They were halfway back to headquarters when there was a commotion at the other end of the street.
Lucy and the others stepped into the doorway of a shop and, taking care to stand well back so they weren’t visible, watched to see what was happening.
People seemed to be either fleeing or frozen on the spot as a troop of imperial guards appeared from around the corner.
Yidi grabbed Lucy and Mai by the sleeves and pulled them into the shop. Fan and Samo followed quickly behind.
They moved to the window and stood where they could see but hopefully not be seen.
A limp figure was being dragged between two of the guards. As they passed, the figure raised a bloodstained head and shouted, “Long live the—”
A gloved fist backhanded him across the mouth.
“Clee!” Fan’s mouth rounded in a horrified O. “We must rescue him.”
“The Revolutionary Army is more than just one individual,” Samo waved a dismissive hand after Clee’s retreated figure. “Our cause comes first. We can’t risk being arrested too.”
“You what?” Try-el’s eyebrows shot up. “Is there no loyalty? When someone starts talking about causes being more important than individuals, well, that’s when we know we’re in trouble.”
“Tell him, Try-el,” Lucy muttered, following the progress of the guards down the street. When she turned back, Samo’s face had twisted into something ugly.
“You know, Samo,” Try-el continued, rapping a talon in the floor in emphasis. “You call the queen a bad leader because of how she treats people, but an attitude like yours shows that an ordinary person can be just as bad.” Try-el looked Samo up and down and then snorted dismissively. “Very ordinary.”
Samo raised a threatening fist.
Smoke rose from Try-el’s nostrils as he said, “You’ve just proved my point.”
Excerpt from The Caves of Wonder
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