Chapter 35 #2
‘Think about it,’ I say softly. ‘Nothing’s going to change with Atlas.
How long can we continue like this? Not just us, but the Dresden.
They deserve so much better. Even with all Atlas puts them through, they’re the best people.
Physically, they’ve got next to nothing and yet it feels like they have …
the only things that matter. Kindness. Gentleness.
Love. They care for each other, living like family.
Doesn’t that feel like they’re rich in a way we’re not?
Don’t you wish you could be around them all the time?
That’s what we should be protecting. That’s what we should be fighting for.
‘But then there’s Atlas,’ I continue. ‘And Soren. Even so many of the guardsmen are selfish arseholes. What if we just …’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know.’ I bite my lip. ‘Let’s burn down the compound.’
Lucky gasps. ‘What?’
Now that I’ve opened the floodgates, ideas rush in. ‘We could empty the armoury. To arm the Dresden.’ I’ve always thought that the Dresden needed food and essentials most, because they had no choice but to stay. But what if what they really need is a way to fight back?
A revolution.
I remember Agatha’s explosives. ‘Then we blow up the mine.’
‘I think … I think you need to slow down here.’ Lucky huffs. ‘Besides, don’t we need the mine?’
He’s right. The Dresden need the coal to stay warm. And for trade, once they’re free.
Free of Atlas.
‘We’ll need to exile the guards who are loyal to Atlas and find a way to keep them out.’ I purse my lips. ‘That’ll be tricky.’
‘How would we do that?’
‘Yeah, I don’t know,’ I concede, tossing the key back to Lucky. ‘Maybe first we steal weapons and train the Dresden in secret. Once they know how to fight, they can become the guards themselves.’
Lucky leans over and drops the key in my shirt pocket. ‘The Commander loves his weapons too much; he’ll notice. Then it’ll be him this time, burning Dresden homes.’
‘Not if he’s distracted,’ I muse. ‘Nearly every vagabond who passes by is an enemy. Maybe … we let some close. If all the guardsmen are too busy defending, they won’t notice if weapons go missing.’
I sit up straighter. ‘We could dig secret channels into the mine to store everything until we’re ready. The guardsmen refuse to go in too deep anyway. That’s where we’ll train everyone until it’s time to strike. It could be our base –’
‘That’s a rather treasonous plan,’ Coatl says, stepping out from behind a collection of trees. ‘Although, I can’t say that I’m surprised you’d betray your commander.’
Lucky and I both still, then leap to our feet.
‘What are you doing here?’ I demand.
Coatl’s wide eyes simmer with rage. ‘I’m doing what it seems I’m always doing – looking for you. Though I wonder what the Commander will say when he learns you’re planning to overthrow him?’
My heart slams against my lungs. I don’t doubt Coatl will turn me in; he’d love nothing more than to strip me of being an advisor. Kick me out of his precious afternoons with Atlas. But he’s forgetting something: in the last hour, my entire life was flipped on its head.
Now I have so much less to lose.
‘Go for it,’ I snap. ‘Then I’ll accuse you of the same thing. Do you really want to see which one of us he believes?’
Coatl smiles coldly, then removes his bow and reaches into his quiver. ‘I suppose I should thank you.’ He nocks an arrow. ‘Because now I get to deal with you both myself. Lieutenant Pollent, consider yourself relieved of duty. Permanently.’ He aims at Lucky’s chest.
‘No,’ I shout as a stake of panic drives through my heart.
‘It’s okay, Mare,’ Lucky whispers, eyes darting to his bow on the ground. ‘It all was a sign.’
‘Shut up,’ I hiss as I move to block Lucky with my body, since I’m also unarmed. ‘If you so much as –’
Everything happens at once. Lucky spins away from me, taking off at a run. Coatl releases his arrow. It flies right by my arm. I can’t turn fast enough to see if it strikes true. All I can do is scream as my friend reaches the edge of Notting territory and in a blur of motion, jumps off the cliff.
I dive after him, but I’m too far away. Too slow. This section isn’t as steep as Halkirk Tower – the initial drop is closer to twenty feet, then staggers off to something more. But is it survivable? I don’t know.
Coatl grabs my arm as I continue to scramble to the edge.
‘No,’ I scream, kicking out. My first attempt misses but not my second. My boot cracks his knee. He grunts.
‘Lucky?’ I yell, then do it again, louder, my voice breaking.
He said it was a sign – what does that mean? But then his words from before echo in my mind.
The key is that we need to leave.
Is that why the fool jumped? He thinks Benedict’s silly gift was a sign to escape off a cliff?
‘Get over here!’ Coatl’s large hand grabs my throat and squeezes, cutting off my airway.
He really meant to kill Lucky, and now he’s going to kill me.
I grit my teeth as I fight to pry open his long fingers.
But pain tears through me, splitting me in half.
I’m weak. I slam him with an elbow. Try to reach his knife.
Nothing makes him budge. My lungs scream for oxygen; time is running out.
With every last bit of fight in me, I resort to dragging my fingernails across his face.
He roars, but his bulging eyes remain fixed on me.
Blood beads in his cuts as darkness gathers in my vision.
Then suddenly he lets go to strike me hard in the temple. My knees hit the ground as everything goes black.