Page 23 of Ironhold: Trial Five

“You’re Lyra,” the woman says.“Lyra, the mistress of beasts.”

I wince at the name.

“You're mistaken,” Vex says, butthat doesn't make things any better.

“No, it's her,” a man says. “I sawher fight in the Champions Trials. Lyra! It’s Lyra, everyone!”

People are starting to look my way.

“Help us!” a woman calls out.“They're holding back the food. They had it, but they just want to make afortune on it once the prices go up.”

“Help us!” a man calls. “Anyone whospeaks out about it is executed.”

“The officials do what they want,”a woman says.

They start to crowd around me, eachtelling me the things that the city and its officials have done to them as if Imight be able to help them somehow. As if I am able to change their lives. Ihave been shown to them as a hero and so it seems obvious to them that I shouldbe able to do something.

“Damn it,” Vex mutters. He pullsthe hood back over my head. “We're getting out of here; keep moving.”

He starts to push his way throughthe crowd, one hand clamped on my arm so that he will not lose me. People crowdaround but they give way the moment Vex’s daggers take to the air, forming aring of deadly steel around us, propelled by the telekinetic talents that sawhim succeed in the colosseum.

“You don't need to do that, Vex,” Isay, as he pulls me through the crowd.

“Of course I do. Do you think I'mgoing to trust that the poor will hold back on their own account?”

We make it clear, and Vex bringshis daggers back to him.

“Why show me all that?” I demand,as we continue to walk.

“So you can see what's at stake inthe city. The emperor has suborned the games to entertain the masses. He wishesto distract them from their troubles. And when that doesn't work, he has themkilled.”

He's moving quickly, so I almosthave to run to keep pace.

“And you're trying to tell me thatyou care about the masses?” I ask. I know Vex better than that.

“I care about the games. I careabout the fact the emperor is ruining the city. And I knowyouwill careabout this. The time has come for a different emperor.”

“Emperor Vex?” I guess.

“Someone from my faction at least,”Vex says. “We would change things in the city. We would make sure it was run ina more orderly way. Officials would not flout the rules. The games would be runaccording to the old ways. And if you were a part of it, things would bebetter.”

Perhaps he's even right. That's thescariest thing, that there's a chance I find myself agreeing with Vex.

“Think on it more,” Vex says. “Iwill return you to the colosseum now, but consider your position. The emperoroffers nothing but endless violence as he tries to hold onto his city. And myguess is that any other faction trying to take it from him will unleash war onthe street. Wouldn't it be better to wrest it from his grasp cleanly? To handit to someone who will restore Aetheria to glory?”

I want to tell him that his dreamsof power are simple megalomania, but I can't. Not now that I've seen the facesof the hungry, seen the bodies of the executed. I thought that Vex was tryingto trap me, but it's clear now that he's as serious about rebellion as theother groups.

The question is not now whether Iget involved, but how and on whose side.

Chapter Thirteen

Vex takes me back to thereceiving room, the two of us slipping in quietly. We go to the private roomand he takes back his cloak before he goes.

“Think about what I've said,” Vexsays, standing and leaving. “And about what you've seen.”

I know I will be able to do littleelse. Already I'm trying to work out what I should do. I can't stand back whenit's obvious that so many are suffering, but I also can't commit to helping anyrebellion when Alaric’s life hangs in the balance. The moment I act against theemperor, Alaric will be killed.

It is an impossible situation, andone that is not helped as I step out of the private room andI see Lady Elara there,sitting on a couch with Cesca beside her.Itseems that Cesca is trying to get herself a new patron, after her failure withthe previous two nobles. For a moment or two, Lady Elara seems interested asCesca talks to her and shares wine, but then she looks over to me and standsabruptly.

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