Nada's Escape: Fighters' lies

24.4 Normal

In the ruins of another knot, in another bedroom I think it finally hits me. It's real. I drop the strands of thin green ribbon and back away from Finley.

First Finley's council pledge, then Penny's sweethearts pledge and now this. Liza's "New Life" pledge is just ribbons in Finley's hands.

We could keep going, I realise. We could rip apart Norgara. A thrill runs through me at the thought. Just think of all the wives and worms who could leave if we let them. The council would be distraught.

I shake my head. A fantasy. But a compelling one.

Amy touches my arm, dragging me back to the bedroom and the swirls of the pink and green bedspread.

"How is this happening?" I ask, my gaze roaming over both of them.

Finley gathers the ribbon into a loop whilst Amy steps casually between us, checking on me with a glance.

"I really can't say." Finely replies, eyes on his thumbs as they slide the ribbon round and round.

"Can't or won't?" Amy shoots over a shoulder. Finley's eyes lift to meet her glare and she flinches. I catch her arm in my hand as Finely sighs and drops the ribbon on the beside table. It tangles with a clutter of hair clips and the paws of a stuffed dog.

"I mean I don't know." Finely's tone is carefully neutral, no conviction behind it like usual.

Amy crosses her arms and turns away from me, confronting Finley.

"Really? I thought you were a binder. Don't you do this all day?"

Finley shakes his head and walks along the wall to the dresser.

"Binders can't break pledges. They can make them, they can read them. Even wriggle around them a bit if the wording is vague enough." He brushes a finger against the arm of a doll propped up on the dresser, making her arm wave.

"Trust me, I've tried everything to break this council pledge."

Amy glowers at the bracelet and I'm not far behind, stepping around so I can see her face.

"Well shit." I say. "If that's all we have to go on..."

My gaze flicks to Amy, to the bottle of glue dangling from her fingers.

"We've got to go." I say to Finley, "You can take care of the glue." I snatch the bottle from Amy and throw it across to him, not waiting for a reply before I drag Amy out into the street.

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"I don't understand why we aren't doing this in the library." Macie complains as Amy and I try to coach her up the big tree in the cottage flower garden. By which I mean I'm perched quite comfortably between two of the larger branches, offering equal encouragement and chastisement while Amy shows her where to put her hands.

"Because, there's Huntsmen in the library," Amy grunts, hauling Macie up to the next branch. Macie presses her face to the bark, heaving in a breath.

"I don't see why that's a problem. Just don't say anything incriminating." She huffs.

I glare down at her over my dirt smeared sandals.

"That's easy for you to say, you're not hiding behind a religious conspiracy."

Macie flicks her fringe back to smile up at me. "No, but I wish I was."

I see her envious glance at my arm and press it self consciously into my stomach. Who who have thought Macie would be so into body mods?