《Diamond Chrysalis》


 Blindness

    As usual, the footsteps were unbearably loud. Eluvie took a moment to count and counted five sets of them, one more than the previous day. Carefully, but with haste, she pushed off the bedcovers and sat up.


    She felt for the edge of the bed with her hands, spun, and found the ground with her feet. Then, out of habit, she tugged at her blindfold and ensured that it was secure. When the door opened, she assumed the usual posture: back straight and hands by her side in the center of the room.


    ¡°Oi! It¡¯s so dark in here,¡± Madam Ria said.


    The caretaker stomped over to the windows and drew the curtains aside. Eluvie imagined the streaming light she could not see and strained to feel the sun¡¯s warmth on her face.


    Madam Ria thundered back to the center of the room. She always walked that way - with the confidence of a general before his troops.


    ¡°Undress,¡± Madam Ria ordered.


    Eluvie obeyed immediately.


    Her dress was a simple one with buttons down the front. They were not difficult to undo, but they were plentiful. That meant that at least once a week, Madam Ria would decide that she was being too slow, slap her, and take over the task. Today, her fingers didn¡¯t fumble, and she was done within a minute.


    She shrugged off the dress, then sent her shift and underpants after it. It must have been cold outside. A slight breeze raised the hair on her arms. She almost hugged herself but stopped before she could give Madam Ria an excuse for ¡®discipline.¡¯


    ¡°Watch what I do,¡± Madam Ria said.


    She was addressing the fifth person. No one else would need the instruction.


    She spun Eluvie around so that her front faced the open window and her back faced the workers. Eluvie took a moment to brace herself, then Madam Ria ripped the bandage off her back. The pain brought tears to her eyes. She gritted her teeth, held her position, and began to count silently. The routine action brought its usual calm by transporting her away from the proceedings.


    ¡°We inspect the wound every day,¡± Madam Ria said. As she spoke, she poked a finger into one gash on Eluvie¡¯s back. Eluvie gasped and stiffened. That achieved nothing. Madam Ria ran her finger down the entire wound, from just below Eluvie¡¯s shoulder blades down to her waistline, prodding every single inch. Then, she repeated the process with the second, identical wound.


    ¡°Do it thoroughly,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°If you fail, I¡¯ll kill you myself before Lady Mirab can. If you feel any growth, report it immediately. Come. Feel it.¡±


    Eluvie almost screamed, but this happened every time they trained a new person. She was forced to endure a second, clumsy inspection while Madam Ria explained what a ¡®growth¡¯ felt like.


    When the new woman finally stepped back, Eluvie could still feel the pain from her fingers.


    ¡°So, she can really grow wings?¡± the new woman asked in a voice dripping with wonder and jealousy.


    ¡°Not if you want to live,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°If you ever see her wings, feast your eyes because the next thing you see will be the inside of the river with boulders tied to your legs. This is not a carnival. It¡¯s a job.¡± To Eluvie, she said, "We''re going to the bathroom now. Walk ahead."


    Eluvie walked slowly. She knew the way by heart, but she still felt for it with her hands. The workers were known to move objects, ignorantly or out of spite. Six steps forward, turn left, five steps forward. She found the door there and went through it. The entire company followed behind her.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "What do we do if she takes the blindfold off?" the new woman asked.


    "She won''t," Madam Ria said. "If she does, it means extra time in the bath."


    "What is it for, the blindfold?" the woman asked again.


    "You don''t need to know that," Madam Ria replied.


    Eluvie stopped in the middle of the bathroom and waited.


    Madam Ria stopped behind her and reached for the blindfold. "Keep your eyes closed," she said; a command and a warning.


    Eluvie kept them tightly closed and revelled in the sensation of the blindfold coming off. It was the closest she ever came to sight. She briefly wondered why they hadn''t simply removed her eyes. She had taken off the blindfold only once - to no great effect - and their retribution had been swift and frantic, bordering on terror. So, why did they maintain the risk?


    Her mind returned to the scene before her, and with that, her mood, already remarkably low, sank further. She loathed the next step. She loathed it for the pain it involved, but also because each repetition seemed to chip away at her. Her patience and sanity seemed like pebbles worn away by the daily action of raindrops. And she feared what she would be when the last piece fell away.


    She considered running, or screaming, or attacking them, but fear held her in place. None of those attempts - doomed to fail - were worth the consequences.


    She heard cloth tearing, and then pieces were stuffed into her nostrils. Once, Madam Ria had failed to do it properly, and the inside of Eluvie''s nose had burned for two days.


    She began breathing through her mouth. "Make sure to stuff the cloth very high up," Madam Ria said. "It won''t kill her, but if it gets into her lungs, she''ll be useless for days. Now, we make sure to get every bit of skin. In you go."


    She pushed Eluvie toward the bathtub.


    Eluvie stumbled forward and stopped. It did not matter how often they did this. She could never go willingly. Madam Ria never argued over it anymore; she was already pulling on a pair of gloves. She gave Eluvie a moment''s warning - for duty''s sake, not compassion - and then dragged Eluvie into the bathtub.


    The first moment was terrible. Every one after that was worse. The liquid was as thick as oil and sharp as boiling water, and every moment in it felt as if her skin was being stripped off. That was the point, after all.


    She always told herself that she would endure it with dignity, and that always proved false. She was thrashing even before she was completely submerged. Unfortunately for her, Madam Ria and her helpers were strong. Each took hold of one quarter of her body and held her down as surely as chains would. She released her breath within seconds, and the liquid rushed into her mouth, burning as it did so.


    She had lost track of time. When the arms released her, only 60 seconds later, it felt like an eternity had passed. She crawled out of the tub and onto the stone floor, sobbing all the while, eyes still closed. Hands pulled her up and toweled her dry. One of them was gentle, but the others were just business-like. They kept working on her until all the burning was gone - except from her mouth. Then they replaced her blindfold.


    ¡°You inspect her after that,¡± Madam Ria said, ¡°make sure that you didn¡¯t miss any spots. If you did, she has to go in again.¡± They half-dragged her back into the bedroom. Her legs did not work and she did not want them to. There, she stood still again, shivering violently. Madam Ria used a knife to scrape more flesh out of the gashes on her back, widening them ever so slightly. Then, she rubbed a cool-burning ointment into the wound and bandaged it again. They forced Eluvie into new clothes, identical in style to the ones she had discarded, and then forced her to drink a bitter liquid.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to remember all of that,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°The others will help you, but I¡¯d better not hear any excuses.¡± Eluvie had already collapsed on the floor. Its wood was uneven and sharp in places, but bearing the prickles was easier than standing.


    ¡°Does she ever wear anything else?¡± the newcomer asked.


    ¡°This is adequate,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°We have some dresses made for when she has to attend a feast. But it¡¯s not as if she does anything else.¡± Eluvie had worn the same clothes for years. They were serviceable, but she suspected that they were well beyond faded.


    Silence fell on the room. Eluvie thought she sensed pity in it, and that made her angry. They were monsters; a little compassion could not confer humanity on them. She held that thought close to her chest. It warmed her. Someday, if she ever escaped, she would draw on its reassurance. But until then, she had resolved never to grant her captors one precious, kind thought.


    She ate on the floor. At times like that, the humiliations seemed more vindictive than necessary. The palace was full of chairs. It would have cost nothing to grant her one. Yet, her room was furnished with nothing but a wobbly bed and a window. Breakfast was cold bread, boiled eggs, and water, eaten under the impatient eyes of her caretakers. She ate quickly enough that they could find no fault, barely swallowing one mouthful before beginning another. As impatient as they were, they wouldn¡¯t keep her from eating. They might torture her mind, but her body was important. Their impatience served one important purpose, however. It told Eluvie what day it was. Six days a week, she was allowed to eat her breakfast and then wallow in boredom for the rest of the day. But on one day, they dragged her to the doctor, and then to the rulers¡¯ council meeting.


    Once the last morsel was in her mouth, Eluvie stood and waited for direction.


    ¡°Did you dream?¡± Madam Ria asked.


    Eluvie shook her head. ¡°No.¡±


    Madam Ria paused, as if she suspected that Eluvie was lying, but eventually accepted her answer. "If she ever says yes," Madam Ria said, "then ask her what it was about. If there''s anything substantial, skip the doctor''s visit and take her straight to Lady Mirab."


    "What kind of dreams are important?" the new person asked.


    "Anything that is about more than food or escape," Madam Ria said. "But especially dreams about others like her. Let''s go."

 Whispers

    They walked in their usual formation. Madam Ria led with two attendants, while the other two followed behind Eluvie.


    The bedroom door led them to a mezzanine. From there, a staircase led down to the third floor. Two guards jumped to attention when they came out, then relaxed when they saw the crew. Lady Mirab had executed the last set of guards, so the new ones were still on their best behavior. They jumped into the room if Eluvie made the slightest noise and treated everyone leaving the room like a potential assassin.


    Still, they were the least interesting thing on the landing. The moment Eluvie stepped out, the voices began. They rose from every surface and filled the air, so the area felt like it was filled with a crowd of excited, whispering people.


    "She''s so beautiful," one breathless tone whispered.


    "Not so loud, you," another said. "She''ll hear."


    "I wonder if she''ll come this way."


    "I brushed her! I can''t believe it!"


    "Be quiet!"


    One voice tried to quiet the rest, but they only grew more frantic and drowned it out. Before long, Eluvie could not make out a single word from the chaos.


    "For heaven''s sake," one voice said. "You all saw her yesterday! I can''t believe I ended up stuck with you dimwits. Look! She can hear you!"


    Eluvie tried to school her expression, but the game was up. The voices quickly fell away. Within a second, there was such silence that she could not tell that anyone had ever spoken.


    Eluvie''s group made it onto the staircase, and then a voice spoke again.


    "He''s right," it said. "You lot always do this. You could have let something slip."


    "You''re one to talk," another one said. "It was you who gave away the thing about the rain."


    "It was an accident!"


    And the clamor started again. Eluvie fought hard to keep from smiling. If the voices were not a figment of her broken mind, then they were the most incompetent group of watchers in existence. If they heard a secret, they talked incessantly about how they couldn''t share it - and then invariably let it slip.


    It was a shame, then, that they had never heard a secret more monumental than the workers'' romantic dalliances.


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    "The witch is coming," someone said.


    Eluvie froze. She heard the sign at the same time as the warning: jingling coming from the bottom of the staircase.


    Someone bumped into her and almost sent her tumbling down the stairs. A quick grasp at the railing saved her.


    The person swore. "What are you doing?!"


    All the other footsteps ceased as the attendants tried to puzzle out her odd behavior.


    "Eluvie!" Madam Ria said. "Move!"


    The jingling reached the bottom of the steps. ¡°I said move!¡± Madam Ria exclaimed.


    Eluvie would have moved, but her body wouldn''t listen.


    ¡°That''s it! The rest of the day in the tub. Now, get moving!¡± Madam Ria ordered.


    The punishment was ridiculous. Even ten minutes in the tub would break Eluvie. But Madam Ria rarely allowed logic to interfere with her cruelty.


    ¡°What''s going on?¡± a voice asked. The jingling had stopped, except for an occasional twinkle, and Lady Mirab had come close enough that Eluvie could smell her; a strong, tangy smell with a hint of oranges.


    ¡°Good morning, Lady Mirab,¡± all the attendants greeted in unison.


    Silence followed the greeting, and Eluvie was forced to guess at what was happening.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Lady Mirab asked.


    ¡°She''s being difficult,¡± Madam Ria replied.


    Eluvie didn''t defend herself. Years ago, she would have. She would have explained her position in great detail and hoped for some kind of fair treatment. Now, she knew how utterly pointless that was. Lady Mirab didn''t care one whit for justice, but that was only part of the problem. The other was that she supported Madam Ria''s cruelty. They had driven the lesson home; ''stay in line or we''ll do worse.''


    Lady Mirab confirmed Eluvie''s prediction by changing the topic. ¡°You''re running late this morning,¡± she said. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°It''s been difficult getting her going.¡±


    Eluvie bit her lip to hold back a scoff. Madam Ria would never claim any blame. She could have blamed the new woman''s training or her own lateness. But why bother? Eluvie was available.


    There was another pause. Lady Mirab didn''t believe her, of course. Unless provoked, Eluvie was always docile.


    ¡°Did she dream?¡± Lady Mirab asked.


    ¡°She said no.¡±


    ¡°Well?¡± Lady Mirab turned the question to Eluvie. She always asked again, no matter what Madam Ria reported. She wanted to hear it for herself, to confirm that Eluvie was not lying.


    ¡°I didn''t dream,¡± Eluvie said.


    ¡°Not in the last week?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Eluvie replied.


    Lady Mirab hissed in annoyance. ¡°Of all the nonsense,¡± she muttered. ¡°A waste of bloody time. Spend more time sleeping and less being a nuisance. I have somewhere to be,¡± she addressed Madam Ria. ¡°When the others arrive, make them wait. I shouldn''t be more than a few hours. If they complain, just don''t give them the blood, and they''ll wait.¡±


    Madam Ria confirmed the instruction, then they waited for Lady Mirab and her millions of tinkling jewelry to make it back down the steps.


    ¡°Walk,¡± Madam Ria said, and someone punctuated it with a shove.


    Eluvie resumed walking. The voices were completely silent now. Once their initial frantic welcome was over, they tended to maintain their intended silence. There were occasional flutters when she turned the corner into a new corridor, but it seemed like most of the voices in the palace detected her at once and finished their uproar together.


    They took one more flight of stairs, down to the second floor. Halfway down, Eluvie felt a sudden madness take hold of her, imploring her to shove the nearest attendant over a railing and rejoice at having one less captor. Such urges came frequently; she was used to fighting them off. If she ever committed murder, it would be for more than short-lived vindication.


    The clinic was tucked away in a corner of the second floor, only accessible through a series of twists, turns, and walks down long corridors. For the first year, Eluvie believed that the workers were intentionally confusing her by taking a winding path. Now, she knew that the palace''s architect had simply been insane. Corridors traveled in loops, tiny doorless rooms bookended grand ones, square rooms with wide doors in all four directions took the place of corridors, and there were at least three paths between any two points.


    It wasn''t named the Thousand Room Palace for no reason. There were literally a thousand rooms, though some of them barely qualified.


    The smell of soap and medicine welcomed Eluvie half a corridor before the clinic. This section of the palace was completely windowless, so smells tended to linger. If someone threw up in the clinic, she would still smell it at her next week''s appointment.


    Two of Eluvie''s attendants stopped at the clinic door, while the others led her inside.

 Isei

    "I''ve told you people," a voice said, "this place isn''t large enough for a conference. One person watches her. The rest stay outside. She isn''t going to melt through the walls."


    Eluvie let them settle that matter while she picked her way toward a corner of the room. A hum of activity rose, lingered, and then subsided. Then, Eluvie heard the doctor''s voice beside her.


    "It''s good to see you again," he sounded bright. "How has your week been?"


    Eluvie kept silent, and he continued on, as if her clear disdain was a pleasant response.


    "You can step on the scale now," he said.


    She climbed onto a platform in front of her and waited.


    "Hmm," the doctor said.


    "Is something wrong?" Madam Ria asked.


    "This is the third drop this month," the doctor said. "Altogether, she''s down a pound now. You are feeding her, correct?"


    Madam Ria scoffed. "Eating is the only thing she does."


    "I''ll have to take another look at her diet," the doctor said. He sounded mildly worried, so Eluvie filed that fact away for further rumination. She listened for a hint from the voices, but they offered nothing.


    "For now," the doctor said, "we''ll reduce her donation today."


    "No," Madam Ria said.


    "I''m the doctor here."


    "Then know your place," Madam Ria said. "You''ll collect the normal four portions."


    The doctor guided Eluvie off the platform. Once off, she began undoing her dress for the second time that day.


    "Your dedication is laudable."


    Amu, the doctor, possessed a sarcastic tone sharp enough to cut sociopaths, and he often deployed it at Madam Ria. Hearing it was one of Eluvie''s few pleasures.


    "However," he continued, "the rulers have four years of blood in stock. They will survive if I take a little bit less today."


    "That is for me to decide," Madam Ria said. "You will take what I tell you, or someone else will do the job."


    Amu scoffed. "Once again, it is my medical opinion that we should proceed with caution."


    "I''m not stupid, Amu," Madam Ria said. "You feel bad for her. It''s touching. But I won''t keep having this fight with you. You might be skilled, but you''re not irreplaceable."Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Oh, for heaven''s sake!" Amu''s shout made Eluvie jump. "Is there any reason she can''t wear something else for these things?"


    Eluvie scoffed. She had both her dress and shift pulled down to her waist, exposing her back for his examination. If he didn''t want to see her naked, he was free to find another job.


    Madam Ria''s voice matched Eluvie''s disdain. "Let me know when you''re done," she said. At her departure, one of the other attendants came through the door, ensuring that Eluvie had two watchers once again - excluding the doctor.


    "You want proof that these people are stupid?" Amu said as he walked over to Eluvie. "I am the only doctor in existence who has ever treated one of your kind. But I have to run my medical opinion through her."


    Eluvie maintained her silence.


    "You can be honest," Amu said. "Which do you think is brighter: her or three hundred rocks piled on top of each other?"


    Eluvie gave him more silence. She had already explained to him that they were not friends. That he continued this act likely said something about his own intelligence.


    "Fine," he said. "It''s probably her. But not by much." He sighed and moved to stand behind her. "If something happens to you, their most important ''asset'', all the blame will fall on me. And of course, you won''t enjoy it either. So let''s do this as best as we can. I''m going to examine your back now."


    His touch was gentler than Madam Ria''s. After removing the bandages, he poked lightly at the skin beside her wounds. It barely caused any pain, but only because she was already in so much.


    "The color looks good," he said. "There is no sign of infection. Does it feel different?"


    Eluvie gave no reply, and he didn''t wait for one.


    "You know," he said, "there is a lot more road left in your life. You never know what could happen in the future. I need your help to make sure you''re healthy enough for whatever happens. How tragic would it be if you escaped, and then died because of an illness you could have told me about?"


    He sighed again at her silence.


    "Alright," he said. "There''s no sign of your wings growing, so the treatments are still working. As usual, if you feel any itching on your skin or back, come here immediately. It doesn''t matter if you think you''re imagining it. Both of us have only one job, and that is to keep you as healthy as we''re allowed."


    He dressed her wounds again, then retreated to make note of his findings. Meanwhile, Eluvie dressed, found the clinic''s sole bed, and climbed into it. It took a while to get comfortable. She had to push away the straps attached to the bed, and then settle into the dent already made by her previous visits. Once comfortable, she pulled up the sleeve on her left arm and let its wrist hang slightly off the edge of the bed. She could have fought the process or simply been less cooperative, but she had since run out of energy for useless battles.


    Amu returned to her side and spoke. "I''m going to take your pulse now, then we''ll draw the blood. If you start feeling ill, let me know. Whatever Ria says, my priority is still protecting you."


    It was Amu who had originally removed her wings. She had been a child, barely five years old, dragged into an unfamiliar place, bound, blinded, and prodded. His had been the only kind voice she had heard. Twenty years on, he acted like his betrayal had never happened.


    She had never asked for an explanation. Whatever it was, it would never absolve him. If the time ever came to account for debts, she would let all the money he had earned for his work take the place of her sympathy.


    He took her pulse with an experienced hand, departed again to record his finding, and then returned with a blade.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make the cut now,¡± he said.


    She no longer feared the cut. What had once been painful and terrifying had become mundane from repetition. Blood flowed down her hand and into a bowl placed on a stool beside the bed.


    At times like this, when she was completely still and lying in a bed, she felt the urge to pray. She did not know its source. She could not remember her parents, and her imprisonment did not come with a chaplain. Still, the urge would beat at her until she succumbed to it.


    So she gave in quickly. It was a short prayer; the Creator had never shown any interest in her life. Still, she prayed for escape, to avoid Madam Ria¡¯s planned punishment, and for an afternoon of uninterrupted sleep.


    As the compulsion released her, depression took its place. She often tried not to look into the future, but it kept coming nonetheless.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Isei,¡± a voice said, ¡°everything will be fine.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything. I just wanted to comfort her.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no talking allowed.¡±


    Then they were doing a terrible job, Eluvie thought. They hadn¡¯t called her ¡®Isei¡¯ in a while. What it meant was beyond her knowledge, but they always said the word in reverence. In the past, she¡¯d imagined herself to be the captive princess of a tribute of winged immortals, but the daydream had since lost its charm. If the voices were not her delusion, they were delusional themselves. No rescue was coming.


    She heard glass clinking. Amu had swapped out the collection bowl and was covering the old one. There would be two more to fill.


    She never pinpointed the moment in which it went wrong. She only became aware that she had lost seconds. Amu was changing the bowl again, but he had just done it. And she could not tell if this was the third bowl or the last. For a brief moment, she considered speaking up. The moment passed unceremoniously; she had no obligation to assist her captors in preserving the blood source.


    Besides, would it really kill her? Amu would probably notice it when she went unconscious. He would suspect that she had not warned him. Would he tell Lady Mirab? Even if he didn¡¯t, Lady Mirab had a habit of harshly punishing suspected infractions. Perhaps she should warn him.


    Her mind went blank.

 Misery Halved

    She was not dead.


    The realization was bittersweet. After it came the sensation of the wind on her skin. It came from her right side, whipping at her dress and chilling every exposed bit of skin. Wherever she was, it was outside and large enough to allow the wind free movement.


    She moved her feet and felt dirt beneath them. The sensation was recognizable, even through her shoes, even though she could not recall her last trip outside the palace building. She dug her feet into the dirt and felt satisfaction as the crumbs covered them. She savored the feeling for a while and then, reluctantly, decided to investigate her surroundings. With her arms outstretched, she took a tentative step forward, then stumbled and fell when the ground was not where she expected.


    She decided not to rise immediately. Instead, she led with her hands, moving in one direction and feeling the pattern of the land beneath her: hill, valley, hill, valley. The ground formed long, soft ridges, like rows of tilled soil.


    ¡°Farmland,¡± she said.


    She had never been on one, but she felt certain about her deduction. She oriented herself in one of the shallow valleys, rose, and began walking alongside the ridge. The air smelled fresh, even inundated by dirt.


    After a few minutes, she walked faster. Then she began to run. The wind felt wonderful, and the ridges felt like they would go on forever. She had not had such a pleasant dream in ages. How long would it last?


    The farmland ended abruptly. The ground grew hard like untilled soil, and she came to a halt. Without the ridges as a guide, she did not know in which direction to go.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The voice made her jump. She was used to hearing everyone''s approach. In the closed, stone halls of the palace, even the most determined tip-toe was loud to her. Outside, however, the wind was louder than most clues.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    The voice turned petulant. ¡°I asked first.¡±


    It was clearly a child, not yet past puberty and, from her estimate of his height, not close to it either.


    ¡°So you did,¡± Eluvie smiled. ¡°My name is Eluvie. What is yours?¡±


    There was an odd sound, like a small, nearby wind. Then the boy¡¯s voice was closer.


    ¡°I¡¯m Chirad,¡± he said. ¡°Why are you on our farm?¡±


    Eluvie considered telling him that he was in her dream, but what would be the point?


