Chapter 28 · The Ash Ledger - Chapter 28: The Dead Get a Vote

The core was screaming.

Rowan heard it through the stone, through his boots, through the mark on his wrist that wouldn't stop counting. Three hundred and twelve. Three hundred and twelve dead, and the thing wanted more.

"Back up," he said. The crowd didn't move. Fifty, maybe sixty people packed into the council yard, and half of them had weapons. The other half just had anger, which was worse. "I said back up."

"You're the one who needs to back up." That wasEret, one of the wall captains. His sword was still sheathed, but his hand was on it. "Core's right there. You're right there. We do the math, this ends."

Mara was three steps behind Rowan, close enough to hear, far enough that it looked like she hadn't picked a side yet. Smart. He didn't blame her. Her brother was barely breathing in a cart twenty feet away, guarded by two of her soldiers who looked ready to bolt.

"You do that math," Rowan said, "and the core eats me, spits out a new command, and asks for ten more. That's how it works. That's how it's always worked.