The Canticle of Whispers (35 page)

“By all the stars, Mark,” she said, “what has
happened
here?”

 

C
HAPTER
T
WENTY-TWO

The Reunion

L
ILY HAD LISTENED
to three explanations of the last few months. First from Mark, on the dock, shouting over the cheers of her admirers. Then in a rush by Ben and Cherubina on the way back to the temple, taking her by back streets to avoid the crowds. And finally, when she was back at the temple, by an overjoyed Theo, who had the time to tell her in detail.

This didn't help. If anything, it made her more confused.

She'd expected a bloodbath. The way the Nightmare had made it sound, she had sometimes wondered if there would be any people left in Agora. Eventually, the only way she had been able to cope with the worry was to imagine that nothing would have really changed. She had almost been looking forward to coming home to a place she could rely on. Somewhere she could plan her next move.

Instead, she'd returned to find that Agora, the city where children could be bought and sold, had become a revolutionary commune.

It was strangely comforting. Yes, this shattered Agora was very far from the charitable paradise she had once dreamed of creating—food supplies were nearly extinguished, rival gangs fought over scraps, and everyone knew that the receivers would soon cross the barricades and try to take back the streets. But still, her almshouse was the center of the downriver city, the place that gave everyone hope. People were volunteering to help, banding together against the oppressive forces of the Directory. Even Cherubina was willingly tending to the sick, which had almost been a bigger shock than anything else. Mark, Theo, and Ben had kept her dreams alive, and brought their own.

So, unfortunately, had people like Crede. And she remained the symbol, the one the crowds cheered even as they launched their vicious assaults against the receivers. If she had known that back in Naru, she would have been horrified. Even now, as she stood on the open roof of the temple, among the bedrolls of the sleeping patients, she felt a shudder run up her spine. It was a clear night, and distant fires were burning, consuming the buildings that stood near the barricades. She couldn't help but think of the founders, predicting that she would bring fire and destruction wherever she went.

Well, she thought, drawing her shawl a little tighter around her shoulders, maybe she did. Yes, everything she had inspired hadn't been good. Even if they won this battle, Agora would need years to rebuild itself, and she had been responsible for scars in her homeland that would never heal. But she also remembered the faces of the crowd that had come to greet her today. There had been grown men crying, children laughing, a whole city burning with hope, and faith in the future.

She'd been stupid to expect perfection; she knew that now. That was what the Librans had wanted. But they were bound to the past. They never believed these lands would grow beyond the bounds of their experiment. But the people of Agora had torn themselves free. They had a real chance to make a difference for the better, and whether they succeeded or failed, at least they were making that choice. That was worth any number of dreams.

She leaned her elbows on the parapet, and for the first time in nearly two years, she looked out over Agora. The others had gone to bed hours before, but she hadn't been able to sleep, and had wandered up to the temple's roof terrace for some fresh air. It wasn't a quiet night. Somewhere, around the flickering bonfires that dotted the city, someone was singing a marching hymn, just like the songs the crowd had sung as she returned. If it hadn't been for Mark and Ben hurrying her away through the back streets, the mob would probably have dragged her to the barricades and made her deliver a speech. Already Lily had reluctantly had to ask a large and intimidating man named Nick to set a few of his people to guard the steamer. Mark was afraid that some of the more desperate revolutionaries would hijack it, and sail it straight into the upriver half of the city.

Perhaps that was a plan to consider, when her mind began to focus again. Even now, at peace, she found the day hard to remember. She had been scared, of course, and worried. But those feelings had been pushed to the back of her mind by her joy at seeing Mark and Ben, and her amazement at Cherubina. And Theo, of course, dear Theo—who looked far more haggard and ill than she remembered, but still found time to welcome her with smiles and tears. She had begged him to get some rest, and after many protestations that he would happily talk all night, that Cherubina and Verity had worked wonders in nursing him back to health, he had left her to snatch a couple of hours of sleep.

