long ago.”
There was a downside to having great senses.
As a human, I could feel my heart race and my chest tighten—maybe sweat rolling down my temple. As a Luther, I could hear the pounding beat of the hearts closest to me. I could smell their sweat and sour decay.
I could hear every gasp and mutter and whisper.
“My mother, Ragna Thana, or the woman I believed to be my mother for twenty-one years, died of cancer shortly before I came to this valley in search of her origins. Unbeknown to me, she’d relapsed into her gambling addiction a year and a half prior to dying, and upon her death, I inherited a debt upward of four hundred thousand dollars.”
The gasps weren’t entirely outraged this time.
“I immediately put our house up for sale, hoping this would cover the outstanding amount.”
I detailed the conversation between myself and Rhona and outlined what followed with the lawyer.
“You are about to hear from Neve, the tribe lawyer who oversaw this contract. A copy of this contract will be sent to every steward after this gathering because despite my intentions when accepting this money, I see that my actions weren’t transparent enough, and I know many of you will be disappointed in my conduct. Before this gathering, I transferred the entirety of the loan amount owed back to the manor. From today, a head team member will be granted access to all manor accounts to audit the use of funds by members of the Thana family. I assure you this will never happen again.”
For a lot of them, one mistake was all they’d needed to make up their mind about me.
But one point was crucial.
“We’ve faced so much in recent times,” I spoke. “Most weeks of every year for centuries, we and our ancestors have faced a battle from the outside. More and more, I worry that the actions of a small group in this tribe are creating a battle from within. This is not a plea for that group to stand down. If what I showed them after Clay hasn’t stopped their movement, then this plea won’t work. I’m telling that group, very clearly, that we cannot survive the outside battle if we’re fighting another within. If you’re one of the stewards who knew this text would be sent, and if you’re one of the stewards who shot a real bullet at a Luther and continue to spread rumours about my past, then that’s my message to you. You are going to lose Victratum for us.”
I couldn’t tell if that was enough.
“Before I hand this mic to Neve, a word on tomorrow. Sandstone is a sore reminder of the leader we lost not long ago. Returning there will be a source of hurt and pain for us all. Tomorrow, we show Luthers that Hercules Thana did not die in vain. We fight for him. But we fight the right way. This is my declaration to the tribe that any extreme violence of any kind will result in me immediately forfeiting the grid to our opponent.”
Yep, I was little miss popular today.
“Those who maim and seriously injure a Luther are putting themselves before the wellbeing of this tribe. We will win this game with dignity and a fairness that future tribe members will remember with pride instead of shame. Don’t let your hate for the opponent change who you are—who we are.”
If I had to forfeit tomorrow, then that was me done as head steward. But at least I wouldn’t have blood on my hands.
Forfeiting would put us back at two grids, but if Rhona was smart, she’d ask one of her plebs to take the risk anyway, so she could swoop in to shove me off the throne.
“Neve,” I said in the tense aftermath. “Over to you.”
The lawyer passed me, shaking my hand in a show that nearly brought tears to my eyes.
I was hanging on by a literal thread.
And I had a sick feeling that thread was about to snap.
25
“Phone me back, and I’ll say baby boy once,” I said to Wade’s voice mail.
Since when did he not answer my calls?
I tried his home number. His mother answered.
“Hey, Andie. Wade left for yours a while ago. At least an hour. He’s not there?”
I frowned, peering out the window. “Not yet, but maybe he stopped somewhere.”
“I’m sure you’re right. And just so you know, dear, we’re on your side. Rhona’s treating you horribly, and those of us with sense won’t stand for it.”
I thanked her, trying