Chapter 13: Out the Front Door

The guard outside our door changed at nine, and I heard him sit down in the hall.

Dad was asleep on the narrow bed with his boots still on.

Hattie was at the window, watching the courtyard empty out for the Council's supper.

"Nobody down there now," she whispered. "Just the six on the stairs."

"Seven wolves with the one in the hall," I said. "And one of me with a nosebleed."

Ansel stood beside the door with his hand flat against the wood.

"You don't have to do this," he said quietly. "I can break it down."

"And bring all seven up here at once."

"Yes."

"No," I said. "I'm doing it with my voice."

He looked at me for a long moment.

"It will cost you again," he said.

"Then you can carry me down the stairs."

His mouth almost smiled, and he stepped back.

I put my palm to my ribs, where the Voice lives.

It was thin and tired down there, almost empty.

I leaned my forehead on the door and spoke low, to the spine of the man on the other side.

"Open it."

The lock clicked.

The door swung in, and the guard stood in the gap with glassy eyes, holding his key ring in both hands.

"Sit," I said.

He sat on the floor.

The pain went up my arm to the shoulder, and a hot drop of blood ran over my lip.

"Wake Dad," I said. "Hattie, shoes."

We went down the east stairs in a row, with Ansel in front and me last.

On the landing the other six guards looked up.

I had nothing left to push with.

So I just looked at them and said, flat and sure, "Go home."

They stared at me, and then at the black cuff, which was blazing white under my sleeve.