Raj and Samel hurried through the streets until they reached an area filled with people. Raj's heart still beat loudly from the chase, and their encounter with The Watcher. Thankfully, he saw no sign of Bailey and his friends. He and Samel continued until they were far beyond the place where they'd been chased.
When they had made enough distance that Raj's legs no longer shook, Samel asked, "Is that Watcher going to tell Gideon about us?"
"I don't think so," Raj said, hoping that were true.
Samel still looked afraid.
Both of them knew the stories about those who had been caught fighting, stealing, or disrupting others' work. Gideon and his men were strict. Causing a commotion was an easy way to land in a cell, or worse. Raj recalled the rumors of a man who had stabbed and killed another over a sprig of taproot, many years ago. If the stories were to be believed, that man had been cast out and never seen again.
Even the simple-minded boys like Bailey knew better than to run up on one of Gideon's trusted men.
"Are you sure they won't cast us out?" Samel asked.
Raj swallowed. "I don't think so."
He looked over their shoulders, as if he might find The Watcher following them, but the alley was empty. Even if they told The Watcher the truth, Bailey had enough boys around him to corroborate a lie. He and Samel were better off keeping their mouths shut.
Swallowing, Raj worked his way west through the colony, getting far enough to see the river in the distance. Still no Bailey.
"Aren't we going home?" Samel asked.
"We need materials for Helgid," Raj said.
"Materials?" Samel spoke as if Raj talked of a venomous beast.
Seeing the frightened look on Samel's face, he said, "I don't think Bailey and the others will bother us—at least not now. You saw how The Watcher scared them. We should be safe."
"We should tell Helgid what happened," Samel said, waiting for agreement.
Raj sighed and shook his head. "What can she do?"
"Maybe she can stop them."
"Helgid is as likely to be thrown in a cell as us," Raj said. "We can't drag her into this."
"Maybe she can tell those boys to stop. Maybe they'll listen to her."
"She might say some words, but you heard how they spoke about her. They don't care what she has to say." Softening his tone, Raj said, "We shouldn't involve her, Samel. We'll handle our own problems, like we always have. Like Neena taught us. We'll be fine."
"You promise, Raj?" Samel asked, looking up at his brother with innocent eyes.
"I promise."