Making people do whatever I want? Being responsible for all the nighters? “Still working on that,” she replied.
Chapter Seventeen:
All Things End
Looking at the tableau of Auntie Fong, Uncle Olujimi, Mr. Rahman, and Ms. Arkan, Cat thought, I could walk away and leave them frozen here, but she knew she couldn’t. She asked her mother, “Okay, let everybody free now?”
Zoraida shrugged, then nodded.
Ms. Arkan immediately lunged for the pile of pistols and knives on the dining table. Olujimi caught her shoulder and jerked his chin at Zoraida, who showed her gleaming fangs in a grin, saying, “Alexandra Arkan. Do feel free to break the peace.”
“The peace ended when Cat became one of you!” Ms. Arkan said.
“Technically,” Professor M said. “But as an element of strategy, you might not want to point out that you’re at war and unarmed.”
Ms. Arkan whirled to face Cat. “Girl—”
“Queen Catalina or Your Majesty,” Auntie Fong corrected. “If we must negotiate with the enemy, we must respect them too.”
“Not enemy,” Cat said. “I want peace. Not a fight-until-one-side- wins peace. A real peace. And to prove it…” Cat took a deep breath. “My first queenly command is no nighter may kill a human.”
Zoraida said, “Then we’ll be vulnerable to humans.”
“Except in self-defense,” Cat added. Mr. Rahman said, “What if a nighter finds a way around your command?”
“What if a human—” Zoraida flicked her chin toward Ms. Arkan and grimaced. “—exploits your command to kill nighters?” Tarika stepped forward. “You need a group of judges! So nighters who killed humans and humans who killed nighters could be judged by humans and nighters!”
“Hmm,” said Mr. Rahman. Tee should be queen, Cat thought. She heard her mother answer, Queens need advisers. “What power would the judges have?” asked Auntie Fong. Cat said, “Uh, nighters could be bound to live as a raven or a wolf for as long as the jury decides.”
“Or make them go to live by themselves in a wild place,” Ilya suggested. “That would be good for humans and nighters both.”
“Or they could have to help people,” Tarika added.
“Liking the judges idea,” Cat said as she turned to her mother. “Would it work?”
Zoraida frowned. “If humans are about to break the peace, may nighters kill them?”
“They’d still face a jury half full of humans.” Auntie Fong said, “Even your mother?” Cat nodded. “Even me. Dad?”
“Worth a try,” he said.
“Tee?”
Tarika glanced at Cat with an expression she couldn’t read. “Kind of icked about the messing with people’s minds part.” it.”
“The ditto. But if someone turned out to be innocent, we could undo
Olujimi said, “You know how nighters learn to control their hunger.”
Cat shuddered, remembering how close she had come to killing Tarika in the B&B, then shook her head. “I’m proof it doesn’t have to be that way.”
Professor M said, “Custom always trumps logic.”
“Okay, queenly command Number Two. Any nighter who lets another nighter kill will face the judges. Definitely including nighter parents.”
Mr. Rahman said, “What stops nighter judges from saying their kind are always innocent and ours, guilty?”
Zoraida answered, “Wanting the peace to last.”
“Do nighters want that?” Zoraida nodded. “We’re no fonder of dying than you.” Ms. Arkan showed her empty hands, then told Olujimi, Auntie Fong, and Mr. Rahman, “The Arkans do not consent to this charade. Only one peace is certain—our victory, their extermination.”
Zoraida asked Cat, “Now I may kill her?”
“Not if she doesn’t attack you.” Zoraida turned back to Ms. Arkan. “Say where you’d like to attack me, Arkan. I’ll be waiting.” Cat said, “Uh, Mama—”
“Yes, the not helpful.” Zoraida glanced at the clan leaders. “I’ll go.” Professor M said, “Zora.” She shook her head. “My presence won’t help them decide wisely.”
“You think I care about that?” She smiled. “No. But you should.” Ms. Arkan pointed at Zoraida. “If that stays, I go.” Professor M said, “Best reason yet to stay, Zora.”
Auntie Fong said, “Alexandra, we’re still the Five Clans. The Medianoches are still our hosts.” She turned to Professor M. “What do you say?”
“Not my decision.” He pulled off the turquoise ring, rolled close to Cat, and put it in her palm.
Ms. Arkan said, “She’s not their First!”
