Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 674(@200wpm)___ 540(@250wpm)___ 450(@300wpm)
Everyone starts to file out of the room.
“Hawk, you stay. Raptor, you as well. Gwenna. Smythe. We need to talk.”
Oh gods. Here it is. I clutch at Raptor’s hand tightly, trying not to physically tremble. This is it, I realize. This is where Rooster tells everyone that he’s decided that I’m dangerous and I’m to be thrown into the dungeon, too. That I need to be burned at the stake as a message to all other mancers in the city.
Once most of the room has been cleared, those of us remaining stand awkwardly. Raptor remains at my side. I’m nervous, but I’m also glad for his support.
Rooster leans back in his chair and rubs his face. “This is a gods-damned mess.”
No one says anything.
Smythe looks over at me, and then at Rooster. “Gwenna has been an incredible help. We wouldn’t have made it out of the Everbelow without her assistance.”
“I’m aware” is all Rooster says.
My tongue feels glued to the roof of my mouth. I should say a million things to defend myself. Explain why I’m useful to the guild. Why I’m necessary. Why I can bring in riches. Why I would never want to use my powers against anyone. But I can’t seem to speak. How can I possibly change his mind when mancers have been outlawed for three hundred years?
“We’re not getting much from Mistress Umala,” Rooster says casually, returning his quill to its inkpot. “You said you would be able to find the passage they were using, Gwenna?”
I nod. “Hemmen showed it to me.”
“Before?” His brows go up.
I clear my throat. “After.”
“Ah.”
“Gwenna is a good person,” Raptor begins, a warning growl in his voice.
Rooster waves a hand in the air impatiently. “I know that, fool. The question is, how do we hide the fact that we have a mancer in our ranks? Feeding us information?”
We glance around at one another.
“I don’t know of any mancers,” Smythe says in a slow voice. “I didn’t see anything that couldn’t be explained away by, uh, luck.”
I blink at him, surprised. I’m touched at his loyalty. Support from a stranger isn’t expected, but I’m grateful for it.
“I agree,” Rooster says, clasping his hands and eyeing our group. “It’s obvious to me that Gwenna is not a mancer. There has not been a mancer for a hundred years. Instead, it is clear that Gwenna must have known all of this because she was, in fact, working with Mistress Umala.”
I make a sound of wordless protest. “I would never—”
Rooster raises a hand in the air. “Working with Mistress Umala,” he continues in a firm voice, “as a double agent. That is how she knows about the tunnel. And their plans. And how to get out of the cavern. They simply started the story of her being a mancer to throw us off. It’s nothing but fairy tales. Because of her involvement, there will, of course, be a hefty fine to be paid. But I’m certain that once she becomes a full-fledged artificer, she will be able to pay it back. Am I understood?”
I don’t know what to say. My ability is to be…swept under the rug? And paying the guild back? Considering I know where a bounty of things are in the caverns…it won’t take long. I stare at Rooster.
He gives me a knowing look back. Oh. He knows that it won’t take long, either.
“Just as it should be,” Smythe says after a moment.
“Nothing but a nasty rumor,” Hawk agrees.
“You will, I trust, show us the passageway that the guilty parties were using?” Rooster inquires.
I nod. “Of course.”
“And if anything else should arise—some sort of assistance that the guild might need in the future in locating someone or something…” He arches a white, shaggy brow.
“Of course,” I say again, breathing a bit easier. So that’s the way of it. I’m to get a slap on the wrist and be available for the guild if they should need my help in the future. “I am absolutely loyal to the Royal Artifactual Guild, sir.”
“Good. See that your conduct remains unimpeachable, fledgling.” He waves a finger at us. “All of you can go. Tell Master Jay that I need to see him at some point. There’s the matter of one of his students being unfortunately killed. We need to speak of a replacement, as it’s not fair to the rest of his Five for them to be condemned without ever getting to a test.”
Raptor squeezes my hand with excitement. “I’ll pass it along, sir. I’m sure Master Jay will know of someone who will want to join our Five, motley though it may be.”
“Just…see that they’re not involved in a thieving ring this time?” Rooster looks tired. He runs a hand over his curling mustache. “I’ve had my fill of thievery for quite a while.”
“Haven’t we all?” Hawk mutters.