    ¡°I simply ended up here,¡± she said. ¡°What do you grow?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re planting corn,¡± the boy said. ¡°It won¡¯t be ready for a while. But we¡¯re going to have so many! A thousand bags! Do you want to buy some?¡±


    ¡°I have no money,¡± Eluvie said. It seemed like a silly thing to say, but it was out. The boy seemed to have moved on, anyway.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Where do you live?¡± he asked. ¡°Do you have a farm? What do you grow? Do you want to play hide and seek?¡±


    As he spoke, that odd sound reoccurred. There was no pattern to it, but it truly did seem like a wind. Short gusts even reached her at some points.


    ¡°What is that sound?¡± she asked when he paused to breathe.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That sound,¡± she said. ¡°Almost every time you move, I hear it.¡± The sound came again. ¡°There it is,¡± she said. ¡°You heard that.¡±


    The boy remained so silent that she worried that he had disappeared.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she said. ¡°Little boy? Um, Chirad?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a very strange woman,¡± the boy said.


    The sound was gone now. ¡°What¡¯s strange about me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you can see, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with your eyes. They¡¯re clearly wide open, but you don¡¯t use them.¡±


    Eluvie felt her face. Her blindfold was gone, and her eyes were open. Yet, the world appeared pitch black. She started to panic but quickly calmed herself. She was often blind in her dreams, so the situation was not entirely strange. It only seemed odd because the rest of the dream was strangely vivid.


    ¡°Also,¡± the boy said, ¡°there is no sound here except my wings. Don¡¯t you know the sounds that wings make? What happens when you use yours?¡±


    Eluvie felt another jolt.


    She reached behind her back, and just as he said, her wings were there, as real as the last time she had felt them. Soft as silk, strong as steel, and hanging limply behind her back. She felt their veins, traced their patterns, and suddenly felt tears slipping down her face. Of course, such a lovely dream would turn cruel.


    She let go of the wings. Foolishly, she attempted to move them. Of course, nothing happened. She had barely used her wings in reality. How could she make them work in a dream?


    But before her sight and her wings, she had one major problem. This was a dream about someone like her: the very thing the rulers wanted so desperately. They had never told her why they wanted it, but her deductive skills were up to the task.


    ¡°Chirad,¡± she said. ¡°Are you real?¡±


    Chirad paused, and then spoke tentatively. ¡°You didn¡¯t drink, did you? You shouldn¡¯t go out after drinking, lady. It¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Answer the question, please. Is this a dream or are you real?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m real! Why don¡¯t we go inside? We can play hide and seek!¡±


    He took Eluvie¡¯s hand and led away, skipping happily. Meanwhile, Eluvie settled into despair. She could not tell the rulers about him. They would find him, no matter how far they had to search. But they would ask about her dreams, and she had never successfully lied to them. She tried to hope that desperation would make this attempt successful, but she knew that it would not.


    The boy led her into a building he introduced as their home.


    ¡°Are you supposed to bring me here?¡± Eluvie asked. ¡°I could be a bad person.¡±


    Dear heavens, Lady Mirab would have no trouble capturing him.


    The boy laughed. ¡°You¡¯re not a bad person. You¡¯re like me.¡±


    Eluvie released his hand, fury beating at her. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me safe. The world is full of monsters. Why are you so stupid? How old are you?¡±


    She regretted her words almost immediately, but the boy took it in stride.


    ¡°I¡¯m eight,¡± he said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there are no bad people here. Now, I know you¡¯re blind, but this place is small, so you should still be able to find me. There¡¯s just this room, the storeroom, and the bathroom. Papa wants to add another room for the baby, but he hasn¡¯t done it yet.¡±


    ¡°Where are your parents?¡± Eluvie asked.


    ¡°Papa¡¯s on the farm. Mama went into the city. They¡¯ll be home soon. Alright, do you want to hide first? Or should I?¡±Eluvie wanted to ask more questions: where did he live? Why had the rulers not found them? Were his parents like him? But every question she asked would only collect information for the rulers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± he said. ¡°You count to twenty, and I¡¯ll hide. Then, you have to find me. Then, you¡¯ll hide, and I¡¯ll find you.¡±


    Eluvie felt amused by how unbothered he was by her blindness. He prodded her until she began counting. She could hear him going about the house, running into one room and then another. When she reached fifteen, he went silent, but she had a rough idea of where he was.


    She finished counting and then stopped to consider her next steps. She could simply leave. But this was a dream, and she had no idea where she would end up. There was little harm in playing with the boy until she woke up. With that thought, she went into the room she had entered and began searching for him.


    It was harder than it should have been. The room was barely larger than her own bedroom, and most of the space was occupied. Still, she went through every surface twice and could not find him.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re in here,¡± she said. ¡°Stop moving. That¡¯s cheating.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in there,¡± he called from the main room.


    Eluvie jumped. How had he slipped past her? Her hearing was excellent.


    But, of course, why do dreams have to make sense?


    ¡°Well, I give up,¡± she said. ¡°I can¡¯t see you, and I can¡¯t hear you move either. This won¡¯t be a fun game.¡±


    He disagreed and made her take her turn instead. Then, he took a turn, and she took one until the dream faded away, and she awoke in the clinic.

 Desperate Rebellion

    ¡°She¡¯s moving,¡± Amu said. ¡°Eluvie, can you hear me? Nod if you understand.¡±


    Eluvie remained perfectly still.


    ¡°She¡¯s awake,¡± Amu and Madam Ria said in unison.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move too quickly,¡± Amu said. ¡°You might feel a bit faint. Sit up if you can.¡±


    Eluvie tried to obey but only made it a few inches before falling back onto the bed.


    ¡°That means no, then,¡± Amu said. ¡°I¡¯m going to keep her for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll need to meet the rulers when they arrive,¡± Madam Ria said.


    Amu made a sound halfway between a groan and a hiss. ¡°I would argue with you,¡± he said, ¡°but I think you people want to kill her. If you can get her to walk, you can take her. Otherwise, I suppose you¡¯ll just carry her.¡±


    ¡°Lady Mirab already asked me about my dreams,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°She can just tell them what I said.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back to take her when the time comes,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°Just make sure she can talk. That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed.¡±


    With that, she was gone.


    ¡°It was a good attempt,¡± Amu said, ¡°but the others would demand to see you anyway. I¡¯ll find you something to eat. That might help.¡±


    In his absence, the room felt oddly empty. She could hear breathing from along a wall, but the watchers seemed to have nothing to say. In her bedroom, with bars on the windows and guards at the door, she was allowed privacy. Everywhere else, she was never left with less than two watchers. She hadn¡¯t done anything to warrant the surveillance in years, so the women were paid, essentially, to sit around and play cards.The boy from her dream weighed heavily on her mind. Whenever she tried to plot a course for his safety, she ran into roadblocks. There was nearly zero likelihood that the rulers would not ask about her dream, and an equal likelihood that she could not deceive them about it. But the thought of bringing him here churned her stomach.


    The only good scenario was one in which she didn¡¯t speak to the rulers, but even that was problematic. It would be easy enough to achieve - a tumble down the staircase would do the work. But the rulers were intelligent enough to suspect something so obvious. And what of when she recovered?


    She needed a plan that would make her permanently incapable of betraying the boy but would not prompt suspicion of his existence.


    Amu returned with some bread and then left them alone again. On a normal day, they would be leaving to meet the rulers soon. Lady Mirab¡¯s departure was delaying it, but Eluvie could not guess how long that would continue. She needed to make a decision.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    She sat up. Either she would try and fail, or she would simply fail. Put that way, her options were clear. Eluvie conjured up the strength with which she had endured twenty years of imprisonment and bit back a smile. It was time to play her favorite game: manipulating her wardens.


    First, she needed to determine who her guards were. The one with the heavy breathing was Bitu, but she could not identify the other woman. That meant that it could be any of her attendants, with the possible exception of the newest one.


    ¡°If I ask for water, they¡¯ll snap at me,¡± Eluvie thought.


    ¡°Could one of you get me some water?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Get it yourself,¡± Piri said.


    Thank you for being so obliging, Eluvie thought. So, she had Piri and Bitu, neither of whom was difficult to steer.


    ¡°What¡¯s the easiest way to get them to take me to the latrine? I can¡¯t play on their contrary natures, so it¡¯s best to be direct.¡±


    She forced herself to her feet, glad to see that she could stand. Amu had bandaged her hand, but the wound would be gone by morning. Keeping an open wound on her required all the effort they were expending on her back. She found the jug of water where Amu always placed it, poured a cup, and sated her fake thirst.


    ¡°What time is it?¡± she asked.


    This time, it was Bitu who replied. ¡°What do you need time for? Do you have a date?¡±


    Both women laughed.


    ¡°Just lie down and shut up,¡± Bitu continued, ¡°I have a bloody headache.¡±


    Eluvie occasionally had kind attendants, but those who didn¡¯t leave always turned cruel. Between the influence of their employers and that of their coworkers, how could they be different? This latest batch, however, had always been cruel. She didn¡¯t explain that she needed to know how long she had.


    ¡°I need to relieve myself,¡± Eluvie said.


    ¡°Not now,¡± Piri was getting more annoyed.


    Eluvie turned to face them, though she could not see them. ¡°Is it fine if I use the corner, then?¡±


    ¡°What do you -¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t mind the smell, I hope.¡± She was already pulling her dress.


    ¡°What a - hey!¡±


    Eluvie paused with her dress halfway up her calf.


    "You''re insane!" Piri exclaimed.


    Eluvie waited patiently as they muttered comments about her lack of self-respect, but as expected, they led her out.


    It was a wonder that they never understood how manipulable they were. She had never convinced them to violate their orders, but everything else was possible with the right prompting.


    The latrine was located suitably far from the rest of the rooms. It was a tiny room, wide enough to comfortably fit one person, and uncomfortably accept two, with a hole in the ground and a wooden cover for the hole. It also stank so badly that no amount of dedication had ever convinced her attendants to join her inside.


    With one foot, she kicked the cover aside, then squatted. Not over the hole, but beside it. Having positioned herself by memory, she stuck a hand down the hole, felt toward the left, and pushed her arm in until it hit a wall. There, she found a small alcove and, sitting on it, a satchel holding her most precious possessions.


    She no longer burned at the indignity of this search. In fact, now that they had stripped all dignity from her, she was free to ponder its elegance. Who but her would ever stick a hand down a latrine? The iron bar was sturdy, an artifact of the nearby wall''s construction. It was also far enough from the hole that, as far as she could tell, it had never been touched by filth. A search born of boredom and depression had netted her the greatest discovery of her life.


    She untied the satchel, dug it out, retrieved the item she wanted, and returned the satchel to its hiding place - all within half a minute. Maintaining this secret required that her captors never grew suspicious of a long latrine trip, so she never lingered here. The space was sacred. All her hopes, little as they were, were in that bag. She had launched tantrums, ill-planned escapes, and doomed rebellions, but she never did anything to endanger this secret. One day, if she protected and grew it, it would be her salvation.


    Today, it would save a child.


    The item she had retrieved was a small blade, one of the doctor''s scalpels. Her dress had no pockets, so she cut strips out of her shift and tied the blade loosely to her left forearm.


    The voices grew restless as she worked.


    "What is she doing?" one asked.


    "Oh, that is a bad idea," another said.


    She ignored them. She tested her solution several times, verifying that the blade was secure, safe, and easy to retrieve. Then, she adjusted her clothing and left the room.

 First Blood

    On the walk back to the clinic, she ran through her plan. It was a delicate dance, requiring all the actors to play their roles with precision, but she was not requiring anything more of them than they usually did.


    When it was time to meet the rulers, Madam Ria would come to retrieve her. As usual, she would lead the way with two attendants in front and two behind Eluvie. The arrangement worked well for preventing escape, but it kept them from seeing her actions. When they reached a spot with no guards, she would retrieve the blade and hold it in her hand.


    They would take her to the grand hall where she would stand with the rulers in front of her and her attendants behind her. Only Madam Ria would stand beside her. The rulers would be too far away to reach her quickly, but her attendants would not be able to see her actions.


    When the rulers asked about her dreams, she would begin a speech about her treatment. It would be a short speech, but it was necessary. She would highlight Madam Ria¡¯s cruelty, the punishment imposed that morning, and her near-death experience in the clinic. Then, she would say that since they treated her so poorly, she would make herself useless to them.


    Then, she would cut off her tongue.


    That was the trickiest part of the process. The blade was sharp enough, and she had practiced the logistics in the latrine, but Madam Ria could stop her before she completed the task. Still, even partial success could prove adequate.


    Would the rulers suspect that there was more to her action? Not if her speech was convincing enough. They were confident in their ability to spot her lies, and she had enough grievances to justify her actions.


    If they discovered her ruse, then she would have to accept the loss. Since she could neither read nor write, they would be unable to effectively question her. So, it would be a partial success.


    Either way, whether they caught on or not, they would have to choose what steps to take. They would either teach her to read - a massive gain - or find a way to heal her. Whatever they did, she would learn something about them from their reactions and better manipulate them next time.


    Madam Ria burst into the room with her usual energy. Eluvie would never need sight to recognize her. None of the others threw doors open in that manner.


    ¡°Get up,¡± Madam Ria said. She was furious. Clearly, she had been scolded. That brought Eluvie some joy.


    Eluvie rose. The knife strapped to her arm weighed heavily on her thoughts, but she kept her movements natural. She thought of the boy, of what she would gain from this experiment, and of her eventual escape, and felt certainty settle on her.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    She didn¡¯t pray for aid. That would be useless or worse - detrimental.


    They walked in formation again just as predicted. Eluvie felt weak, but she tried to carry on as usual.


    As they passed the first set of guards at the end of the corridor, Eluvie¡¯s heart pounded. They passed a second set at the top of the staircase leading to the first floor. No one paid her any attention. Once they turned a corner and there were no guards ahead or behind, she retrieved the knife. Those behind her would interpret the movement as a scratch. She hid the blade up her sleeve and clenched her other fist. She hoped that she would seem to be clenching both rather than hiding something.


    Her breathing seemed to be coming fast, so she worked on controlling it and acting normal.


    They continued walking until they reached the doors to the great hall. The guards there made no comment. Eluvie hoped she wasn¡¯t shaking; her hands felt like they were.The doors opened, and Eluvie followed her caretakers into a large hall. She had never seen it, but words spoken in it echoed like in no other room. The rulers always spoke to her from four seats arranged on a dais at the room¡¯s end. Lady Mirab had the seat at one end, while the other three were occupied by men.


    ¡°Finally!¡± one of the men said as they entered. ¡°Can we be done with this now?¡±


    ¡°Bring the blood,¡± Lady Mirab said.


    Madam Ria obeyed. While everyone else stopped in the middle of the room, she went on to the dais where the rulers sat.


    ¡°You,¡± the voice said. ¡°List all your dreams so we can leave.¡±


    Heaven was finally helping her. Madam Ria¡¯s proximity had been the greatest risk in her plan, and here was one of the rulers ordering her out of the way and questioning Eluvie.


    ¡°No,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I won¡¯t do this anymore.¡±


    She hated that she could not see their expressions. All she had for clues was their silence.


    ¡°Mirab?¡± someone asked. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°I almost died today,¡± Eluvie said, ¡°giving this blood. And I don¡¯t even fight it anymore. I don¡¯t ask for anything either. You want to know my dreams? I narrate them. You want me to eat bread and water? I eat it."


    ¡°Mirab,¡± some said furiously, ¡°is this the work you¡¯ve been doing?¡±


    ¡°Eluvie,¡± Lady Mirab¡¯s tone promised retribution.


    Eluvie laughed hysterically. ¡°You can¡¯t punish me! Madam Ria already promised me the rest of the day in the tub - for doing nothing! So, bad behavior gets me punished, but good behavior also gets me punished. So, I quit. I won¡¯t answer your questions, I won¡¯t give you blood, and I¡¯ll kill anyone who hurts me.¡±


    ¡°Finally,¡± someone sighed. ¡°She hadn¡¯t rebelled in so long, I was starting to worry. Well, Mirab, we¡¯ll take your word about her dreams. Get her back in line by next week.¡±


    More sighs joined the first, and the creaking of leather announced that they were rising.


    Eluvie pulled out the blade, grabbed her tongue with her left hand, and sawed through it with her right.


    It hurt far less than she expected. Compared to what she endured every morning, it was nothing. Shock at that realization almost ruined her plan, but she shook herself out of it and redoubled her effort. Someone ordered the attendants to stop her, but he was far too late. She dropped the knife and piece of flesh just as someone grabbed her hand. Then, faced the dais and gave the rulers her most triumphant smile.


    ¡°Stop that, you imbeciles, and get a doctor.¡±


    The attendants released Eluvie and dashed off.


    "Sherok," Lady Mirab said, "she''s going to bleed out."


    "And whose fault is that?!"


    "Can we argue later?" someone else asked.


    Eluvie''s blindfold went off.


    Her first sight in eight years was of a heavily bearded face scowling down at her. The figure was blurry, but the expression was unmistakable.

 Dead Branches Above The World

    "What are you doing?!" Lady Mirab asked.


    The figure spun around. "How else would you solve this?!" he asked. "Can you replace her?"


    Eluvie wanted to tell them to hurry up. Somehow, she had ended up on the floor. Her mouth was full of blood, and her face was wet with it.The bearded man picked her up and practically sprinted towards the door. In his arms, Eluvie was treated to the palace''s opulence in all its blurry glory. She couldn¡¯t pick out details, but the sheer size of the hall told her something.


    "She''s so light," the man muttered. There was something soft in his voice, like pity.


    They burst through the doors and into a hallway. On the other side of the hallway was another set of doors: the external doors.


    He was through them within seconds, and Eluvie was greeted with a face full of sunlight, but that paled in comparison with the jolt that shot through her body. Every inch of her skin seemed to hum with power, as if her hairs were all standing on end.


    The voices were still silent, but she could almost feel them. The air was full of them, silent, lurking, astonished gazes fixed on her.


    The man dropped her, and she immediately rose to her feet. She felt strong and free, like she had been carrying a house on her back, and it was suddenly gone. She could feel her face widening in a grin, and her tongue - she double-checked - it was back.


    Her joy collided with reality and crumbled. They would ask about the boy. She hadn''t saved him after all.


    The other rulers came out of the palace''s doors. She could see them clearly. Her vision, previously blurry, was now clear. There was Lady Mirab, decked in enough jewels to feed a family for years. Her hair was braided with colored pearls, she had bangles up to her elbows, and a dress sewn with precious stones. The other two were unfamiliar: a shaggy-haired man with large lips, and a tall one.


    "Where is she?" one of the men asked.


    Eluvie tried to frown, but the expression did not seem to come. She had been convinced that she was still standing before the bearded man, but he now seemed far away.


    He nodded in the direction of the courtyard, and the others gasped. They remained still for a moment, with their mouths wide open.


    "Is this safe?" someone asked.


    No one replied.


    Eluvie tried to examine herself. At first, she attempted to turn her head, but it would not respond. She remained puzzled for a moment. She could still see, but her vision was wider than it should have been. She abandoned all thoughts of moving her head and instead attempted to focus on herself. It worked. She found herself looking at the ground. The whole of it was parched. The palace rose like a stone monument in the middle of a desert. Around it, not even one plant grew. Instead, there was a vein of gold, as wide as a person and hundreds of feet long. It shimmered like clear water while also shining like liquid gold.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    The tall man looked particularly fascinated. "So, that is what they look like alive."


    He looked up. The others followed his gaze, so Eluvie did as well. The sky stretched above them, pale blue and cloudless. And beyond it were dozens of dark lines, growing like tree branches against the sky''s dome. Each one was just as wide as her own golden form, but their color, even distorted by the sky''s blue, was a dull brown."I forgot that you''ve never seen one," the bearded man said. "This is nothing. If it were night, this place would be as bright as day. And at her full size, the whole palace wouldn''t hold her."


    "Pity," the tall man said. "So, how do we change her back?"


    "She''ll change," the bearded man said. "Let''s make sure she fully heals."


    His confidence worried Eluvie, as did her new situation. She did not know what was happening to her, how to stop it, or even whether to stop it.


    "Umm¡­" one man said, "she''s growing."


    He was right. The golden vein had grown larger. One end of it forced a crack onto a wall of the palace and was swiftly climbing higher, while the other was doing the same to the tall fence around the area. Branches formed as it grew, then those branches formed even more branches until it resembled a tree growing on the ground and walls.


    The experience felt strange to Eluvie, but light and comfortable. She felt as if she had been cramped for far too long and was now, finally, set free.


    The process accelerated as she threw off her resistance. She reached the top of the palace''s wall, spread out onto the gate, attempted to go past it, and hit a barrier.


    She paused, regrouped, and pushed again. The barrier remained immovable. She looked at the rulers. The bearded one was smiling, and Lady Mirab looked annoyed. The other two merely looked fascinated.


    She pushed at the barrier several more times, then gave up and attempted to climb it instead. She tried for several seconds, trying to find an opening. It couldn''t possibly go all the way to the sky.


    She stopped soon after she had begun. The barrier was curving inward. It didn''t go all the way to the sky because it was a dome.


    "It goes all the way around," the bearded man said, "even underground. You will never break through it."


    Eluvie ignored him. She spread out, desperate to prove him wrong, but knowing that she wouldn''t. She kept growing, intending to cover every inch of that place and find whatever exit was available.


    Then, suddenly, she stopped. She pushed herself, trying to stretch further, but there was no give. It felt like she had reached her full height, like spreading out your arms and legs and discovering that you couldn''t stretch any further.


    "Impressive," the bearded man said. He turned to Lady Mirab. "That must be, what, a thousand feet? Two thousand in length?"


    "It was more when we brought her," the shaggy man said.


    All three men turned to Lady Mirab with varying expressions of condemnation.


    "We''ll discuss this when she is secure," the bearded man said.


    "And when will that happen?" the tall man asked.


    The bearded man walked over to the vein closest to him, knelt, and fingered it. Eluvie perceived the touch as feather-light but pulled that being away from him anyway. He approached another vein, pulled a jeweled dagger from his belt, and plunged it into the vein.


    That hurt. Eluvie shrank immediately, pulling herself away from him. She retrieved every section within a hundred feet of him and, out of instinct, even pulled in some of her farthest sections. The man stood up, holding a shining golden rock in his hand. Eluvie felt no connection to it, but she was filled with fury nonetheless.


    The man rolled the rock between his fingers and said, "You can stay like this if you want. If you do, I''ll have a dozen men with pickaxes here in minutes. We haven''t had any of you to mine for a while. Just this piece is worth kingdoms. When we''ve collected as much as we want, we''ll dig up the rest of you and lock it in a cellar. After a week with no light, you''ll be back to normal."


    He threw the rock to one of his companions, who caught it and began examining it. Eluvie thought his threat was easier said than done. How could he lock her up when she could dig her way through stone? But she calmed herself. She had diverted their attention from her dreams and learned more in minutes than she had in decades. It was time to regroup. With a thought, she returned to her human form. Her clothes had reformed with her, clean and whole. She could see her wings, which were not hanging limply like in her dream. Instead, they were flexed outward, full of life, and fluttering slightly as she moved.