Auntie Fong said, “The circumstances that required her to step down have changed—”
“Not a bit!” Ilya said, “Mother! You saw and heard—”
“A farce.” Ms. Arkan pointed at Zoraida and Cat. “They can force us to trust them. That’s why we never can.”
“If I’m so powerful,” Cat said, “why haven’t I glammed you into shutting up?”
“Because you’re a freak nighter playing some game—”
“Okay.” Cat slipped on the ring of the Medianoches. “Your game, your rules. Let’s play.” Ms. Arkan pointed at Zoraida. “It’s clearly her game. She’ll use you for her wishes—” Zoraida grinned. “Were that true, you would be my slave. My silent slave.” Professor M said, “I believe Zora.” As Zoraida glanced at him, Ms. Arkan said, “And that’s a surprise?”
“The surprise,” Professor M said, “is it took me so long to figure it out. I knew Zora for a year and Granny Lupe for fourteen. Neither tried to bite or glamour me.”
“Because she bound you when you met, then made you forget.”
He shook his head. “I nearly killed Cat last night. If I’d been bound, Zora could’ve stopped me in a second. She could’ve made me kill Olujimi and Auntie Fong. She could’ve saved her sister.” He studied Zoraida. “I’m sorry about that.”
Zoraida closed her eyes, then said, “That was war, not you.”
“And it’s not over!” Ms. Arkan said. “Any fool can see she didn’t need to bite you to enslave you!” She whirled to face the others. “How long must we endure this?”
Auntie Fong took her previous seat at the table. “So long as the First of the Medianoches acts within our rules.”
“She’s the queen of our enemies now!” Professor M said, “And the head of a clan.”
“Who was sentenced to die!” Olujimi sat on the right of Auntie Fong. “Who saved us from their king.” Mr. Rahman sat on Auntie Fong’s left. “The circumstances have changed.”
Ms. Arkan shook her head. “There’s no reason to change her sentence.”
Tarika said, “Can I speak?” Cat nodded. “Anytime.” Tarika told Ms. Arkan, “La Reina de la Sombra didn’t agree to the sentence. Only the First of the Medianoches did.” Ilya said, “May I speak?” Cat smiled. “Also the anytime.” He said, “Firsts often withdraw their consent when circumstances change.” Cat pointed at her ring. “Totally withdrawing.” Ms. Arkan glared at Ilya, then smiled coldly. “Now we’re the Four
Clans. The Medianoches—”
“Stay neutral until someone breaks the peace,” Cat said quickly.
“Being host means I can say the meeting’s over?” Olujimi, Auntie Fong, and Mr. Rahman looked at Professor M, who nodded. “Those are the rules.” Ilya said, “But you’ll all look like fools if you don’t vote again!” Ms. Arkan said, “Ilya—” Olujimi put his hand on the table. “Ilya’s right.” Olujimi glanced at
Ms. Arkan. “The Udofias call for a new vote. Yes or no. Should Catalina, First of the Medianoches and Queen of Shadows, be killed?” He looked at them all. “The Udofias say no.”
Mr. Rahman slapped the table. “As do the Rahmans!”
Ms. Arkan, glaring at Cat, hit the table so hard that cups and papers jumped. “The Arkans say yes!”
“Not all Arkans,” said Ilya.
Auntie Fong glanced down, then said, “The Fongs abstain. Unless you vote against yourself, Cat
alina, you’ve won. The Fongs will honor the council’s decision.”
Ms. Arkan nodded. “And the Arkans will honor it so long as the Medianoches stay in the Five Clans. Therefore I call for—”
Cat said, “You can kick us out. It won’t change what we do. And if I’m killed, the ring goes back to Dad.” She turned to her mother. “What would happen to the nighters?”
“I would rule,” Zoraida said. “And I’d be very tempted to reconsider Baldomero’s plan to enslave your race.”
Auntie Fong asked, “You threaten us?”
“Never.” Zoraida smiled innocently. “Only fools give warning before they strike.”
Professor M said, “Zora, not helpful.” He faced the clan heads. “The chance for peace is small here. Don’t screw up.”
Cat added, “Please.”
Ms. Arkan rolled her eyes, but Cat could not tell what Olujimi, Auntie Fong, or Mr. Rahman thought. Ms. Arkan said, “Let’s end this. Yes or no. Do the Medianoches stay in the Five Clans? The Arkans say no!”
