CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

We are not as predictable as leaves, falling from

trees in seasons prescribed by the spinning of

orbs that chase the sun.

We revolve around timelines individual

made original

and unimaginable. For they cannot be foretold,

only forewarned.

—THE HARMONY OF BEING

“Order a recount.”

Jack closed his eyes slowly as his wife’s voice grew more frantic. He couldn’t stand to see the disappointment and sorrow on her face. The only thing he could give her was bad news and he hated to be the one to do so.

“Sixty-seven percent,” he stated simply. “A recount will not change those numbers. Sixty-seven percent of the Lagrimari voted for separation.” He heard a thump and opened his eyes to find that she’d fallen into the armchair in front of the fireplace.

“More Lagrimari voted for separation than Elsirans,” she whispered into the flames.

“A good deal more.” He set the vote results down on the desk and stalked toward her. Only 56 percent of Elsirans had favored separation.

“You and Nadette and your team, you all made a big difference.”

“If only we would have known that the Elsirans weren’t the biggest problem,” she said wryly, slumping farther into the seat. “I just don’t understand.” She looked up at him with an expression of pure confusion and sorrow.

Jack wiped a hand down his face. “I wish I could say something that would make it clear, but I don’t understand myself.”

He braced his hands on the mantel and breathed deeply. There would be no unification. The people had spoken. Now they just had to figure out how to handle things going forward.

“We will still offer a path to citizenship for the Lagrimari, just like we do for people from other countries,” he offered. It was currently a long and expensive one, but they had been working on easing the process. This was just more incentive to do so. “With such a high percentage of Elsirans voting against the separation, we may be able to get the Council to approve some kind of measure granting rights for any Lagrimari who want to stay.”

It was sure to be an uphill battle for their insular nation though. Jack thought of his father-in-law, Dansig, of Benn and his daughters, of others who had adopted Lagrimari orphans and whose families were now in a strange sort of limbo. How many would even want to stay here? Jasminda’s expression hadn’t changed and Jack’s heart cracked at not being able to offer anything more.

A knock at the door sounded. It had been like this for the past twelve hours—ever since the attack. Messengers from around the city delivering updates on everything from the vote to the casualties to the damage incurred. The polls had closed before the attack and it was luck—or maybe a lack of luck—that none of the counting stations had been targeted by the True Father.

No, the worst of the damage had been to the utilities, running water and electricity were now in short supply across the city. Repair crews were hard at work, but it would be quite some time before things were back to normal.

Jack opened the door and accepted a stack of reports from the teenage page. The young man bowed before turning and running off.

“What now?” Jasminda asked when Jack returned to his desk.

He set down the mass of papers and began sifting through them. “Engineering reports. Initial repair estimates. Minister Stevenot wants a meeting at the top of the hour to share what the Department of the Interior has so far.”

She was silent for a while as he flipped through the rest of the pages, making quick assessments about what needed immediate attention and what could wait.

Finally, her voice broke through the silence. “Why do you think he stopped, last night? The True Father.”

Jack dropped the report in his hand and faced her. “Kyara said the attack ended just after Oola appeared. Maybe She did something to stop it?”

Jasminda’s brow furrowed. “You don’t think … Oola couldn’t be working with him, could She?”

Jack shook his head. “To what end? I know She’s often had a blind spot when it comes to Her twin, but he’s working to destroy us. She always has Her own agenda, but I don’t believe it’s our destruction.”

Jasminda pursed her lips.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive Her for letting you die in order to test Kyara,” he added, “but this army? This destruction? What does She gain from it?”

Jasminda shook her head and crossed her arms, shivering. “Where has She been and where did She go after the attack? I wish She was here if only to answer some questions.” With a heavy sigh, she pushed up from the chair to approach the desk. “Do you have the report about the shelter usage?”

“Somewhere in this stack,” he muttered, flipping through folders until he found it and handed it over. Hopefully, all the work ahead would take the sting off of the referendum results, but Jack wasn’t optimistic.

She settled into the chair, scanning the pages of the report. “Shelters were, on average, at less than thirty percent capacity. So sixty-four percent of Elsirans want to have Lagrimari around, but not too close, I guess. And they don’t want to trust Earthsingers with their safety.”

“To be fair, we didn’t have a lot of time to deliver the message about the shelters,” Jack said.

“Now that the power is off in most of the city the radio is out, and the newspapers can’t be printed.” She tossed the papers down.

“What do you want to do?”

“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “I really don’t know. I think—”

She looked down and then took another deep breath, as if coming to a decision. “I think we need to do something drastic.” Jack sat next to her, giving her all of his attention.

“Half the citizens want to burn the Goddess in effigy for hiding the True Father’s escape. They don’t trust us either and it’s not only to their own detriment, but everyone else’s. The more people the spirits overtake, the worse the attacks will be.”

Jack nodded, urging her on. “You were right.” She blew out a breath. “I was … I was blinded by my anger. My rage. Our voices aren’t going to carry right now, but I know someone’s who will.”

Realization dawned, but he wasn’t certain. “Who?”

Her teeth clenched. “Zann Biddell.” It was obvious that she hated the conclusion she’d come to. “I’m wondering if he would be amenable to making a few announcements.”

Jack spoke carefully. The issue of Biddell had already been a minefield between them. “You want him to convince people to go to the shelters?”

“Getting their attention will be hard, but he could do it.”

“Do you think the Lagrimari will protest?”

She spread her arms. “We have no idea how the True Father is staging these attacks, no idea how many more there will be, or how much power he has left. He could have found a whole new energy source to fuel the amalgamations for all we know. Until we can find a way to stop him permanently, we need to limit his strength in some way and right now, reducing the number of potential hosts for his army is key. Our differences don’t matter anymore, not in this situation.”

Jack’s fingers moved rapidly against his thighs as he thought. “Do you think Biddell will cooperate?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we can appeal to his patriotism? It’s in his best interest just like everyone else’s to be protected from the spirits.”

He leaned forward. “Do you want me to talk to him?”

She gave a barely there smile. “I made this mess. It should be me.”

“And what will you offer him? Freedom?”

The hint of a smile bled from her face. “If that’s what it takes. Unless we find a way to stop the True Father, nothing else really matters, does it?”

He reached for her hand and she met him halfway, gripping his fingers in hers. “We’re going to find a way,” he said. “We’re going to beat him once and for all and make a place that’s safe—a home—for everyone who wants one. If I do one thing with the life I have left, it will be that.”

She squeezed his hand harder and he repeated the vow to himself. It was almost like a prayer, though he had no deity left to pray to. Only his hope. Only his love.