    "Where are those servants?" the bearded man asked. Eluvie''s attendants hurried forward. "Take her to the doctor and remove those wings," he said. "If she gets another blade, don''t wait for my judgment, just cut your own throats."

 Punishment

    Eluvie had never attended a funeral, but she now knew what it sounded like. Her monitors stood in a corner of the clinic with all the energy of scolded children, and Amu laid out his implements with such care that they barely made a sound.


    She wished that he would move faster. They had already cut her dress to expose her back, and the room was cold. Also, the feel and sound of her wings kept tempting her to greater rebellion. She could not escape, but she could rip off her blindfold and fly around the palace, laughing deliriously until they caught her.


    What was that saying? Might as well be hanged for a cow as for a chicken.


    Amu finally stopped moving.


    ¡°Turn over,¡± the doctor said. ¡°You need to drink this.¡±


    ¡°No sedatives,¡± Madam Ria said sharply.


    ¡°Turn over,¡± Amu said.


    Eluvie obeyed and sat up. Amu pressed a glass into her hand. A moment later, it was slapped away. The glass fell to the floor, bounced once, and rolled until it hit something.


    Amu¡¯s voice took on a dangerous tone. ¡°I haven¡¯t been clear enough,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t care one whit about your plans or punishments or whatever depraved fantasies fill your dreams. I might be working for a group of maniacs, but I still have standards. I will determine the procedures necessary for my job. No -¡± Madam Ria began to speak, but he cut her off. ¡°When I am done, you can conduct whatever torture you have planned. But I will not endanger her life -¡±


    ¡°Lady Mirab said no sedatives.¡±


    ¡°Then Lady Mirab should perform the surgery herself. If I cut into her spine and make her mute, Mirab will complain louder than anyone else. I¡¯m sick of this nonsense. You can lie down, Eluvie. I have to mix another batch.¡±


    Eluvie lay down and rolled onto her back.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°If you won¡¯t do it, then don¡¯t do it,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°Lady Mirab will give more direction when she comes.¡±


    Lady Mirab was already on her way. Eluvie could hear the faint clinking of her jewels and the disapproving gossip of the invisible voices. She wanted to pretend to be asleep, but it wouldn¡¯t achieve anything.


    Amu ignored Madam Ria¡¯s complaints, so the woman continued her rant until Lady Mirab walked in. Then, the room¡¯s atmosphere was promoted from funeral to graveyard.


    There was a long silence.


    Eluvie hated silences. She could never tell if someone was looking at her.


    ¡°Well done,¡± Lady Mirab said. ¡°All of you. I now have an idea of the heights of incompetence you can rise to when my back is turned.¡±


    Everyone remained silent.


    ¡°What?¡± Lady Mirab asked. ¡°No defense to make? Blame to cast? Pleas?¡±


    There was more silence.


    ¡°You are all fortunate that I have little time to deal with you,¡± Lady Mirab said. ¡°Amu. If she ever obtains one of your knives again, I will gut you myself. You have one week to find and begin training an apprentice. He will need to replace you when I kill you.¡±


    Amu had requested an apprentice in the past, but they had been unable to find someone trustworthy enough. Now, true to form, Lady Mirab was giving Amu a week to do something she had failed to do in a month.


    ¡°For the rest of you," Lady Mirab said, "and this includes you, Amu. You will not be paid for six months. If she misbehaves during that time, I will add an additional month for each misbehavior. Don''t even consider resigning. You have lost that privilege."


    Eluvie fought to keep her jaw from dropping. She had never had a high opinion of Lady Mirab''s intelligence - the woman had spent her personality allowance on stubbornness - but this was such a foolish policy that it almost seemed like a trap.


    "As for you," Lady Mirab''s voice came closer to Eluvie, "you''ve grown guts. I shouldn''t be surprised; it has been a while since you were a child. So, this is what we''ll do. I''m going to retrain you. When this is done, Ria will take you back to your bedroom and lock you in the tub. Then, I''m going to go about my day. Tomorrow morning," Eluvie gasped, but Lady Mirab kept speaking, "tomorrow morning, I''m going to come and ask you how you feel about me. When I do that, tell me that I''m your god, that you will never do anything I disapprove of, that you would pluck out your eyes before you disobey me. If I believe you, we''ll end the matter there. If I don''t, you''ll have your breakfast and go back in. And we''ll keep doing that until I''m convinced of your good behavior."


    Eluvie felt burning rage.


    This was not the first time Lady Mirab had instituted such a punishment. In fact, Eluvie had expected it; it was simple and always effective. For that reason, Eluvie felt shocked by her own anger. She had always feared Lady Mirab more than she hated her.


    But it''s different now, she thought. I won this. I got everything I wanted. The punishment is what I expected. I led them in the direction I wanted.


    She knew more, as well. She knew why they blindfolded her, she knew that sunlight could heal her, and she knew the ultimate obstacle to her escape. In a sense, she had the upper hand. Lady Mirab was deploying the only weapon she had left, and it would be ineffective.


    Oh, Eluvie would break. She might even tell them about the boy. But they had no way to take away the knowledge she had gained. They had reached the limit of their control, but she was still on her way up.


    She hoped all of that would be a comfort.

 Minions

    Eluvie clawed at the edge of the tub as soon as the wooden cover was removed, but her arms lacked the strength to pull her up. She was forced to wait the interminable seconds until someone pulled her out and dumped her onto the floor. Then, she lay, weak, helpless, and coughing up the liquid, while they dried her off. Someone removed the cloth stuffed into her nostrils and she drank in sweet, clean air while they gave her a fresh blindfold.


    "Sit up," Lady Mirab said.


    Eluvie tried to obey, but her arms would not move.


    Someone kicked her - perhaps an attempt at forcing obedience - but it proved fruitless. Lying down and gulping down air was all she was capable of.


    "It seems that I''ll be seeing you tomorrow then," Lady Mirab said.


    Her steps seemed to echo all over the bathroom as she left. In her mind, Eluvie begged her to return, but her voice was as weak as the rest of her body.They brought her food to the bathroom. She heard the plates clatter to the floor beside her head. Someone nudged her with a foot.


    "Eat," Bitu said, "don''t stall."


    Eluvie didn''t move and, thankfully, they didn''t bother her. They were being more accommodating today. The last two days, when she still had enough strength to respond to Lady Mirab, they had forced her to quickly eat and then sent her back in. Now, she supposed, they needed her to be well enough to eat. She could survive without air, apparently, but not without food.


    "What will you do about the rent?" someone asked. It was Piri, the second-newest attendant. She had been around for barely six months.


    "I''ll try to find some extra work," Bitu said.


    Piri scoffed. "No, really. What will you do?"


    Bitu said nothing.


    "Hasn''t she done this before?" Piri asked. "How did you survive?"


    "We''ve lost a month''s pay before," Bitu said, "but not six months. My landlady knows that I have a good job, so she''ll allow the occasional late payment. Not for free; her interest rate is diabolical. But I don''t think she''ll let me live for free for six months. What about you?"


    "My rent is due tomorrow," Bitu said. "We were supposed to be paid today. My landlord is a demon. I''ll be sleeping on the streets tomorrow night. Say, do you have extra room?"


    Piri chuckled. "You can sleep under my daughter - as long as you pay the penalty my landlady will demand."


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Bitu groaned loudly. "What does she expect us to do?! I won''t last a week on the streets."


    "A night," Piri said. "You won''t survive a night. If you can, try and hide in the palace. If you don''t know where to hide in the city, it''s brutal. And she won''t change her mind. She never does."


    "Then, how does she actually expect us to live?"


    "She doesn''t. Some of us won''t make it till the end. Those that do won''t make a mistake in the future."


    Eluvie spoke for the first time. "It won''t end," she said.


    She kept silent until Piri prompted her for more.


    "Tomorrow," Eluvie said, "I plan to bite Lady Mirab." She could lift her head, but she smiled anyway. "That will extend your punishment by one month. The day after that, I''ll spit on her. That will be another month. Even if she doesn''t consider that rebellious enough, I''ll find a way. And you''ll never be paid again."


    "She isn''t that unreasonable," Bitu said.


    Eluvie laughed and Piri, surprisingly, joined her.


    "We''ll just tell her about this plan," Piri said.


    "Go ahead," Eluvie said. "Let''s see what good that does."


    "And how will it help you?" Piri asked. "How does it improve your situation? It doesn''t. Do you know what I heard from Lady Mirab''s attendants? She doesn''t plan to stop punishing. She says that you''re only well-behaved when you''re being punished. So, she''ll never stop. If your mind gets damaged, she''ll put you in the sun, let you heal, and then keep going."


    Eluvie gritted her teeth.


    "So, who do you think is worse off?" Piri asked.


    Eluvie pulled herself up with difficulty and adjusted her blindfold.


    "Congratulations," Eluvie said. "You''re better off." She felt around for her plates until she found them: two slices of bread and two eggs. Even when they increased her allotment, they did it ridiculously.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about your rent. I have money.¡±


    She could feel their confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean, you have money?¡± Piri asked.


    ¡°I have money,¡± she said.


    ¡°On the second floor,¡± Eluvie said, ¡°leave the clinic and head toward the grand hall. In the hall before the staircase, count fourteen steps from the first pillar. There is a gap between two floor tiles. There is a diamond in there.¡±


    ¡°Where would you get a diamond?¡± Piri asked. ¡°And why would you give it to us?¡±


    ¡°You have odd priorities,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°You can¡¯t get full price for it, but you can definitely cover this month¡¯s rent. I think. I don¡¯t know how much your rent is.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get it?¡± Piri asked again.


    ¡°I have many more,¡± Eluvie said. She tore off a chunk of bread and put it in her mouth. ¡°Every time Mirab gets too close to me, I take a jewel from her sleeve. I don¡¯t know how she hasn¡¯t noticed it. Or perhaps she doesn¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°You -¡± Piri took a calming breath. ¡°How much do you have?¡±


    Eluvie had lost count. ¡°Enough,¡± she said.


    ¡°And why would you give it to us?¡± Bitu asked.


    Eluvie shrugged and continued eating. ¡°You want all my reasons? Naturally, to make you grateful to me. To tie our fates together. For the next six months - no, even longer - how you feed your families, how you stay out of the rain, when you don¡¯t get assaulted on the streets at night; all of that will be my gift to you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Bitu asked again. ¡°No matter how indebted we are to you, we can¡¯t help you.¡±


    Couldn¡¯t they? She had five watchers - excluding the guards posted around the palace. With this scheme, she gained partial control of two of them. But, most importantly, she gained control of Piri. Piri had worked there for six years, the longest tenure besides Madam Ria.


    So, in a few days, when she pushed Madam Ria down the stairs, Piri would become the leader, the person in control of hiring and scheduling. And when Eluvie threatened to expose Piri¡¯s collaboration with her, the woman would be entirely under her control.


    That plan, however, required Piri to accept the diamond now.


    ¡°I think your goodwill is payment enough,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°Take it or leave it. Your family¡¯s safety is your problem, after all.¡±


    They were silent for a long while.


    ¡°We won¡¯t take it,¡± Piri said. ¡°Bitu can sleep in the palace. I¡¯ll find a loan. We can survive six months, but I don¡¯t think we can survive your blackmail.¡±


    Eluvie shrugged, though her heart was sinking. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± she said.


    In their place, she wouldn¡¯t accept it, either. She knew the true extent of her own hatred for them and she knew that she had no plans for them that they would enjoy.


    Eluvie returned to her meal and sent a desperate prayer to the creator.


    Let them accept it.


    They needed it, and she needed them trapped.

 Second Blood

    ¡°Well?¡± The boy asked. ¡°Do you want to play?¡±


    Eluvie blinked. And blinked again. The room around her was crammed with objects - a wooden table with three chairs, a shelf full of cooking implements, a stove, books, sacks of grain. And in front of her, the boy - Chirad - stared with wide, brown eyes.


    ¡°Oh!¡± he smiled. ¡°Your eyes are working.¡±


    Eluvie glanced around the room again. Her last memory was of being stuffed into the tub for the fourth time. To comfort herself, she had taken to counting down the days until her next examination. Three days until she faced the rulers again. Three days until she was questioned about her dreams again. Three days until she got rid of Madam Ria.


    ¡°Well?¡± The boy asked again. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to play?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I¡¯m very tired.¡±


    The boy frowned. ¡°You can¡¯t be tired in a dream. Please.¡±


    ¡°I am tired,¡± Eluvie said. She had been tired for days. ¡°I¡¯d rather sit here and talk.¡±


    She was already sitting, she realized, on a wooden bench flush against a wall.


    The boy¡¯s expression turned sad.


    ¡°I have questions,¡± Eluvie said.


    She had hesitated to question him before, believing that every fact she knew about him put him in further danger. But the few facts she had already learned were powerful and her situation was precarious. She needed to know more.


    She stared at the boy¡¯s wings. They were different from hers; light and transparent, with a pale yellow tint.


    She lifted her eyes back to his face. ¡°What are we called?¡± she asked. ¡°Are there more of us? Besides your parents, I mean. What else can we do? I know we can change into¡­ well¡­¡±


    The boy was watching her with a strange expression. When she stopped, it morphed into a guilty one.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    He hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°We¡¯re not supposed to talk. Papa says I can¡¯t talk to you anymore. And I can¡¯t answer any questions you ask. We can play, but I¡¯m not supposed to answer any of your questions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking questions about you,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I want to know more about myself.¡±


    The justification was flimsy. Everything she learned from him could provide a hint about who he was. But that would only be relevant if she ever gave him up. She had no control over that. She could only gain as much information as possible to protect him and herself.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you anything,¡± the boy said. ¡°Well, except, he asked me to give you a message.¡±


    Eluvie straightened. ¡°What message?¡±


    The boy scratched his head. ¡°It didn¡¯t make any sense, but he said that it was important. He said that I should say, ¡®heaven builds the path¡¯.¡±


    Eluvie frowned. ¡°Heaven builds the path? What does that mean?¡±


    The boy shrugged. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me. Let¡¯s play, please? We can go fishing?¡±


    Eluvie sighed. The boy¡¯s father was frustrating, but wisely cautious.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    She looked around the room again. This dream was a blessing. She knew that she was still in the tub but, while she remained here, she could not feel its burning. If only she knew how to come here at will.¡±


    ¡°How do you start this dream?¡± she asked.


    The boy took her hand and pulled her to her feet. ¡°It starts by itself. And don¡¯t ask questions. Papa will be angry.¡±


    Eluvie let him pull her out of the house. She didn¡¯t know when the dream would end, and that cast a pall over the entire experience, and she had to submit to a child¡¯s idea of fun, but the sight of the sky and the wide-open horizon outweighed those inconveniences.


    ***************************************************************************************************


    Eluvie lay on the ground, gasping for air, tears running down her face. She was shaking so badly that the attendants had trouble drying her off.


    But she was happy. She had made it.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this,¡± Madam Ria said. ¡°Get her dressed and bring her down. Drag her if you need to.¡±


    The words lifted the last of the weight off Eluvie¡¯s shoulders. She had not miscounted. It was the seventh day.


    She barely moved as they obeyed Madam Ria¡¯s words. They stuffed her into fresh clothes, lifted her to her feet, and dragged her out of the bathroom. She helped them as much as she could, but it was very little.


    When they left the room as usual, Madam Ria walked ahead of them. Eluvie spent all her strength listening for the woman¡¯s footsteps, calculating their distance. She was not strong enough to do what she planned, but there was still time. Her only concern was that Piri and Bitu had not accepted her gift. If they had not, then removing Madam Ria would do her no good. If they had not, she would need a new plan to trap them. And that would be difficult to do while Lady Mirab¡¯s punishment continued.


    She prayed. She was doing it more often lately. All the strength she prided herself on was not enough to endure this.


    Down in the clinic, Amu weighed her and took her blood as usual. He did so quietly, thankfully aware of the gravity of her situation. When he was done, he patted her head and whispered that everything would be okay. Eluvie¡¯s response was a sudden murderous feeling toward him.


    They lingered for a few minutes after the examination was over. Eluvie used the time to collect herself, and when it was finally time to go, she was strong enough to stand unsupported. Her muscles still shook, and her first steps were uneasy, but she held herself up with naked willpower.


    They left the clinic and headed toward the grand hall. Eluvie followed the directions she had given the attendants, hope warring with pessimism within her. She found the first pillar, brushing it with her fingers as they passed, and then began counting the steps.


    She reached the fourteenth step and then dropped to the ground. Her hand found the gap between the stones and ran along the entire line. She did it twice, for certainty. The diamond was gone.


    She was on her feet before the workers could help her up. Madam Ria scolded her, but even that could not dampen her joy.


    One task down, she thought, one to go.


    She was not foolish enough to believe that her hold over the attendants was unbreakable. She had merely created an opening. She still needed to survive until it was a fully open door.


    As they approached the staircase, her heart began to pound. She had lived this scenario so many times in the past. She had imagined herself killing every one of her captors in so many ways. But imagination and reality were never fully in sync. She knew where to stand and how to aim. But heaven still had room to spoil the plan.


    She counted the steps. There were nineteen from the intersection¡¯s first tile to the foot of the staircase. Would she need to adjust, she wondered? She was tired and taking smaller steps. She counted her next few steps and found a landmark. It was fine. She was only off by inches. Madam Ria was four paces ahead of her, blocked off by two of the attendants. The action would need to be quick.


    Time seemed to speed up. She was twelve steps away. Then, eight. Her stomach seized up. She couldn¡¯t do it. She would fail. Then, she was in position and her body moved by itself. She took two large, quick steps, pushed between the two workers ahead of her, reached for Madam Ria¡¯s back, and put all her strength into one powerful shove.


    She wobbled a little but remained upright. And just as the seconds before had sped by, the seconds after seemed to go on forever.


    Madam Ria shrieked. There was a thump when she collided with the steps. And then another. And another. Eluvie forgot to count the seconds. When the sounds stopped, all that was left was a cold silence and an empty hole in Eluvie¡¯s chest. Unwelcome tears spilled from her eyes. There was no relief, no joy, no sense of justice. There was only simmering anger and an infuriating sense of incompleteness.

 Last Rebellion

    The invisible voices burst into sound.


    What has she done?!


    Oh, no! This is bad!


    The other attendants gasped and screamed in turn. Someone grabbed her and pulled her away from the staircase.


    ¡°Good heavens!¡± someone said. ¡°Get a doctor!¡±


    Footsteps hurried down the steps.


    ¡°She¡¯s moving!¡± someone said. ¡°She¡¯s alive!¡±


    Thank the heavens! Joy and relief burst from the voices.


    And Eluvie¡¯s anger sprang to full bloom.


    She marched to the side of the hall and retrieved a vase. It took her several seconds to find it; her sense of direction was faulty. She grasped it by its thin neck and turned it over to rid it of its contents. Then, she marched down the staircase.


    ¡°What is she doing?¡± someone asked.


    Stop her! The voices screamed. She¡¯s insane. You, trip her! You can¡¯t do this, Isei! It¡¯s not right!


    They couldn¡¯t be that slow, Eluvie thought, or that stupid. So, they must hate Madam Ria as much as she did.


    She found Madam Ria¡¯s body, still prone at the foot of the staircase, and gave it one good thump with the vase. She didn¡¯t have time to aim. They would stop her when they deemed it sensible.


    Someone tried to prevent her second blow. She shoved the person away and continued her assault. She managed two more blows before they pulled her away. Guards arrived soon after. They twisted her arms behind her back and held her in place. She didn¡¯t struggle; she couldn¡¯t fight them off.


    She heard running footsteps on the upper floor.


    ¡°Who fell?¡± Amu asked.


    ¡°Madam Ria,¡± someone said. ¡°You need to help her.¡±


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    ¡°Or you could just let her die,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to push her again.¡±


    They didn¡¯t stay long enough to hear Amu¡¯s assessment. Bitu assumed command, ordered them into formation, and led the way to the great hall.


    Eluvie could only imagine the picture she made. There was blood on her hands and possibly on her clothes. The entire company was as silent as midnight.


    ¡°Did someone die?¡± one of the rulers asked. ¡°And where is the blood?¡±


    There was a brief silence. Then, Bitu spoke, her voice strong and clear. ¡°It fell. We¡¯ll collect a replacement immediately after this. We didn¡¯t want to delay you.¡±


    Lady Mirab jumped in, angry. ¡°What does that mean, it fell? Where is Ria?¡±


    Bitu took a deep breath and then spoke crisply, as if she was delivering a report about the breakfast menu.


    There was some hesitation, then Bitu spoke.


    ¡°Eluvie pushed Madam Ria down the staircase,¡± she said. ¡°Madam Ria was carrying the containers.¡±Stunned silence followed.


    "I feel insulted," Eluvie said. "It''s as if you didn''t think I''m capable of it."


    "I''ll handle it," Lady Mirab said, not to Eluvie.


    "Really?" asked a ruler. "So far, it seems like you''re not handling anything at all."


    "Oh, she''s trying," Eluvie said.


    "I''ll handle it," Lady Mirab said again.


    There was something new in Mirab''s voice, a tone Eluvie had never heard before, and it gave her pause.


    "Did you dream of anything, girl?" someone asked.


    Eluvie furrowed her brow. Were they drunk? She had almost murdered someone, and they were treating it like a mild inconvenience.


    Someone banged on something wooden, startling Eluvie.


    "Speak," Lady Mirab said, "now."


    "No," Eluvie said. "We discussed this last week. I''m done with this game. If you want something from me now, you need to beat it out of me."


    "Eluvie!"


    Lady Mirab sounded so enraged that Eluvie found enough humor to laugh.


    "What?" Eluvie asked. "Did you really believe my act? You think torturing me will break me? It can''t because I''m already broken. This is what it looks like."


    Eluvie was lying; lying to them and lying to herself. She had very little strength left for fighting. This one time, she could protect the boy. This one time, she could distract them again. But unless her other plans bore fruit, she would not survive another week.


    "Let us adjourn," Lady Mirab said. "I''ll send you a message when it is done."


    One of the rulers gave a heavy sigh, then rose with the sound of creaking wood.


    "We''ll meet again tomorrow," someone said. "We''ll discuss this then."


    They left, one at a time, while Eluvie remained standing in the center of the room, imagining Mirab''s glare on her skin.


    When the last of the rulers was gone, Lady Mirab approached the group. Eluvie readied herself for a scolding rant, but Lady Mirab''s voice, when it came, was calm.


    "Follow me," she said.


    Eluvie felt the first stirrings of panic. Lady Mirab''s voice was too calm.


    They followed Lady Mirab out of the room and back through the maze of hallways. They went up the stairs and then, to Eluvie''s confusion, didn''t continue toward her bedroom. Instead, they took the path to the clinic.


    Perhaps they were on their way to scold Amu, Eluvie thought, or to see Madam Ria. There was a different clinic on the third floor for the staff, but perhaps Amu had taken her there.


    They reached the clinic, and Lady Mirab ordered all of Eluvie''s attendants into it.


    "Lay her on the bed," Lady Mirab said.


    Eluvie''s panic spiked.


    She gave only token resistance; she wasn''t strong enough to fight off four pairs of hands.


    "Strap her down," Lady Mirab said.


