Ranami’s hand found Phalue’s. They might have begun their relationship on two different ideological islands, but they’d found their way across to one another. And now they stood together. Always. “You could help Gaelung if you wanted to,” Ranami said. “You have enough Shardless Few to make a difference. Isn’t this what the Shardless Few is supposed to be about: helping the helpless?”

“No revolution is bloodless. No change comes without suffering,” he said, his jaw set. “So many Shardless Few have died smuggling away children from Tithing Festival. They’ve died in raids against governors, trying to bring food and medicine to people who need it. Perhaps it is time for the people of Gaelung to do their part. In the end, we will all come out of this better for it.”

“A coward is not a man who feels fear. A coward is one who would volunteer others for the suffering he would not take on himself,” Phalue said.

Gio scoffed. “Ningsu’s Proverbs? Please. The quote does not apply. I would gladly take on the suffering of the Shardless Few if I could.”

Phalue’s felt her heart grow cold. “You miss my point. The Shardless Few have volunteered for that suffering. The people of Gaelung have not.”

How could a man stare that much venom with only one working eye? “When you have lived as many years as I have, you may finally understand. No progress comes without a price. If this is how you think of me, then we can never work together.”

“I suppose not,” Phalue said, her voice steady. She’d burned enough bridges today; what was one more?

“Don’t think I won’t bring the full force of the Shardless Few down on Nephilanu. Don’t think I won’t crush you the way I crushed the governor of Khalute. And I will crush you.” He swept from the courtyard with the force of a storm gale, flinging raindrops from his cloak with each heavy step.

“Ah, Phalue,” Ranami finally said once he’d disappeared down the path, “you really don’t ever do things by halves, do you?”

37

Lin

Somewhere in the Endless Sea

Thrana awoke changed. She came around two nights after she’d entered her deep sleep, and I was desperately relieved to have her back with me. Right before her eyes opened, the thrumming returned to my bones, the preternatural strength to my limbs. If it came to it, if we had to make a stand at Gaelung, I’d have her strength. And I’d have Chala’s guards. He was as good as his word, writing up the documents before I’d left, pledging his guards to support the army. He’d already begun to provision the ships that would carry them to Gaelung.

Perhaps more gutter orphans should have unexpectedly been made governors.