“No right to restrict us!” the strong voice continued. “This is madness, and I say we stand up to it!”

“You and what army?” demanded the southern petitioner who had been in the original scuffle.

“We’re an army, even if they don’t realize it yet,” he replied boldly. I edged as far away as I could. I couldn’t afford to affiliate myself, even by mere proximity, with treasonous talk. “If we all marched right up to the Lord of Coin, what could he do? If we all opened our shops without his consent, could he jail all of us?”

“Shut up before you get us all thrown out,” an older woman hissed.

I turned in time to see a punch thrown, two men finally coming to blows, but before I could see any more, the older woman jumped out of the way and the heavy reed basket swinging on her arm collided into me. I stumbled and fell into the silver-buttoned uniform of a city soldier.

I looked up as he gripped my wrist, terrified of being thrown out and barred from the building. He looked down at me.

“Miss?”

I swallowed. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

“I know.” He glanced back at the rest of his company subduing what had turned into a minor riot. They had two men on the floor already; one was the towheaded man who had started the argument. “Come with me.”

“Please, I didn’t want to cause trouble. I just want to file—”

“Of course.” He loosened his grip on my wrist. “Did you think I was going to throw you out?” He laughed. “No, I have a feeling that the Lord of Coin will close the doors after this, and you’re clearly one of the only people in line who even ought to be here. I’m putting you to the front.”

I breathed relief, but it was tinged with guilt. He was right; few others had any chance at all of being granted approval, but cutting the line wouldn’t make me look good among the others waiting, as though I had bought favor. Still, I needed my license, and I wasn’t going to get it today unless I let the soldier help me. I followed him, leaving behind the beginnings of a riot truncated before it could bloom. The soldiers were already sending the lines of petitioners behind me back into the streets.

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Table of Contents

COVER

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

DEDICATION

MAP

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

LALITA

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

RAHIMA

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

KAMAL

CHAPTER FIFTEEN