Mina reached for Uberto’s hands. ‘Will you talk to the Council? If you do, I won’t need to.’
‘Mina, I will make sure no child’s thread is broken again. We will find out who did it, and they will be expelled from the players. It will be an example to all that we police our own.’
Uberto knelt and picked up the two discarded masks. Mina felt herself relax. A flicker of movement at the side of the stage caught her attention briefly, but seeing nothing there she turned back to Uberto, relieved at his acquiescence. Uberto would deal with this. He would know how to talk to the Council. He would protect the children. She wanted to believe him. Yet their argument, played out in the Place of Dreams, hung unresolved between them, and Mina realised she hadn’t convinced Uberto of anything. He hadn’t
