Morningside Fall by Jay Posey Page B

OK?” Cass said. “We’d like you to stay with us for a little while.”
    “Thank you, Miss Cass, b-b-but I’ll be alright.”
    “I know you will be, but we still want you here.”
    “Maybe just a night or two,” Painter said. “If it’s n-n-n-not any tr-tr-trouble.”
    “No trouble at all,” said Mouse. “We’ve got it all taken care of.”
    “Well… alright. Th-thank you.” Painter’s shoulders relaxed and Wren could tell he was really moved and relieved. It would be good for him to be surrounded by friends.
    We need to go, Able signed, and Cass nodded.
    “We’ve got to run, Painter. After you… when you’re done, just come to the side gate again, OK? We’ll take of everything.”
    Painter nodded. “Th-th-thanks.”
    “Mouse, you’ll be on the wall after?” Cass asked.
    “Yeah, Finn’s covering till I get there. Shouldn’t be long.”
    “Alright, see you in a few,” she said. “Painter.”
    Painter raised his hand in goodbye. He looked at Wren. “Good luck, l-l-little buddy.”
    “Thanks,” Wren answered. He almost said “you too”, but stopped himself. “See you later.” It sounded too casual for the moment, but he didn’t know what else to say.
    Wren took his mama’s hand again, and together they followed Able through the wide and empty halls up to the Council Room. His stomach churned the whole way, adrenaline and anxiety mingling together. He was still shaken from Painter’s violent reaction, and the thought of standing in front of a crowd of people made his chest feel like it was buzzing.
    They reached the Council Room where Aron, Vye, and North were waiting for them.
    “Lady Cass,” Aron said, bowing slightly when he saw them. “Governor.”
    “Hi, Uncle Aron,” Wren said.
    “The others?” Cass asked.
    “Already outside,” North answered. “The crowd formed earlier than we expected.”
    “Then we’d better get out there,” Cass replied. An attendant brought her veil to her, and she began to put it on. Before she covered her face, she drew Wren to her and knelt in front of him. “Are you ready, baby?”
    “Not really,” Wren said.
    “You’ll be great. Just speak up, be confident. And see if you can spot Wick.” It was sort of a game they played, though it had other purposes. Looking for Wick gave Wren something to think about besides all of those eyes staring at him. And Mama said it made it seem like he was talking to everyone in the crowd. And though no one had ever mentioned it, it didn’t take much for Wren to figure out Wick was down there for security, too. He’d only managed to spot Wick once out of a dozen times.
    Cass gave him a strong hug and kissed his cheek, then looked him in the eye. There were tears in her eyes, reflecting their hollow glow.
    “What’s wrong, Mama?”
    “Nothing, baby,” she said quietly. “I’m just so proud of you, and I love you so much.”
    “I love you too.”
    “Let’s go get this over with.”
    “OK.”
    She stood and drew her black veil down over her face. Wren hated when she wore it. Hated that Cass felt like she needed to. She was his mama, no matter what she looked like, and she was beautiful.
    He followed Cass out, with North and Aron coming on either side and slightly behind him. Vye trailed further back, and Wren had the sense that she wasn’t going to join them on the wall. Something in her posture. He glanced back over his shoulder and caught her eye. She smiled quickly, but it felt false. He smiled back as best he could. She was nervous, but then she always seemed nervous. Maybe she was just feeling the same anxiousness that Wren was.
    This wasn’t the first time he’d had to address the citizens of Morningside. The people. His people. He’d done it maybe a dozen times by now. The Council agreed it was important, that his words reassured the city. Letting himself be seen, really. But it felt different this time. More dangerous. More at stake.
    The hardest had been after the last big attack. Some