    They never strapped her down unless they planned to do something she would fight. Eluvie listened to the invisible voices, but they only expressed the same confusion that she felt. She told herself that nothing they planned to do would be worse than the week she''d already endured, but she only partially believed that. As each strap tightened against her, she wondered if she should not have fought, if she should not begin fighting.


    They finished tying her down, and Lady Mirab said, "Drain her."


    "We shouldn''t take more blood today," Amu said.


    "Drain her completely," Lady Mirab said.

 Pursuit

    There was a moment of silence. Eluvie expected Amu to argue. Instead, he walked wordlessly to one of the shelves and began doing something. Eluvie heard the clang of tools being laid out: metal against metal, metal against wood.


    She began to struggle.


    She was strapped down tightly and weak from days of punishment and blood loss, so her strongest effort did nothing against the leather straps.


    She cursed herself for being so foolish. She had begun dreaming and had forgotten how little power she truly had. She had believed that they would not kill her.


    How far along was Amu, she wondered? How much longer did she have to live? What could she do? Like a gift from heaven, a memory came to her. She recalled her transformation a week before. She had been unable to escape the palace, but perhaps it was good enough to get her out of the restraints. How could leather straps hold down a vein of - whatever that was?


    The only question was: could she do it now, out of the sun?


    She decided to try.


    It took a thought; only a thought. In one moment, she had a body. In the next, she could see the entire room. She saw herself as a network of gold spread out over the room, covering the floor and the walls like a giant golden mass of thread.


    It was so easy all along, she thought.


    Lady Mirab swore.


    Amu was standing beside the now-empty bed, holding a knife and looking quite amused. Lady Mirab''s expression was jumping from one emotion to another: first irritation, then anger, then worry.


    "Lock the door," Lady Mirab ordered.


    Eluvie tried to move and found the flaw in her plan. She was essentially a flexible mass of gold, arranged into a branch-like structure, and about an inch deep, a foot wide, and several meters long if she stretched herself into a straight line. Moving her new form was a challenge.


    She tried to move toward the door. Instead of moving, however, the ends of several of her branches stretched toward it.


    Someone shut the door. Fortunately, that achieved little. There was a gap underneath the door wide enough for her to slip through - if she found a way to do so.


    She tried a new strategy: moving different parts of her new body in different ways. While some branches extended in the door''s direction, the others contracted, shrinking toward a central position.


    It worked. She moved just a tiny bit toward the door, but it felt like it had taken ages. The second attempt went better. By the third, parts of her had reached the door, but it was still too slow. It was much slower than walking.


    Pain shot through her, and for a moment, she was thrown into panicked confusion. She contracted intuitively, pulling away from the sensation''s location. When the confusion cleared, her web-like structure was gone. Instead, she had drawn herself into a mostly circular shape near the door. She had also sunk deeper into the ground, forming a depression in the stone floor tiles. Lady Mirab was standing near the sight of the sensation, holding a small glass rod.Lady Mirab approached Eluvie, holding the rod out like a weapon. Eluvie had never seen it before, but she didn''t want to wait to examine it. She had pressed herself several inches into the ground, so deep that she was past the stone times and into dry, brown earth. She pondered that for the length of a lightning flash. The clinic was on the second floor; there should be a room under it. But she had no more time to ponder the palace''s strange construction. If she had sunk into the ground, it was possible to sink deeper. That could be her best escape route.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    She tried to push downward but found no success. The stone was just as solid as stone could be.


    Lady Mirab reached Eluvie and pressed the rod into her center.


    The pain returned, just as stunning as the first time. Eluvie, once again, reacted by contracting, but there was no room for escape. She tried to press downward again, but that achieved nothing. Lady Mirab kept the rod on Eluvie, her face a contorted mask of anger and satisfaction.


    Eluvie felt herself buckling under the pain. It was no worse than what she had already endured, but she could feel her consciousness slipping. If she lost now, she would never win again.


    "Please," she begged, "please help me get away."


    The ground parted, and Eluvie sank in like a stone through mud. For a few seconds, she was so stunned that she forgot to think. Then she realized that she had not sunk far. She was only about a foot below the surface. She could see Lady Mirab staring down at her with confusion and concern.


    She tried to press further into the ground and found it resistant again.


    "Please," she begged, "please, this isn''t far enough."


    For a moment, nothing happened, then she began sinking again. She did not know if her effort or pleas were producing the result, but she continued both, pleading and pushing until she hit a hard surface and the ground would part no further.


    There was no light that far down, but she could still see. Her fall had created a cylindrical hole in the ground. She could see Lady Mirab, far above, peering down into the hole. In fact, she could see the whole clinic, but not the rooms or hallways beyond it.


    Below her was a hard, smooth surface, the barrier that kept her from leaving the palace. She could see more dirt beyond it, but none of her efforts would carry her past it. She had not escaped, but she was in a better situation.


    Above, Lady Mirab leaned away from the hole and eyed Eluvie''s attendants.


    "What are you still doing here?" she asked. "Go, and find a ladder."


    Eluvie''s heart sank. Of course, they could reach her. She needed to move.


    She practiced her movement technique again. It took a little practice, but she was soon moving at the same speed as a slow walk, dragging the golden mass of her body up and down the dirt wall. She pushed a tendril into the wall and found that it parted easily. So she widened the resulting hole and pushed the rest of herself into it.


    "I feel like a worm," she thought.


    She didn''t like the feeling.


    She traveled through the dirt, making tunnels as she went, until she was a significant distance from her initial position. They would not reach her with a ladder now, but the tunnels she had traveled through led to her position. She had escaped, but she was not hidden.


    She tried to close the hole behind her by pushing the dirt closed, but it was difficult to do in her current form. And even if she succeeded, it would take hours or days to close all of the tunnels.


    Maybe I can make the ground do it for me.


    It had not yielded to force earlier, but it had seemed to hear her pleas. The thought seemed ridiculous, but there was no one around to laugh at her.


    Please, she thought, close the tunnels.


    Nothing happened. The tunnel remained resolutely open.


    Please, Eluvie pleaded. I know you listened to me before.


    She continued the pleas for another minute, feeling foolish but desperate.


    Then, a voice spoke in a grumpy, sleepy tone. "What is your problem?"

 Ghost

    Eluvie would have gasped, but she had no voice. The words seemed to come from all around her. It had an odd quality too. It did not sound like the real voices she heard. Rather, it sounded like the invisible ones.


    "What?" She asked. "Wait. Did I just speak?"


    She had. And her voice sounded just like the invisible ones.


    "I said, what is your problem?" The voice said again. "I didn''t let you down here so that you could bother me. Who do you think you are?"


    "No - I - who are you?"


    "No one," the voice said. "Now, be quiet and let me sleep."


    "No, please," Eluvie said. "I need help."


    The voice remained silent.


    "Please, if you could just -"


    There was a roar, so loud and terrifying that Eluvie shrank into a ball once again.


    "Why are you so annoying?! Are you a baby? Do you pay me? Do I look like your servant? So, why do you think your problems are my problems?"


    "They''re not. It''s just -"


    "So, stop bothering me or I''ll throw you back up there."


    Eluvie remained in silence for a few moments.


    "You won''t," she said. "You helped me escape from them. You''re not cold-hearted. Besides, I don''t want to bother you. I want to escape from here and never bother you again. If you help me until I can do that, I''ll leave you in peace. But if you don''t, I''ll keep bothering you. And I''ll tell everyone about you so that they can bother you too. Then, after they kill me, they''ll bother you all the time, and you''ll still have my death on your conscience - if you have a conscience. What are you? A ghost?"


    There was a long pause, the tunnel closed, leaving only the space that she was occupying. She thought of complaining about the tight fit, but decided not to upset the ghost.


    Curiously, she could no longer see the clinic. While the tunnels had remained, she had been able to see what was going on on the surface, despite her distance and the absence of a direct line of sight. Now, she felt as if she had been plunged into darkness. All she was aware of was the hole enclosing her.


    Assuming the ghost had closed the hole leading up to the surface, she would now be more difficult to find. They would spend hours digging the entire area, searching for her.


    Remember what happened the last time you felt confident?


    Lady Mirab had a stick that caused pain and the rulers had handled her rebellion with self-assured calm. Perhaps they had not underestimated her. Perhaps she had underestimated them.


    "Excuse me," she said.


    The voice ignored her, but she knew that it could hear her.


    "I don''t mean to bother you," she said, "but do you have a way to help me escape? That way, I can stop bothering you."


    Once again, there was no reply. Eluvie noted that she could not hear any other voices either. Typically, she could sense them, even when they were trying to be silent. Her bedroom was the only part of the palace completely empty of their presence. Her bedroom, and several hundred feet underground.


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    "Please, say something," Eluvie said. "I''m starting to get claustrophobic."


    There was still no response.


    "If you don''t respond, I''ll just keep talking. I can talk a lot when I''m motivated."


    "I''m not permitted to talk to you," the voice said. "And there''s a limit to my patience. When a guest is ill-behaved, the host often throws him out."


    Eluvie could have smiled. "Fine," she said. "No one is allowed to talk to me. I would ask why, but you probably can''t answer that either. Are you simply not allowed to speak to humans? But, I''m not one. Oh, nevermind. If you can''t talk, can you accept requests? Just help me do the things I ask until I can leave."


    The voice said nothing.


    "I''ll take that as agreement," Eluvie said. "Firstly, I need to know what they''re doing. Can you make me a tunnel that opens into their location? Make the end of it small enough that they won''t notice it."


    There was a moment''s delay and a sensation of annoyance from the voice, but a tunnel opened upward from Eluvie''s position, snaked upward, and opened as a pin-sized hole in the clinic. She climbed the hole - clinging to vertical surfaces was frighteningly easy - until she was just below the floor of the clinic. The room became visible a few meters before she reached it, and their voices traveled even farther. They were not loud; her senses were simply sharper.


    Lady Mirab was still in the clinic. She was on her feet now, pacing and shooting occasional glares at the workers. Two shovels lay discarded on top of a mound of dirt in the room''s center.


    "She''ll need light soon," Amu was saying. "This is unnecessary. Have people watching for her to come up to the surface."


    Lady Mirab turned on him. "And what if she decides to just die down there? I can''t believe the incompetence-"


    "She''ll probably come up," Amu said. "It will feel as if she''s suffocating. She wouldn''t endure it any more than we would endure drowning."


    "Brilliant," Lady Mirab said. "So, we spread guards in every corner of this palace. Then, when she comes up, they''ll what? Grab her and drag her out? I only have one lightning stick. There''s nothing they can do to her."


    Amu scoffed, disbelief written all over his face. "Still, you can''t use the diggers. You can''t just create a cave system under us. This place will collapse."


    "You should have worried about that sooner, shouldn''t you?"


    Amu chuckled. "Lady Mirab, you can blame me for your failures if you wish, but if you don''t want to keep failing, you need to consider your own role in this. You had the wrong approach from the beginning. Eluvie is a bright girl, but she isn''t brave. She stood up to you because you pushed too hard. You should have let me sedate her for the baths, invent a good reason why she needed to be blindfolded. If she had never suspected anything wrong, she would have been anything you wanted."


    "Well, thanks to your bias, we might not have the chance to start over. Better pray we capture her. Or I won¡¯t kill you. I¡¯ll let you try to find a job out in that mess," Lady Mirab said.


    Lady Mirab left the room, leaving Amu and Eluvie¡¯s four attendants to sigh in relief.


    ¡°She needs to pick a threat and stick to it,¡± Amu said.


    Eluvie ruminated on their words. Lady Mirab¡¯s statement about starting over especially bothered her. On the one hand, it seemed odd that Amu would acquiesce to a decision to kill her. But the idea that they had a way to ¡°start over¡± seemed even more terrifying. She tried to imagine a world in which Lady Mirab had pretended to be kind to her, and felt like she had a mouth full of sour milk.


    Just as worrisome was their claim that she would not last long without sunlight. She felt slightly ill, but she had attributed that to nervousness. Still, it seemed an easy problem to solve.


    ¡°Can you open another tunnel to the surface? To somewhere with sunlight but no people.¡±


    There was a slight delay, and then a new tunnel opened, leading upward at an angle.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°Please close the other one. I don¡¯t want anyone to find it.¡±


    The ghost obeyed in silence. It was being oddly accommodating. Eluvie wondered when its grumpy self would return, but she decided not to dwell on that worry. She had other problems.


    Excitement filled her at the thought of being in the sun again. In fact, she wondered why the idea had not come to her sooner.


    She navigated the tunnel cautiously, aware that discovery could end badly for her. She stopped several feet from the surface and verified that there was no one in the vicinity. The tunnel exited in a patch of dry ground near the palace wall. It was well lit by the mid-morning sun, but too far from the guards stationed at the gate. Caution held her back for a few more seconds, but she eventually judged the risk to be minimal and sent a tendril to the mouth of the tunnel.


    The effect was immediate. Strength filled the exposed part and traveled down to the rest of her body. She had only planned to test the exposure for several moments, but with each second that she remained there, the thought of leaving grew more distant. She told herself she would remain only a few more minutes, and then that she would leave if anyone came close.


    And then she fell asleep.

 Seedling

    Eluvie woke suddenly. She was still near the surface, the hole above her had closed and she was in darkness. She felt mildly ill again and this time, she recognized it as more than nervousness. The strength she had absorbed from the sun still filled her. She felt stronger than she ever had in her life. But she also felt as if someone had held her upside down for a significant amount of time.


    She almost asked the ghost to open a tunnel for her - for light and to estimate the length for her nap, but something stopped her.


    The ground was shaking. And the shaking was coming closer.


    ¡°I need help,¡± she said. ¡°Open a tunnel.¡±


    Nothing happened.She didn''t panic immediately. Perhaps the voice had fallen asleep too.


    She began digging a tunnel of her own. It was slow and despite her efforts, the shaking seemed to be coming closer.


    She moved as quickly as she could, calling to the ghost the whole time and being met with silence. She was aware of the hole she was leaving behind her, a flaming arrow pointing the way to her location, but there was nothing she could do about it.


    He can''t be asleep, she thought.


    Her mere thoughts had woken him the first time. Now, he was asleep with a strange device shaking and tearing through the earth. No, he was ignoring her.


    "I''ll tell everyone about you!" she said. "You promised to help!"


    Her hole broke through a patch of dirt and joined an opening. It was a much larger tunnel with a smooth, cylindrical shape. Something was at the end of the tunnel: a metal cylinder with a tiny glass window and the hint of a figure inside it.


    Eluvie pulled back into her own tunnel and began frantically digging in another direction.


    It soon happened again. Her tunnel intersected another, larger one. She could not see the device that had made it, but that meant nothing. She backtracked about a hundred meters, found a promising spot, and began a new tunnel.


    Please don''t let me meet one again, she prayed.


    By this point, she had lost all sense of direction. She believed that she was traveling in a mostly eastern direction, but that was a calculation from all her previous turns.


    Once again, she broke into a larger space. But, this time, it was not a tunnel. It was a room.


    "There she is! Release it!"


    Eluvie barely had time to recognize the speaker. A wave of fluid rushed in from the door of the room, spilled from two enormous stone vats. She pulled back into the tunnel, but the fluid followed her in, filling the little gaps she left along the tunnel''s wall, seeping into the soil, and hardening almost instantly.


    She strained and pushed, but the now-solid fluid had no give.


    "She''s in here!" a man screamed. "It worked!"


    Eluvie kept struggling, though the effort was achieving nothing.


    Internally, she cursed everything: her own foolishness, the ghost''s faithlessness, the heavens'' cruelty.


    Lady Mirab entered the room, walking on top of the now-hardened and transparent fluid. There was a tight but pleased smile on her face.


    "You should feel ridiculous," Lady Mirab said, "crawling about like a worm. Bring the jug!"Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Someone handed her a jug. She took two steps backward and then poured its contents directly onto Eluvie''s position. A brownish liquid spilled out of the jug and melted away the glue everywhere it touched.


    Eluvie had seconds. The glass rod sat clutched in Lady Mirab''s other hand. Whether they killed her or erased her memories, the result was the same: defeat.


    There were still parts of her that could move. She had foolishly condensed herself into one dense mass while digging the tunnels, but almost a tenth of her was untouched by the glue. She focused on those parts, put all her energy into it, and pulled away from Lady Mirab.She expected that it would feel like trying to tear herself apart, but there was no pain. The rest of her remained stuck despite the effort, but she did not give up. She kept pulling. She told herself not to give up, that good things happened to good people, that there was no world where people like Lady Mirab could live happily with their crimes.


    She split into two.


    One part of her remained stuck in the glue while the other began rushing away from the first: propelled by all the force she had put into it.


    Eluvie was so stunned that she forgot to be afraid. She could still feel both parts, just as she could feel her arms and legs when she was in human form. The distance did not seem to matter: not to her sensations and not to her sense of control. She could watch Lady Mirab from one part and, with the other, navigate the maze of tunnels she had made.


    Lady Mirab poured the liquid from her jug until the top of Eluvie¡¯s tunnel was exposed, and Eluvie with it. Then, she smirked, pressed her glass rod onto Eluvie, and held it there until the world faded into darkness.


    She woke up once more before the procedure. Lady Mirab was scolding everyone in sight because, in Eluvie¡¯s new form, they couldn¡¯t harvest any blood from her. The broken piece of gold was in the ground where Eluvie had left it, halfway down a tunnel. Eluvie forced it to travel until it reached a dead end far from the diggers¡¯ tunnels. She could no longer hear the sounds of the movement, so they were probably gone. But she did not want to be found if they came in to fix the tunnels.


    She moved dirt around until she had covered herself up. Meanwhile, her main body, back in the clinic, remained completely motionless.


    Lady Mirab pressed the rod to Eluvie, again. It did not seem that she had suspected anything. She did it casually, with both her eyes and attention still on Amu.


    Eluvie fell unconscious again.


    **********************************************************************************************


    Eluvie was in the sun - its blessed warmth was unmistakable, incomparable to even the coziest fire - and a rough, male voice was singing a lullaby.


    ¡°Do you, little girl, know what the gentle river said?


    Do you know, do you know, how such taunting little meant?


    From the mountains, I have come,


    To the ocean, I return - ¡±


    ¡°Amu.¡±


    Amu froze at Lady Mirab¡¯s voice. His song ceased, and he stopped rocking the glass bowl he was cradling to his chest.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lady Mirab asked.


    Amu tilted his head, as if he couldn¡¯t understand the question. He held the bowl with one hand and gestured to her with it. ¡°The hourly 15-minute sun trip.¡±


    The liquid in the bowl, thick and golden, swirled a little as he moved it.


    Lady Mirab took several steps forward. As she did, she passed from the shadow of the palace¡¯s door into the full noonday sunlight and squinted as she did so.


    ¡°I meant,¡± she said, ¡°why are you singing that ridiculous song?¡±


    Amu returned to cradling the bowl. ¡°Singing helps human babies,¡± he said. ¡°It certainly can¡¯t harm here.¡±


    Lady Mirab walked up to him and stood an arm¡¯s length away, irritation on her face.


    ¡°Is this what I pay you for?¡±


    Amu rolled his eyes and mouthed something, but Lady Mirab continued speaking anyway.


    ¡°You said that she would wake up yesterday. I don¡¯t know if you can tell, but it is no longer yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Let us keep our tempers down,¡± Amu said in a sing-song voice, ¡°and remember the conversation we had. Remember who will lose her council seat if anything goes wrong.¡±


    He looked down at the bowl of fluid. ¡°Mama is very worried about you, yes she is. That is why she has been harassing me every day for a month, even though I told her that seeds take time to germinate.¡±


    Lady Mirab looked annoyed, but counterintuitively, Amu¡¯s disrespect seemed to tame her temper. ¡°How do you know it is still viable?¡± she asked. ¡°Perhaps when we -¡±


    Amu cleared his throat very loudly. Fear flickered onto Lady Mirab¡¯s face. She shot a glance at the bowl, and then changed her tone.


    ¡°When she fell ill,¡± Lady Mirab said, ¡°could it have damaged her seeds?¡±


    ¡°Only if she was treated improperly,¡± Amu said. ¡°And if that is the case, there is nothing you can do about it. We have another week until there¡¯s reason to worry. Just go inside and please, for heaven¡¯s sake, stop bothering me while I do the work you pay me to do. This is actually important.¡±


    Lady Mirab eyed him for several more seconds, then turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Amu said. ¡°Won¡¯t you say goodbye? What kind of mother are you?¡±


    Lady Mirab sighed, leaned over the bowl, and pasted a smile on her face. ¡°Grow well, sweetie,¡± she said, ¡°and get better soon.¡±


    Eluvie felt as if death itself had hugged her.

 In Heavens Will

    As Lady Mirab left, Eluvie tried to pinpoint her position. She found her first half where she had buried it, and the other in the bowl Amu was holding.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Amu gasped. ¡°You moved! Move again!¡±


    Eluvie held perfectly still.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Amu said. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Where did I stop that song?¡±


    He resumed singing, watching the bowl as he did so, and Eluvie wondered why she was hiding from him.


    ¡°Ha!¡± he said. ¡°I knew it. Now, let¡¯s see if this works.¡±


    He bent over, then dropped the bowl to the ground and gently tipped out its contents. Eluvie flowed onto the parched, barren earth.


    ¡°Come now,¡± Amu said. ¡°Start moving.¡±


    He watched expectantly, and Eluvie grew both worried and embarrassed. She did not know why she was hiding her awakening from him, she did not know why she should, and she did not know what he expected from her.


    ¡°Stop ignoring me,¡± Amu said. ¡°I know you¡¯re awake. Besides, I can¡¯t get you back into the bowl. It¡¯s your play from this point.¡±


    Eluvie realized that she would get more suspicious the longer she waited, so she gave up the pretense. Once the effort required to hold that form was gone, she changed from the semi-liquid state into her normal, solid, branch-like structure.


    Amu beamed with excitement. ¡°Perfect!¡± he said. ¡°Now, this next one will be more challenging.¡± He squatted to get closer to her. ¡°You see what I look like? You need to change into that. It shouldn¡¯t be very difficult. You should be able to just about do it.¡±


    Eluvie took a moment to think. They clearly thought that she had lost her memory, but she did not understand the rest of the situation. She knew that she could transform into human form, but she did not know which form he expected. If she transformed into her previous human form, would that be suspicious?


    There was no need to hurry, she decided. There would be time to think.


    After half an hour of prodding, Amu gave up. He found a shovel and, with a great deal of care, lifted her with a generous amount of the surrounding dirt back into the bowl. Eluvie noted that her second part was significantly smaller than the piece underground. It felt as if she had less substance there, so she did not attempt to grow bigger. Amu took her back to the clinic and left the bowl on a table.


    ¡°You stay here while I speak with your ma,¡± he said. ¡°And if you decide to transform, don¡¯t touch anything. I¡¯d better post a guard.¡±


    There was already a guard outside the clinic, but Amu made him keep watch inside instead. Eluvie hated it. The knowledge that she was being watched was always enough to dampen her mood.


    With nothing to do about that, she decided to focus on her other part. If she could find a path to the surface, she could listen in on Amu and Lady Mirab¡¯s conversation. She loosened the dirt that she had piled around herself and found that the diggers¡¯ tunnels had been closed. To reach the surface, she would need to dig more tunnels - or request the ghost¡¯s help.


