“Revenge for what, after all these years of peace?” asked Arthur Stuart.

  “Memories of wrongs done to us are long,” said Ta-Kumsaw. “The same is true of your people.”

  Arthur thrust out his palms to block those words. “Not my people,” said Arthur Stuart. “I’m not White.”

  “You’re half White,” said Tenskwa-Tawa, “and that’s the half that you’ve lived in through most of your life. And whatever color you are, Arthur Stuart, you are not Red.”

  “So if we settle by the Great Salt Lake,” said Alvin, “what happens when the war you foretell begins. Do you start by slaughtering our people?”

  Tenskwa-Tawa and Ta-Kumsaw glanced at each other.

  Ta-Kumsaw said, “To leave you deep in our country would be dangerous, if you decided you were more White than you were grateful to us for your sanctuary.”

  “Ta-Kumsaw and I discussed this,” said Tenskwa-Tawa. “I said that you would never turn on us, and so your people wouldn’t either.”

  “And I said,” answered Ta-Kumsaw, “that you can’t erase the loyalty your people have to their country, their state or colony. At the very least, some of your people will slip away and join the Whites, serving as scouts.”

  “Like me and my brother,” said Tenskwa-Tawa, “you will not live forever. Who will lead your people after you are dead? Will he keep the covenants we make here?”

  Verily stood up. “We’re wasting time here. We’re not making decisions about twenty years from now. We’re talking about tonight, and tomorrow morning. The mobs will be back, larger in number because we offered no resistance so they think it’s safe to burn out the witches.”

  “Just knowing you’re back in Crystal City might make them think twice,” said John Binder.

  “How can they think twice if they haven’t thought once?” asked Arthur Stuart.

  “Is this invasion of our city being controlled by someone?” asked Measure.

  “It has to be,” said John Binder. “The attacks began at the same time, from every point of the compass.”

  “What did Margaret say?” asked Alvin.

  “We … didn’t talk to her. We left so early this morning,” said John Binder.

  “The person who can tell us most about who our enemies are,” said Alvin, “and you didn’t ask her?”

  The Whites all looked embarrassed. But not Arthur Stuart. “I talked to her,” he said.

  They all looked at him, surprised, maybe even annoyed. But not Alvin—he looked pleased. “Did she give you any message for me?”

  Arthur Stuart looked down at his feet. “She said to ask you to forgive her, but sometimes she knows too little and sometimes she knows too much, but she can’t give you any guidance about your decision.”

  “What decision? Which decision?” asked Verily Cooper.

  “Whether Alvin should stay on this side of the Mizzippy or not.”

  “What do you think she wanted me to do?” Alvin asked Arthur Stuart.

  “All the years you known me,” said Arthur, “and all the years you known your wife, and you want me to guess what she secretly wants and doesn’t choose to tell me? Can you do that?”

  Alvin smiled wanly. “No sir, I cannot.”

  “Nobody can,” said Measure. “If Arthur told you, Alvin, would you do what she wanted, or the opposite?”

  “Is this how White men give counsel?” asked Ta-Kumsaw. “You all tell each other what you don’t know, which is everything, because what you do know is nothing. Alvin, you need better counselors.”

  “Can we offer him better counsel?” asked Tenskwa-Tawa.

  “As long as you’re on this side of the river,” said Ta-Kumsaw, “you will not be killed.”

  “Do you know this?” asked Alvin.

  “How can a man know what has not happened yet?” asked Ta-Kumsaw.

  The Prophet smiled. “Ta-Kumsaw, don’t you know that when Margaret looks into the heartfires, she sees some of the future? Not all, and maybe not much, but something. And Alvin can do this a little, too.”

  “If you can see the future,” said Ta-Kumsaw, a little disgusted, “why do you look for counsel?”

  “I didn’t ask these fellows to cross the river,” said Alvin.

  “But you needed to know what was happening to your city. To your people,” said Verily Cooper. He looked at Tenskwa-Tawa. “Could you have told him?”

