They ran for the door, brandishing blades. Something whizzed past us: a crossbow bolt.
Behind them, a shriek: Daiman’s cloak was on fire. In an instant, he was down on the floor, tearing it off, but Rhianne was still speaking. More sparks descended.
We dodged the Cormorants and their limping Gustmouth. Before long Daiman came streaking after them.
“Come on,” Rhianne said, her eyes flickering between Catua and me. “It might take a while, but I can get into the armory…”
I stared at her, my former flare of hope dying.
“Corith.” She was holding her hand out. Beckoning.
My eyes found the Shearwaters, still shouldering the door. Rhianne didn’t know yet. I couldn’t tell her.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. And I turned and dashed away.
34
Therewas nothing left for me here, or anywhere. All I could think to do now was run.
Crake had upended the Cage’s plans. The rebels surely wouldn’t be coming here now, and I’d never find out what had happened to Zennia. My only hope ofthatlay with Emment, but he was gone, holed up somewhere, soon to be facing down Crake.
I thought again of the tower ruins, Rhianne’s little basement. If I hid out there until the Waking Tide retreated, ran ahead of the Morning Tide, all the way to the mainland…The prospect both tempted and depressed me in equal measure. Miserably I pictured handing myself over to Arbenhaw, and the placement that no doubt awaited me after: something brutal, backbreaking…short-lived.
But I realized grimly, as I stumbled from the hall, that my treacherous feet were heading that way: taking me out past Miss Haney’s office to the rear servants’ exit, which led to the cove path…
Smack.
I’d been so caught up in my brooding, I’d walked straight intoa tall, solid figure. With twin grunts, we staggered back. I looked up. And froze.
“You.” Nemaine’s voice was tinged with disappointment. “Are you still here? Please tell me you subdued that Sparkmouth.”
I didn’t reply, merely backed away slowly.
She surveyed me critically, then cocked a pale eyebrow. “Ah. So you’ve figured it all out at last?”
No sign of her crossbow. Maybe she’d left it with whoever was now guarding Tigo and the others. But as she came toward me, matching my pace, a fierce-looking flame floated behind her down the hall.
“That Lord Cormorant lied?” I said, my face heating. “That he’s nothing to do with the Cage at all? Yes, he made that quite clear just now.”
I noticed her flame fading, flickering weakly. My pouch of laconite: It was doing its job.
Nemaine’s face twisted into a crooked smirk. “The Cage. You and your little cuckoo friends. You think you’ll make any real difference in this Queendom?” She shook her head. “You and I, working for the Hundred—we have itgood. The best job an Orha can ask for. Or at least you did, until you fell in with those murderers. You should have been grateful for where you were. Proud. Not scheming against the people who see and appreciate your power.”
“You think they appreciate us?” I said, thinking of Rexim. Of Vercha and Emment. All those Floodmouths up on the cliffs. Of what Zennia had seen before she’d come to Arbenhaw. Of the fights at the Veil. Of Uirbrig Crake. “The Hundred don’t appreciate us. We’re objects to them.”
I was breathing heavily, my hands curled into fists. “You know what they think? That if we got even asniffof power, we’d murder them all and seek to rule the world. Like they claim we tried to do before the Great Revolt.”
Out of Nemaine’s eyeline, her flame was guttering. “I don’t know why I’m wasting my time arguing with you. Now. Are you going to stay here and cause trouble, or run away and hide like a good little mouse?”
Mouse.
My cheeks flared. It was what my classmates had called me.
I recalled the way my feet had been heading, the plan to flee that had wormed its way into my mind. I swallowed, my limbs as tense as spinet wire. I couldn’t—wouldn’t—run from this now.
When I didn’t respond, Nemaine stepped toward me, lips parting. She would try to get rid of me. Burn me alive. But her flame had winked out; nothing happened when she called to it.
“Not as stupid as I took you for,” she murmured, eyes raking over me. She knew I had laconite on me somewhere.