    ¡°Are you still there?¡± she asked.


    There was no answer. She spent the next few minutes being as annoying as she could be: talking, singing, and scolding the ghost for betraying her. He remained relentlessly silent.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Finally, defeated, she began digging her own tunnel back to the surface.


    Perhaps it was due to the part of her above ground, but Eluvie never felt ill from being in the darkness. And after an hour of digging, she was as skilled at manipulating her body as she thought she could get. She could morph into a shape and hardness suitable for digging, made tunnels so thin that no one would find them suspicious. It was clear that this form was not meant for digging, but she dealt with it as well as could be expected.


    Reaching the surface was only the first part of her task. When she had done so, she found herself in an unfamiliar room on the first floor. She had to dig another tunnel into a wall, climb the thankfully hollow wall, and make her way onto the third floor. There, she continued traveling through the walls until she found Lady Mirab¡¯s bedroom.


    The discovery proved anticlimactic. Lady Mirab spent hours in bed, supported by cushions, reading notebooks filled with figures and reports. But Eluvie remained patient. She had nothing else to do, anyway. She waited a whole night. The next day, Amu checked on her in the clinic, took her into the sun for a few minutes, and then reported to Lady Mirab¡¯s bedroom.


    Her door guards came in to announce him, and she nodded her acknowledgement with a weary sigh.


    ¡°Has she changed?¡± she asked before Amu was through the door.


    "No," Amu said. "I came to request funds for the apprentice."


    Lady Mirab blinked in apparent confusion. "Apprentice?"


    "The one you made me hire."


    Lady Mirab still wore a blank expression.


    "After the incident with the blade," Amu said, "you commanded me to hire one so that he can replace me after you kill me." He sounded amused rather than concerned. "Have you forgotten already? You gave me a week. I thought you decided not to hound me about it, but it seems that you really forgot."


    Lady Mirab sighed. "I don''t have time for nonsense. Take whatever money you need."


    Amu nodded as if that was a sensible reply. "As for the room, I need them to redecorate it."


    "Why?" Lady Mirab asked.


    Amu made a face. "We''re pretending that she has been living here for some time. It will seem strange if she does not like the decorations. Besides, the choice of colors: it''s as if they decorated for a toddler. What if she''s older than that? It will look odd."


    "You said she would start young."


    Amu groaned. "How are you such a terrible listener? Or do you just not care what I say? I said that she would probably start young. And haven''t you noticed that nothing I say is exactly correct? All seeds are different. This one could have more substance than the others. We don''t know what she will know or what age she will be. So, please, have the decorations changed to something neutral."


    Lady Mirab gave a long-suffering sigh.


    "I wouldn''t bother you with this," Amu said, "but Ria insists on running this operation from her sickbed. You need to either talk to her or just tell me to let her sabotage it."


    Lady Mirab violently slapped her book onto her mattress.


    ¡°Amu,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of this. We¡¯re signing the treaty in two days. After that, nothing that happens to her will be my concern. So I¡¯m expecting you to keep her alive and well-behaved for that long. Two days.¡± She sounded weary. ¡°Can you do that without bothering me twice a day about your ridiculous feuds?¡±


    Amu looked as if he might argue.


    ¡°What?!¡± Lady Mirab snapped.


    Amu took a breath and shifted his body into a more comfortable posture. ¡°If the treaty is signed and successful, will you free her?¡±


    Lady Mirab peered at him like one would inspect a particularly small ant, but remained silent.


    Amu nodded, as if he had expected the response.


    ¡°Did I ever tell you about our mango tree?¡± He asked.


    Lady Mirab stared at him in incredulous silence.


    ¡°No, listen,¡± he said, ¡°I have a point. It was the only remaining one in the neighborhood. The others died soon after the drought began, but not this one. This one stayed. But it didn¡¯t fruit. I wanted it to. Every year, I would watch it so diligently. Our water ration was minuscule, but I shared mine with it. I worked hard. And then, one day, it started fruiting. It was one fruit; just one. I was so excited. I arranged the branches to hide it, I watched it every day as it grew bigger. I waited and waited until it was finally ripe.¡±


    Amu took a pause to breathe. Lady Mirab was still listening with an annoyed expression.


    ¡°Then, I plucked it,¡± Amu said. ¡°I was running inside to eat it - away from my brother - and I tripped. I tripped on a rock, and fell. The mango fell, rolled, and stopped at the feet of the biggest boy in the neighborhood.¡± He smiled bitterly.


    ¡°The next year,¡± he said, ¡°the shelf that the tree was on slid into the ocean and I haven¡¯t had a mango since. My point is: heaven has a way of snatching the fruit that is almost in your mouth. You have a lot riding on this treaty. I do as well. Eluvie is alive. Your council seat is safe. But you might regret it if you think you¡¯re home.¡±


    He walked to the door, then paused and said, ¡°I¡¯ll tell Ria you overruled her.¡±

 Instinct

    Eluvie steeled herself for the transformation. For several moments, she hesitated. She could remain in this form and they would never know if she was awake. Well, Amu might know, but he would not be certain. Perhaps, in their uncertainty, they would leave her alone.


    She pondered the possibility for so long that she thought she might never make a decision. But eventually, she did. Amu already knew that she was awake. Waiting would only tempt them to take a course she couldn¡¯t predict.


    With the decision made, she grew concerned that she would not be able to transform, but the worry proved unfounded. With barely a thought, she had a human body again, and a set of perfectly-formed wings. She rose from the clinic floor and tested her wings. Then, she tested her arms and legs. Everything seemed in good condition. She wondered if she should have tried to transform into a child. Could she have done that?


    She strained for a moment, imagining herself as a child. When she opened her eyes from the strain, she was shorter. The examination bed was now barely at her eye level. She wished for a mirror so that she could examine herself but had to settle for looking down at herself.


    After a moment, she returned to her adult form. She had looked small enough to be a child, but she had not felt like one. Taking that form meant pretending to be stupider than she was, and she would have enough trouble simply pretending not to remember them.


    She looked around the room for some clothing but found nothing. There wasn¡¯t even a bedsheet to use. So she went to the door, partially opened it, and stuck her head through the opening. As expected, the guards outside it snapped to attention.


    ¡°I need clothing,¡± she said.


    They gaped.


    She stared back at them.


    ¡°Clothing,¡± she said slowly. ¡°To wear.¡±


    They continued staring with their mouths slightly open.


    Eluvie frowned. Her revival should not be that surprising. She was about to demand their shirts when they seemed to recover.


    One of them turned to his fellow. ¡°Fetch Lady Mirab,¡± he said. ¡°And I¡­ uh¡­ tell someone to bring clothing.¡±


    As the other guard ran off, Eluvie went back into the room and shut the door.


    While she waited, she examined the room. It was small and cluttered. Two walls were covered with shelves holding bottles, jars, and utensils. The third held the wooden bench on which her attendants usually sat, while the last wall had the door. The bed was centrally located. There was enough room around it to maneuver, but just enough. Everything looked old and worn, but clean. She found a row of blades on one of the shelves - doubtless the ones Amu used on her. She fingered them for a moment and then turned away. She felt nauseous.


    With nothing else to do, she turned her attention to the tendril she had left in Lady Mirab¡¯s room. She could see Mirab still seated on her bed, staring into space with a strained expression. Eluvie felt strength. They had watched her for years and now she could learn the secrets they kept from her.


    She pulled her attention from the tendril and returned to her body, and found herself lying flat on the ground.


    A spot in her head throbbed, as if she¡¯d knocked it against the ground, and one arm was tucked beneath her unnaturally. She hissed against the pain as she pulled herself upright.


    "Stupid," she muttered. She could not control the other tendril while focusing on this body, so it stood to reason that she could not control this body while focused on the tendril. That was a complication. She had grand plans of splitting herself into many different parts and forming a surveillance system around the palace. But the utility of that would be limited by her ability to control them all.


    The door opened and she froze. Amu¡¯s head came through and stopped before the rest of his body could follow. His gaze met hers and his eyes took on the same confused expression the guards had worn.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    "Uh," he said, "who are you?"


    Eluvie frowned and looked down at herself. Was she the wrong color?


    She caught herself a moment later, as she recalled the dangerous situation she was in. She had to keep the fact that she remembered them a secret and do so without telling a lie to the wrong person.


    "Who are you?" she asked.


    He seemed to finally notice that she was naked. He shot out an apology, then retreated back through the door. Seconds passed, then minutes. Finally, he returned and stuck his hand through the doorway, holding out a towel.


    With growing irritation, Eluvie wrapped the towel around herself.


    "You look different," Amu said, coming into the room moments later.


    Eluvie inspected him properly for the first time in years. His looks mostly matched her impression of him. He was slightly taller than she was, and thicker too. His hair had spots of gray amidst the dark brown. That was odd, since he did not look old enough for it.


    "My name is Amu," he said, putting on a smile. "I am a doctor here."


    The smile suffused his voice, but his eyes looked tired.


    "How do you feel?" he asked.


    The question irritated her. He asked it so often before he performed whatever indignities his employers demanded. So, hearing it only reminded her of how little freedom she still had.


    "Where am I?" she asked.


    Amu crossed the room and picked up the bowl Eluvie had previously been in. "This is the Thousand-Room Palace," he said. "It is the home of Lady Mirab, Ruler of the eastern front of the alliance. Do you recall any of that?"


    Eluvie ignored that question too. "People are coming," she said.


    Specifically, her attendants were coming. She could recognize their footsteps from the end of the hallway.


    Amu waited, his face forming a frown when no one immediately entered. She ignored him and began walking around the room again.


    "Would you let me examine you?" Amu asked.


    "No," Eluvie replied.


    Inside, she cursed herself. She was supposed to treat him like a stranger, not the loathsome captor she knew him to be.


    Thankfully, the door opened before he could come up with a response, and all four of her attendants came in.Madam Ria was not with them. Instead, Bitu led the group with a fake smile.


    ¡°Good morning, Miss,¡± she said. ¡°It is good to see you awake.¡±


    The new attendant stepped forward and held out a tray with a folded yellow piece of clothing on it.


    Eluvie turned her gaze from the women. As she tried to settle her churning insides, she picked up the cloth. It unfolded into a soft, silky gown, threaded with beads and jewels. Her face instinctively formed a frown at it. The color was uneven. The lower half of the dress was a lighter yellow than the upper, and there were definite splotches of uneven color. Both imperfections were probably invisible to most people, but her eyes immediately found them. The stitches were too large and uneven, and the cloth was certainly stiffer than it should have been.


    She pulled the cloth closer to her face and sniffed it. There was one good thing, at least; it smelled of soap, and not ¡®damp cupboard¡¯.


    She put the dress onto the bed and picked up another article from the tray. This one was a plain white shift edged with lace and covered in embroidery. Every bit of the design was tasteless. It was not meant to be seen, of course, but the thought of letting it touch her body made her itch. Mildly, she wondered what was wrong with her. When did she become an expert seamstress? And why did tiny imperfections bother her?


    As she put the shift back on the tray, another attendant stepped forward to display her tray of jewelry. Everything looked expensive. But why would she wear diamond hairpins paired with diamond necklaces paired with a diamond-studded dress? It would blind everyone who saw her.


    She retrieved the yellow gown from the bed, holding it between two fingers like a stained rag, and dropped it back onto the tray.


    ¡°I won¡¯t wear that,¡± she said. ¡°Bring me something else.¡±


    Everyone stared at her, and she stared right back at them.


    ¡°I refuse to wear that travesty,¡± she said. ¡°If you have nothing better, provide me with a plain white sheet and I will make do. In fact -¡±


    Instinct drove her, and she obeyed its prompting. She focused for a moment and felt her skin change. A dress appeared on her, expertly crafted in a dark, even green, and without a single jewel in sight. Her hair braided itself into an upswept pattern adorned with a pair of golden pearls.


    She stepped out of the towel she had been wearing while her watchers stared in alarm.


    ¡°They¡¯re not real,¡± she said. The knowledge came to her, just as the process had. ¡°I just transformed my real body into clothing in the same way I transform it into flesh and bone.¡±


    She held the towel out to Amu.


    He oriented himself with a shake of his head, accepted the towel, and pasted a smile onto his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but a new arrival interrupted him: Lady Mirab.

 Liars Waltz

    Lady Mirab rushed through the open door and threw her arms around Eluvie in a tight hug.


    ¡°Thank Heaven!¡± Mirab sobbed. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡±


    Eluvie wanted to move, but her body would not obey her. She remained there, heart pounding so loudly that she could almost hear it, while Mirab tried to squeeze the life from her.


    Finally, Lady Mirab stepped back, held Eluvie at arm''s length, and inspected her. There was nothing on the ruler''s face but joy and relief.


    "How are you?" Mirab asked. "Are you hurt anywhere? Are you - are you well?"


    She kept her eyes on Eluvie''s face, waiting for a response.


    But Eluvie could not respond. Rather than subside, her fear had grown so much that she was seconds from a fainting spell.


    Before that could happen, Amu rescued her. He placed a hand on Mirab''s shoulder and pulled her away.


    "She doesn''t know you, my Lady," he said. "Eluvie, this is Lady Mirab. She owns this palace."


    Mirab scowled at him. "Don''t introduce me like that," she said. Then, she turned to Eluvie and said, "I''m your mother."


    Finally, Eluvie''s legs moved. She stepped further away from Lady Mirab.


    "Is that a joke?" Eluvie asked.


    Mirab looked devastated. Eluvie had never seen such perfect acting. She could not find a single flaw in the performance.


    "Why would I be joking?" Mirab asked, her voice a cross between a whine and a sob.


    "You''re human," Eluvie said, as if it should be obvious.


    Half of the words coming from her mouth came with no forethought. As with the clothes, she felt as if someone else was controlling her actions, pushing thoughts into her mind at the same time they exited her lips. That scared her, but she wasn''t yet certain that she could stop it.


    "That doesn''t mean that I can''t be your mother," Mirab said. She reached for Eluvie again, but Eluvie stepped back, out of reach.


    "Illrum and humans do not reproduce," Eluvie said.


    Mirab could not have looked more stunned if Eluvie had slapped her. The ruler lifted a hand to cover her lips, then broke into a tear-laden sob.


    Amu stepped in again.


    "Eluvie," he put a hand on her arm, frowning as she jerked away from it, "this is your mother."


    Two people warred inside Eluvie. The first, the person who knew what stitches should look like and had preferences about the fabric of her clothes, said that this was complete nonsense. The other, the Eluvie who recalled living with these people for twenty years, felt stunned and terrified by their acting.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    Then, both halves seemed to merge in one clarifying moment. She was just one person, not two, with knowledge she did not recall gaining. It no longer felt like someone was in her mind, giving her ideas. She felt whole. She could not remember her parents, but she knew that she had them and she knew that Lady Mirab was not her mother.


    She knew other things too, things that had been pressing against her consciousness since she was revived, but which she had not fully absorbed until that moment. She knew that the stone of the walls was called Barvat, and that it was only found in two quarries on the planet. She knew the name of every gem on Lady Mirab''s gown, that the Lady''s posture implied that she had been raised in the Semit kingdom, and that the guards she could see through the open door wore their weapons in the same kingdom''s style.


    The room looked different now. The items she could see were no longer tables, shelves, and jars. They were Birinian wood tables and Sepian ceramic jars.And now that instinct no longer drove her, she needed to decide how to respond to their act.


    She elected to continue in the same vein.


    "You''re all insane," she said. "I''m leaving."


    She tried to push past them, but Amu grabbed her arm. His touch was light, but even that proved overwhelming to her. She scampered away from him and he held up his hands, showing their emptiness.


    "Just one moment," he said, "please. I understand that all of this is unfamiliar, but I think you''re an intelligent woman. Pause for a moment, and think."


    She waited for him to say more, but he did not. Instead, he waited as if truly expecting her to change her mind.


    Eluvie knew that she could not really leave. They would not allow her past the barrier, no matter what lies they had to tell about it. And if she proved too much trouble, they could always kill her again and try to grow another seed. But she needed her actions to seem natural. Her memories, meager as they were, told her that she was used to better treatment than this. Someone of her stature would never stand this situation.


    "You have one minute," she said, "to explain all of this to me."


    She folded her arms and waited.


    "The other Illrum are dead," Amu said. "They have been dead for more than twenty years now."


    "You''re lying," Eluvie said, though she did not display as much shock as she felt she should have.


    Amu shook his head. "It is true. Everyone knows it. You must remember that humans and Illrum were at war."


    Eluvie remembered no such thing, so she just stared at him patiently.


    "It came to a head," he said. "I don''t know all the details, but they invaded your home. All the others were dead. We found your seeds by pure chance. Lady Mirab has raised you for a long while; more than twenty years now. Recently, there was an accident. You got trapped in a dark cellar for days. You died. Fortunately, we had one more of your seeds left or it would have been the end."


    He looked so sincere. Eluvie had to fight hard to keep her rage from spilling onto her face.


    "You can''t leave," Amu said. "There is nowhere to go. And, even if there was, you have a treaty with the alliance. As long as you stay here and cause no trouble, you are Lady Mirab''s daughter and can live in peace. But if you leave the palace bounds, you will be hunted and killed."


    Mirab watched all of this with an anxious expression.


    "I know this is a lot," Amu said. "You don''t need to do anything now. Why not go to your room? Orient yourself, get some rest. Later, Lady Mirab will take you for a walk on the grounds. Why don''t you see what you think then?"


    Eluvie wanted to demand that they get out of her way, but there was no hope there. She could only tempt them to violence. She thought of demanding that the tour of the grounds happen immediately, but that could annoy them too. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pressed a palm to her forehead.


    As expected, Lady Mirab reacted immediately. She took Eluvie''s arm.


    "You are, of course, tired, dear. What is all this fuss? You''ll go straight to bed now and you can threaten to leave when you wake up."


    Eluvie gritted her teeth, managed her breath, and let Lady Mirab lead her away.

 Skin Like Clay

    They had moved her into a new bedroom. This one was on the third floor, at the corner of the palace, with rows of windows on two sides and enough space to hold a small get-together. The walls were a pale grayish-blue. Besides the large bed, it had bookshelves, a reading desk, a dresser, and two couches.


    Eluvie looked around the room but gave no comment about it. Neither Mirab nor Amu pressed her for more words. They seemed eager to get her into bed. So, she feigned tiredness, let Mirab caress and kiss her forehead, and settled down to sleep. As soon as they and the attendants were through the door, she switched her awareness to the tendril in Lady Mirab¡¯s bedroom.


    It was a long wait. While she waited, she occasionally checked her body. After several iterations, she found that she could retain some awareness of her body while focusing on the tendril. It wasn¡¯t much, but she could feel the bedsheets and detect loud sounds. The longer she practiced, the better she got, until she was confident that she would detect her bedroom door opening - as long as she paid attention.


    The reverse was also true. While focused on her body, she could detect loud sounds at the tendril¡¯s location. It was enough to alert her when the door opened, and if someone spoke too loudly. It took more effort than listening for changes in her body¡¯s location, but it was useful enough.


    During one of her rounds in her body, she heard Lady Mirab¡¯s bedroom door slam open and quickly switched her awareness to the tendril.


    Lady Mirab was marching into the room with Amu following behind.


    As soon as the door was closed, she launched into a profanity-laden tirade.


    ¡°You have one job, Amu! One job!¡± She threw up her arms. ¡°How did you even manage to become a doctor? I swear you have not succeeded at one thing I have asked of you. Not one! Is this deliberate? Are you actually trying to sabotage us?¡±


    Amu rolled his eyes, then spoke in the calmest voice, as if her rant had been directed at someone else. ¡°I told you that seeds encode different information.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mirab practically hissed. ¡°You said it as if it was no concern. ¡®She¡¯ll know different things than she did before¡¯. You failed to cover the breadth of what she would know.¡±


    Amu sighed. ¡°I think that was a failure of your imagination.¡±


    Lady Mirab grabbed the nearest thing - a golden decorative bowl - and threw it at him. He ducked just in time, and she missed.


    ¡°Fine,¡± Amu said. ¡°I agree that I downplayed it. I just didn¡¯t want you to have a tantrum before it became necessary. ¡°


    ¡°Heavens! I want to kill you!¡±


    Amu sighed again and stepped further away from her. ¡°Look,¡± he said, ¡°this is fine.¡±


    ¡°Fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, fine. What¡¯s done is done. We can¡¯t go back to the past and prevent you from needing to use the seed, so we can only make the best of what we have now. She did not remember anything truly dangerous. We both know it would have been obvious if she did. You only need her managed till tomorrow. After that, it won¡¯t matter, right?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°If everything works.¡± Mirab sounded doubtful."You were more confident less than an hour ago," Amu sighed. "Don''t let me shake your confidence. Today, we just need to keep her occupied. If you''re worried, I''ll give her a sedative. Tomorrow at noon, you have the signing. Leave immediately after that. With your acting skills, I''m sure you can turn all of this into something."


    Mirab began pacing the room. "I don''t like this," she said.


    "Everything is a bit irregular," Amu said. "But it''s not as bad as it seems. We have more seeds. If she proves troublesome, we can use them. Just don''t do anything that will upset her."


    Mirab''s anger did not seem to subside, but she didn''t throw any more objects.


    She stopped pacing. "Did she seem suspicious to you?" The ruler asked.


    "Of course. She thought we were lying to her."


    Lady Mirab shook her head. "No. More than that. She stiffened every time I touched her. It''s worrying."


    "You''re projecting," Amu said. "She didn''t like me either. But if she knew even half of what we''ve done, she would have attacked you right there, with her teeth if necessary. Don''t worry. Tomorrow, this will all be over."


    Amu departed, and soon after, so did Lady Mirab, leaving Eluvie to watch an empty room. So, she returned to her body. There, the room felt similarly empty. Compared to the tiny one she had spent years in, every empty spot felt like a dark chasm hiding unknown terrors.


    She turned onto her back, flattening her wings beneath her, and stared at the top of her bed''s canopy. What could she do?


    The damned barrier kept her from escape - the only thing she wanted. She could pretend subservience and let Lady Mirab have whatever plot the rulers were working on. She could focus only on keeping herself safe for now. But what if the rulers'' victory meant something unpleasant for her? What if they wanted to kill her afterward? Or find her a prison even worse than the one they had? Or worse, what if they discovered that they had failed to erase her memory?


    She lay still for a long time. Fears chased each other around her mind. She longed to escape and saw no path to do it. She longed to sleep and let all her fears dissolve. But the fears would not even allow that.


    So, if she could not escape or sleep, she could try to make do with what she had.


    She climbed out of bed, taking care not to let it creak, then sneaked to the mirror she had seen on one wall. She stood in front of it, seeing herself for the first time ever. The milestone brought no joy or pride, only discomfort. She had imagined what she looked like so many times. She had even asked her attendants. When they had been bored enough to reply, they had told her that there was nothing remarkable about her, that she looked like a normal person.


    And they were right. Only her wings were noteworthy. They looked just like before: like yellowish-gold silk decorated with veins. Her eyes were a dark brown, like everyone else she had seen. She leaned closer to the mirror and examined it more thoroughly. She admired their shape, the way the light reflected off them, the way her lashes curled just a little at the ends. She had not known that eyes did that. The rest of her face was almost as brown as her eyes, but with a redder tint to it. It was also completely free of blemishes. She recalled hearing her attendants complain of spots and pimples marring her complexion. She had never felt any such thing on her body and she saw none now. All there was was a smooth canvas, the envy of any woman. She knew why that was now. The body was not real. It was something she made out of her real body. She could change it however she wanted.


