I glanced around to make sure where Olive was, then whispered, “I felt I ought to do something. The way the government treats you is such an injustice.”

He continued gazing at me, and the connection was so intense that I almost couldn’t bear it, but I also couldn’t bear to look away. “You can help by continuing to do what you’ve done here. If you learn something you think people need to know, write about it. And not just about the Mechanics. You see more of the magister world than any of us. You could write about that.”

I gasped and took an unconscious step away from him, breaking the eye contact. “I can’t do that! I’m no rebel.”

He moved closer to me. “It’s not against the law to write for the newspaper. It’s the publisher who’s in danger. It would mean so much to us, though. You’re the only one who can do this. No one else we know has the access you do. You could even meet the governor himself.”

“Actually, I’m going to a party at his home Wednesday evening.” I said it without thinking, then instantly regretted it. I should have been more circumspect, but I supposed I’d wanted to impress him.

He took my arm, gripping it tightly in his eagerness. “That’s exactly what we need. You could describe the way he lives while so many live in poverty, unable to afford magical devices but with no alternatives available.”

Olive saved me from having to answer by skipping over with a pink balloon poodle bobbing over her head. “See what I have, Miss Newton? I’m going to call her Guinevere. What do you think, Mr. Emfinger?”

Alec released my arm and stepped back. “I think that’s a lovely name, Olive. And now I must be going. It was so good to see you again, Miss Newton, and a pleasure to meet you, Olive.”

I barely heard Olive’s chatter on our way back to the house, I was so torn inside my mind. I did believe there was injustice, and I wanted to please Alec, but I doubted that my reporting on the governor’s home would do much for the cause. It would more likely jeopardize my position, which I couldn’t risk losing. Why did he have to ask such an impossible thing of me?

*   *   *