Jay Posey - Morningside Fall

“What do you care?” Wick said.

“You people ,” Hood said, with a strange emphasis on the word. “You think you can just do whatever you want to whoever you want. It’s not right!”

“So you think we roughed Painter up, and then you thought it’d be a good idea to come here, and what?”

Hood didn’t answer. Cass moved closer and motioned to Swoop to pull the hood back. He shook his head and pointed to his eyes with two fingers. Worried that Hood was going to see Cass. But Cass persisted. Swoop drew back the hood, and as he did, a cascade of wavy red hair tumbled out. Hood didn’t raise her head though, just stayed hidden under her fiery mane.

Hood hadn’t sounded scared, and neither did she look it. Cass thought she’d recognized the voice. Now she was sure of it.

“Kit,” Cass said. Swoop glanced at Cass sharply for breaking security and revealing her presence, but Cass held up a hand indicating it was alright. The girl reacted by raising her head slightly, but she still didn’t open her eyes. “Kit, it’s alright, you can open your eyes. It’s Cass.”

Wick let go of Kit’s shoulder and took a step back.

Kit opened her eyes slowly and raised them to meet Cass’s. They shone softly with the light of the Weir and refracted in the tears that pooled at their base. “Miss Cass?” Kit looked around the room then. She was in her mid-twenties, and when she sat up straight, her muscular frame and broad shoulders were apparent. “What’s going on?”

“What’re you doing here, Kit?” Cass asked.

“I saw them with Painter.”

“You shouldn’t have come. It’s very dangerous right now.”

“I thought he was hurt. I thought maybe…” she trailed off, and her eyes darted to Swoop and then down to the floor. “I don’t know what I thought. I just couldn’t do nothing.”

“Well, now that you’re here, ma’am,” Wick said, “we’re going to have to ask you to stay for a little while.” Kit glanced up at him, uncertain. “For security.”

He squatted down so he wasn’t towering over her anymore, and softened his voice. “And don’t worry, Painter’s fine, we didn’t beat him up. Not really. I mean, I guess technically we did, but not for the reason you probably think.”

“Wick, lock it up,” Swoop said. Wick nodded and flashed a quick smile at Kit, reached out and patted her leg, and then stood again. He motioned with his thumb towards the back door and raised his eyebrows, but Swoop shook his head and held up a finger, telling him to wait.

“Sky, status,” Swoop said. He waited for a moment, and then said, “Check.” He subtly shook his head at Wick. Then he turned his attention to Kit. “Ma’am, I’m going to need you to move this room over here.” He pointed towards Mister Sun’s side room.

Kit stood, but didn’t move. “You can’t keep me here,” she said. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“You broke curfew.”

Kit shrugged. “Then I’ll go outside and turn myself into the guard.”

“Ma’am.” Swoop said it with an even tone, but there was a warning behind it. Kit was strong, though, and not one easily intimidated.

“It’s not about you, Kit,” Cass said. “It’s for me.”

“Are you in trouble?”

Cass just smiled.

“Then how can I help?”

“For now, you can just do as we ask.”

“OK, sure. If you just ask, ” she said, with a pointed look at Swoop. Kit started towards Mister Sun’s room. Able automatically glided over to escort her, and Mister Sun followed closely behind.

“I’ll keep her company,” Mister Sun said.

“Thanks, Mister Sun,” Cass said.

Kit and Mister Sun went into his side room. Able closed the door behind them and stood guard next to it. Gamble returned to her perch on the table in the front, and Swoop disappeared into the back room.

“She’s got a little fire in her, doesn’t she?” Wick said to no one in particular, with a little smile on his face.

“More than a little,” Cass answered, as she returned to her seat. Wren had always said Kit had been the easiest for him to Awaken, that she’d just “ sprung open ” — like she’d been fighting it on her own already, and just needed a little nudge. For many nights afterwards, in the still, quiet hours, Cass had wondered if anyone could ever free themselves from the Weir — wondered if maybe she could’ve fought harder to recover herself. And if she had, if Three would not be dead now. But no, Wren had assured her there was nothing she could’ve done. No use dwelling on what might’ve been. Especially now, when there was so much else to do. “North, we’ve got to make some decisions.”

North returned to his chair at the table, across from her. “The girl complicates matters.”

“It was already complicated. And she won’t tell anyone we’re here.”

“Not on purpose, perhaps.”

“Well, I’m open to suggestions,” Cass replied.

“I wouldn’t have ever expected to say this, but I believe the safest thing for you… for you and the Governor.” He paused and rubbed his chin with his fingertips. “The safest thing is for you to leave Morningside.”

“And go where?” Cass asked.

“It would be better if I did not know,” North answered. “No one can steal information I do not possess.”

The concept struck Cass as both impossible and inevitable. How could they leave Morningside? And yet how could they stay? Members of the Council had gone from quietly attempting assassination and sabotage to a brazen assault. The only logical escalation was open revolution. And there was no telling how far or wide or deep the conspiracy had spread. Connor oversaw the entire contingent of guardsmen. Any one of them might be involved. All of them could be, for that matter.

And Aron. One of the few remaining elders. If he had their blessing, then Wren’s was truly a hollow power in the city. She thought back to the conversation with her son in the courtyard, just a few days before. The idea of leaving the city had seemed like a fantasy then. How quickly life could change.

“We can’t just leave. Wren most of all,” Cass said. “If he disappeared, there would be utter chaos.”

“Not if we conceal it. Security has already been tightened. We will simply spread word that the Governor must remain within the compound for his safety. No one need know otherwise.”

Cass tried to think it through, though her mind was fogged with fatigue and stress. A week, maybe two. Just long enough to get clear of the immediate danger. So much would need to be rebuilt over the coming months, but North was right. Ensuring Wren’s physical safety was their highest priority, and there was nowhere inside these walls they could trust for any length of time.

North leaned forward and touched Cass’s hand. “I do not mean exile, Lady. Only a temporary retreat, until we can be certain of your safety again.”

“Gamble,” Cass called. “What do you think?”

Gamble hopped off her table and approached. She didn’t sit at the table though, just leaned over it, with both hands on the back of a chair. “I think getting you out of the city is the smartest thing to do for you and your son. That’s my one and only concern. All the rest of it, I can’t say.”

“It might not be a great plan,” North said. “It might not even be a very good one. But I fear if we wait for a better one, it will then be too late.”

“It’s not really a plan, sir,” Gamble said. “But I agree. I think we move you to a secure location, and figure the rest out from there.”

“Gamble,” Cass said. “You do understand I’m not asking you to come with us?”