“But the Rahmans say yes.”
“And the Udofias say—” Olujimi glanced at Cat. “Most definitely yes.”
Auntie Fong frowned at her. “Catalina, if the vote is two to two, you’ll decide your own fate. Would you stay with so little support?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you should never stop trying to work with people.” Auntie Fong closed her eyes, then nodded at Mr. Rahman.
“Sometimes, to win, you must do what frightens you. The Fongs say yes. The Five Clans stay the Five Clans.”
As Cat was about to sigh in relief, Ms. Arkan glared at Auntie Fong. “Not if the Arkans leave!”
Ilya stood. “Mother, no!”
“Must I name every Arkan that nighters have killed?”
“If you’re right, they’ll break the peace, yes? Then you can have your war again.” Ms. Arkan said in a tone so gentle it surprised Cat, “My son, if they break it by killing you, I’ll blame myself always.”
“Blame me instead, Mother.” As Ms. Arkan stared at Ilya, Zoraida said, “If the peace is broken, it’ll be no nighter’s fault. I promise that. On my honor.” Ms. Arkan breathed deeply. “We’ll test the honor of nighters. The
Arkans accept the decision.” Cat hesitated, expecting a trick. When she saw Ilya smile, she knew
Ms. Arkan spoke the truth. She wanted to thank her, but before she could speak, Ms. Arkan glared at Cat as if she was the target on a shooting range. “It’s postponed, not over.” She glanced at the other clan leaders. “And when we pay for today’s decision, I pray the price will be small.” She stood and walked into the hall.
Professor M leaned close to Cat. “On the long list of things Xandra doesn’t get: Postpone something forever, and it’s over.”
Cat gave him a small smile, but she thought, Can the peace last?
The whisper came: I heard that, my fury. We only have to make peace last for a day. Then it’ll last forever.
Cat gave her mother a larger smile.
“Sorry.” Ilya stood suddenly and slipped his knife and pistol into the harness under his jacket. “I must go.”
“Ditto the sorry,” Cat said, wondering if he guessed how sorry she was. She wanted to ask when he would return to Budapest, but knowing Ms. Arkan, she knew the answer. Immediately. Ilya was another addition to the list of all she was losing now.
He turned and began walking quickly for the door, almost as if he wanted to run. Cat thought, Say something, Stupid. Then she wondered if she meant that to him or herself, and thought, Either stupid would do.
She said, “Ilya?” He glanced back. “Thanks,” she said, and thought, Definitely winner of the best eyes award.
“I’ll tell every Arkan about you,” he said. “We’ll hold my mother to the peace, I promise.” Then she thought she saw him blush, and he hurried into the hall.
She thought, I’ll never see him again. Losing Baldomero’s for the best, but losing Ilya—
Zoraida rose to her feet, so smoothly she seemed to float upward. “If I wish to keep Alexandra from having her satisfaction—and I wish that dearly—I must tell the night folk they have a queen and peace.”
Cat said, “Now?”
Zoraida smiled at her and Professor M. “I could not leave you in better hands, my fury.” She turned, leaping toward the open window. A raven flew through it and disappeared into the darkening sky.
Professor M called, “Zora!” as Cat thought, Mama! We need you!
But whether the raven was too far away or it chose not to answer, Cat could not guess. She asked, “Will she come back?”
Professor M said, “She loves you, kid. Give her time.” Cat nodded, thinking, Lost Mama and Granny Lupe both. Tarika pushed her chair back. “I should go. The parental unit will worry.” She smiled at everyone and started for the door. Cat thought, Tee, wait! Tarika stopped still. Cat was grateful until she saw Tarika’s stillness was statue-perfect. She heard a desperate, panicked thought, Cat! Let me go!
Horrified, Cat ordered, Be free!
Tarika whirled to stare at her. Cat added, Tee, sorry, totally sorry! I didn’t mean—
You glammed me! By accident! Because I bit you. It won’t happen again, I—
Too many accidents, Cat. But I didn’t mean it! I swear— Kind of how accidents work. Tee, please— Tarika shook her head. Got to go now, was the last thought Cat heard clearly as Tarika ran from the house. Cat thought, Mama, Ilya, Tee. Three strikes, I’m out. Olujimi, Mr. Rahman, and Auntie Fong were talking near the door.
