Free Threading the Needle by Joshua Palmatier

interrupted only by the cut of the Tiana River. The distortion illuminated it all in blocky rooftops and black shadow.
    â€œAnything?” Allan asked Glenn.
    â€œNo activity nearby.” He pointed. “That ley geyser is new, so we should avoid the Backway District and probably Harker Street. There are torches along the Temerite walls to the east, and a few fires between here and there, smaller groups holding out in a few buildings. The River Rats appear to still hold their small island in the middle of the Tiana to the southwest.”
    Kara shifted forward as he spoke, until she could see into the distance to the left of the distortion. The view wasn’t as clear here, rises in the land cutting off the sightline, but there were numerous groupings of firelight, all on the far side of the Tiana and all too distant to make out any clear details. The ley geyser she’d felt earlier spouted up between a set of buildings much closer to their own, the white light harsh, near blinding.
    Sliding to the left, closer to Allan and Glenn, she picked out the island. Not a true island, merely a long section of buildings where the river had split as it gouged a path through the city. She couldn’t tell if there were other groups besides the River Rats in that direction.
    â€œThis entire area is controlled by the Wolves?”
    â€œYes.”
    Kara straightened in mild shock. “But their territory covers at least four districts, if not more!”
    â€œWhich is the only reason we’ve been able to infiltrate the city and return to the Hollow with supplies all this time. The territory is too large for them to patrol easily. We’ve been able to slip in and out without notice.”
    â€œMost of the time,” Glenn added, casting Allan a significant glance.
    â€œYes, most of the time. But their hold on the others is based on fear. It won’t last.” It looked as if he were about to say more, but then his shoulders slumped. “You should rest. Tomorrow, I want to take you and the others to the distortion. We need to see whether or not you canrelease individual shards as soon as possible. If this has been a fool’s errand, I don’t want to linger in the city.”
    Kara edged toward the window and looked across the Wolves’ territory at the distortion, at the jagged edges of lightning that shot through it and the faces of the shards of fractured reality. Exhaustion brought on by the weeks of travel settled into her bones, but now that she was this close she wanted to be there, at the base of the distortion, acting to bring it down.
    But it would do no good working on the distortion when she was already tired. It would only drain her further.
    She returned to the inner room, where Dylan and Carter had managed to light the ley globe, its soft white radiance—so different from firelight—suffusing the room. After so long, the light felt strange and unfamiliar. They’d set up the heating stone in the center of the room.
    Everyone had slumped down onto their makeshift pallets, a few even snoring. Only Artras stirred as Kara knelt to warm herself.
    â€œThis is for you.” Artras patted a set of blankets already arranged to one side before rolling over and pulling her own tighter over her shoulders.
    Kara sank to the pallet gratefully. She thought the light of the ley globe would keep her awake, but she instantly fell asleep.

    Drayden loped along the street in the darkness, his paws making no sound as he padded down the length of a building, winding through debris. The stars out over the plains to the north glinted like pinpricks of broken glass. To the south, the glare of the distortion washed most of the stars out. Dawn was an hour away.
    He reached the end of the block and paused, staring out over the plaza to his right. The statue of a man stood on a pedestal at its center, right hand extended toward the heavens, a globe in his left. His lip curled and a low rumble