Page 189 of Carousel

“She’s waiting for him, and the FIs. And remember her next message. The dinner – the cloche, or, the dome – is getting cold... Getting cold, which literally means, losing its heat. Losing its⁠—”

“Magic,” Riss guesses.

I fling the chalk down.

Look straight at Ephraine. “Do you believe us now?”

Riss nods at him, smiling. “Cloche.”

Very calmly, as if we’ve just told him not about treason but about a leak in the ceiling, Ephraine tells us he will sort it and leaves.

“He never said how,” I realise.

Riss doesn’t seem concerned. “Ephraine knows The Accords backwards. He’ll do things by the book.” She pops her mouth. “Although, there is one thing bothering me.”

“What’s that?”

“Why did Dezeeves let you go at all? Did he not realise you would go and tell someone all of his secrets?”

I’ve already thought about that. “He’s complacent. His own brother thinks that’s how he might get himself killed one day.”

He probably thinks I’m alone in the world. Would never tell anyone what I know. Doesn’t know I have Riss, who would convince me to do something as insane as trusting Ephraine.

Since we can do nothing else now, we pick up my new uniform, which I change into in the nearest lavatory. I also freshen myself up. I feel so disgusting. Grimy. And I don’t think it’s from sweat.

In the same uniform as everyone else, I decide I look like more like a traitor than I did in the prisoner one.

“Welcome to the crew,” Riss says, grinning, when I emerge.

After, we continue my training.

I’m getting good. I can now block half of her attacks and flip her successfully almost every time. She also teaches me how to disarm someone – it’s the same rapid, hard swing Ephraine used on Cosmer in The Bridge, before proceeding to practically choke him while wrestling him to the ground.

The memory instantly makes me nauseous.

Riss stops mid-block, perking up, and my fist flies into her jaw.

“Sorry—”

I trail off, because her face has crumpled.

“The trial,” she whispers, pulling me into a hug. “Cosmer’s trial.”

CHAPTER 33

The Sunset Trial

There’s a queue for the ladders, and when we reach the Sky Deck, it’s crowded. Seems so much busier than Chapp’s trial was.

“You still have your plan, right?” Riss asks. I’d told her about it on the way up.

“Yes,” I say, but inside I’m thinking but it’s falling apart.

I hadn’t anticipated how busy it would be. How much pressure I might be feeling. Nor do I have Drake’s magic to help me.

We thread our way to the wooden platform, positioning ourselves beside the same scribe from Chapp’s trial.

This is good. I’ll be right in front of Vikemy when he ascends the stairs.