Act III Scene V
They cheer.
They cheer. They cheer until the magistrate raises her arms and demands order and Augustus stands from his seat. “The council calls for a brief recess—to discuss these most unusual circumstances,” he announces.
SIL: “There is nothing to discuss.” He points a finger at me. “Riven is accused of the illegal misuse of Craft. Your laws guide the actions of Players, not a marked. No such laws exist.”
The magistrate straightens, jaw tight. “I’ll admit, Silenus, it is an extremely rare situation—”
SIL: “With all due respect, her crimes no longer fall under the council’s jurisdiction.” I feel his eyes on my face. “They fall under mine.”
I think for a moment he’ll order Jude to kill me right then and there and brace myself for a fight.
SIL: “She is a marked who entered the Playhouse under false pretenses and illegally enrolled in the Great Dionysia!” He paces toward me, waving off the magistrate when she moves to stop him.
“She stole my Player’s Craft for her own use.
Lied to me. Endangered my Lead Player and stole him from his home.
And tell me, Riven.” Sil stops about two inches from my face.
“Is it true? Did you kill my dear little monster Marigold?”
There’s no use in denying it.
RIVEN: “I did.”
“Silenus, perhaps we can—” interrupts Augustus.
SIL: “She gave up her right to your defense when she came to my Playhouse.” Sil takes one breath, two. Nods to the council, then turns to appeal to the crowd. “What would you have me do with her?” he calls. “After all, she’s one of you.”
The audience stirs in response, hesitant and indecipherable calls popping up at the prospect of not only one of their own being executed before them but the Peacemaker’s heir, their one and only voice in the Playhouse during its reentry.
It’s quiet. Too quiet. Until, near the front, someone calls out, “Let her perform.”
Conspiratorial whispers stir at the suggestion as Sil makes a display of guiding Jude and me to the front of the platform, grandly gesturing.
SIL: “I won’t grant her freedom.” He shakes his head and sighs.
“She enrolled in the competition, and she will see it through. Riven’s crimes are forgiven.
And the Playhouse welcomes this most unusual prospect of the North’s first Player.
” He grins, all pretense of sadness gone, but there’s something in that smile that unsettles me.
“Perhaps, the first step toward the mending of this broken land once and for all.”
Then: the words I dread and anticipate.
SIL: “Riven Hesper will compete in the Great Dionysia. Will you have her?”
The crowd, their hearts swelled by my speech, release their approval in waves of cheers and cries that shake the stage.
Slowly, I raise my eyes and meet Jude’s gaze. He doesn’t look angry, or scared, or confused.
His face is full of relief.
Before I can question it, Sil calls out, “Why delay, council?” He turns back toward the mixed expressions on their faces. They hold no ground here. “We have our champion. I see no reason to delay. The Great Dionysia will begin tomorrow!”