Anji felt the tension in the room like a harp string tightened to breaking. Jared’s breath whistled through his lungs, and she wondered distantly if one had collapsed. Berip was still struggling, though the fight seemed to be leaving him. The common room swelled with silence. The tiny mound of coals cracked in the hearth. Anji flexed her feet, her uninjured hand tight against the railing. Her legs shook.

“Berip,” said Jared, his voice wavering,, “it’ll be alright. Just do as they say.” Anji’s heart sank. He and Berip weren’t wearing masks. She met Jared’s eye as it swiveled from her to Kit.

“Bear,” Kit croaked, “please. We don’t have to—”

“We don’t have to!” shrieked the Bear, wrestling the struggling Berip tighter in her arms. Anji’s heart skipped in her chest. A red line had appeared at the boy’s neck as he struggled. The Bear went on. “Of course we don’t have to, Hawk! I command you to lay your arms down this moment! This was not part of Their decree!”

“There is no decree, Bear!” said Kit. “This isn’t right! You can’t—”

“Do not tell me what I may do!” the Bear screamed. “Why are you doing this? Why have you abandoned us? For her?” She jerked her head at Anji. “For these traitors and idlers? Have I taught you nothing? Have I given you nothing?”

Kit stood still, the orb full of orange powder still raised. The mask betrayed nothing.

“Waste of time, Bear,” said the Goat. “Look at her hair. It’s falling out as we speak. She’ll be bald before we’re through here.” Heraised his voice over another groan from Jared. “Had enough of that Rail, bitch? Looks to me like it’s going to do you in soon.”

Silence cut through the room apart from the crackling fire and Berip’s continued struggles. The Bear rounded on Kit, her mask angled in a question. “Is this true, Hawk?”

Kit let a heartbeat of silence pass, then said, “Let us pass, Bear.”

The Bear snarled and shouted, “A tooth, Goat!”

The Goat chuckled and said a string of tangled words, and before Jared could finish the pleading look he gave Kit, he screamed as a gout of blood welled from his mouth and a pearl-white tooth flew into the air and landed in the Goat’s waiting palm. Berip yelled for Anji, for Kit, but Anji held her ground, reluctant to cause the boy’s throat any more damage.

“Bear!” said Kit. “Stop this!”

“Answer my question, or on the One’s own grace I will have Goat rip his heart out!”