Read Online The Forest at the Edge of the World by Trish Mercer - Free Book Online Page A

children’s education. The Administrator of Culture wants our history to be taught that we began with the organization of Idumea, and that no mention should be made that the six men who founded it also murdered Guide Hieram.”
    Captain Shin paled slightly. “No changes can be made unless the majority of Administrators agree to it, Miss Peto,” he said firmly. “That’s why there are twenty-three. Had such a suggestion been made to King Oren, he would have foolishly enacted it and changed all the books the next day. But that can’t happen under the Admini strators. The suggestion is currently dying in a committee. That’s progress, Miss Peto.”
    Mahrree couldn’t help but smile slightly at him in admiration. He twisted that argument masterfully, too, judging by the applause of the villagers. He was nothing like the way she had imagined army officers. He was thoughtful, articulate, and hadn’t once drawn the large sword he wore strapped to his side. If he weren’t in a uniform, Mahrree would have thought him to just be an intelligent, insightful man.
    “I’m glad to hear that suggestion is dying, Captain. And I strongly suspect it won’t go anywhere because it would be most difficult to change the dating throughout the world. But I wonder if the question first arose because children in Idumea struggled with some ideas. Perhaps the Administrator of Culture was trying to simplify our children’s education. But here in Edge, our children are intelligent enough to learn all the truth, including how the world changed after the foundation of Idumea. I still question how any of those changes were progressive!”
    Captain Shin slowly shook his head as the crowd once again cheered, this time for Mahrree. “Indeed, Miss Peto, they grow them remarkably loud and brave in Edge. I suspect if you shouted, they could hear you in Mountseen.”
    Mahrree didn’t know why the villagers laughed. Maybe it was the way he looked her small frame up and down.
    It wasn’t the first time an opponent tried to demean her. Back in upper school, before she went to Mountseen, many debaters—males, usually—would make some biting comment about her size in rel ation to her volume.
    She never put up with that. Years ago she came up with a retort that was as sudden and sharp as, as . . . well as the captain’s two-edged sword which seemed to be about as long as Mahrree’s leg.
    She firmed her stance and yanked out her response. “The Writings, Captain Shin, tell us we waited eons for our chance on the world. Since this is my only shot, I decided long ago to go bold, or don’t go at all!”
    Oh yes, others rarely had a response for that. She sounded ed ucated, enlightened, and patronizing all in one fell swish. It was a line she perfected when she was fifteen, and it always—
    Captain Shin took a step closer, his brown-black eyes staring so deeply into hers that even her thoughts paused. He arched an ey ebrow—which had the effect of making Mahrree’s chest tighten and her tongue forget to move—then said, “Go bold . . . where ?”
    She swallowed.
    No one had ever asked her that. 
    She didn’t even realize until then that it was a potential que stion.
    The audience tittered in anticipation while Mahrree blinked in sudden self-doubt, until the captain suddenly spoke again.
    “And now, Miss Peto, how does one end the debates here?”
    As grateful as she was to not have to review the logic of her life’s motto just then, Mahrree fought the urge to bite her lip. She wasn’t quite finished with him yet, but at least she found her words again.
    “Against me? Usually one gives up and storms off the platform. You may do so now.”
    Everyone laughed.
    The captain just smiled, making her wonder if he could laugh. “How else?”
    “It depends. Either the rector overseeing the debate declares a winner or a draw, or the audience decides.”
    With that, Rector Densal stood up and turned to the audience. “Our debaters have given us much to