Page 77 of Skinwalker's Bane
Yet there were plenty of other Institutes that supported their own candidates during elections. Sure, none of them ever won against the well-funded tankball-sponsored candidates, but it wasn’t unusual.
Adam shook his head. He was trying to justify what he had done. It was what came after her refusal that had spiraled out of control. Why had he let it get to him? Why had he pushed it?
In his mind, he could see her big eyes, filled with puzzlement and growing upset. The image made his gut roil. He had done that to her.
She had been right to be puzzled. He had exaggerated. He had let his irritation inflate to righteous anger over nothing.
Why? Why had he done that? Perhaps he really was stupid.
He pushed his hand against his chest as he walked, trying to ease the ache there. Several people passing him, heading for the train platform in their work clothes, sent him startled glances. He was walking in the wrong direction for this time of morning.
Then he remembered that Peter had been up all night. Corin was at the hospice, getting treatment. And Lincoln wasn’t there anymore. The Beehive would be empty right now. It would echo and he would be alone with these horrible thoughts.
Adam changed direction, weaving his way through the apartment blocks, heading for the road that ran through the Field of Mars, that would get him to the Second Wall in the Capitol. There, he knew he would find someone who could distract him and keep his thoughts away from this disaster.
He walked at a fast pace, trying to use up the nervous energy that was making him feel shaky and weak. It was just adrenaline. Yet even fast walking didn’t seem to help.
When he reached the end of the Second Wall, he could see that the Institute was just opening for business. People were unfolding chairs and stools, setting up screens, clearing off workbenches and settling down to their work.
Noa’s desk was at this end of the Institute and Adam could see her and HaydnandPeter standing there, talking with their heads down.
Adam moved up to the rail behind them and to one side so the privacy screen didn’t hide him. “Hey.”
They looked around. Haydn raised his brow.
Peter looked exhausted.
“You guys look as if you didn’t get any sleep last night,” Adam said.
“I could say the same thing about you,” Noa said. “What wereyoudoing last night?”
“I was just getting to that bit,” Peter said. He looked at Adam. “I’m assuming you look as you did because she didn’t take it very well. Bishan kept his promise, didn’t he?”
Noa waved her hand with a chopping motion. “What promise?” she demanded. “Finish with what happened,” she told Haydn. “Report, both of you.” There was enough snap in her voice that both men turned to face her with almost guilty expressions.
“You went to Magorian’s and hauled him out,” Noa coaxed.
Haydn nodded. “He rounded up the Guard shift on duty and took them over to Bishan’s place. We didn’t have to crack Bishan, because Devin had already got to him first. He was spilling fury and noxious fumes everywhere when we got there.”
“Devin?” Noa asked. She glanced at Adam.
Adam’s heart started hurting again. The way she had handled Bishan…he’d had to step in at the last moment, because he admired what she was doing so much. He’d had no problem at that moment being seen standing next to her and supporting her. So why had he done what he’d just done?
The ache intensified and he fought not to massage the muscles over his heart once more.
“Devin called him. I don’t know what she said to him, but Bishan was putty when we got there,” Haydn said. “Hedidsay something about Devin paying for anything we did. It was his last threat. He came quietly after that.”
“It wasn’t a threat,” Adam said sharply. “It’s official as of this morning. The Dreamhawks have dropped Devin as a potential candidate for the general election.”
Silence. The three of them looked at each other.
“Then they knew what Bishan was doing,” Noa said softly. “Wow,” she added.
Haydn nodded. “Yes. Wow. That’s why we’ve been on the Bridge since then. Bishan will talk about anything but the Bellish. He hasn’t shut up all night.” Haydn rubbed his face with both hands. “That’s not all of it, either.”
Noa sighed.
“I came away from the hospice and came straight here,” Peter said. “Corin’s in full withdrawal and the doctor was completely unnerved by it. All they can do, she said, was support Corin’s biological needs while he goes through it. Pain relief, too. She was already talking about remedial treatments afterward, though, including possible brain tissue reconstructions.”
