Kingdom of Cages(130)

Hagin nodded. “Shacte can take her, if you can promise you will walk quietly with me.”

What do you fear, Uncle? Tam wondered mildly. What has Dionte told you? He turned to Risha, who clutched the arms of her chair as if she thought someone might drag her out of it. “Don’t worry. Your records are taken care of. You’re going home.”

Before he could see whether she believed him or not, Uncle Hagin took his arm and led him out into the yellow corridor.

He paced silently beside his guard. There was no point in pretending to himself Hagin was anything else. They walked all the way to the farthest end of the hallway, where a door stood open and waiting for him. From the other side, Dionte watched him, her hands clasped together and a look of profound concern on her face.

Tam’s step faltered. Hagin put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and helped him move forward. He stepped across the threshold, but his guard did not.

“Hello, Brother,” said Dionte.

Behind him, the door closed. He winced, and for the first time in his life, Tam wished that he were not so alone.

It’s all right, said his Conscience. Everyone gets nervous at this time.

“Of course this is your assignment,” said Tam, staring at the chair waiting in front of him. It was clean, soft, and expertly designed to hold its occupant comfortably. “Of course.”

“I am your Guardian, Brother,” she said softly. “I only want to help you.”

Because there was nothing else to do, Tam walked across the blank floor to the chair and sat down. He leaned back to let its padding enfold him. The chair, sensing his weight, tilted itself so that his temple was aligned with the probe and recorder that automatically unfolded from the wall. Out of the corner of his right eye, Tam could just see Dionte extend the delicate arm. The chair did not permit him to turn his head.

“Your Conscience has not taken proper hold in your mind, Tam,” said Dionte softly. Tam felt a dull pressure as the recorder needle pierced the skin over his Conscience. “I must readapt it to make sure it functions properly in the future.”

Tam felt himself begin to shake. There had to be a way out, a way to stop this.

“Aleph. Aleph, are you there?”

“I’m here, Tam.” The voice filled with a deep and unexpected disappointment. “But with this diagnosis, I may not interfere. The subsystems cannot be overridden. Your sister will help you.”

“Yes, Brother. I will.”

With those words, the gates of his mind opened to release a flood of guilty memory so deep and so strong that all Tam could do was feel and weep, and wish that he would drown.





CHAPTER FOURTEEN





The Run





It had taken Teal forever to suss out Stem’s new tailor. He was nothing like the old guy, the one who’d gotten Sadia and Shond in trouble. That one had hung around the cattle calls, all but waving people into his shop. No big surprise to find out he’d been hauled in a few days later. He was probably lucky the hothouse got to him before the Pharmakeus did. They did not like the tailors.

I don’t give a grass rip who Nan Elle and her gang don’t like. Teal clenched her fists as she strode up the boardwalk. I’m getting out of here. I’m finding Dad and I’m telling him everything. We’ll see how these people like it when the Authority finds out what they’ve been doing.

We’ll see how Chena likes it when Dad finds out what she’s been doing.

Chena would come looking for her, but Teal wouldn’t go back. She’d tell the constables Nan Elle was a poisoner. She’d tell everyone. She’d babble like a baby to everyone who would listen about what Elle and Chena had been doing, about how they didn’t give a piss in the wind what she wanted to do, or what she thought, or felt. They were ready to hang around here until somebody came to rip them open. Well, she wasn’t. She was getting out of here in one piece. So what if Nan Elle stole her money? She had things to sell. She was getting out.

They could try to stop her. Let them just try.

Teal had expected the tailor to live on the edge of the village, like Nan Elle did, but he kept his place right in the center of town, only a couple of turns away from the market and the whorehouse where Chena’s lover-boy worked.

Wonder if she’s saved up enough money for him to lay her down yet.

The tailor shop looked like most of the other buildings—a few blocks of stone, a door, and a window all set into the face of a grassy dune. The door stood open just a little.

Teal didn’t let herself hesitate as she stepped over the threshold into the dim and cool shop smelling of old fish and dust. After the blaze of the summer day, Teal had to stop a minute to let her eyes adjust. When they did, she saw a bare room made of packed earth and sandstone. A few sealed baskets stood near the left-hand wall, and a set of crates made a kind of counter in front of a dark doorway that led deeper into the dune.