Professor M said, “I can make goodbyes for you, if you want.” She said, “It’s okay,” while thinking, Not. But better to deal with being First of the Medianoches than think about how everything’s better for everyone else and crummier for me.
Mr. Rahman pointed at the broken windows. “I can nail some boards or tarps—”
Professor M shook his head. “Thanks, Saeed. I’ll call in some favors. We’re good.”
Mr. Rahman turned to Cat. “The Medianoches have had many fine Firsts, Cat. As the one who brought peace, you’ll be remembered as the greatest.”
She thought, Did any of them have friends? But he was being nice, so she said, “Thanks, Mr. Rahman.”
“If someday you forgive me, call me Saeed.”
“Okay, Saeed.” He smiled, and Auntie Fong said, “I don’t expect you to forgive me,
Catalina. But I hope you’ll believe me that I’m sorry I couldn’t trust you.”
Cat shook her head, thinking, Don’t want to be nice to someone who voted to kill me. But making peace means making people feel peaceful. “Hard to be mad at someone who was trying to protect everyone.”
Professor M said, “That’s one way to look at it.” Cat said, “Dad, it ended all right, right?”
“For now,” Auntie Fong agreed. “You have a huge task ahead of you.” Cat thought of what she had lost. “I know.”
“No, dear. You can’t begin to imagine it.” Auntie Fong smiled slightly. “But you’ll be up to it.” Cat thought, No way, only they don’t need to hear that. She returned the smile, and Auntie Fong went to stand with Mr. Rahman. Olujimi stepped toward them. “Cat. Val. What this day has done to the friendship of the Medianoches and Udofias is— Well. I don’t believe anything could hurt me as much.” Professor M nodded. “Good.”
“If I can make up for it somehow—” Professor M pointed at the hallway. “Leaving’s hard to beat.” Olujimi frowned deeper. “I deserve that.” Professor M shook his head. “You deserve nothing. You were my brother, but now—”
“Dad!” Cat said. “You tried to kill me too!”
“Which I’ll live with for the rest of my life. I don’t need him around besides.” She looked from her father to Olujimi. “Forgiving you now, okay?
Both of you.” Olujimi said softly, “Thanks, Tiger.” Professor M looked away, and
Olujimi’s face grew sadder. Then he nodded to Cat. “If ever—”
“Dad,” she said. “Olujimi apologized.”
“Apologies are easy.”
“No, Dad. They’re not. They’re really hard.”
He glanced at her. “Fair enough. Only no one has to accept an apology.”
Cat’s throat felt thick, but she made herself speak normally. “Okay, they don’t, but they should. Because sometimes things just go wrong. And, like, it’s your best friend. And you should be able to apologize, so you do. But your friend won’t forgive you, and it’s like—” Her eyes were getting moist, so she blinked to make that stop. “It’s like so stupid you can’t believe it, and it hurts the worst of anything you’ve ever felt, and all you want is for everything to be like it was yesterday when you were best friends, only you can’t make it be yesterday again, no matter how much you need it to be okay again—”
Professor M said, “Cat—”
“So say you forgive him!”
“I can’t just say—”
“You can!” She gasped as the tears came, too strong to hold back.
“You say you forgive him, and maybe you don’t really, not completely, but you say it, and you act like you mean it, and then you both remember how good it was to be best friends, and maybe it can’t be just like that again, but it doesn’t have to be like the worst thing ever. And maybe it can be pretty good again. Or, you know, maybe, even better than ever. So forgive him. Please.”
“Cat—”
“Dad! Forgive him!” Professor M inhaled, then turned to Olujimi. “Fine. I forgive you.
But if you ever screw up again—” Cat said, “Dad! That’s not forgiving!” Olujimi smiled. “It’s something to build on, Tiger.”
Professor M told him, “You are much luckier than you deserve.”
Olujimi glanced at Cat, then back to her father. “Not the only one, Bro.”
Auntie Fong said, “Yes. She’ll be a fine First.” Then she, Mr. Rahman, and Olujimi smiled and went into the hall.
Professor M cleared his throat and looked at Cat. “Seemed like Tarika rushed off.”
Cat said softly, “I commanded her accidentally.”
“To go?”
“To stay. I undid it, but— Maybe I shouldn’t have a best friend now that I’m, you know.” Professor M said carefully, “Tarika’s got a lot to deal with, but—”
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