CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Aidan stood with Motley atop the makeshift stage, a huge wooden platform in the center of Andros, and he looked out at the sea of faces. He stood there, frozen. For the first time in his life, he experienced stage fright. He had never gone anywhere near a stage before, had never even met an actor before meeting Motley, and as he stood there, part of the play, looking out at the crowd, everyone looking back at him, he had never felt so self-conscious in his life. He wanted to curl up and die.
As he stood there, unable to remember his line, Aidan had a whole new respect for actors. In their own way, he realized, they were fearless warriors. It took courage to face this crowd of strangers, more courage than he had, more courage, even, than it took his father and his men
