It was funny how it was possible to live in a city for years and rarely, if ever, see some parts of it. The docks of Quorge were like that. Years of growing up in the city, and Felit?a could count the number of times she’d been to the docks on one hand. There just hadn’t been any call to go down there. Trips to purchase fish had taken her near the docks and, sitting in her favourite spot on the beach outside the city, she had certainly seen the docks, but actually going there was a rare event.


    There was an occasion with Zandrue and Drummor. It had been one of those random things Zandrue was prone to. She had wanted to see the ships, so they’d gone. Zandrue and Drummor didn’t look much at the ships, as they were too busy staring at each other, unable to keep their hands off each other. Felit?a dawdled along behind them, not paying much attention to the ships either. She was too worried Elderaan might slip and fall in her absence, or overcharge customers in his ageing distraction.


    Was that a good or bad thing? It was hard to tell.


    A snowflake floated past her face, and a few more. Now that was more like the Quorge she remembered. She’d spent so much of this year in the south, most of it during the hottest months, there was a certain irony in returning to Quorge just as winter was stirring up. Even Dorg was far enough south that it had still been reasonably warm there, so they would not be getting much chance to ease themselves into winter.


    The docks had so much more open space than the rest of Quorge. The streets of the city were narrow and, combined with the close-packed buildings, it made each street seem isolated from all the others. It wasn’t possible to see much of the city from any given location. Rejoining that sense of isolation as they left the docks brought with it the feeling of home Felit?a hadn’t felt at the docks. She remained unsure if that was a good or bad thing.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Felit?a.


    Nin-Akna sighed. “It’s fine. We’re both overtired.” But annoyance didn’t stop flowing from her.


    Felit?a.


    Felit?a.


    There was a long line-up at the well where she used to collect water—not an unusual thing. Quorge only had a small number of wells for a large population, and so long queues were common. Numerous eyes turned to look at Felit?a and the others as they passed. Felit?a tried not to look at them as they passed, but that didn’t stop the feelings of recognition coming through. She could have easily pushed those feelings away, blocked them from her mind entirely. However, as scared as she was of knowing what people thought, she was just as scared of not knowing.


    Felit?a.


    Felit?a.


    Felit?a.


    Felit?a, you must listen to me.


    “That’s...significant, I guess,” Nin-Akna said. “How did it happen?”


    Felit?a’s thoughts drifted back thirteen years. Standing in line. Waiting. “It just...happened. I didn’t do anything. I just heard voices. People around me talking. Except they weren’t talking. It was their thoughts. They were so loud that day. I could hear everything in crystal clarity.”


    Felit?a, you must listen to me.


    She is powerful indeed if she can see us in this place.


    Felit?a, you must listen to me.