Cass had, more than once, asked him if he was alright. His answer was always the same, sometimes over his shoulder, sometimes without even turning his head in their direction… He’d say, “Fine.”
At least there was some comfort in the look of the landscape. Wren didn’t exactly recognize where they were, but he recognized the feel of it. Home couldn’t be too much farther away now. If he could still call it “home”.
He had told Chapel that he was the governor of Morningside. Now he wondered if that had been true at all. Maybe he’d never really been governor because he’d always had the Council. He’d always had Mama. He’d always had Able and Swoop and Gamble. He’d always been surrounded by other people who could do the hard work when he couldn’t, who could make the hard decisions. And though Wren had always tried to do what he thought was right, he realized he could only remember one time that he’d made a decision that put himself in a tough position. Most of the time, he’d just been trying to find the compromise that made everyone happiest, or upset the fewest people.
That wasn’t governing. That was managing. Maybe it was the difficulty of that final stretch that had made Wren recognize the difference. The level of effort it took just to keep moving forward, just to keep pushing one step further. Whatever it was, he realized that more times than not, as governor, he had avoided situations that made him feel this way. He’d quit pushing when there were other options on the table. Like the time he’d overheard the guards at the governor’s compound talking badly about his mama. He’d walked right up to the brink then, and when it had been time to meet the challenge on his own, he’d shrunk back.
But maybe now, for the first time, he was actually doing something worthy of the title. Even if he’d already lost it. Maybe now he was thinking like a governor, and acting like one, whether he was or not.
And strangely, Wren didn’t feel any braver or smarter or wiser than he had before. In fact, he felt very small and afraid. But he knew in his heart that he was doing what needed to be done. He was doing what he had to. And even if he failed, which he thought was probably going to be the case, at least he knew he’d be losing for the right side.
“There,” Swoop said, and he stopped walking. The others caught up to him. There, up ahead, the top of the wall of Morningside peeked up over a rise. “Decision time,” he said. His breathing seemed shallow.
For a time, they all stood next to each other in silence, looking off to the city shining in front of them. Then Wren felt moved and he stepped in front of them and turned to face them.
“I had planned to come back alone. I know now that I could never have done it. So, thank you for bringing me here. But now I think I can finish it on my own.”
Swoop shook his head. “Not what I meant.” He grimaced, and drew a breath before continuing. “Not a decision whether I’m going back. Just wanted to know what the plan was.” Wren noticed now that the front of Swoop’s left pant leg was dark and wet, almost all the way to the top of his boot. His wound was still bleeding.
“Swoop?” Wren said, staring at the stain.
“I’m gonna make it home, little man,” he said. But even as Swoop said it, he swayed. Cass stepped around and looked him over.
“Oh, Swoop,” she said. He just looked at her with that flat expression. “How long have you been bleeding?”
“Little while.”
“When did it start up again?”
“Never stopped.”
“What?” Cass said. “You told me it was fine!”
“Said it would be fine.”
“How is it still bleeding?” Cass asked.
Swoop shrugged. He didn’t look like he cared much. But he didn’t look well either.
“There is a poison,” Chapel said. “It prevents the blood from clotting.”
Swoop looked over at him then. “Poison?”
Chapel nodded once, but he didn’t turn. His face remained angled towards Morningside.
“Any other effects I oughta know about?” Swoop asked.
“There could be a number. Pain. Paralysis. Death.” Chapel paused, but then he added, “Those beings who prey on their fellow man are evil creatures.”
“Well,” Swoop said. He took another deep breath. “Might as well finish the job.” He started off towards the city again. Cass tried to make him stop, but he shrugged her off and kept going.
Whatever lay ahead for Wren, he knew he wasn’t going to let Swoop wander off on his own. He turned and followed, but after a moment turned back. “Chapel?” he said. “Will you stay with us?”