And now, at last, she was alone. Now she had time to think, and to wonder what would happen next. Because whatever it was, the people of Agora wouldn't give her time to rest.

“What do you want me to do?” she whispered to herself.

“Just turn and look at me. That would be nice.”

The voice was soft, barely audible over the noise from the streets. Lily shouldn't have been able to recognize it. But as she turned, her heart beating faster, she knew who it had to be. Laud had told her that she was living at the temple now.

“Hello, Aunt Verity,” she said.

Verity hadn't changed at all. The veneer of brusque efficiency was gone, true. But that nervous, confused woman who had first welcomed her to the Directory, the one who had reached out to touch her face for a second or two—that was the woman who stood behind her.

“You don't need to call me that,” she mumbled, looking down. “After everything I did to you, I don't deserve to be part of your family.”

Lily thought for a moment. She was trying to feel something—hurt, anger, even forgiveness. But she was too tired, too relieved to be back among friends to have anything left to feel.

“My mother forgot that I ever existed,” Lily said, softly. “My father sent me across the world to keep me away from some kind of ancient conspiracy. I don't think I've ever had a proper family.”

“Really?”

Lily smiled, thinking of Laud, Mark, Ben, and Theo, sleeping downstairs.

“Well, not blood relations, anyway,” she said, thoughtfully. Verity stepped forward.

“I wanted to tell you,” she said, tripping over her words. “I wanted to find you again, after I realized that the orphanages in Agora wouldn't care for you properly, like a Gisethi village would have. I wanted to raise you as mine, even though I was just a girl myself. The Director wouldn't let me, but that shouldn't have stopped me. I…”

“No,” Lily interrupted, reaching out to the older woman. “You couldn't have done that. The Director wouldn't have let you. You'd have been thrown in prison, or worse, just to keep the Libran secrets safe, and I'd have had no one on my side in the Director's office, making sure I was protected.”

Verity looked back at her, her eyes full of hope.

“Then you forgive me?”

Lily frowned.

“I don't know,” she said. “You still took a baby and left her on a doorstep just because your big brother told you to.”

Verity shrank back. Now she was no longer a woman of thirty summers. She was the frightened girl that Lily had seen in her dreaming vision. The girl who idolized her brother, and thought he could do no wrong. The girl desperate to believe in ideals, because the world was too big and complex for her to ever feel safe.

Lily didn't want to live in the past anymore.

“Yes,” she said, softly, “I forgive you.”

Lily let Verity rest her head on her shoulder. The older woman didn't cry, or speak. She didn't even embrace her, not really. For a second, Lily was almost disappointed, as though there should have been one last huge revelation—some great moment where aunt and niece affirmed that they would be family forever.

Except … her whole life had been like that. That was what the Librans had wanted. That was the part of her that was the Antagonist, whose every word and action changed the world.

But tonight, she was just Lily. Here, with her Aunt Verity, the only person in her family who was not lost to her.

And that had a kind of splendor all of its own.

*   *   *

Lily awoke to the sound of shouting.

She jumped up. The streets below were a frenzy of running footsteps, but the shouting itself was distant. Peering over the parapet, she could make out a cloud of dust and smoke hovering around the towers of the Gemini District, on the other side of the city. Now and again, she heard a low rumble, like venerable stonework crumbling into the streets.

She pulled her dress on over her nightgown and stumbled down the stairs, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Below, the temple was almost deserted. Only Mark and Theo remained, poring over a map of Agora they had spread out on the altar.

“What's happening?” Lily asked, as they looked up. Mark and Theo exchanged worried glances.

“The receivers have broken through the barricades in the Gemini District,” Mark explained, pointing to the map. “We only heard the news about an hour ago. The people are fighting back. They've already set more of the buildings on fire—one of the museums went up before dawn.”

Lily's tiredness evaporated in an instant.

“Are the receivers advancing?” she asked, hurrying over.

