"Or me," Tobias said, "because if they try to stone Callah, I will be right beside her."
"Which is what I'm saying," Sylis insisted. "We need out. Ayla expects the code, and we've already missed one hunt!"
"And we might notgetout!" I snapped. "Don't you get that? Ayla could die. The Dragons? Who knows. She says they're helping her, but - " And I stopped hard.
"I deliver letters between them," Tobias explained to Sylis. "They're coordinating."
"But the last hunt was cancelled," I reminded them. "And maybe you two haven't figured it out yet, but we're losing men faster than we can replace them. At some point, there won't be anyone left to hunt, and then what?"
"They'll send out men from other tasks," Sylis said.
"And when they die?" I pressed.
Tobias bent over his knees and blew out a heavy breath. "No, she's right. You are too, but there are only so many bodies in here. When we're all dead, the others will only die faster. They won't succeed where we failed!"
"And then?" I asked. "What happens to us women? We starve? We're locked in here, and I don't know how to get out. I truly believe the elders will die before they tell us how to open those doors. I'd hoped some girl would get banished and one of you would drag her out to the tree to be chained. Then at least you'd know how to get out!"
"But I think that takes a code too," Sylis grumbled, realizing what I was getting at.
I nodded slowly. "Which means we women are making plans for our own protection. Hopefully that will help you both as well, but I can't even tell them my husband is myfriend. They wouldn't understand."
"Or maybe you should?" Tobias said. "The ones you trust, I mean. Maybe we all need to stop being so careful, and start beingsmart about this, like she is!" And while he was looking at Sylis, he gestured to me.
A little smile flickered over my lips at the compliment. Not because it was new, but because he'd said it to another man! That meant he believed it. He wasn't saying nice things to pacify me Tobias actually thought I was smart?
It was the last push I needed. "Okay." I pulled in a deep breath, bracing myself. "Sylis, I'll find someone who'll do. A woman willing to take the risk of marrying you, and someone I think will help us. Does that work?"
"I hope so," he said. "Callah, you're right. We need out, and this is the only way I know to make that happen. Tobias can't get promoted. He's spent too much time convincing the community he's stupid. I can. That means I have to, and to do that, I need a wife willing to play along."
"Then I'll find you one," I promised.
Eighteen
Callah
Iknew who could help me find Sylis a wife. I actually had a woman in mind, but I wasn't sure if she'd be brave enough to take the risk. To find out, I needed to talk to Felicity again, but there was a problem with that.
She wasn't around.
Over the next few days, I checked the women's laundry and facilities at various times, hoping to catch her. I asked the wives if they'd seen her. I checked with the widows too. All of them said she hadn't been around for a few days. One widow thought she was taking the chance to consider her options, since soon she'd have to remarry.
When the next set of weddings happened, I checked for her, and still didn't see her. But I knew how to find her. Sadly, I didn't know her room, but if she did the same thing as last time, she should be in the laundry the next day around noon.
So I made sure to be there too, and early. Piece by piece, I scrubbed clean every article of clothing Tobias and I owned. Women came and went. Some muttered about the brutality of these weddings, but most kept their eyes on their work. I watched, trying to keep track of who seemed angry, who was resigned, and which women were watching the rest of us like me.
I couldn't be sure if those were trying to judge how safe they were, or if they were planning to tell their husbands about the discontent. As a new wife, I didn't know most of these women, so I wanted to get a feel for them. To me, that meant my trip wouldn't be wasted.
But on the next to last piece of clothing, Felicity finally stepped through the door. Her laundry basket was more full than normal, but the dark mark on the side of her neck explained why. I sucked in a loud breath before I could stop myself. She didn't have a husband to beat her. She was a widow, so how had she been bruised so severely?
"Felicity?" I asked, leaving my washing and hurrying to her side. "What happened?"
I took her basket from her hands, all but forcing her to follow me back. Oddly, she said nothing. Felicity simply looked around, taking in who was in the laundry with us. Her next words made me think there was someone in here who couldn't be trusted.
"I spoke out of line and was punished for it."
A woman at the next basin overheard. "You remarried already?"
"No, it was Mr. Morgan."