  “Can’t tell what I don’t know,” said the Prophet.

  “Isn’t it a prophet’s job to know?” said Verily.

  “I am called the Red Prophet for a reason,” said Tenskwa-Tawa.

  “So you can’t tell us anything because we’re White?” said Verily.

  “I can’t find out anything to tell you because I’m not White,” said Tenskwa-Tawa. “If I knew the outcomes of all your choices, I would tell my friend Alvin. I would tell him what he should do, if I knew it. I would tell him what I want him to do. If I knew it.”

  “None of us are prophets, Red or White,” said Measure. “We have to decide like ordinary human beings—not knowing how anything will turn out.”

  “Alvin,” said John Binder, “the people are frightened. I don’t have to see into their heartfires to know that they feel like you have abandoned them—to save yourself. I’m not saying that, but it’s being said on every side.”

  “Is anybody trying to organize the people to fight back?” asked Alvin.

  “Is that what you want us to do?” asked Measure.

  Alvin thought about this for a while. Maybe three minutes of silence, which can feel like forever if you don’t have the power to end it.

  Alvin tried to imagine the likely outcomes. If the knackles fought, they might well defeat these mobs. But most of them would go back and get more men to pick up weapons or torches and return, this time with more determination to kill and conquer.

  If the citizens of Crystal City killed any of the mobbers, they wouldn’t tell their neighbors that they had killed knackles first. No, they would say that the witches killed innocent passersby, because with Alvin Smith to lead them, they were going to rampage throughout the country, killing whoever and wherever they wanted.

  It wouldn’t matter whether they used their knacks to protect themselves or not—the mobbers would say that they had. They’d invent stories of the terrible magic the witches used against them. Word of these outrages would spread much farther than Noisy River or Wobbish country. There’d be militias called up as far as Carthage City. It was possible that even the Irrakwa and the Cherriky would send warriors. Reds feared witches as much as any White.

  It took Alvin only a couple of minutes to think through these ideas. Then he tried to think what would happen if he went back across the Mizzippy. Word would spread mighty fast, but the people would want more than his presence. He would have to go out and confront the mobs. One of them, anyway. He would have to melt their guns, fasten their feet to the ground, and that would be only the beginning, because disarming and immobilizing them wouldn’t make them change their minds about wanting to drive the witches from the east bank of the river, and might persuade many that all the witches would have to die.

  I can’t be everywhere at once, thought Alvin. When I’m in the north, they’ll come marauding and murdering in the south and east. My presence will not make the citizens any safer. It might provoke even more murderous action, drawing on militias from farther away.

  “My friends,” said Alvin, “I don’t see a path that leads to peace or safety for anyone.”

  “Except if you stay here,” said Verily. “That will mean safety for you.”

  “Verily,” said Alvin. “You held the plow with me. You helped me choose and mark this place.”

  “I did,” said Verily. “Did we do that in order to have it all end in rivers of blood turning the Mizzippy red?”

  “We did that because the plow demanded to be used, and our people needed a refuge.”

  “It began that way,” said Verily, “but it’s no refuge now.”

  “I didn’t flee here,” said Alvin. “I didn’t know the mobs would strike when I accidentally dodged their conspiracy to kill me. I came here to find safety for us all. A land in the West, surrounded by mountains, a good soil, with water in the canyons. We can irrigate and grow enough crops to feed us all. A thousand miles and high mountains between us and our enemies. Would they remember us when they couldn’t see us?”

  “We’d be the monsters in every story that people tell their children to scare them into staying in bed and obeying during the daytime.” John Binder shook his head. “But as long as they couldn’t cross the river, killing us all won’t be their highest priority. They’re already fixing to go to war between the United States and the Crown Colonies over the matter of slavery. That will keep their minds off of us for a while, I think.”

  “Do you know this?” asked Ta-Kumsaw.

  “I know how to hold people together, when they want to be held, and I can feel them break apart, I can feel their fear and hatred.”

