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— the power plant, the quadriders, the elevators, the doors, the locks, the plumbing — that’s overwhelming. Getting psi back seems like a better option to them.”
    “But that’s not possible,” Taemon said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
    Solovar leaned forward in his chair. “Yes, but they won’t accept that. And here’s the trouble: there are people in the city who claim to have a plan to return psionic powers to the people. They’re asking for donations, making promises, and showing their progress by giving street demonstrations, which are nothing more than tricks.”
    Taemon looked down at his hands. That was the kind of thing he used to do back when he had to pretend to have psi. Lies, deception, trickery. “Those tricks won’t fool people for long,” Taemon said. “I wouldn’t worry too much about the charlatans.”
    “You have to understand,” Solovar said. “People are scared. There are all kinds of wild tales spreading.”
    “Like what?” Drigg asked.
    “Like innocents still alive and trapped in secret underground chambers at the temple. Like people crossing Mount Deliverance to make contact with the Republik. There’s even a story about a ghost haunting one of the churches.”
    Drigg laughed, which made Solovar’s scowl even deeper. “It may sound like rubbish to you and me. But there are people out there who are so desperate, they’ll believe anything.”
    “What if they’re right?” Taemon whispered.
    Solovar looked confused. “You really think there’s a ghost in the —?”
    “Of course not. But the rumor about people crossing the mountain. My mam said something about that, too. She said that Da was in the Republik and that I should go find him.”
    “Your mam wasn’t in her right mind,” Hannova said gently. “Amma told us how she was when you found her. She was probably just repeating some nonsense she’d overheard.”
    “Besides,” Solovar added, “no one can cross those mountains. It’s impossible.”
    Amma’s father cleared his throat. “Actually, that’s not quite true.”
    All eyes turned to him. “What are you saying, Birch?” Hannova asked.
    “There were documents in the library. I can’t be sure, mind you. They were very old and cryptic. But the way I interpret them, I think . . .”
    Hannova slapped both hands on her desk. “For Skies’ sake! Out with it!”
    “I think there’s a way to cross Mount Deliverance.”

“A way over Mount Deliverance?” Hannova said. “Are you sure?”
    “No. In fact, I’m very unsure,” Mr. Parvel said. “But there was a map in the library that makes me think there is a way. Or was at one time. But I never studied the map closely. My grandfather gave me strict instructions to keep it secret, and I thought the less I knew about it, the better.”
    Hannova drummed her fingers on her desk, looking like she was thinking a million things at once. “You might have mentioned this when Elder Naseph took everything from the library. If the Republik has that map . . .”
    Mr. Parvel stiffened defensively. “I didn’t see any reason to bring it up until now. For all we know, everything from the library is buried under the rubble of the temple. Even if all the documents survived, it would take someone months to go through everything.”
    “So it
is
possible,” Taemon said, his pulse quickening.
    “Not without the map,” Mr. Parvel added quickly. “Assuming it was even accurate.”
    “And even if we had the map,” Hannova broke in, holding Taemon’s gaze, “we couldn’t allow a thirteen-year-old boy to attempt to cross the mountains and enter enemy territory.”
    “But no one would suspect a kid,” Taemon said.
Especially a kid with psi,
he thought but couldn’t very well say. “Besides, it’s my da. If anyone should risk the trip, it should be me.”
    Arguing broke out among the adults. While Hannova could see the value in knowing more about the Republik, she didn’t think it was safe for anyone —