Alaric stayed near the back of the park, his eyes sweeping the people around him. Beside him, Riley was a solid center of calm compared to the crazy emotion of the crowd. They were riled up, chanting “No Shades” while foot stomping and fists in the air. The fury was twisting in his stomach.
Near the stage, he could see Councilman Roth, and beside him was the man Alaric had seen him with at city hall. Alaric nudged Riley"s elbow and gestured toward them with his chin.
A woman he didn"t recognize was with them as well, though her attention seemed to be completely on the crowd. At some unseen signal, she nodded to Roth and he stepped up on the stage to an upswell in sound from the crowd.
Roth held up his hands to quiet them, and eventually they settled, though it wouldn"t take much to have