  “So there will be war in the East?” asked Tenskwa-Tawa. “What if one side or the other begs you to join in, with all your knacks, to save their cause?”

  “How could they ask us, if they can’t find us?” asked Alvin.

  “We would let them through. We would lead their delegation to you so they could beg for your help, and you could say no directly to them.”

  “Would we say no?” asked Arthur Stuart. Alvin knew that he was thinking of his mother, who had died to save him from slavery. Freeing slaves would mean much to Arthur.

  “We’re talking about twenty years from now, again,” said Verily Cooper. “More of our people will be murdered today. Today. Not in twenty years.”

  Measure spoke up, and his voice demanded their attention. “If they all go to war against us, it will unite them in hatred and fear of us. It might preserve the peace between North and South for a while.”

  “So we should be slaughtered to save the lives of the people slaughtering us?” demanded Verily.

  “No one in this gathering is your enemy, Verily,” said John Binder.

  They could all see the rage boil up in Verily. But as he looked into John Binder’s eyes, his temper waned. “You’re right, of course, John. My anger at our enemies should not be turned on my friends.”

  John Binder smiled and touched Verily’s arm.

  Alvin had not understood the power of John Binder’s knack. A tear came to Verily’s eye, as his heart softened toward the men around him.

  “I have an idea,” said Arthur Stuart. “Put Eliza in charge of the defense of Crystal City.”

  “Maybe I should,” said Alvin.

  “Nobody in the city has any knowledge of war,” said Measure. “She’d be as good a bet as anyone else.”

  “Ta-Kumsaw knows the ways of war,” said John Binder.

  “We’ll not drag Reds into a war among White men,” said Alvin. “Whatever happens is in our hands.”

  Measure said, “Alvin, we don’t know how they’ll react if they know that you’ve come back. They’re afraid of your knacks.”

  “What will Calvin be doing with his knacks?” asked Verily. “Is he your enemy, Alvin?”

  “I don’t know what he wants,” said Alvin. “But I know he’s my brother.”

  “He may be your brother,” said Tenskwa-Tawa, “but he will never cross the river to this side.”

  “That’s good,” said Measure. “Alvin, will you come over the river with us, just to see what our enemies do? We can make better decisions then.”

  “I don’t want to use my knacks to kill anyone,” said Alvin.

  “Then don’t,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “If I cross the river,” said Alvin, “will I stand alone against the foe?”

  “Never,” said Measure. “I’ll be with you, always.”

  “I know you will,” said Alvin. “But what about you, Verily Cooper? John Binder?”

  “I know I’ll do whatever you need me to do,” said Verily Cooper.

  John Binder nodded. “I’d swear an oath,” he said, “but if my love for you isn’t enough to hold me by your side, can an oath rescue my courage and honor?”

  “I believe them,” said Tenskwa-Tawa.

  “So do I,” said Alvin.

  Arthur stepped into the middle of the group and faced Alvin. He’s as tall as me, thought Alvin. And he’s barefoot, while I’m in boots.

  “Alvin,” said Arthur Stuart, “if you cross that river, you’ll die. It will be your death. Don’t you see that?”

  “Of course I do,” said Alvin. “Because nothing but my death will satisfy them.”

  “The whole city will stand with you against them,” said John Binder.

  “They’ll want to,” said Alvin. “But we can’t control what our enemies will do, or what they can do.”

  “Don’t cross the river,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “Can I keep myself safe, Arthur Stuart, when my people are dying or being driven from their homes?”

  “I refuse to live in a world without you in it,” said Arthur.

  “He’s not dying, he’s just crossing the river,” said Verily Cooper.

  “Are you sure there’s any difference between those two things?” demanded Arthur Stuart. “No, you’re not. I love Alvin Smith more than all the others put together. Do you understand that? I can’t ask for his death.”

  “That’s not what we’re doing,” said John Binder.

  “Do you know that?” asked Arthur Stuart.

