Saia only noticed it was almost midday when Serit awakened.


    “Found a solution to face Beramas and not die horribly?” they asked, stretching their arms.


    Reading had become a mechanical thing, so she kept skimming two books at once while she returned most of her attention to the room. It was like trying to follow multiple conversations at once, but the gist was enough to be sure that neither of the volumes contained a mention of the monks, the mountain, or spheres.


    “No,” she said.


    “You haven’t even thought about it, have you?”


    “No. We’re staying here until I find out the truth.”


    Serit looked around the room, as if noticing it for the first time.


    “Beramas will find us, eventually.”


    “You’re free to leave.”


    They glared at her. She felt a stab of guilt: of course they couldn’t leave on their own, as much as she couldn’t when she was trapped over the clouds. Even if they weren’t being followed around by birdguards, they couldn’t go far without everyone realizing they were a shilvé on earth and taking advantage of that.


    had been useful in the fight against Mayvaru.


    “…But I’m risking my life too, and I won’t gain anything from this.”


    The bells rang before Saia could reply. Serit finished tying their headscarf.


    “I’m going to eat something decent, now. It would be nice if you waited until I’m finished before doing something rash.”


    Saia nodded. Once they were gone, she took out Aili’s shard. She wondered what to tell her, exactly.


    Found huge library. You would like it.


    Where are you?


    Still Aressea.


    Looking for Dan. How are you? Zeles?


    Busy. Might know soon what''s inside crater. Viss doesn’t float, tied to objects. Don''t know more.


    Found monks like ours, but different.


    Do you have idea where to look?


    Don''t know. Secret passage? Is one of foreign languages code?


    Everything fine?


    Busy, told you.


    How''s it going with telling truth to villages?


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    What plan if they refuse? What society would we create?


    Don''t know, she admitted in the end. Want to think about it together.


    “Gods have always been ten. Whoever told you about nine gods has never followed our teachings. You shouldn’t listen to them.”


    “But the governing families haven’t always been ten.”


    The monk took a piece of chalk, but only turned it between her fingers without writing anything.


    “You’re talking about the beastforgers. Their demise has been a tragedy, and we don’t yet know which god has willed it. We’ll wait for Lunusu to choose another governing house.”


    “How would he do it?”


    “She. Probably through a vision, or a dream. By letting the designated family grow and be successful. The gardeners might be a candidate, but the goddess hasn’t spoken in their favor yet.”


    “Sure.” Saia remembered the words of the elder, but she had enough control over her voice to not let the bitterness show. “What about nine gods?”


    “They were never nine.”


    “I know for sure they were,” Saia insisted. She caught glimpse of resignation in the teacher’s viss.


    “Our predecessors thought they were nine in the distant past, but we’ve since amended the offenses to the god we had forgotten with prayers and sacrifices.”


    “These predecessors didn’t seem very bright.”


    She had intended her words as a joke, but the teacher’s viss flared.


    “If our order didn’t crumble after the betrayal, it was all their merit. We owe everything we have to their wisdom.”


    “Which betrayal? What happened?”


    The teacher feigned perfect calm again.


    “It’s forbidden to discuss it.”


    “Who betrayed you? Other monks?”


    The teacher started gathering the few documents on the desk.


    “You don’t care about the gods, you only want to pry.”


    Saia considered forcing her to reveal what happened in some way. Maybe manipulating her viss, even if monks were more likely to be experts at detecting it. Or by intimidating her with her powers.


    She set her ideas aside. There was still the question of what was hidden at the end of the stairs. She could always look for the teacher later, once she and Serit were ready to leave the monastery.


    “I won’t insist, I’m sorry,” Saia said, and couldn’t think of a better way to convince her to stay than asking her another question.