Giving me a rather wet kiss upon the cheek, Hawthorne melted into the darkness within a matter of seconds.
‘Let’s go,’ I said to Jack and together we made our way towards the gates of Concord City.
‘Are you nervous?’ Jack asked as we passed through the gates, which made me feel as though I was a dwarf because of their height.
‘I’m fine,’ I said, without looking at him.
Jack, of course, knew that I was lying.
My heart drummed against my ribcage and my thoughts swirled with different scenarios, all of which were varying degrees of awful. What would happen when I arrived at The Realm Headquarters? Would they know why I was there? Would I be arrested for being related to a Human? And what if they had Helena and my parents there? Would I be allowed to see them? Were they in a cell somewhere in this city?
My head swam with these thoughts as Jack and I entered the dark city. Lamps lined the pavement; the streets were straight and clean. Everything was extremely quiet and orderly. Every path was on a perfect right angle to the street with which it met. There were no twisting laneways here, no litter on the street and no potholes in the paved roads. It was as though this grey city lacked any personality – or as though all of the life had been sucked out of it.
The houses and shops were all grey, the only colour I could see was from the flames of the street lamps, which cast long shadows. I was just thinking how dull this place seemed, when we rounded a corner and all I could see was red.
Red posters lined the street, wrapped around lampposts, pasted onto bricks and stuck on shop windows. Not an inch of space was free from the red poster, yet even this was done in a neat and orderly fashion.
Jack and I walked up to one of the posters that was pasted onto the side of a barber and read together.
HUMANS ARE THREATENING THE WAY OF MAGEKIND.
We moved onto the next poster and found it read something different.
YOUR HUMAN MAY BE PLOTTING AGAINST YOU.
All around us there were posters with different slogans, each in enormous red lettering. As I read each one, I felt sicker by the minute.
REGISTER YOUR HUMAN BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
BE RESPONSIBLE – DON’T LET YOUR HUMANS BREED.
‘It’s sick,’ I said to Jack. ‘It’s all sick.’ A burning, acidic feeling welled inside my throat. I felt as though I wanted to vomit, ‘is this how everyone views Humans?’
Jack frowned, ‘I never really thought much about it until I met you. In Frost Arch we were taught things like this. There were books that said things like ‘Never talk in front of Humans, incase they pick up our language and plot against us’ or things like that.’
‘And you just accepted it?’ I said disbelievingly.
Jack grimaced. ‘They drill this kind of thinking into your head from five years old in most cities. You’re from a little country town – you don’t know what school is like in major parts of the country.’
‘I don’t want to know what it’s like’ I said, disgusted. ‘How can you sit by while people spin lies about a defenceless race? They’re people too, Jack. They feel and think, just like we do.’
‘Don’t be angry with me,’ said Jack, taking my hand. ‘I agree with you.’
I took a deep breath. ‘I know, I’m sorry. It’s just that seeing these posters … it makes me so mad.’
‘I know.’ Jack squeezed my hand gently, ‘Let’s get off the street and find a room for the night. First thing tomorrow morning we will go to The Realm Headquarters and make an appointment to speak to the head of the Human Registration. Who was that notice signed by?’
I pulled out the letter that had been pinned to my mailbox and read the name at the bottom.
‘Korra Waterson,’ I read aloud.
‘We’ll see if we can talk to Korra Waterson tomorrow.’
‘Why can’t we go now?’ I asked.
Jack looked up at the night sky. ‘It’s late,’ he said. ‘I don’t think they will be taking any new appointments.’
I sighed. ‘I guess you’re right.’
‘I always am.’
‘Let’s find somewhere to stay the night,’ I conceded.
Jack ambushed a passing stranger to ask them where we might stay for the night. The man pointed us toward a well-lit street that was free of propaganda posters. A sign labelled ‘The Dragon’s Head’ hung above a doorway. The windows glowed orange and civilized chatter could be heard inside.
Jack and I entered the lodge nervously. Downstairs was a bar, dining room and lounge. Upstairs lead to numerous locked doors and beyond was a sign for the bedchambers.