Free The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf (The Tribe) by Ambelin Kwaymullina

it, didn’t you? To make them all think that they’re special?”
    I did not!
Except it was better to let him think I had, so I didn’t answer. Besides, I couldn’t explain the animal bonding, even if I’d wanted to. It didn’t have anything to do with our abilities; it just seemed to be something that happened in the Firstwood. And Neville would never understand what it was like to run with wolves, the way I could. Or call crows from the sky like Ember, or have the night vision of a tree cat like Briony.
    Neville put his glasses back on and gazed at me over the top of them. “You might have convinced your followers that they’re better off in the Firstwood, Ashala. You might have even convinced yourself. But consider this: If you do have such a special connection with animals, why couldn’t you prevent the saurs from taking Jaz? Because you do realize that if he’d been in detention, he’d still be alive.”
    Those words struck me like a blow to the chest.
Don’t let him get to you!
It was hard, though, when the memory of how badly I’d failed Jaz was so raw and aching.
I tried to save him — I did. . . .
For a mad, stupid second, I wanted to say that out loud, as if it mattered. As if I could somehow plead my case to the world and be absolved. But I knew there was no forgiveness, not for what I’d let happen to Jaz. Or to Cassie.
    Neville nodded at Connor, and I heard the door open as he left.
He’s gone to fetch Briony.
She was in terrible jeopardy, the same as the others had been, the ones I hadn’t been able to save. Everything seemed to tilt and go gray around the edges. Then I felt a faint sense of steadiness and strength, almost as if someone had laid a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I grabbed hold of that feeling and clutched onto it until my vision cleared.
    Connor came back in, along with Briony and her guard. She sat herself down in the chair next to mine, and Neville said, “I think that you gentlemen can wait outside.”
    Yeah,
we wouldn’t want enforcers ruining the cozy atmosphere
. Connor left with his usual quick grace, but the other enforcer lingered, casting an intense stare at Briony before making his way out. I wondered if he really thought that Bry and I were going to overpower Neville if they weren’t here to stop us. I mean, I certainly had a few ideas — a couple of those meritorious service trophies might be heavy enough to make a good weapon — except I was hardly going to try anything with the two of them right outside, not to mention all the other enforcers who were patrolling the center.
    Once they were gone, Neville spoke: “I called Briony’s father this morning, Ashala. Her parents were overjoyed to hear that she’s been found at last.”
    Bry put her hand on my arm, pinching my skin gently, and I knew she was trying to tell me to play along. “If I had an Exemption, I could be with them, Ash.”
    On cue, Neville chimed in, “The government doesn’t usually give Exemptions to Runners, but I think they might consider it if I make a good case. And in the future, I might have rather more influence than I do now. I’ve put my name forward as a candidate in the Gull City Prime election, you know.”
    No, I hadn’t known, and the prospect of him becoming the Prime was positively terrifying. Naturally, Bry didn’t see the implications. She and Neville seemed to be trying to out-smile each other. I looked away from them both, trying to calculate how much of a disaster it would be if he actually won the election.
    Like every other city in the world, the day-to-day governing of Gull City and its towns was managed by an assembly of thirteen elected representatives. Only it wasn’t the assembly that was responsible for the big rules about what had to be done, or
not
done, in order to maintain the Balance. It was the Council of Primes who made the accords. It took a majority vote of the council to enact a new accord or alter an old one, so Neville couldn’t act on his own.