I fed the gull we rode in on and followed Gretchen and Dichall into the headquarters of the Micean Council. The guard had whispered something that sounded like a warning into Gretchen’s ear.
What’s going on, here?
A guard mouse inside got our names. “Follow me for your debriefing.”
The guard left us in a passage to wait. We sat under a small shelf of shuddering acorn
traps full of malevolent spirits until Evelyn Farseer, the new leader, poked her head from around a corner and waved us to follow.
We walked into a small room, hidden within the walls of Parliament, lit by a small candle. Evelyn sat on the floor, and what must have been her assistant held a small bit of graphite and an old receipt to take notes. “Welcome back, Councilmice. Is your mission complete?”
We told her what happened. Vivian trapped in Pananima, not wanting to come out. Our trip to Stoneprior, our deal with Jody Curator, and how we got the poor girl out of there, safe, albeit a few years older than she should have been.
“So,” Evenlyn leaned forward, motioning to the assistant to write, “Am I to understand you collaborated with a faerie conspirator.”
“You mean Waffles?” I narrowed my eyes at her. “That was a long time ago!”
Evelyn raised a single digit to silence me as her bumblebee familiar turned a tight circle
on her back. “Furthermore, you consorted with a white-crowned sparrow druid.”
“But–!” Then I stopped as Dichall put his paw on my leg. He wants me to be quiet…
“And then you brought a wildry creature into the Mundane World. And you don’t know where he is now. And finally, you had correspondence with Jenna Talkyadown just before you went on this mission.” She said it as a statement, not a question, and her assistant scribbled notes.
“It that the extent of your questionable activities?”
“Yes.” Gretchen had authority in her voice.
“But we saved a little girl!” I was losing my cool. Calm down, Eve…
“Yes.” Evelyn Farseer stood. “Saving children is your job. But it’s not your job to collaborate with allies of dark forces, especially without approval.”
“Evelyn, I’m not aware that we needed approval for such things.” Dichall sounded
completely calm. I tried to follow his lead.
“Things have changed. Jenna Talkyadown is still at large. Now there are a list of
questionable acts that require approval. You didn’t get approval.”
“But this rule was put into effect while we were out on a mission.” Even Dichall started
sounding worried.
Evelyn blinked slowly, her perfect lashes rising and falling as she considered us. “Ignorance of the rules is not an excuse to break them. But I understand that this is somewhat of an exceptional circumstance for you, and I will reduce the amount of righting training you will need to go through. But given all that’s happened here, you should have played it safe and gotten permission before you did those things. You should have known to play it safe.”
I got a cold feeling in my stomach. “What’s righting training?”
“It’s a series of in-Council workshops about the four sources of dark magic, why they’re
dangerous, and why some animals become allies of malevolent entities. You three will be put on inactive status until it’s completed.”
“Inactive status! But we’re short on Councilmice!” Even Dichall was starting to sound
alarmed.
“We need to get our house in order, Dichall Smileyes. Weren’t you and Eve going to go on parental leave anyway?” Evelyn looked over at her assistant, who nodded. She looked back at us like what’s the problem?
“Understood.” Gretchen stood up.
Evelyn dismissed us and we went back to our quarters to rest. The mice in the hallways
were subdued, avoiding eye contact. We ran into Emilie on the way, the first person who seemed genuinely happy to see us.
“You’re back!” She gave me a big hug, then had one for Dichall and Gretchen, too.
I noticed the red bead around her neck. “They’ve made you a Councilmouse! Congratulations!”
She positively beamed. “Yes, I went on my first mission a few days ago. I’m so glad
you’re back. Was your mission successful?”
I sighed. “Yes. But now we’re being put on righting training.”
Her face went pale and her voice low. “Let’s talk somewhere private.” She led us through
a passageway I’d never seen before. The air got colder, and we found ourselves outside.
There was a wind to cover our voices, but Emilie still looked around to make sure
nobody might overhear us. “Eve, you’re on the chopping block.”
“What!?”
“I don’t know if Evelyn has it out for you or what, but this whole thing with Jenna
Talkyadown has gotten everybody going crazy. I feel like I have to prove to these mice every day that I’m not a monster in disguise or something. I think the shamans are using their magical sight on each other at every encounter. Your disobedience with the sword, Grassblade, you remember?”
“We were punished for that already!” I was starting to sound like a whiney pup.
Emilie nodded understandingly. “Evelyn thinks it’s a more serious insubordination than
Beatrice Brownbrow did. She doesn’t think you were punished enough. I’m sorry, Eve, but if you did anything wrong during this last mission, they will cut you from the Micean Council, at best. At worst, I don’t know. Prison? Or…”
Dichall put his arm around me. “We just met with Evelyn. She has a whole list of things
we did wrong, in her eyes.”
“The righting training is more like a tribunal. They’re probably going to cut Eve. I hate to
say this, but I don’t think it’s safe for you to be around here. There’s been talk. Some people think you’re a hero, but some people—some people in power—think you’re a loose cannon.”
My fur was cold already, but my spirit felt like it was dying. Could this really be
happening at the Micean Council?
Gretchen put her paws on my shoulders. I felt myself shaking beneath them. “Eve, I’ve
seen this happen before. It will blow over. But everything will need some time to calm down.” She looked at Dichall. “I agree with Emilie, it’s not safe for Eve around here for now.”
I turned at embraced Dichall, weeping. “I can’t leave you!”
“You’re not leaving me.” He pulled away and looked deep into my eyes. “I’m coming
with you. We’ll find somewhere safe to have our pups.”
Gretchen took off her red bead necklace and veilring. “Me too. Let’s get out of here
before Evelyn starts wondering where we got off to.”
We stacked our necklaces, veilrings, weapons, and clothing into Emilie’s arms. We couldn’t have weapons or clothing without a veilring to hide them from humans, anyway. She bid us good luck. I licked her cheek goodbye.
And the three of us walked out into the cold, no longer agents of the Micean Council.
For now, anyway.