  Alvin reached out his hand and rested it on Arthur Stuart’s shoulder. “My brother, my friend,” he said to Arthur Stuart. “Come away with me for a few minutes.”

  The others stayed where they were, as Alvin led Arthur over toward the river.

  “Don’t treat me like a child,” said Arthur Stuart. “I’m as wise as any of them, because none of us know the outcome of anything.”

  “I’ve already made up my mind, Arthur. I wanted to talk to you about something else.”

  “What, then?” asked Arthur Stuart, wiping tears away from his eyes.

  “No matter what happens,” said Alvin, “they will not relent. The only safety for our people is on this side of the river, and farther west, among the mountains, by that salt lake. I’m not sure what Tenskwa-Tawa saw, but before he mentioned that place to me, I had already seen it. In the walls of the Crystal City I have seen it many times. But I never saw myself leading them.”

  “That proves nothing,” muttered Arthur.

  “I saw you at their head.”

  Arthur said nothing.

  “And when I saw you in that vision, my heart was at peace. Because you can complete the work we’ve begun here.”

  “I can’t build the crystal blocks,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “You haven’t tried,” said Alvin. “But it doesn’t matter. Building another Crystal City will not be your purpose.”

  “What, then?” asked Arthur.

  “A city of peace,” said Alvin. “Where no one will be poor, because everyone shares gladly.”

  “So you want me to build a city for angels, is that it?” asked Arthur.

  “Yes,” said Alvin. “You can lead, you can teach, but they can only become angels if they want to be.”

  “Are you talking literally?”

  “I don’t know where God goes to recruit his angels. Let’s just say, the land, the cities you build in the West, they’ll be established to bring the pure in heart from everywhere, to live together in peace.”

  “Why is this suddenly my job? You haven’t prepared me for this.”

  “Yes I have,” said Alvin.

  “Nobody will obey me or even listen to me.”

  “Yes they will,” said Alvin.

  “Do you know that?” asked Arthur Stuart.

  “I have enough faith in you to leave my people in your hands.”

  “You expect to die,” said Arthur Stuart. “You’ve decided to go back, and you expect to die.”

  “My heart is as calm as a summer’s morning,” said Alvin.

  “As long as your heart is beating, I don’t care how calm it is,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “The people want me back,” said Alvin.

  “Because they’re afraid,” said Arthur, with disdain.

  “They’re right to be afraid. Everything and everyone they love is in jeopardy. Do you remember what that’s like?”

  Tears streamed down Arthur’s face. “You know I never really knew my mother. She died without my knowing her.”

  “And yet you think of her every day.”

  Arthur looked away.

  “And you loved Goody Guester like a mother,” said Alvin, “and you lost her at the hands of a murderer. So are my people wrong to be afraid? Are they wrong to value their loved ones more than they value me?”

  “I’m not ready to leave you yet.”

  “Yes, you are,” said Alvin. “Stop thinking about me, and think about how to organize a migration across the Mizzippy. With luck, you won’t have to acquire a whole fleet of boats. There are three people in the city who can make water freeze. Together, maybe they can freeze the Mizzippy hard enough to drive wagons over it.”

  “Can’t you just make us a bridge?” asked Arthur Stuart.

  “You need to get them to accomplish this migration together, depending on each other.”

  “You do it,” said Arthur.

  “If I can, I will. But I still need you to plan it. I’ll have other things on my mind.”

  Arthur Stuart smiled wryly. “What do you have to worry about?”

  “Nothing,” said Alvin, “because my legacy is in your hands. If my life has little value to my friends”—he gestured toward the others—“then it has even less value to me. I just want to spend that last coin of mine to purchase a future for my people. I have chosen the best man I know to be their leader.”

  “Measure,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “What about him?”

  “He’s the best man you know,” said Arthur Stuart.

  “He’ll be busy,” said Alvin.

  “You grownups are always busy.”

  “You’re one of us now.” Alvin clapped his hand on Arthur’s shoulder and started the two of them returning to the others