Their eyes perked up at this. Only a few select people in Quill were allowed to write things down. Teachers, mostly, and the governors and high priest, of course. “That’s pretty clever,” Liam said.
Aaron didn’t reply. He thought the comment stood alone just fine. He glanced at Eva Fathom to see if she was going to give him any trouble.
She wasn’t, and instead smiled at him. “Shall we go, then? If we leave now, we’ll be just a few moments late. That’s what the High Priest Justine always preferred.”
Aaron nodded. His stomach stirred as the others wished him well, and before he knew it, they were on their way to the amphitheater.
» » « «
Aaron Stowe, the new self-appointed associate high priest of Quill, looked at the crowd standing in the hot sunshine. They were quiet as always. His parents stood in the same spot where he and Alex had stood with them at their Purge. A year and a half had passed since then. It seemed like forever. Mr. and Mrs. Stowe stood alone now. Aaron squinted. His mother was obviously very pregnant. He hadn’t known. Not that he cared about such trivial things’it would be seven or eight years before the baby would be of any use. It could easily die by then. He frowned and shook the thought away.
Aaron turned his musings back to the past several months, from his ousting at university to his building up of the Restorers to his killing of the mage of Artimé. It was an incredible journey’if only Justine could see him now. His hard work and vision had paid off, not to mention his cunning. No one here needed to know how he’d done it. Just that he’d done it. He focused on the complacent faces before him, cleared his throat, and spoke.
“Greetings, people of Quill. I am Aaron Stowe, newly appointed associate high priest.” His words carried beautifully in the amphitheater, and he sounded noble and ominous’two very important traits of a leader.
He continued. “My friend Gunnar Haluki sends his regards and regrets that he cannot be here at this time. Unfortunately, his wife was murdered by a gang of ruthless Artiméans in a street squabble last night. Even though she’d been living peacefully among them, they turned on her. One never knows whom one can trust. Does one?”
He felt like he’d said the word “one” too many times now, and he faltered for a moment, but then he pulled the paper from his pocket. When the crowd murmured at the sight of it, his confidence returned.
“Here is a letter from High Priest Haluki’s own hand,” he said, holding it up. He called forth a scholar and showed it to him, who then verified it before the crowd.
Aaron cleared his throat. “The letter reads: ‘Dearest people of Quill, I am pleased to announce the creation of the associate high priest position, allowing a second ruler equal power over Quill. I am proud to fill this appointment with a capable young man’someone whom the High Priest Justine held in high esteem, and someone I hold great respect for as well. I have worked with him extensively and have the utmost confidence in his ability to lead Quill while I am unable to carry out my duties during this unfortunate time.
“‘ To avoid punishment, you will give Associate High Priest Aaron your dedication from this moment forward until further notice. I am certain that with your unquestioning support he will lead you to the pinnacle of the world in strength and intelligence.
Very sincerely yours,
High Priest Gunnar Haluki.’ ”
“Quill prevails when the strong survive,” said the crowd in monotone unison, almost as if they approved of Mrs. Haluki’s death. There was no backlash, no surprised faces, no shock or horror.
Aaron folded the paper and placed it into his pocket, satisfaction warming him from the inside to match the outside heat of the day. It had gone as smoothly as he could have possibly imagined.
“Now,” he said, “my first declaration as associate high priest is regarding all Necessaries who have realized their heinous mistakes and have returned home from the disaster called Artimé.” He paused to see how many people shifted eyes and shuffled feet. It was a large number. “You will have a chance to redeem yourselves. Report to me at the palace gate at daybreak tomorrow, ready to work, and I will grant you the right to live here once again.” He could almost feel the relief flooding over the crowd, and he knew he had won many points from both Wanteds and Necessaries alike.
“And,” he continued, “for every Unwanted of Artimé whom any of you recruits to Quill’s quest to be world pinnacle, I offer you a bonus food item of your choice once per month. And you will continue to receive this benefit for as long as that Unwanted works his hardest for the greater good of Quill’and does not reproduce. That could be months of extra food on your table, or even years.”
The crowd’s silence was different this time. No longer did they wear the bland looks of sleeping fish on their faces. Now they stood straighter, their eyes opened wider. Never before had they been given an incentive for anything. Never had they been granted a choice in things to eat. A small murmur buzzed through the crowd of Quillens, especially from those who had lived in Artimé and had relaxed their stiff personalities a bit over time. Those Necessaries began to think of all the possible Unwanteds they could convince to come to Quill, now that Artimé was a mess. And though these Necessaries weren’t nearly as hungry right now as the ones who’d stayed in Quill, they had been back in Quill several hours now’long enough to have heard the rumors and whispers about life under Haluki’s rule.