Discordant Note | TBATE

Chapter 70: Oppression

"Hello?" I said, breaking the silence.

Naereni perked up a bit. "Oh, hey Toren," she said quietly.

"I noticed the Doctrination patrolling outside," I said, walking into the room slowly. "And I couldn't see anybody outside–"

"They took them all!" Wade said harshly, turning on me with a glare that bore into my skull. "The Doctrination locked them away in their warehouses, saying anybody loitering was wasting the time they could be using to help our Sovereigns."

"What?" I said, moving closer to the group. "That's absurd! Surely this is illegal in some way?" I asked, remembering the High Hall and the trials.

"It absolutely is," Naereni said sadly, nuzzling Apple. "But who wants to fight the Doctrination? There's no way they'll be getting out."

"And it's your fault," Wade cut in with a hiss, turning an almost maddened stare on me. "If you hadn't antagonized that vicar at the Bestowment a week ago, they wouldn't have my mother and sister! You shouldn't have defied them!"

I stepped backward, surprised by Wade's outburst. I was immediately overcome with a sense of shame. I recognized that my actions were probably foolish, even at the moment. But I always suspected that they would come back to haunt me, not the people I cared for.

Hofal interjected next. "That's not fair, Wade. Your family wasn't targeted explicitly, and we both know that Toren's actions weren't enough to spur such an outrageous reaction. This is for some other reason, one we don't understand yet."

The sentry huffed, then stalked out of the chamber. I watched him go, still feeling a bit guilty.

"Thanks, Hofal," I said, moving over to a chair and sitting down with a thump. "Though Wade was right about one thing. I probably should've just let it go."

"None could have foreseen this," Karsien spoke up. His mask was on, obscuring the deep burns I knew were underneath. "But that doesn't mean we will just let it go."

I oriented on the man. "What are you planning?"

"We need to know the state of those captured. The Doctrination only took those walking under the sun into custody, and Wade's rats were able to track the vicars to a large warehouse near the refurbished temple."

I nodded along. "Is there any sort of rescue plan? Any way to get those people free?"

Hofal clenched his hands around the two pieces of his pipe. "Maybe. But nothing will stop the vicars from just roundin' them up again. Like wogarts in a pen."

I felt a wave of familiar helpless anger coast over me. It felt the exact same as when the Joans had butchered my brother, the illegality of the action irrelevant to the authorities. Except now, it was a vast amount of people in an entire subdistrict.

So many Norgans, I thought, gritting my teeth. And none who are willing to simply stand and fight!

The Rats were willing to risk life and limb for change, but I held no illusions that they'd be able to outmuscle the Doctrination. The Joans were a petty family. The Doctrination held sway over the hearts and minds of all men.

But maybe there is a way to outmuscle the Doctrination, I thought, an idea popping up in my mind.

I brushed my hand across the metal card Sevren Denoir had given me, standing out prominently in my pocket. If I accepted Sevren's offer of support from the Denoirs, would that allow me to push back against the Doctrination here? Maybe get some real legal support? After all, the Denoirs were the ones to get Grey out of the High Hall.