“Not yet,” Theo said, worry clear in his voice. “The inhabitants of Gemini are keeping them at bay for now. But they have no leaders, no weapons, and certainly no plan. It could get very much worse.”

“I should go there—see what I can do,” Lily said, pulling on her apron. “You say they need leaders; maybe they'll listen to me—enough to pull back to somewhere we can defend…”

“No,” Theo interrupted, firmly. “Laud and Ben have just set off to see if they can assess the situation. Cherubina and Verity have gone to find Nick and persuade him to bring reinforcements. The situation is under control.” His face softened, though it couldn't lose the lines of worry. “At least for the moment. Rest, Lily. I doubt you could step onto the streets right now without causing even more disruption.” Theo turned to Mark. “And that applies to you too, Mark. After your prison speech, you're almost as famous as her.”

“But we have to do something,” Mark protested. “What if this is the final battle? We can't let Snutworth
win
…”

Theo looked troubled, but attempted a smile.

“I think the receivers will find it hard to take over this half of the city in just a few hours. And besides, you two can sway whole armies—we don't need to risk you on something that might only be a minor skirmish.” He sighed. “And now, I'd better go and alert our volunteers. I suspect we'll have to prepare for some more wounds, at the very least…”

Theo hurried out of the door, and Mark turned back to Lily.

“Are you all right?” he asked. “You're looking a bit … surprised.”

Lily nodded, a smile touching her lips.

“So … we don't have to do anything? Cherubina's helping the workers; Theo's taking charge…” she sighed. “This place really has changed.”

Mark nodded. In the distance, they heard a splintering sound, as though another building was crashing down.

“Yes, it has,” Mark replied, uneasily. “We're so glad to have you back, Lily. It's still pretty grim out there. Though I think your entrance yesterday made a pretty big impression. Half the city's still in shock!” He shook his head, marveling. “You know, we should probably sort out some more guards for your boat. I think we're going to need all of Nick's men to keep the receivers back…”

“The boat!” Lily gasped, suddenly remembering something. “I can't believe I forgot … it was just so overwhelming, seeing you all again…”

“What is it?” Mark asked.

“You remember I told you that Owain and Elespeth snuck into the city, to open up the walls?” Lily explained, hastily, grabbing her apron from a hook on the wall.

“I'd hardly forget that—I still can't believe you trusted Elespeth after she betrayed us…”

“It worked, didn't it?” Lily interrupted. “Anyway, I suggested a couple of places they could find shelter after I'd arrived. I thought that they'd head here, but I did say that if they couldn't make it as far as the temple, we could meet at the riverboat this morning.” Lily tied her apron and smoothed it down. “I really should go and see if they're there. They must be finding Agora pretty confusing, and I doubt Nick's guards will be friendly…”

“You're not going alone,” Mark said, firmly.

“I think I can make it to the docks,” Lily replied, lightly. “I doubt they've moved since yesterday.”

“Things have been getting pretty desperate around here,” Mark said, seriously, picking up his jacket. “There are some streets you'd better not walk down, fame or no. I'll guide you. Besides,” he added, with a grin. “I'm not taking my eyes off you this time; you've got a nasty habit of vanishing.”

Lily smiled. It was good to be home.

*   *   *

They ran all the way to the Aquarius docks, occasionally ducking into side alleys to avoid gangs of looters. The mood of jubilation from the day before had rapidly faded, and as the boat came into view, it looked like everyone was too busy with the Gemini skirmish to worry about investigating the steamer, although there were still a few gawkers clustered nearby.

The deck was deserted, but as Lily drew closer, she noticed a scrap of green cloth, tied to the side rail, and redoubled her pace—that was Owain's sign that he had taken refuge there.

There were a couple of large, surly men on guard, but they waved Lily and Mark onboard without a word. Lily bounded up the gangplank, and opened the door to the hold, while Mark investigated the boiler room.

“Owain? Elespeth?” she called out. Someone moved in the darkness beyond. She recognized the rough Gisethi clothing.