    She did so now. She played with the length and color of her hair, the size of her nose, and the shape of her lips. At one point, she went so far that she looked like a monstrosity, but it only took a moment to return her looks to their previous form.


    Could she look like someone else? She wondered.


    She glanced around the room, suddenly afraid of being watched, but there was no one else there. She could still hear her guards conversing outside the door. If someone else came, they would stop and greet the visitor, and she would know.


    Choosing a target to imitate was easy. In a fraction of a second, she was an exact copy of Lady Mirab, down to the Lady''s cascading curls and too much jewelry. The likeness was so good that her heart skipped a beat, and she had to change back into her own form before the fear would dissipate.


    This was a victory, but even it was still a bitter one. What good did it do to imitate others? She needed to escape.

 Plan

    Outside, a cloud moved away from the sun, and light burst in through a partially open curtain. The moment it touched her skin, Eluvie felt a burst of joy and energy. She abandoned the mirror and went closer to the window. With another fearful glance at the door, she pulled the curtains open and basked in the sunlight. Every moment she stood in it was paradise. Her worries retreated to the back of her mind, still present but not overwhelming. The tendril she had left in Lady Mirab''s room felt less distant. She even sensed it growing, lengthening until she was worried that it would grow too large for the wall it hid behind, break apart the stone, and expose her secret.


    She panicked for a moment, but her newfound knowledge saved her. The sun''s energy replenished her own, and it would increase the mass of her body, but the stretching was merely an instinctive reaction of hers, like extending one''s arms while yawning. She could prevent herself from doing it. And so she did. Her body - both parts - continued to drink in the energy from the sun. The tendril gained enough mass that it was technically no longer a tendril, but it did not stretch further. When she allowed it to expand, it would fill an entire room, but it would not do so without her permission.


    She stood in the sunlight for a long time. They were clearly committed to this ruse of theirs if they actually allowed her sunlight. Her previous room had received no direct sunlight. She had never known why; perhaps a particularly large tree had been in the way. But if they allowed her this now, then they either had very little fear of her or very much confidence in their ruse. That knowledge dampened Eluvie''s mood again. All the sunlight in the world wouldn''t help her if she could not escape.


    Eventually, the pleasure she gained from the sunlight ceased, and she knew that she was at full strength. She felt as rested as if she had slept all night. In fact, sleeping would be impossible now. Her mind was clearer as well. Fear had rendered her immobile before. It was still present and still strong, but nowhere near as overpowering. And the growth of tendrils had given her an idea.


    She returned to her base form, and if she had possessed a mouth, she would have gasped. Instead, she only thanked the creator that her stupidity had not brought disaster. She covered the entire room: every inch of the floor, all of the furniture, almost every part of the wall, and the entire ceiling, all covered by her shimmering golden form. And that had not been enough. She was folded over herself, like a cloth could be folded, forming several layers that reached a height about half the height of the room. And she knew that she could be larger if she let herself stretch out.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    She marveled for a moment, wondering at what kind of creature she was, thinking of the branches she had seen at the top of the sky. How large must they be if she could see them from so far below? How large could she be if she hadn''t been caged all her life? And what was a body like this meant for?


    The next moment, she cursed her stupidity and returned to the task at hand. She needed to make another tendril. The first attempt had been an accident, and her transformation had so stunned her that she no longer knew if she could even make a tendril. But she calmed herself, picked a spot, and tried to break it off. It came off easily and painlessly. And when she attempted to switch her awareness to it, the transfer happened with no resistance.


    Relieved, she transformed back into human form but left the tendril as it was. The room looked little worse for wear. A lamp had fallen on its side, but the rest of the furnishings were only slightly displaced. That made no sense until she picked up the tendril. It yielded to her easily, curling into a ball when she grasped it in her hand. It was lighter than a piece of thread. She sensed that it could be large enough to cover the ground if she let it stretch, but that bulk made no appearance in its weight. It was no wonder that the weight of her entire form had only managed to knock over one lamp.


    She took a deep breath and put the tendril back on the ground. The next experiment would either prove her plan or destroy it. She started to send a prayer to the creator, paused, and then considered whether to do it. She considered it for so long that she began to feel silly. Then, she recalled all that she had been through, and her indecision turned to anger. She had come this far by herself. Why would he involve himself now?


    She returned her awareness to the new tendril. As soon as that was done, her other body flopped to the ground. Beyond confirming that it was still intact, she ignored it. Then, she commanded the new tendril to form into a copy of her body.


    It worked. She stood in a second body identical to the first, while her first body remained motionless on the ground. A final, real burst of joy and relief filled her. The plan was not perfect, but it was good.


    The palace fell quiet sometime after midnight. Eluvie''s attendants had since retired, only the guards at her door remained. Tendril number two had spent all day traveling through the walls until it reached Amu''s bedroom, a tiny space on the first floor. From there, it had watched the doctor go about his nightly routine. When alone, he was surprisingly morose. His forehead was almost constantly creased. He mumbled unintelligible words to himself and sighed more often than she - the prisoner. When watching him grew tedious, Eluvie went over her plan. She had tested and refined it until she had an answer for every imagined flaw. They were not perfect answers, but she had convinced herself that the plan would not end with her worse off.

 Knife To Your Throat

    Amu had been sleeping deeply for hours. So, after listening long enough to conclude that no one was nearing his bedroom, Eluvie moved. The tendril slipped through the peephole it had created. As gravity pulled it toward the ground, she transformed it into a simpler form - a burst of air. That had been her most exciting discovery of the day. She could transform herself into any form she could imagine - even something as free-flowing and invisible as air - as long as the tendril contained enough mass to produce the object.


    The gust of air sank easily to the ground. Once there, it transformed into Eluvie. She kept the wings off this form. Oddly, it took more effort to keep them away than to transform into any other form. She kept that curiosity aside for later rumination. For now, they were too noticeable. Were she discovered, she could turn into any human form, but she did not want an initial glimpse of her wings to doom her.


    Amu lay on his back, still fast asleep. He slept like an innocent man. All the worry that had lined his face during the day was gone, replaced by a mostly peaceful expression.


    Eluvie looked about the room, searching for a knife, then she recalled that she had already failed to find any during her wait. Instead, she made the fingernails on her right hand grow and toughen until they were as strong and sharp as any sword. Then, she went over to Amu¡¯s bed and sat on its edge.


    He continued sleeping.


    She watched him for a while, anger burning inside her. Then she shook her head and told herself to get on with the task. It wouldn¡¯t do to be interrupted.


    She pressed a nail to his neck. He continued sleeping. She shook him awake.


    It took several seconds for his eyes to clear. He yawned, stretched, and stared up blearily at her. Then, he frowned.


    ¡°Eluvie?¡± He asked. He yawned again. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Eluvie suffered a moment of confusion. His expression was so unguarded that she wondered if she was not the villain.


    His expression changed from confusion to worry. He frowned, lifted a hand to his neck, stared at her, and frowned even more.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked. He sounded wide awake now.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you questions,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend moving.¡±


    Seconds ticked by as he watched her in stunned silence. Then he sighed, rubbed at his eyes with one hand, and sighed again.


    ¡°This feels better,¡± he finally said. ¡°Everything was going so smoothly, I couldn¡¯t breathe.¡±


    Eluvie decided to ignore the strange comment.


    ¡°How do I escape the barrier surrounding the palace?¡± She asked.


    Amu rolled onto his side, forcing Eluvie to adjust to keep from cutting his throat.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t remember everything,¡± he said. ¡°The barrier is a piece of constructed magic made by a long-dead sorcerer. Do you remember what constructed magic is?¡±


    Eluvie shook her head. She had the vague feeling that he was in control of the interrogation. It made her uneasy, but she had not yet decided what to do about it.


    Amu nodded as if he had expected her ignorance. ¡°¡®Constructed¡¯ means that it was made, put into a box, and now works without any input from the original designer. Typically, these things are constructed to be used by people much stupider than the designing sorcerer, so they follow simple rules. You activate them using a series of steps and they run until they either run out of energy or they are deactivated.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Amu met her eyes intently. ¡°This particular one has no deactivation sequence,¡± he said. ¡°Once you have activated it, it remains in place until it runs out of power. And I¡¯ve been told that it has ten-thousand years worth of power.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Eluvie said. Her hopes were crumbling around her, threatening to drag her into depression. But she forced herself to hold on and pressed her makeshift blade harder onto Amu¡¯s neck.


    ¡°You are right in a sense,¡± Amu said. ¡°Every constructed magic can be deactivated, even if it has no set sequence. You can drain it of power, destroy it with brutal force, find the flaw in its execution. But all of those will be difficult for you to do, since the controller for the spell is not here. It is about 800 miles away in the western region. So, to deactivate it, you need to escape first.¡±


    Eluvie¡¯s breathing returned to normal. Her original plan would not work, but she had spent all day making backup plans.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell Lady Mirab about this,¡± Amu said, ¡°as long as you return to your room and keep quiet.¡±


    Eluvie shook her head. ¡°That is not one of my plans,¡± she said. ¡°Unfortunately, my backup plan is to kill you, go to Lady Mirab¡¯s bedroom, kill her, and keep killing people until I either escape or there¡¯s no one else to kill.¡±


    Amu looked disbelieving for a moment, but he saw the resolve on her face and his eyes filled with worry.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that, Eluvie,¡± he said.


    Eluvie scoffed. ¡°Kill people who have tortured me for years?¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s strange. I don¡¯t want to. Even after all of that, it still feels like it would be wrong.¡±


    ¡°It would be, Eluvie. That sort of thing is not for you.¡±


    ¡°But you lot have been doing wrong things for so long and there seems to be no consequences. So, I think it will work for me too. You have sixty seconds to give me a reason not to kill you.¡±


    Amu¡¯s brow creased. For a long time, he seemed to really strain his brain. Finally, he sighed and gave up.


    ¡°I honestly can¡¯t give you a reason, Eluvie. I can only ask you to reconsider. You are not that person and you don¡¯t want to be.¡±


    Eluvie felt disappointed. The planning had been easy but, now that the time had come, she felt uneasy.


    ¡°I really hoped that I could just leave,¡± she said. ¡°I guess this is goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Amu said.


    Eluvie didn¡¯t want to, but she let herself pause. ¡°Tomorrow, Mirab is going to take you out of the palace,¡± he said.


    I should just kill him, Eluvie thought. He was clearly stalling and probably trying to deceive her.


    Each moment she waited, it felt like her freedom might slip away.


    Still, despite herself, she waited.


    ¡°Where is she taking me?¡± She asked. ¡°And I thought you said that I couldn¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°They cannot take down the barrier, but they can move it,¡± Amu said. ¡°She is taking you up,¡± he gestured with his head toward the ceiling, ¡°to the sky, to the Illrum¡¯s home.¡± Eluvie involuntarily followed his gaze to the ceiling, then returned her attention to him.


    ¡°If you kill us now,¡± Amu said, ¡°you can hurt me and Mirab, but the other rulers are outside the barrier. You won¡¯t reach them. They¡¯ll find a way to get you back under control.¡±


    Eluvie had a plan to handle them, but she let Amu go on.


    ¡°However,¡± he said, ¡°they will all be going with you tomorrow. You can find a moment to reach all of them.¡±¡°Why are they going to the sky?¡± Eluvie asked.


    Amu shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that.¡±


    Eluvie seriously considered killing him again.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t trust me,¡± he said. ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t. But clearly, you remember more than we intended. That means you remember me. And you know that I haven¡¯t been cruel to you. I am not here by choice, anymore than you are. If you still decide to kill me, I won¡¯t blame you. But it¡¯s not the best plan. Wait till tomorrow. Let them take you out, then make your plan from there.¡±


    It was a trap. Eluvie knew that. He was more interested in saving himself than in helping her. But this was well within her plans. She had gained some information, and she had not needed to kill to get it. It was time to refine her plan.


    Amu refused to give her any more information, no matter how much she threatened him. He maintained that he couldn¡¯t answer her questions but would not elaborate on why that was. Something about the exchange bothered Eluvie. She attributed it to her anxiety about how little she knew, but the explanation did not relax her.


    When she had exhausted her attempts to wring more information from him, she exited through his door, then turned into a gust of air and went back into the room. From her hiding spot in his wall, she watched him stare at a wall for hours before falling asleep. He did not attempt to warn Mirab, and he did not attempt to sabotage her. That convinced her to trust his information. But it also worried her. There was too much at stake and too much unknown. She didn¡¯t like her chances of escape.

 Endure Hatred

    They held her under the liquid while she strained, kicked, and begged. Eluvie knew that it was a dream. The pain was absent. Only the fear existed, paralyzing, overwhelming. But she couldn¡¯t make it stop.


    She awoke, hours later, in her bed in a dark room. The dream had ended hours before, but the fear was still present. She listened for footsteps outside her door, for Madam Ria to come barging in and drag her into the bathroom.


    It was a whole hour before the fear subsided enough for her to move. By that point, the sky was beginning to lighten. She went to her window to watch the sunrise and remained there until the sun was well above the horizon. The light felt safe and energizing. And that was important because every moment felt like the last one before she broke.


    Footsteps began approaching her room. It was only one pair and accompanied by jingling: Lady Mirab.


    Eluvie remained at the window and took deep breaths. Mirab couldn¡¯t do much by herself, and she wouldn¡¯t unless Amu had betrayed Eluvie.


    The door creaked open.


    ¡°Sweetie,¡± Lady Mirab said, her voice free of malice, ¡°are you awake?¡±


    Eluvie said nothing.


    ¡°There you are,¡± Mirab said. She shut the door behind her.


    Eluvie admonished herself to be strong once more and turned to face Lady Mirab. She could not manage a smile, but she made an effort not to look distressed.


    Don¡¯t freeze, she told herself, don¡¯t freeze.


    Lady Mirab hugged her, and somehow, miraculously, she didn¡¯t freeze.


    Mirab held Eluvie at arm''s length and looked at her with a searching expression. "How are you feeling?" she asked.


    Eluvie couldn''t lie, so she shrugged. "It''s early," she said. "Why are you here?"


    Mirab ignored the obvious avoidance. Two liars, deceiving each other, made interesting partners.


    "I wanted to have breakfast together," Mirab stroked Eluvie''s cheek. "I need to leave soon, but I didn''t want to do that without seeing you."


    Eluvie was not convinced that she could keep her act through an entire meal.


    "I''m not hungry," she said. That was entirely true. She was far too anxious to be hungry. "Where are you going?" she asked.


    Mirab sighed. "I need to meet some diplomats. They refuse to meet in the palace, so I''ll have to go to them." She stopped stroking Eluvie''s face. "But when I return, we might go on a trip. It depends on how accommodating they are."


    Eluvie did not ask what the trip was for. Pretending disinterest was working for her so far, so she leaned into it.


    "Enjoy your event," she said, "and turned back to the window."


    Mirab said goodbye and left. She seemed a little bothered by Eluvie''s silence, but she was clearly willing to ignore the topic. As soon as she was gone, Eluvie returned to bed. She had a day''s worth of work to do.


    She did not know what would happen to her dispersed pieces when they moved the barrier, and she did not want to be exposed. So, she was recalling them to herself. It was easy with her new transformation skills. She simply converted each one to air and navigated it through the corridors and into her bedroom. Once there, reintegrating with it was intuitive and painless.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    She was halfway through the task when the sound of her bedroom door opening made it through the connection. She immediately returned to her body and leisurely turned to the new arrival.


    It was her attendants. Bitu led them, holding a tray of food. As they entered, she met Eluvie''s eyes and smiled. The smile was clearly strained; they were not as good at acting as Mirab.


    "I''m not hungry," Eluvie said.


    They froze at the room''s entrance.


    Bitu recovered first. "Try to eat, anyway," she said. "A bite or two will do wonders for you. You might find that your appetite comes back." She nodded to the newest attendant. "Go and draw a bath. And you," she nodded to another attendant. "See if you can find something at the tailor''s that the miss would like to wear."


    Eluvie had frozen at the word "bath." She knew that they meant nothing sinister by it, but every other thought had flown out of her head.


    Two of the attendants disappeared, leaving only Bitu and Piri in the room. Piri looked nervous. For a moment, Eluvie wondered why. Then, she remembered the incident with the diamonds and had to suppress a smile. It was no wonder that the three of them were alone.


    Eluvie truly was not hungry, but she accepted the tray they gave her. It held a light meal: several thick slices of bread, two boiled eggs, and porridge with an embarrassment of condiments on the side. She ate slowly and watched the nervous attendants out of the corner of her eye.Finally, when Eluvie had begun wondering if they would never speak, Bitu broke the silence.


    "We have a bit of a problem, Miss," she said. "I hope you can help."


    Eluvie''s mouth was full, so she nodded and waited.


    "We lost some of your gemstones," Bitu said. "We have been all over the palace, but we haven''t found them all. We know that you don''t remember much, but we were hoping that you could go over some of your common routes with us and see if you can find them. If we don''t find them, Lady Mirab won''t be happy. We might lose our jobs."


    Eluvie impressed herself by failing to laugh. It was a neat story. There was nothing in it to question and no reason for her to refuse assistance. That they would keep the jewels for themselves was, of course, a given.


    "I''ll help," Eluvie said.


    Both women sagged in relief.


    Note to self, Eluvie thought, don''t depend too much on their acting skills.


    Their level of relief was only slightly too much, but little details like that could ruin a plot.


    "Do you know who Lady Mirab is meeting with?" Eluvie asked.


    She made the question sound trivial but, from her attendant''s reactions, she could tell that it was not. She watched them struggle for a while. They were clearly forbidden from discussing the topic with her, but she had just agreed to help them become rich. They wouldn''t want to upset her.


    Eluvie guessed that Bitu, as the more senior, would respond. Piri would not want to break the rules with her superior in the room.


    "She''s meeting with an ambassador from Rade, I believe," Bitu said. "I don''t know what they''re discussing, though."


    That was a smart choice, Eluvie thought. By claiming to have no knowledge, Bitu forestalled more questions about the meeting. If Eluvie pressed for more information now, it would sound odd. Eluvie didn''t worry, though. She had opened the door of conversation. Now that they were already speaking to her, they would find it awkward to stop. And the more they shared, the more blackmail material they gave her.


    Eluvie moved the conversation onto a tangent. "Where is Rade?" She asked. "Have I heard of it?"


    Bitu seemed glad to move to a less contentious topic. "You might not have," she said. "It''s a very small nation.


    "Rade, Rade," Eluvie muttered to herself as she pretended to think. "Maybe I have heard of them. Are they the island nation that hasn''t joined the alliance?"


    Bitu nodded stiffly.


    "Oh," Eluvie said. "Will they be joining now?"


    "I don''t know," Bitu said. "Maybe. I wonder what the delay is with that bath. I''ll go and check."


    Eluvie let her go. She already had enough information. Mirab had mentioned signing an agreement. If it was with Rade, it made sense that they were finally joining the alliance. Why that would precede a trip to the sky was still a mystery, however.


    Eluvie gave up on the meal. When the attendants offered their assistance with her bath, she gritted her teeth, controlled her temper, and sent them out. She was so paranoid that she wished that she could lock the bedroom door, but they had not given her its keys.


    She considered skipping the bath altogether, but it would have seemed suspicious. So, she did it as quickly as she could, ignored the clothing they had brought her, and made her own clothes again. She opted for the same style but in a different color, so they would notice that she had changed. Then she finished the task of recalling her tendrils and helped her attendants find some of the diamonds she had hidden. She couldn¡¯t give them all her resources, after all.

 A Window Away

    It was well past midday when Lady Mirab returned. The wait had been painful, but Eluvie had done her best to keep from appearing impatient. She was on the floor of the sitting rooms, playing cards with her attendants, when Lady Mirab walked in, grinning broadly. Eluvie had heard her coming from the corridor''s end, so she was well prepared to pretend disinterest. She glanced at Lady Mirab, nodded in greeting, and resumed peering at her cards.


    "May I join?" Mirab asked. As usual, Eluvie marveled at how little of the cruel jailor there was in her words. If Mirab ever lost her territory, she would make a spectacular fortune as an actress.


    "I fear it won''t be enjoyable," Eluvie said. "Apparently, one of the things I forgot was how to play cards."


    Mirab laughed more enthusiastically than the joke deserved. She was either drunk or happy. Eluvie suspected happiness.


    The ruler dropped to the ground beside Eluvie, peeked at the cards in Eluvie''s hand, and grimaced. "Best give up, then," she said. "Besides, I have good news. We''re going to visit the sky city."


    Eluvie collapsed the cards and put them down. "So, your meeting was successful?"


    "Very," Mirab said, the picture of pleasure. "Do you know Rade?"


    "A little," Eluvie said.


    "They have the only remaining transport to the sky city. We''ve been trying to access it for years, but they wouldn''t grant permission unless they joined our alliance, and they wouldn''t join our alliance without a list of ridiculous concessions."


    "What changed?" Eluvie asked.


    "They wouldn''t tell me," Mirab said. "But they will allow us supervised access to the transport." Her gaze turned somber. "I don''t know if any Illrum are still alive, but if they are, we''ll find them."


    She clearly intended that to be comforting, so Eluvie kept her skeptical thoughts to herself.


    "You''re in a difficult situation," Mirab said. "How are you, truly?"


    "When do we leave?" Eluvie asked.


    Worry crossed Mirab''s face, but it disappeared quickly.


    "I''ve ordered a contingent of guards prepared. We can leave as soon as they''re ready, but you should eat first."


    "I''m not hungry," Eluvie said. "Just tell me when we''re ready to leave."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ********************************************************************************************************


    Lady Mirab had grown suspicious. Once in a while, Eluvie caught her watching with a serious frown on her face. She did not know which of her actions had brought on the suspicion, and she did not know what it meant. Perhaps Lady Mirab knew everything, or perhaps she simply found Eluvie¡¯s actions odd. Or perhaps she was not suspicious at all, and Eluvie was reading motives into normal expressions. Regardless of the explanation, there was little Eluvie could do. So, she focused on managing herself and left the rest to the fickle heavens.


    Their transportation was oddly plain. It was a boxy, wooden carriage drawn by dull-brown horses and only large enough to carry four people. A worker guided Eluvie in first. Then, Lady Mirab followed. Eluvie realized the reason for this arrangement once she was seated. The carriage only had one door. So, she was pressed to one side of it with Mirab between her and the door.


    Lady Mirab smiled at her as she took her own seat. ¡°It¡¯s cozy, I know. It was made many years ago when sorcerers were still plenty. The enchantments on it are nearly impossible to replicate now. So, we keep using it."


    Eluvie didn¡¯t ask if any of those enchantments were intended to prevent her escape. She didn¡¯t ask what happened to the sorcerers either. She was eager to be done with the entire endeavor.


    Amu squeezed in after Mirab and took the seat opposite Eluvie. Finally, one of the other rulers came. The other two would take a second carriage, while the leather-clad guards would walk beside the carriage.


