“And so, both men dropped down dead.” Mel releases the stick and shrugs.

The crowd are silent, even the children simply gape at Mel. But I see it in their eyes – she got it wrong. That’s not how a story like this should end.

Chapter Twenty-six

A slow clap breaks the stunned, cold calm.

“Oh, very good.” Sana paces slowly towards Mel, still with the sarcastic applause, each one sounding like a slap in the face. The sea of people parts before her. “A majestic performance – terribly moving.” She treads over the mutilated parts of the houses Mel built, not caring to look down at the mess beneath her feet. “This is where we weep, where we cry out that if only the friends had shared, if only they weren’t so stubborn…” Sana is small next to Mel, but she is like that fox we saw on our way – standing her ground, knowing this is her space and that we are merely trespassing. She is wiry and wily; we underestimate her at our peril.

The rest of the community press in on us now. Mel no longer holds the fort. Hers was a momentary dominion, and now the power has been reclaimed; children return to their parents and eye Mel with suspicion.

“That’s what you’re saying, yes?” Sana continues. “If only the blanks and the marked weren’t so obstinate. If they could just see that the one way for them both to survive was to work together.” She raises an eyebrow. “You’ll tell me if I’ve got it wrong?” Mel says nothing. “Message received, storyteller.”

I risk a look at Oscar and see the tension in his face too. We are both poised to run. Mel however is stately and utterly fearless. She looks at Sana without pity or hatred and I can hardly believe it when I see that, shining from her face, is love.

“Sana, we got your message,” Mel says. “Loud and clear. You know how to hit us where it will cause us the most pain. To have a skin book taken away is like losing a lover. Clever girl.” Sana shrugs. “But your attack was futile. It came at a time when the people’s antagonism towards your community is at its lowest. The citizens of Saintstone have moved on – they have passed on the opportunity to fight. Now is time for something else, something new. There is a chance for hope here. Have mercy on your people. Call for peace.”

“And this is the word of who – Minnow?” Sana smirks.

“This is the word of a friend.” Mel looks around at me and Oscar. “Believe me, you do not want to wait until Mayor Longsight sends word.”

“Mayor Longsight? Don’t be a fool, storyteller. Longsight’s long gone.”

“He’s alive, Sana,” I call out, and she looks up, narrowing her eyes at me.

“No – no. He is dead. I made sure…” Her rage and confusion make her incautious. There is a ripple through the crowd of people – Oscar will have told them what Sana did, but I wonder how many truly believe she was his killer.