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Authors: Kate Avery Ellison
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families sew pillows and embroider sashes and call it quota. And some families work their fingers to the bone and neglect their own chores.” He shook his head in disgust. “This Farther occupation has only exposed the problem, but it didn’t create it. Things are not shared equally here, although we boast as much.”
I flushed, shamed because he thought we couldn’t handle our own quota but equally touched that he cared enough to lend a hand, even if it embarrassed me. “Adam,” I said quietly. “It’s fine, really.”
“Let me help.”
He looked determined, so I quit protesting. I watched silently a moment as he worked, and something in me prickled with curiosity. “I would never have taken you for someone who’d push for change.”
“No? Why do you think I joined an organization like the Thorns, then?”
“Oh.”
“So what about these villagers who stopped you?” he asked, pointedly steering the conversation away from himself.
I wet my lips with the tip of my tongue. “They called themselves the Blackcoats, and they said they were going to drive out the Farthers.”
Adam laughed, low and disbelieving. “Are they insane?”
“Their plans seemed foolish, but after what happened to Edmond Dyer, I…I almost want to join them.”
His hands went still. “And what’s stopping you?”
The words I needed to say were crowded on my tongue. My chest constricted. This was important, and I wanted to make sure it came out right. I wasn’t the kind of person who made lots of pretty speeches, but I wanted him to know exactly where I stood. “Well, their foolish ideas aside…they threatened Ann. They were blaming her for the Farther occupation and saying she needs to be taught a lesson.”
He scowled. “Such misplaced fervor will get them nowhere. The Mayor’s daughter is not to blame for the mistakes of the town.”
I nodded. “But they had a point. People are being hurt. Terrible injustices are occurring…and nobody seems to be doing anything.” Memories of the bruises on the children’s bodies flashed through my mind.
He waited for me to continue.
“I can’t join the Blackcoats, because I can’t agree with their methods. But those children…Edmond Dyer’s arrest…I must do something.” I put down the wool and slid one hand into my pocket. As Adam watched, I reached out and uncurled my fingers. The brooch sat in the middle of my palm, glittering in the light of the fire.
“I want to join the Thorns.”
The fire crackled, and the air seemed to buzz with the silence that followed. My fingers trembled, but I felt a strange exhilaration, too. I’d said it. I’d had the courage. A dizzying lightness filled me.
Adam spoke. “The goals of the Thorns are not necessarily the same as the goals of—”
“I know,” I interrupted. “I know your prerogatives aren’t necessarily mine. You’re from beyond the Frost, and the Thorns are Aeralian, and I am a Frost dweller. But I think there’s more at stake here than just my people’s safety, Adam. Aeralians are people, too.” I thought of Gabe. “But if what’s happening here is wrong, then what’s happening in Aeralis is just as wrong. My parents understood this. It’s why they risked everything to help people. And I…I want to do the same thing.”
“As long as you understand,” he said, “the Thorns have bigger goals than the liberation of the Frost.”
I held his gaze steadily. “I understand.”
“It will be dangerous.”
“I understand,” I repeated.
“It will be difficult,” he warned. “You will have difficult tasks to complete, secrets to keep.”
Still, I held out the brooch.
“Well, then,” he said, and a ghost of a smile graced his lips. He put his hand over mine, and his fingers were warm as he closed my hand around the brooch for the second time. “Welcome to the cause.”
~
I lay in bed, drifting in the gray area between sleep and wakefulness, listening to Ivy’s steady breathing and
I flushed, shamed because he thought we couldn’t handle our own quota but equally touched that he cared enough to lend a hand, even if it embarrassed me. “Adam,” I said quietly. “It’s fine, really.”
“Let me help.”
He looked determined, so I quit protesting. I watched silently a moment as he worked, and something in me prickled with curiosity. “I would never have taken you for someone who’d push for change.”
“No? Why do you think I joined an organization like the Thorns, then?”
“Oh.”
“So what about these villagers who stopped you?” he asked, pointedly steering the conversation away from himself.
I wet my lips with the tip of my tongue. “They called themselves the Blackcoats, and they said they were going to drive out the Farthers.”
Adam laughed, low and disbelieving. “Are they insane?”
“Their plans seemed foolish, but after what happened to Edmond Dyer, I…I almost want to join them.”
His hands went still. “And what’s stopping you?”
The words I needed to say were crowded on my tongue. My chest constricted. This was important, and I wanted to make sure it came out right. I wasn’t the kind of person who made lots of pretty speeches, but I wanted him to know exactly where I stood. “Well, their foolish ideas aside…they threatened Ann. They were blaming her for the Farther occupation and saying she needs to be taught a lesson.”
He scowled. “Such misplaced fervor will get them nowhere. The Mayor’s daughter is not to blame for the mistakes of the town.”
I nodded. “But they had a point. People are being hurt. Terrible injustices are occurring…and nobody seems to be doing anything.” Memories of the bruises on the children’s bodies flashed through my mind.
He waited for me to continue.
“I can’t join the Blackcoats, because I can’t agree with their methods. But those children…Edmond Dyer’s arrest…I must do something.” I put down the wool and slid one hand into my pocket. As Adam watched, I reached out and uncurled my fingers. The brooch sat in the middle of my palm, glittering in the light of the fire.
“I want to join the Thorns.”
The fire crackled, and the air seemed to buzz with the silence that followed. My fingers trembled, but I felt a strange exhilaration, too. I’d said it. I’d had the courage. A dizzying lightness filled me.
Adam spoke. “The goals of the Thorns are not necessarily the same as the goals of—”
“I know,” I interrupted. “I know your prerogatives aren’t necessarily mine. You’re from beyond the Frost, and the Thorns are Aeralian, and I am a Frost dweller. But I think there’s more at stake here than just my people’s safety, Adam. Aeralians are people, too.” I thought of Gabe. “But if what’s happening here is wrong, then what’s happening in Aeralis is just as wrong. My parents understood this. It’s why they risked everything to help people. And I…I want to do the same thing.”
“As long as you understand,” he said, “the Thorns have bigger goals than the liberation of the Frost.”
I held his gaze steadily. “I understand.”
“It will be dangerous.”
“I understand,” I repeated.
“It will be difficult,” he warned. “You will have difficult tasks to complete, secrets to keep.”
Still, I held out the brooch.
“Well, then,” he said, and a ghost of a smile graced his lips. He put his hand over mine, and his fingers were warm as he closed my hand around the brooch for the second time. “Welcome to the cause.”
~
I lay in bed, drifting in the gray area between sleep and wakefulness, listening to Ivy’s steady breathing and
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