    It took an infuriating amount of time for the carriage to begin moving. The whole time, Eluvie felt herself growing more and more agitated. She almost sighed in relief when the carriage lurched into motion and almost cursed at its slow pace.


    Soon, but not soon enough, they were through the palace gates, past the point at which the barrier had always stopped Eluvie. She wondered how they were moving the barrier. None of the rulers had appeared to be carrying anything suspicious, and none of the guards had seemed preoccupied either. Had they moved it before she even entered the carriage? Was it now in a different spot, or would it move with them?


    She suppressed her umpteenth sigh and turned toward the window closest to her. Calling it a window was generous. It was barely more than a slit in the wood. Eluvie was forced to press her face very close to it in order to see through it. Even then, a good portion of her view was obstructed by guards. Who would design such a miserable carriage? It wasn¡¯t good for more than transporting prisoners.


    ¡®Oh¡¯, she thought. It was meant for transporting prisoners. Functional windows were for free people.


    She gave up on trying to see through the slit, although her curiosity was burning a hole inside her. Sooner or later, they would let her out of the carriage.


    None of the others spoke, but the carriage was not silent. She could still hear the whispers. They had grown the moment she had exited the palace. In the palace, there had only ever been ten or twenty at a time. Now, she suspected that there were hundreds of individual voices. Some were strong, some weak. Some were loud, others soft. Some chattered on about everything, while others were so silent that she could only tell their presence by a slight thrumming - like the sound of a heartbeat.She wished she had asked Amu about the voices. She wished he had been trustworthy enough for the question. She wished that the blanks in her knowledge were not as wide and numerous as the gaps between stars.


    And then, despite her anger and disappointment, she prayed. She prayed to the maker that she would escape, that she wouldn''t need to kill anyone, and that she would not make any fatal mistakes. She prayed like some people made wishes, not expecting an answer, only throwing out a request to the cold, dark silence.

 The Wronged and the Dead

    The carriage came to a halt less than an hour after their departure. Eluvie knew that that was not long enough to reach their destination. It was barely long enough to exit the city. She tried not to seem too excited as the doors opened and the others stepped out.


    Leaving the carriage took her back to her first escape, to the day she¡¯d finally seen the sun. She could not say what she had expected their surroundings to be when she exited, but she was disappointed nonetheless. The ground was just as barren as it had been inside the palace; barren and dry. They stood on the shores of a great ocean, so the land closest to the water was muddy and reddish. But, just a few meters from the water, it transformed into a cracked, dry mass that would likely break any enterprising hoe.


    She turned away from the ocean to look at the city, hoping that it would be better. It was just as disappointing. The landscape sloped down toward the water, so she could only see a little of the city, but what she saw was depressing. The line of buildings closest to the water were little more than shacks. Some rose several stories high, but none were more than shabby, crumbling buildings.


    ¡°I want to see something,¡± she said to Lady Mirab, then rose into the air.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Someone called. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Eluvie ignored the voice and continued rising until she could see more of the city. None of it was good. The road they had come down was a thin, stone path pressed upon by towering buildings, and it was the best-maintained part of the city. The best of the buildings were stone apartments with dust-covered windows and worn-out wooden doors. The worst were wooden buildings seemingly on the verge of collapse. But, worse than all of that were the people. A quick estimate told her that there was not nearly enough housing for them, and that was evidenced by the countless number she saw sleeping in alleys, on roofs, or in the middle of the streets. She had often heard her attendants complaining about their housing, but she had never before truly understood their predicament.


    She stayed in the air until there was nothing more to see, then she slowly sank back to the ground.


    There, Lady Mirab stood watching her with an annoyed expression. ¡°That was incredibly dangerous, Eluvie,¡± she said. ¡°Someone could have shot you down. Did you not think of that?¡±


    Eluvie frowned. ¡°Who would shoot me?¡±


    ¡°Do you think everyone is your friend? Half of the vagrants on the street would do it out of boredom alone. The other nations would do it to harm our alliance. And the war has barely ended. Almost everyone you meet will hate you just for being an Illrum. Did you think we rode out in a closed carriage because I hate fresh air?¡±


    Eluvie almost felt chastened. That was the power of Lady Mirab¡¯s acting. But she called to mind everything that she had endured and the feeling disappeared.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful.¡±


    Lady Mirab eyed her for a moment, then she shook her head and sighed at the same time. ¡°How can I fault your curiosity? Let¡¯s go before you get into even more trouble.¡±She pretended to forget the matter, and Eluvie pretended that she had not noticed the guards preparing to shoot her down. Their web of lies was so fragile that she could not guess how much longer it would last.


    Eluvie walked ahead of Lady Mirab toward the enormous ship waiting on the water while ignoring the caged feeling that the surrounding guards gave her. She focused on the ship instead. It looked far too large for their company. Its hull was easily two houses tall, and the boarding ramp was almost as long as the ship.


    Eluvie boarded it carefully. She did not recall ever being on a ship, but if she had, she knew that she had not enjoyed it.


    When they had boarded, Mirab gave Eluvie the option of retiring to her room or remaining on deck with the rest of the company. She chose to remain on deck. She had no desire to be in a cramped space with whatever number of guards would be sent with her. More importantly, the wait on deck provided her with enough time to inspect the company. She recognized the other rulers, but there was a new company of people she had never met. They kept to themselves and occasionally spoke in a fluid language that she could, strangely, understand. One of them, the best-dressed and most guarded, kept stealing unabashed glances at her. So, she stared freely at him in return.


    Hours later, after she had napped in a chair, eaten a full meal, and napped some more, the ship began moving. She watched the shore as they pulled out. The voices bid goodbye to her; it was strange but also strangely heartwarming.


    "What are you smiling at?" Eluvie jumped at Amu¡¯s voice. He stood beside her lounging chair, looking more tired than he had the previous night. She vacillated between lying to him and ignoring him and finally settled on a misdirection.


    "What were you lot discussing below deck?"


    "Nothing you won¡¯t find out soon," he said. Then he turned and watched the retreating shore with her.


    They stood there for several minutes, until the voices had faded completely. Despite their departure, the world did not go silent. In fact, it seemed louder than it had before they left the shore, and it was getting louder as they got further out. Eluvie stared around the ship, trying to find the source of the noise. It sounded like a constant hum emanating from every direction at once.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Amu asked.


    "Do you hear anything?" she asked, regretting the question as soon as she asked it.


    He frowned. "Just the waves and conversation."


    Eluvie gave no reply. She strained, hoping to pick out the direction from which the sound was strongest. That was of no help in determining a direction, but it did clarify the sound. As she strained, the hum resolved into words: the same word, repeated over and over and over again.


    Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.


    "Eluvie," Amu waved a hand in front of her face. "Are you well?"


    She ignored him, rose to her feet, and went to the boat¡¯s edge. Her guards followed some of the way.


    She leaned over the edge, using only her head so they would not worry about her jumping.


    The sound was coming from the water.

 Fire

    A hand fell on Eluvie''s shoulder. She gasped and spun around, but it was only Amu. He eyed her with a concerned expression.


    She straightened and dusted off her clothing, but the action felt awkward to her. Before she could explain her odd behavior, he spoke.


    "Stay away from the edge," he said. "The guards are growing anxious."


    Eluvie looked past him to the watching crowd. Every eye was watching her.


    How odd was I acting?


    She straightened her back, put her head up, and began walking toward the crowd. The eyes followed her as she went. She walked straight through the middle of the ship, found the staircase, and took it downstairs. Only when she was out of sight did she allow herself to cringe at the situation.


    Thankfully, Mirab, the other rulers, and the dignitaries had been absent. But they would hear the tale soon enough.


    Footsteps followed her down the staircase: Amu''s footsteps.


    She turned around to face the stairs and waited until his descent was complete. In the narrow, dimly lit corridor, he filled the space like a giant.


    "There are two guards coming behind me," he said. "I know they make you anxious, but there''s no way they''ll allow you unguarded below deck."


    Eluvie squelched the urge to snap at him and turned around, intending to walk to her room. But she had never learned where it was.


    "I''ll lead," Amu said, amusement in his voice.


    She ended up in a procession with Amu leading and two guards behind her. She did not ask what they intended to protect her from on the ship; she could not afford more mistakes.


    Her bedroom was tiny and windowless, owing to its location in the central portion of the ship. Counterintuitively, she felt grateful for that. It meant that the guards had to wait outside. She lay on the hard mattress, stared at the ceiling, and wondered what to do next.


    The ship rocked gently while the voice continued its chant. Now that she understood it, she could not help but hear the words. They intruded upon her thoughts, making formulating even the most basic of plans a difficult prospect.


    No thought would stick in her mind more powerful than that one question: "What was that sound?"


    She longed to send out an exploring tendril, but fear held her back. The ship was small and unfamiliar. One wrong move would expose her powers and her memories. Given a choice between ignorance and a return to the torturous days, ignorance was vastly preferable.


    So, she did her best to calm her worries and went to sleep.


    She awoke on the ground. She had a moment to wonder how she had gotten there before the boat tilted and violently threw her against the door. She tried to scramble up, but the boat tilted in the other direction and threw her against her bed. It took four more attempts for her to scramble to her feet while holding onto one of the bedposts for support.


    The strange voice was now much louder, but nearly unintelligible. Its previous chant of "die, die, die" had morphed into one long rage-filled growl.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Against that background, Amu''s voice stood out from outside the door. "I don''t care what inane orders you received. Let her out, right now!"


    Someone replied in a much lower, but intractable voice. "You do not have the authority to give that order."


    "And do you have the authority to kill her?" Amu asked.


    The guard gave an annoyed grunt. "We don''t have to listen to this. If you''re so worried, come back with one of the Rulers'' permission. Otherwise, I''ll knock you unconscious and throw you in with her."


    "This is insane," Amu raised his voice. "Eluvie! Eluvie, wake up!"


    Maneuvering in the rocking boat was a chore, but Eluvie managed it. She threw herself at the door, grabbed its handle to steady herself, and tried to open it. It was locked.


    "Eluvie!" Amu called again. "Can you hear me?!"


    "I''m awake," she called back. "What''s going on?"


    "It''s a storm, and these two idiots have listening problems."


    "It sounds like they were ordered to keep me in."


    "That was before it grew this bad," Amu said. "I''ll go back up for help. If you see a way out, take it and try to get onto the deck."


    Eluvie frowned. "Isn''t it safer down here?"


    His pause was long. "We might have to evacuate," he said.


    That was even more confusing. "Evacuate to where?"


    "Don''t worry about that," he said. "I''ll be back."


    His footsteps were faint compared to the rest of the cacophony, but she heard him leave. The guards at the door said nothing.


    She could transform into a form that allowed her to slip through the door, but that would give away her secrets. Instead, she scanned the room for a tool. There was little to see. The bed was a simple mattress on a wooden frame. The only other furnishings were a plain brown rug and a lamp.


    Her gaze stopped on the lamp. It was a normal one: a glass enclosure housing a cloth wick encased in wax. The glass enclosure was too thick to break from normal use, and its only opening was too tiny for her purposes. But she didn''t really need the flame.


    She slid over to one side of the door and positioned herself so that its opening would not restrain her.


    Then, she screamed. "Fire! Help! It''s on fire!"


    The guards hesitated for a while. One questioned whether they should seek instructions. The other reasoned that they could hardly be rewarded for letting her burn to death. Finally, they opened the door.


    Eluvie forced herself to wait until the door was fully open. Then, she slipped through and sprinted down the corridor. She had gained several feet on the guards before they realized that there was no fire. And when they finally began chasing her, she was already climbing up the staircase.

 Are You A Spy?

    Despite the boat''s violent rocking, she made it onto the deck. And immediately wished that she had not done so.


    The first sight to greet her was of an enormous wave, larger than anything she had seen or imagined, crashing onto the deck and drenching every person on it. The water on deck flowed past her and down the staircase she still stood on.


    The boat is flooding, she thought.


    She recalled then, that she had run through ankle-deep water on her journey to the deck. She had thought little of it then, but it could not be a good sign for them. Oddly, the sky was completely free of clouds. The sun was shining and there was not the slightest hint of rain. It seemed as if the sea itself was trying to kill them.


    As Amu had hinted, they were attempting to evacuate. Workers were trying to untie one of the lifeboats lashed to the side of the boat, while two rulers argued beside them.


    "There you are!" the guards called from behind Eluvie.


    Without thinking, she climbed out of the stairwell and onto the deck.


    The ship was remarkably stable given the circumstances, but walking on the deck was still a dangerous proposition. She opted for crawling, since some of the others were doing the same.


    Amu saw her before she had traveled far and waved her over.


    He ran toward her while she remained crawling, and they met somewhere between their original positions. When he glared at something behind her, she knew that the guards were still behind her.


    Eluvie didn''t bother looking at them. They could try to drag her away, but they were likely to kill themselves in the attempt.


    "Are you truly evacuating?" Eluvie asked.


    Amu said nothing. He was staring at a new spot to his left. She followed his gaze and found Lady Mirab shooting them a murderous glare.


    Amu turned his attention back to Eluvie. "They plan to try."


    "And does Mirab want to leave me here to drown?"


    Amu shook his head. "Not exactly." He glanced in Mirab''s direction again. "Look," he said, "you can stop this. Illrum can control these things." He dropped his voice to a whisper. "Remember, before, when you split the ground to escape from us? You can do something similar here. You can stop the storm."


    Eluvie was shaking her head before he finished. "I can''t. I -"


    She had wanted to say that she hadn''t done it, that the voice had done it. But that was another secret that she had never shared.


    "You have to try," Amu said firmly. "We can typically make this journey with no danger. But when it''s this bad, hardly anyone escapes. If you don''t do something, we''re dead."


    Eluvie considered that.


    "You''ll die too," Amu said. "No matter what you transform into. This is not an ordinary storm. An ordinary storm comes with rain."


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    Eluvie sighed. As lovely as it would be to see her captors dead, she was not yet ready to kill herself with them.


    "I''ll try," she said. "But I don''t know how."


    She took deep breaths and thought about the voice that had helped her back in the palace. If the voice from the water was similar, she could converse with it silently. The thought scared her, however. The voice in the palace had been kind. This one sounded monstrous.


    Hello? She said, Can you hear me?


    Mirab reached the duo. Before she could speak, Amu pulled her away to speak in a corner. They thought their voices were low, but Eluvie had always had better hearing than they expected. She closed her eyes and pretended to calm the storm while she listened to their conversation.


    "Are you mad?" Mirab asked. "Because I can think of no other reason for this idiocy."


    "She can calm it," Amu said.


    "And I said, it''s not necessary. The storm is only here because of her. If we leave, we''ll survive."


    "And she''ll drown."


    "She is an Illrum!" Mirab exclaimed. "We have fourteen more seeds to revive her from."


    "Have you ever drowned, Mirab? Would you try it if I promised to revive you?"


    "I don''t know what is wrong with you, Amu, but I''m getting tired of it. It''s palpable when you''re merely violating my orders. But now you''re helping her awaken powers that would hurt our cause. Are you a spy?"


    Amu sputtered. "What?"


    Mirab repeated the question, enunciating carefully. "Are you a spy? You worked closely with Illrum. They trusted you. Perhaps you still feel loyal to them. Perhaps you''re staying close and waiting for an opportunity to rescue her."


    "Don''t be absurd. They killed my family."


    "Then, are you in love with her? I could understand that. She''s pretty enough when she looks human. And, yes, she looks young enough to be your daughter, but that''s only an illusion. I bet if she recalled her true birthdate, she might be only a century older than you."


    "You''re clearly upset," Amu sounded furious, "so I won''t respond to that."


    "It wasn''t a joke," Mirab said. "I want an answer. I want to know why you''re doing unnecessary and counterproductive things. Which is it? Are you a spy or are you in love with her? And don''t tell me you''re just a doctor because I can still spot lies."


    There was a long silence. Then, Amu responded with cold fury.


    "I am not a spy," he said. "And I am not trying to sabotage you. I won''t answer any more than that. If that doesn''t satisfy you, dismiss me or throw me overboard. But if you go into that lifeboat, and it turns out that the storm is not related to her, then I hope you enjoy drowning."


    Eluvie sensed that the argument was over, so she turned her attention back to ending the storm.

 Bound Oath

    Several times, she spoke to the invisible voice, and each time, it ignored her.


    Amu returned and gently put a hand on her shoulder.


    "Any success?" he asked. There was no residual anger in his tone. He spoke to her with the tone a mother would use when she turned from an argument with her husband and addressed the child she loved: exhausted, protective, affectionate.


    Eluvie shrugged off the touch like it was something hot.


    He often used that tone, she realized. In the past, it had been easy to overlook, to dismiss as guilt. But Mirab was right. There was something odd about his behavior. He had not told Mirab of Eluvie''s memories. He tried to save her even after she had threatened him. He had been far more accommodating to her than was safe for an enemy. If he was not a spy or a woefully misguided suitor, then she could not say what he was.


    "Hurry, please," he said. "I would really regret dying here."


    Eluvie decided to put him out of her mind for the moment.


    Speaking to the voice was not working. What else could she try?


    She reached into her memories of her attempted escape. Then, she had not been attempting to communicate with anything. Was it possible for her to simply control the water with her mind?


    She decided that it was worth the attempt.


    The initial effort made her dizzy, but she held on. With her eyes closed and her teeth ground together, she imagined herself pushing at the water, forcing the waves into calmness.


    What are you doing?


    Eluvie could not say how she kept her calm. Perhaps she had simply grown accustomed to invisible sounds.


    She ensured that her outward behavior had not changed and silently replied to the voice.


    I don''t know what you mean, she said. Who are you?


    A flood of rage washed over her. At the same time, the crashing of waves stopped. A calm came over the water, so complete that even the slightest gust of wind would have been alarmingly loud.


    I said, "What do you think you are doing? How dare you try to control me?"


    "You stopped it," Amu said. "That''s impressive."


    Eluvie barely heard him. The emotions coming from the voice told her that she was in more danger than before.


    "I don''t think I''m powerful enough to do that," she said. "I was only hoping to get your attention."


    There was an extremely long pause. It seemed to go on for a full minute, though perhaps her fear distorted the time. She did not move while she waited. She knew that it was not gone.


    And now that you have my attention, it sounded mocking, what do you intend to do?


    I had hoped that you would stop trying to kill us. She had no map for this conversation, so she was hoping that directness was the best approach.


    And why would I do that? The voice sounded vaguely amused now. The waves had not returned, but she understood that they could do so with little notice.


    "I can tell that you are angry," she said. "If you tell me what you want, perhaps we could find an agreeable solution."


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    It truly laughed, then. Its laughter resembled a dozen cascading waterfalls, but she recognized it as laughter.


    You? it said. Help me? What can one doomed person offer another? If you are so capable, you should invest your efforts in saving yourself.


    Eluvie said a silent prayer of thanks. That was an opening large enough to build a friendship on.


    Are you trapped too? she asked.


    It responded with another long pause. When it finally spoke, it was with a well-blended combination of amusement and malice.


    I am going to turn this boat over, it said, and drown every one of you. That would be a mercy for you, but I''m not doing it out of kindness. I''m just bored.


    Wait, Eluvie said. And it waited. Give me something. Tell me one thing I can do that will make you spare us for now. There has to be something you want that I can give.


    Its response came with surprising quickness. I want you to free me.


    Free you from what? How are you trapped?


    Free me from this place, it said. From this world.


    Eluvie chased the statement around in her mind, but she could not deduce its meaning.


    It''s not a metaphor. The voice sounded irritated. I am trapped on this disgusting wasteland of a planet. Free me from it, and I won''t have any reason to kill you.


    Eluvie did not know how she could achieve such a thing, but there was only one answer available to her.


    "Of course," she said. "I will learn what I can and do everything in my power to free you."


    Thankfully, the voice did not notice or comment on her mild sarcasm. "Swear it," it said. "Say, ''I swear by my rank that if it is ever within my ability, I will free you.''"


    That gave Eluvie pause. She was a deft hand at manipulation, so she knew when she was its target. This voice, whatever it was, might have attacked their ship out of boredom, but its entire conversation with her had been intended toward this end.


    She did not know what the oath meant, and she suspected that it would not tell her. She also knew, instinctively, that refusing would not end well for her. Perhaps the rulers would escape and revive her using another seed. But perhaps they would not.


    So, she gave the oath. "I swear by my rank that if it is ever within my ability, I will free you."


    A sense of contentment met her mind. Then, naturally, it said, I will allow you to live. Take care of yourself. You''re holding both of our hopes.


    There were many questions Eluvie wanted to ask, but she held her tongue. When she opened her eyes and saw every person on the ship watching her, she knew that she had made the correct choice.


    Mirab walked her back to her bedroom, staying silent most of the way. Before she left, she asked how Eluvie had stopped the storm. Eluvie responded that she wasn''t entirely certain - which was true. And Mirab did not push further. Neither trusted the other, evidently, but they saw no need to make a fuss about it yet.

 Honestly

    They reached their destination a day later. The voice from the ocean had since returned, once again calling for their deaths, but it began to dim as they approached land. Instead, new voices took its place, familiar in attitude if not in sound.


    I see her, one said! She''s here!


    Be quiet, another said. Are you trying to sabotage her?


    Hush, went another.


    And they continued in that vein, impotently shushing each other and prattling on about her beauty and their excitement.


    As usual, Eluvie pretended not to hear them. The voices at home were used to her presence. Here, however, she hoped that they would be stunned enough to leak important information.


    Mirab joined her at the railing, and the pair watched in silence for a while. Eluvie hated the silence almost as much as she hated Mirab''s presence, but she fought to keep from showing that discomfort and let it continue undisturbed.


    Finally, Mirab spoke.


    "We never discussed the storm," she said.


    Eluvie remained silent.


    "What did Amu say when he brought you above deck?"


    The long deception was already wearing on Eluvie. It was growing difficult to recall what lies she had told and which secrets were still secret. She worried that cracks would appear in her facade and eventually doom her.


    So, she chose to tell the truth. That would reduce the strain on her memory.


    "He told me that you were evacuating the ship. But you had told the guards to keep me in. I surmise you wished to leave without me."


    Mirab sighed. "We''ve sailed this route many times. The ocean can be temperamental, but it rarely attacks us so blatantly. And even when it does, the attack is short-lived. We have so many protective enchantments, it should be impossible for us to be in as much danger as we were yesterday. I guessed that you were the cause of the danger. It happens sometimes with ships carrying Illrum. I hoped that I could save the others. And though we would lose you, we thankfully have one more of your seeds." She sighed again. "I''m sure you don''t appreciate being treated as disposable -"


    "I understand," Eluvie said. "I can''t expect you to sacrifice every person on board for only me."


    "You are worth far more than they are," Mirab said. "But I have duties -"


    "Acknowledged," Eluvie said. "Truly." She turned to Mirab and gave the ruler a sincere smile. "You made the correct choice. I would have done the same in your place."


    Mirab looked skeptical, so Eluvie decided to tease her. "Was I not so logical in the past?"


    Mention of the supposedly forgotten past jerked Mirab back to life. "You were," she said. "It''s just difficult to tell how much of your personality will survive rebirths."


    Eluvie gave no response. That teasing statement had cost all the remaining energy she could spare for civility.


