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Nick spent the morning in his apartment with Cal, Artemis and Jinx, discussing the events of the last twenty-four hours.
‘Did you really know Cal was a deserter, Jinx?’ Nick asked. ‘Or did you just make that up?’
‘Of course I knew. Mum and Dad talk about Council stuff all the time, mostly when they think we’re asleep.’
Amaránta slid a platter of crispy ribs and sliced sourdough in front of them, and they fell on the food.
‘Thanks, Amaránta,’ Nick said through his mouthful of meat. ‘This is incredible. You are by far the best cook in the entire city.’
She sneaked a glance at him, smiled, and hobbled out of the room.
‘So...you’re okay with that, Jinx?’ Artemis asked. ‘About Cal being a deserter, I mean.’
‘Yep. And you too.’
Artemis coughed. ‘Wh-what?’
‘I’ve known for ages about you.’ Jinx flicked a bread crust at Nick. ‘Took gumbrain here a lifetime to figure it out, though.’
Cal and Artemis stared at Nick and repeated in unison, ‘Gumbrain?’
Nick tossed a rib bone into the fire. ‘Jinx, are you ever going to learn to shut your gigantic mouth?’
‘Are you even allowed to call him that?’ Cal asked.
‘I’ll call him whatever I like,’ Jinx replied. ‘He can’t do anything about it.’
‘I’d be careful if I were you,’ Artemis said with a smile. ‘He might have a bit of power to play with soon. And he might use it.’
Jinx snorted. ‘I’d like to see him try.’
‘Ah, hello?’ Nick said with a wave. ‘I’m sitting right here, you know.’
Just as they were polishing off the last of the crispy ribs, a deep drumming rumbled across the city. Jinx straightened as if someone had shouted her name. Nick went to the window and saw the Market Square merchants and customers gazing wide-eyed at the sky.
‘What’s that noise?’ Artemis asked.
‘It’s the call to a Bandála meeting,’ Jinx said.
Lightning cracked over the mountains, illuminating the swollen slate clouds.
‘Must be the curfew announcement David mentioned earlier,’ Nick said. ‘Does anyone know where we have to go?’
Jinx nodded. ‘The amphitheatre. Come on. I’ll take you.’
They scooted downstairs and across Market Square, which was already half empty, then they passed the council chamber and turned onto a road leading north. Nick had never been into this quarter before. He recalled the view from the beacon tower, of fresh stone and bright flags. In this part of town, the gardens were trimmed and the houses clean, with doors and shutters that actually worked. Some entrances even had polished iron knockers in the shapes of wombats or tree frogs.
Shouts of ‘Kári!’ and ‘Nallindéra!’ followed Nick wherever he went. He skittered from side to side in alarm as people reached out without warning to slap his back or give his shoulder or hand an encouraging shake.
‘You’re as popular now as my dad, gumbrain. How’s it feel?’
‘Awful,’ Nick replied with a scowl.
A huge amphitheatre the size of a football stadium reared above the rooftops. Bandála soldiers dusted in red ochre stood in the highest archways, beating drums with large wooden hammers. Nick wormed his way through the bottleneck of people, following Cal’s messy black hair, which was just visible a few metres in front. Artemis was right behind him.
‘I hope Rayámina doesn’t expect everybody to fit into the amphitheatre all at once,’ she cried above the din.
She squealed, and Nick spun around, but he couldn’t reach her through the crowd.
‘Artemis? Are you alright?’
‘Someone stepped on my foot. Go ahead. I’ll meet you in there.’
An archway opened to Nick’s right, with dark corridors branching off like the underbelly of a football stadium. He stumbled sideways as somebody bumped him. Everyone kept inching along the main thoroughfare, shuffling and colliding and speculating about what the announcement might be about.
Nick spied a gap. Just as he was about to rejoin the scrum, someone snared his jacket and yanked him into an alcove. His back slammed against the wall and his arms were pinned to his sides.
‘Hey! What—?’
A firm and filthy hand clamped over his mouth. He struggled, his shields running hot over his skin. He saw dark masks and hoods, then the glint of a knuckle duster a split second before it rammed into his temple. His head snapped aside, his focus shattered. His shields vanished like smoke in the wind.
Then everything went black.