Get A to meet me in the catacombs in one hour. L. In the spot where the beast whisperers used to meet.
I send the bird out over the city, all the way to the tower the resistance has claimed. Thalia is there, and she stares at the message before turning to the bird.
“I’ll try,” she says.
It’s the best I can hope for. I cut the connection and change into something that will attract less attention than my senatorial toga, picking a simple long tunic with a cloak thrown over it. When I go to Marcus, it turns out he’s dressed almost the same way. That’s good; maybe we’ll get through the city without anyone noticing us.
“Where are we going?” Marcus asks, as we make our way out into Aetheria.
I look around to make sure no one is listening in. I use the birds above to make sure no one is following us, either.
“To the catacombs,” I say.
“And what’s in the catacombs?” Marcus asks, in a wary tone.
“Just come with me,” I insist.
I can feel his reluctance now, thanks to the skills I’ve been learning, but he still goes along with me, heading through Aetheria and then down into the spaces beneath it. I know this route, having trodden it many times to train with Lady Elara. After what seems like an eternity, Marcus and I come out into a deep, circular space that’s open to the sky far above, and which was once a temple to Deira, the goddess of beasts. It’s emptynow, the beast whispers having fled elsewhere after the conflicts of the rebellion.
“What are we doing here?” Marcus asks, looking around at the interior.
“I was about to ask the same thing,” a voice says from the shadows. “But I have a better question, Lyra. Why did you bringhim?”
Alaric steps into the light and Marcus’ hands start to crackle with power, ready to fight. Alaric produces a couple of blades, seemingly from nowhere.
“Enough, you two!” I shout at them, my words echoing through the space. “You’re here because Ibroughtyou both here. And I did that becausethishas to stop.”
I gesture to the weapons and to the crackling lightning, then go on before they can argue.
“You both spend your time fighting against one another, when you should be working together to stop Selene Ravenscroft,” I say.
“Work with him?” Marcus says. “A rabble rouser who wants chaos for the city?”
“Better than wanting to be a new emperor,” Alaric snaps back. “Do you know howcorrupthe is, Lyra?”
“Do you know how many guards have been hurt by his people?” Marcus counters.
I grab their wrists, forcing them to stay close to one another.
“This needs to stop,” I say again. “This constant arguing. This fighting. You both want to help the city, you both want…”
In an instant, Iseewhat they both want. I may not be able to read their minds, but I can feel their needs and desires, the emotions underpinning it all.
Marcus wants order. He wants a city where everything runs smoothly, for the benefit of all. I catch a glimpse of him standing in front of the crowds in the arena, waving to them as their FirstSenator with me beside him.That’shis deepest need, the instinct that drives him forward. He doesn’t want to be emperor, but he does want to be important.
From Alaric, I get an image of the most corrupt figures in Aetheria being torn down, and food being given to the poor. He’s the one doing it, helping the people, and I’m by his side.
“Both of you want to help the city,” I say, looking from one to the other. “Marcus doesn’t want to be an emperor, Alaric, although hedoeswant to be someone important in the city. He feels that’s the best way to help people. Alaric doesn’t want to tear everything down, Marcus, just to cut out the corruption he sees as hurting the people. You want the same things. You just have very different ways of going about it, and you can’tachieveanything unless you work together.”
“Work with him?” Alaric and Marcus say, almost simultaneously.
The problem is that there’s one more thing driving them apart, setting them at odds with one another: their jealousy over me. I can feel that now, as surely as I can feel the love and desire behind it, the need for me. But maybe that can also allow me to build a bridge between them.
“If you don’t like the thought of working with one another for the city’s sake, do it for mine,” I insist. “The way you’re both acting is tearing me apart. I need you to work with me, and with one another. Alaric, I know you’re afraid the declaration of my engagement to Marcus means you’ve lost your chance. Marcus, I know you’re worried every time I look at Alaric that I’ll go running to him and forget you. I canfeelthat, now, and I can’t promise you what will happen in the future, which of you I’ll choose, or if I’ll choose. But can you accept that itismy choice? And that this constant fighting isnothelping your chances?”
They both hesitate. Alaric is the first to nod. “I can accept that.”
Marcus nods a second later. “Me too. But when you say you want us to work together…”
