throw a wobbly, Kit,” he says when he gets close, his voice low and pleading.
“How could you?” I whisper harshly.
“It was in your best interest.”
“You lied to me. Again!”
“I knew you wouldn’t go along with my plan if I told you beforehand. I needed you to give a convincing speech. If you thought you’d have to work against the Yakone, you would not have been convincing.”
“You manipulated me. You wanted me to give a convincing speech so that they would keep me alive so that you can use me to destroy your enemies! You didn’t do it for me!”
“By offering that deal,” Miri inserts, “Paika may have just saved your life—again. It gave the people a reason to vote yes beyond simply feeling merciful. Now they see a real benefit to keeping you alive.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Kit, this is the only way you can keep your life,” Paika says. “Can’t you see that?”
“Go away. I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I did do this for you,” he says before turning around and walking back to his spot by the meetinghouse.
“Kitara,” Miri begins.
“Please, leave me alone,” I say.
“Just think it over,” she insists. “You’ll see that he had your best interests at heart.” She pauses as if she wants to say something more then shakes her head and walks over to rejoin Paika.
I sink down on the rock and lean against the tree. I can’t believe it. This whole time, Paika had my Quil. And this whole time he’s been plotting to make me use it against the Yakone. I was right to think he was up to something. It was all a lie—the lessons, the stories. He just wanted me to think he was on my side so I would do what he wanted.
Miri was in on it too. Her speech about proving my loyalty, telling me the Yakone killed my parents. I can’t trust anything they’ve said.
I look out past the crowd of hostile faces to the glimmering fiord below. Maybe it won’t even matter. If the reps voted
“I move that she be granted her life in return for the service she will offer the people,” Paika states.
The Riki frowns. “What service is that?”
“She will help us infiltrate the Yakone network by using this.” Paika holds up what looks like a metal toolbox. Then he opens the lid and pulls something out. My eyes widen when I see what’s in his hand. It’s my Quil.
The crowd erupts, and Paika quickly drops the Quil back in the box.
“Quiet!” the Riki shouts over the noise. “Are there any supporters?”
Miri raises her hand. So does Mokai. The tattoo on his arm bulges as he grips his spear; his brown face turns pale. No one else moves.
“Two is enough,” the chief declares. “The vote will now begin.”
The Riki nods to several members of his council. They move through the crowd, distributing a white stone and a black stone to each person. When every representative has received the stones, the council members walk back through the assembly, this time holding out two bags. As they pass by, each person covers his hand with a cloth and drops one of the stones into the voting sack and the other stone into a discard sack. The rocks make a clicking sound as they fall into the bag.
When all of the rocks have been collected, the council members return with their bags to the front of the meetinghouse.
“The council will count the votes,” the chief says. “We will reassemble shortly.” He walks into the meetinghouse, and the rest of the council members follow him. The drummers resume their beat, but no one sings.
The crowd breaks into small groups as the people converse in quiet but intense voices. Miri walks over to me.
“Your defense,” Miri says, “it was—well, it was good.”
“I just thought about what you told me,” I say distractedly. I notice Paika coming toward us and look down.
“Don’t throw a wobbly, Kit,” he says when he gets close, his voice low and pleading.
“How could you?” I whisper harshly.
“It was in your best interest.”
“You lied to me. Again!”
“I knew you wouldn’t go along with my plan if I told you beforehand. I needed you to give a convincing speech. If you thought you’d have to work against the Yakone, you would not have been convincing.”
“You manipulated me. You wanted me to give a convincing speech so that they would keep me alive so that you can use me to destroy your enemies! You didn’t do it for me!”
“By offering that deal,” Miri inserts, “Paika may have just saved your life—again. It gave the people a reason to vote yes beyond simply feeling merciful. Now they see a real benefit to keeping you alive.”
“I won’t do it.”
“Kit, this is the only way you can keep your life,” Paika says. “Can’t you see that?”
“Go away. I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I did do this for you,” he says before turning around and walking back to his spot by the meetinghouse.
“Kitara,” Miri begins.
“Please, leave me alone,” I say.
“Just think it over,” she insists. “You’ll see that he had your best interests at heart.” She pauses as if she wants to say something more then shakes her head and walks over to rejoin Paika.
I sink down on the rock and lean against the tree. I can’t believe it. This whole time, Paika had my Quil. And this whole time he’s been plotting to make me use it against the Yakone. I was right to think he was up to something. It was all a lie—the lessons, the stories. He just wanted me to think he was on my side so I would do what he wanted.
Miri was in on it too. Her speech about proving my loyalty, telling me the Yakone killed my parents. I can’t trust anything they’ve said.
I look out past the crowd of hostile faces to the glimmering fiord below. Maybe it won’t even matter. If the reps voted
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