statues were toppled and windows were broken as protestors took their anger out on whatever was within reach. The Arcanea Alliance arrested people on-screen, while a separate group walked behind them, also carrying signs and shouting. This crowd was considerably older and wealthier than the first, and different from the original group of protestors.
I leaned in to ask Ethan a question. “Who are they?”
“Counter-protestors who support Eli’s rule. They’re mostly from the upper class districts,” Ethan informed me. “A lot of them have been getting tax cuts and other benefits from the law changes. They don’t want things to go back to what they once were.”
I wasn’t good at reading Malovian yet, but I could translate some words. A couple of the signs of the counter-protestors read, If you don’t like Malovia, LEAVE, and, King Elijah brings FREEDOM to our nation again!
I wasn’t sure if these people knew the same Elijah I did. To these counter-protestors, it was like he could do nothing wrong.
It was sickening to watch.
The Arcanea Alliance was clearly protecting the wealthier class. They had their backs turned to the counter-protestors, and had made a wall against the other side, throwing spells and noxite gas canisters to disperse the poor and allowing the counter-protestors to walk free.
As I continued to take in the footage, my concern grew deeper. I was worried about my grandparents, and my mother’s business. My loved ones weren’t safe in Dolinska, no matter what they told me.
Elijah came on screen, the subject of a press conference that had been recorded this morning. I wanted so badly to punch the TV and break it, so I didn’t have to listen to his stupid speech, but Ethan grabbed my shoulder and held me back as his shitty cousin went on another ridiculous rant. Tygrys growled and lashed his tail as he watched Elijah ramble.
“These protestors are causing division in our country. They need to go back to the crime-infested slums they came from, and cease trying to harm hard-working fae who only wish to make Malovia a country of greatness once more,” Elijah boomed from his stand in front of the palace. “As king, I thank those that have stood up for liberty, and used their gods-given right to protect that which matters most to the fae of this land; our pride as a nation.”
The crowd before him cheered, and my insides burned. This country was divided, and Elijah was fostering that divide, because he benefited from it. It was so crazy.
I couldn’t watch this anymore. I turned my back on the TV and returned to my dorm. I planned to bury myself in my grimoire, and ignore the rest of the world until I had to go to class, but Ethan stopped me.
“Don’t let this ruin your day, onawilke,” he said.
“How can they think he’s a good leader?” I burst. “It’s obvious he’s hurting so many people.”
“A good leader installs peace, and brings people of different viewpoints together over common ground. He doesn’t drive them apart, and take sides. But not everyone knows that,” Ethan said. He squeezed my arms. “I know it’s hard to see now, but leaders like him don’t last forever. They’re taken down, or they fall away to allow better men take their place. We must keep faith in that.”
“But how? How can we have faith when our world is falling apart?” I asked. “This world is just… so disgusting, and I can’t do anything about it!”
“You told me the gods put Eli on the throne for a reason, and I’m apt to believe you. Our world has to get worse before it gets better. Things are just coming to a head now, and it’s tough to slog through all the shit. But we will get through it. I promise. Just hold on.”
My lip quivered. “I just wish we had more power to make a change.”
“Hey, remember what you told me?” Ethan took my face in his hands. “It takes a lot of people doing a lot of small things in order to make a change. This is what we can handle and what we can help with. All we can do is our part, nothing more.”
I knew he was right, but I still felt so helpless. I wanted to do more.
My mood hadn’t improved by the time I walked into Illusion 102. I sat beside Kiara at our desk and took a few deep breaths, trying to get myself in the right frame of mind. I’d been improving so