    "You have not asked why we are on this journey," Mirab said.


    Eluvie suppressed a sigh. Rather than risk speaking, she kept her eyes focused on the approaching shore.


    Mirab waited a while for a response but eventually gave up.


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    "You don''t recall much," the ruler said, "but that storm was the least of what we face. The ocean is attacking more than just ships. Do you recall when we left Imut? Do you recall how crowded it was?"


    Eluvie gave a small grunt.


    "Rade, where we are going is even worse," Mirab said. "Look at the shore. It''s faint, but you should be able to see what I mean."


    Eluvie humored her. The land was not close enough to make out individual features, but squinting brought it into better focus. And as the ship drew closer to it, she saw even more. At first, it seemed that the individual buildings on the shore were only blurred together. But, the more she looked, the more she suspected that there were no individual buildings. The entire city seemed to be one structure. Houses were built right beside, or above, or even inside each other. She could tell that they were individual houses because their colors, roofs, and sizes were wildly discordant.


    She continued watching as the shore drew closer, and the scene only grew more fantastic. If there were any roads, she could not find them. She saw a manor house with a hovel built on top of it, two more hovels built around the first hovel, and thin houses occupying the minuscule gaps between the hovels. Another manor house stood directly behind and flush against the first, with another manor on top of it, and two more manors atop that. Then, the entire precarious stack was topped with a row of hovels.


    "I hope they don''t have any earthquakes," Eluvie said.


    Mirab chuckled, just as Eluvie realized that shock had loosened her tongue.


    "They do," Mirab said, "but not frequently. Do you know why they''ve built it this way?"


    Eluvie shrugged.


    "This ocean that we''ve sailed," Mirab said, "from Imut, all the way here, did not exist forty years ago. As a child, I traveled this distance in a carriage. It took a week."


    She paused for so long that it was clear she wanted Eluvie''s reaction.


    "Then, where did the water come from?" Eluvie asked.


    "The ocean rose," Mirab said. "One day, it simply began harassing people, overturning ships, drowning anyone who stood too close to the water. And then, it began rising. Fishing towns were swallowed up in days. People fled for higher ground, but eventually, those cities fell as well. Imut and Rade used to be sparsely-populated mountain peaks. Now, they are some of the last habitable places. And we don''t know how long they will remain. The rise has slowed but it has not stopped. In another decade, perhaps, there will be no more land."


    "What caused this?" Eluvie asked. She had since shifted her gaze from the shore to Mirab.


    Mirab shrugged. "We don''t know. Some blame the Illrum, but nobody truly knows."


    When Mirab did not speak for a while, Eluvie decided to voice her curiosity. "So, how does bringing me here solve the problem?"


    Mirab gave a slightly hysterical laugh. "You won''t believe me now," she said. "But don''t worry. You''ll be seeing it within the hour. I wanted to speak with you now, to explain. The Illrum and humans are enemies. Perhaps, when you see what we did to your people, you won''t care if we drown. But I wanted to tell you now, so that you have time to think before you make your choice."


    She gave one of her deep, long sighs. "I am sorry for all that has happened," she said. "I truly am. And I hope that you have the strength to move past it."


    She gave Eluvie a tight-lipped smile, then patted her shoulder.


    "I have to speak with the others before we disembark," she said. "I''ll be back."

 The Box

    The ship docked soon after that. The foreigners disembarked first, followed by Eluvie and Mirab, and finally the rest of the company.


    "Be careful of the water," Mirab said.


    Eluvie couldn''t do otherwise if she wished. Mirab had a vice-like grip on her arm, and the gangway was almost as wide as a street.


    She watched her feet anyway and let her mind wander back to the voice. It had never responded to her again, no matter how she tried to contact it.


    Once they were past the beach, the town began abruptly. The first building they passed was eighty feet tall, and they only grew taller from there. The individual buildings stood so close together that the only ''streets'' available were actually corridors formed by the meeting of higher floors. Guards cleared the path of any residents long before Eluvie could meet them, but she saw several eyes peeking from between curtains.


    The path wound as they made their way through the maze of buildings. With each street looking so similar and no knowledge of where they were headed, she had no choice but to accept her confusion. When they finally reached their destination, it came so suddenly that she did not initially believe that they had arrived. They simply walked from one corridor into another, passed an archway, and found themselves in a mansion.


    It had clean stone floors, cavernous ceilings, expensive-looking sculptures, and well-groomed guards. Yet, it appeared to be merely a foyer.


    The procession continued through a set of double doors and down impeccably kept corridors. They walked for an unreasonably long time. Eluvie could hardly believe that such a large place was hidden among all those buildings.


    This walk, at least, was less disorienting. The corridors still looked similar, but the further they progressed, the more guards appeared. Until, at last, they reached a door protected by three lines of guards.


    Eluvie felt some apprehension at the scene, but the guards parted easily and allowed their company through the door.


    The guards spread out as they entered the room. Some stood against the door, while the others lined the walls. All wore severe expressions.


    Eluvie turned away from them and inspected the room''s only contents: a large glass box.


    There seemed to be nothing remarkable about it. It was large enough to hold two dozen people, had a glass door, and was a perfect cube. Its interior, clearly visible through the spotless glass, was completely empty.


    Eluvie looked at the others for an explanation, but no one spoke. In fact, they seemed to be expecting something from her.


    "It''s your turn," Mirab said, gesturing at the box. "Try to make it work."


    Eluvie gaped at her. "Work how? It''s a box."


    There were some irritated hisses from the crowd. That infuriated Eluvie. They kept her ignorant and then grew annoyed by her ignorance.


    Before she could lose her composure and snap at them, however, Mirab remedied the situation.


    "This is the transport that will take us to the Illrum fortress. It will float up through that opening," she indicated an enormous hole in the room''s ceiling. "It only works for Illrum, however, so I cannot tell you how to operate it. Hopefully, it is instinctive. It never seemed to trouble any of the past Illrum."


    She sounded hopeful and a little strained. For the umpteenth time, Eluvie wondered if she should be making more effort to escape. Was it safe to help them achieve their goals? What did they plan for her after they were satisfied?


    The crowd was still watching, so she decided to do something.


    First, she walked up to the box and touched one of its walls. It felt cool and smooth, like glass always does. After a few seconds, when nothing changed, she decided that its functionality was not touch-activated.


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    Next, she attempted to mentally influence it. It felt silly to do that to a box, but all sorts of silly things constantly happened around her.


    She spent about ten seconds doing that before a voice spoke.


    "I don''t understand," it said. "What do you want?"


    A jolt of shock went through Eluvie, but she composed herself quickly.


    Who are you? she thought at it.


    Who am I? The voice sounded annoyed. I''m right in front of you. How can you miss me? I am the only thing in this cursed room.


    Eluvie frowned. "Are you the box?"


    It made a huffing sound. That''s a crude way of putting it, but technically correct, I suppose. Who are- Oh! Oh! It''s you! Oh, how can I serve - I mean - help?


    Eluvie stood perfectly still for several seconds because she could not decide what to respond to first: the fact that a box could speak, the fact that it recognized her, or the fact that it would speak to her in a non-surreptitious manner.


    Recalling that the others were still watching her, she opted for directness.


    Can you take us to the Illrum home? she asked.


    That is my purpose. It sounded both excited and terrified. Jump in!


    Eluvie turned to the others and smiled. "I think I can make it work," she said.


    Mirab responded with an odd smile, as if she were trying to look pleased but failing. Then, she beckoned the rest of the group forward.


    They did not all fit into the box, but only because the rulers would not consent to being packed like peasants in a rowboat. Eluvie was allowed in, naturally, along with the four rulers, two people from the foreign delegation, Amu, and eight guards. For a quarter of an hour, they argued about what proportion of the guards would belong to the rulers and what proportion would belong to the Radens. Eventually, Mirab grew tired of the conversation and argued, truthfully, that they were in Raden territory and surrounded by Radens anyway. The final split was 6 - 2 in favor of the Radens.


    Finally, they all entered the box, positioned themselves as comfortably as they could, and shut the door. As soon as the door was closed, the box began to move upward at a terrifying speed.


    How long will this take? Eluvie asked, addressing the box.


    Eh, it said. I apologize, but I''ve been told that I have a terrible sense of time. I know that it must not be very long because the humans don''t get too irritated.


    That told Eluvie nothing. She repeated the question to Mirab, who assured her that it would be less than fifteen minutes.


    There was a noticeable sense of excitement among the company. Considering the fact that she was the last living Illrum - to their knowledge - it stood to reason that they had not visited the fortress for a significant amount of time. Whatever they hoped to find there, they must have been waiting for it for some time.


    She had a spot in the back, and that allowed her some privacy. She sat down with her legs tucked beneath her, leaned against the wall, and shut her eyes. Hopefully, she thought, that would preempt any suspicion.

 Loose Lips

    Once she was as comfortable as she could be, she addressed the box.


    Have you always been a box? she asked.


    It was not the most pressing of her questions. Yet, it forced its way out first.


    "I imagine so," the box said. It somehow accompanied this statement with a mental shrug. "I don''t recall ever being anything else. I see why you ask, though. As insane as my maker was, he could have repurposed a tea towel or something equally mundane. Sometimes, I imagine that I am a piece of driftwood floating along on a river. I would go into the sea, and then flow back into a river and then go around and around and around until I''m dizzy. Do you think that means something? Could I have been something else before? I heard human dreams mean something, and I don''t have any of course, but -"


    It rambled on for a long time before Eluvie accepted that it would never stop. She tried several times to interrupt it, but it just kept going. Bits of its rambling were useful. She discovered that its maker was a long-dead sorcerer, that it had been in existence for at least ten generations of kings, and that it really hated having no other boxes to speak with.


    "If you stop talking, I''ll find a friend for you," Eluvie said, frustrated.


    It stopped immediately. Eluvie hurriedly asked another question before it could begin speaking again. "Do you know why the others won''t speak to me? You''re only the third... umm... person who has done so."


    Oh, they''re probably afraid, it said.


    Afraid of what? Eluvie asked.


    To say something wrong, it said. Or perhaps someone told them not to. The last time someone brought an older sword in here - he was very talkative - he said that Imare has a very strict policy about even speaking of you. Of course, that doesn''t apply to me because I have no one to speak to.


    Who is Imare? Eluvie decided to try steering rather than interrupting it.


    Imare is... Well, he''s, uh, the ground. The ground you walk on, you know. It''s his body. I don''t know how to explain better than that. Oh, imagine that you lived on the back of a giant dragon. That''s Imare. Except that he''s not a dragon. And he''s made more of dirt than...


    The ground is I''mare, Eluvie repeated.


    Yes. He sleeps a lot, so he''ll never talk to you anyway.


    He continued for a while as Eluvie tried to wrap her head around that information.


    If I scooped some dirt from the ground, Eluvie asked, would Imare be in that dirt as well?


    The voice went silent for a long time. "A long time" for it was about two seconds.


    "That sounds like philosophy," it said. "I don''t like philosophy. But, I don''t think he will be. I mean, you have very long hair. If I cut off some of it, would you be in the hair?"


    Eluvie decided that the question was too complicated and unimportant to worry about.


    "What about the ocean?" she asked. "What is its name?"


    The voice projected a shudder. That''s Ijuv. You shouldn''t talk to her. She''s insane and cruel. Don''t believe anything she says.


    The conversation had gone on too long, Eluvie decided. She had learned many interesting things, but none of them changed her situation.


    Can you tell me why the others would be afraid of saying something wrong to me? she asked.


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    Well, you could kill them, it said. If they accidentally ruined your trial, you would be livid.


    "What trial?" Eluvie asked.


    The box responded with silence. After several seconds, she decided to repeat the question.


    What trial are you referring to?


    The box replied in a timid tone. "Trial? Who mentioned a trial?"


    Eluvie let her irritation spill into her tone. "You did."


    I assure you, I did not. I would never do such a thing.


    Eluvie was torn between anger and amusement. Rather than lashing out, she took a moment to compose herself and refine her strategy.


    "So," she said, "the trial is what you are not to tell me about."


    I don''t know what you mean, the box said. There is no trial.


    I wonder, Eluvie said, would Imare be angry that you broke the rule?


    It scoffed. Imare won''t do anything. He''s always asleep. I suppose you could wake him up. But please, don''t. I don''t want to be mute. I''ll never make a mistake again. I swear it!


    Eluvie almost pitied it. Then, she recalled that she was the more pitiable of them.


    This is what we will do, she said. You will tell me exactly what is going on, and I won''t tell anyone that I heard it from you.


    I can''t! It seemed tortured. You don''t understand. Oh, you don''t understand how horrible this is! It''s not just Imare. I could kill you. Mentioning the trial is a simple mistake, but if I reveal anything else, it could be really bad. And if you get hurt, then Imare won''t matter. I would be doomed. And you would be doomed, too, of course. I can''t. I don''t want to hurt you. You''re actually quite nice.


    Eluvie felt like her head was full of rattling wasps. She could barely think, she did not know what she wanted, and she did not know who to trust.


    "I''m getting tired of this," she said. "I don''t know what this trial is, but I am sick of being tortured and used and manipulated while everyone keeps secrets."


    The secrets are actually a good idea," the voice said. "Knowing them would -"


    "Would it keep me from passing the trial?" she guessed.


    Yes! You understand! Please don''t threaten me, Isei. I wouldn''t tell you if I could. We would both regret it. Ugh! I talk too much. Everyone says so. I should have listened.


    Eluvie decided to spend some time with her thoughts. The voice, chastened by mistakes, maintained a resolute silence.


    Finally, she spoke again. "Is there anything you can tell me that wouldn''t be harmful to know?"


    I shouldn''t tell you anything at all, it said. I don''t want to make any more mistakes.


    That was probably the first sign of intelligence it had shown. Eluvie wanted to press. The desire ate at her. She could not stand being so close to information and choosing to ignore it. So, she told herself that she was not ignoring it. They would use the box on the return trip. Then, if she was still curious, she would insist on answers.

 Doorway

    The box came to an abrupt halt several minutes later in a region of empty space. Eluvie could see clouds far below and far above them, but nothing in the immediate area seemed worth stopping for.


    She cast glances around the rest of the enclosure, but no one else appeared alarmed.


    "You will need to let us in," Mirab said. "Fly directly upward. In a few hundred meters, you''ll find a platform. Release the ladder there, and we can climb up."


    When Eluvie nodded her understanding, Mirab opened the door and gestured for her to step out.


    For a moment, Eluvie wondered why she wouldn''t just run away. Then, she recalled the barrier that kept her from traveling too far from the company.


    She stepped to the edge of the open door, transformed into a form with wings, adjusted her clothing to fit the new form, and flew off.


    The flight was thrilling. It was cold, comfortable, and brought a sense of relief. None of her problems had disappeared, but when she flew with nothing else in sight, it felt easy to imagine that they could.


    She almost missed the platform. It was made of glass, just like the box, and almost invisible among the clouds. Only a glint of light reflecting off it saved her from searching in the wrong place.


    She landed easily on it and took stock of her surroundings. The platform, like the box, was just large enough for their group. It had a wall on only one side while the other three lacked even railings. One determined push would send anyone tumbling to their death. Between that, and the transparency of the glass floor, she was impressed that any human could visit her without soiling their trousers.


    The sole wall had a pair of double doors in it. Though made of glass as well, they looked just as solid as if they had been armored steel. They had no handles, knobs, or handholds of any kind and no hole for a key.


    So, how do they open? she wondered.


    "Excuse me," she whispered to the door. After all, if a box could speak, why wouldn''t a door?


    Speak the entry key. The voice immediately blossomed in her mind. Oddly, it sounded old and solid, just as she imagined a door''s voice would be.


    "Um, how would I know it?" she asked.


    Speak the entry key, it said again, in the same tone as the first statement.


    Eluvie frowned. She couldn''t tell if it was being flippant or obtuse.


    "Is it ''biscuits?''¡± she asked.


    Speak the entry key.


    ¡°My mother is a red duck.¡±


    Speak the entry key.


    Eluvie sighed. Clearly, not all objects were equally intelligent. She guessed that this one could only understand the passcode.


    She searched the platform for a clue, but it was as empty as before. Except...


    She moved closer to one end of the platform, crouched, and examined some odd etchings on the ground. They formed an odd, tangled shape, like a pile of rope. She reached for them, found them to be solid, and came away with a fistful of rope made of the same glassy substance as the platform.


    It was a rope ladder; soft as cloth, but surprisingly sturdy.


    She contemplated ignoring it, but only for a second. There was nothing to do here, after all, unless she could guess the code.


    So, she threw the free end of the ladder down and waited for the others to climb up. She spared a moment to pray to the Creator that some of them would fall to their deaths, then she resumed her attempts to guess the passcode. None of her guesses elicited a new response from the door, however, and she was forced to stop when the first of Mirab''s company became visible.


    The guards came up first, followed by Mirab. Then, the rest of the company slowly climbed onto the platform. Disappointingly, none of them were dead.


    Mirab gave Eluvie one of her bright, friendly smiles, making Eluvie nauseous, and gestured towards the door.


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    "Have you tried to open it?" she asked.


    "I don''t know how," Eluvie replied. Thankfully, that was true. And thankfully, Mirab did not notice that it was not a direct answer.


    "That''s concerning," Mirab said. "Typically, it just opens. I''ve heard that it requires a passcode, but no one ever actually speaks it. Presumably, it just plucks it from their minds."


    "I don''t recall a passcode," Eluvie said.


    Mirab nodded thoughtfully. "Naturally," she turned to Amu. "What do you think?"


    Eluvie noted that Amu appeared oddly exhausted. Part of that was attributed to his growing stubble, but the exhaustion reached his eyes as well.


    Amu looked thoughtful for a moment, then he scratched his head as he spoke. "I don''t think her memory loss should be a problem. Illrum regularly lose their bodies and have to be regrown. It would be inconvenient if they forgot their passcodes every time." He turned to Eluvie. "Whenever you make a seed, you give it enough information for a fresh start. For example, you always remember your name. You should have added the code to your seed as well. Sort through the things you remember. The passcode will be something you did not learn in the last few days."


    He was doing an impressive job of pretending that she had lost her memories.


    "Try your name," he said.


    Eluvie had already tried that, but she did it again. Nothing happened. She tried speaking it out loud as well, to hide her mindspeech.


    One of the Radens - their king, she guessed - gave a disgusted sigh. "We''ve climbed all this way, and you couldn''t even prepare properly."


    Mirab glared at him, but he was eyeing Eluvie and missed the look.


    Mirab turned back to Eluvie with a kindly expression. "Just relax," she said. "You''ll find it. Try to order your memories. Is there anything that you remember but cannot recall why you know it? Something that fits with nothing else but somehow seems important?"


    Eluvie turned back to the door and pondered the question.


    She went back to her first memories, but all she found there was pain and confusion.


    A different tactic suggested itself to him. If she wanted to pick a passcode now, what would she pick? What had any significance to her? It was a difficult question. Everything she knew and owned was tied to her captivity. She considered using the boy''s name but dismissed the idea. It wasn''t significant enough.


    It came to her like a thunderclap.


    There was one thing that was always present in her mind, without rhyme, reason, or roots. One thing that she couldn''t shake off despite how pointless it was.


    The Creator, she said.


    The doors opened.


    Mirab laughed in joy, while the others broke into relieved commentary. Only Eluvie was displeased.


    The creator? she thought. Her past self was clearly a fool of significant quality. Why assign so much significance to someone so useless?


    "What was the code?" Mirab asked.


    "I think it should be a secret," Eluvie said. She began to move towards the doorway, but Mirab quickly caught up to her.


    "It doesn''t matter if you tell me," Mirab said. "No one can use someone else''s code."


    "Then there''s no point in your knowing it," Eluvie said.


    Mirab looked confused for a moment, then she smiled knowingly. "Ah. I''m prying, am I not?" She elbowed Eluvie jokingly. "Is it a boy?"


    Such a playful tone from her captor and tormentor proved too much for Eluvie''s current state of mind. She beat her wings to rise off the floor and flew ahead, pretending that Mirab''s pursuing chuckles were only rubber balls bouncing off her back.

 Toy World

    Going through the door felt surreal. From the exterior, it had appeared to be suspended on the platform with nothing around it. Walking through it, however, revealed a tunnel made of glass through which the outside world was clearly visible. The floor of the tunnel consisted of a staircase made of the same material. It was impossible to tell where the steps led, but they formed a spiral leading resolutely upward.


    The guards hurried ahead so that half of them were ahead of her, and the other half were behind her. They understood their assignment well: "Watch the prisoner at all times."


    She found some amusement on the journey, at least. While she had an easy time of the flight, the humans soon grew tired of climbing hundreds of staircases. The least fit among them were soon huffing, but even the more fortunate grew irritable when the first half-hour passed with no sight of their destination.


    Someone remarked that perhaps the staircase was endless and, as silly as that was, it sparked some panic among the group. Mirab quickly reassured them, however.


    The tunnel''s end came just as suddenly as its beginning. They turned a corner, and there was the mouth, opening into a pure blueness like that of the sky on a perfect day. Above them were more clouds, and below...


    Eluvie stopped to inspect the ground below her. Some of it was made of glass and perfectly revealed the clouds below them. But other parts were raised and colored an earth-like brown. Some of the brown portions were hundreds of meters wide, while others were only as thick as an arm. Their arrangement was odd, too. It resembled a spider''s web or a tangled mass of threads. She touched one of the sections and found it solid, not crumbly like dirt would be.


    Responding to instinct, she rose higher into the air to gain a wider view.


    Then, she understood.


    The raised, brown sections were branches, much like hers. Where hers were golden and luminous, these were brown. And where hers were merely large, these were massive. These were what she had seen while staring at the sky on her first day in the sun: dead Illrum.


    The branches spread over the entire landscape, crisscrossing each other, clustered in some places, and further apart in others. The bodies came in a variety of sizes. Some were large enough that entire mansions could be built on one branch, while others were so small that they could have been younger than her.


    "We should be moving," it was one of the foreigners. And he said it in a small voice, like someone who knew that he was in the wrong but had no intentions of acknowledging it.


    Eluvie almost turned around. She saw herself flying back into the tunnel, ignoring their voices calling her name. She saw herself destroying the ladder and leaving them stranded in the sky. She saw herself ordering the box back to the ground and flying far, far away from them.


    Then she recalled that they had her trapped. She had never discovered the source of her prison bubble. Perhaps she could retrieve it from their dead bodies.


    Mirab walked until she was standing in front of and below Eluvie. Her face took on an impressively pained expression as she spoke.


    "I won''t trivialize your pain by apologizing," she said. "In your place, no apology would suffice for me. I will only ask that you see what we have come to show you before doing anything else."


    Eluvie stared intently down at Mirab, wondering how anyone could be such an excellent liar. For years, she had tortured Eluvie with calm purpose. And now that her tactics had changed, she carried out her manipulation with the same level of competence. There was no sign of a ruse in Mirab''s eyes. Had Eluvie not possessed her memories, she would have felt confused by the woman''s manner. Instead, she felt pure, burning fury.


    She failed to hide that reaction. She knew that, but the sudden worry in Mirab''s expression.


    Well, she decided, there''s nothing to be done about it now.


    "Where are their seeds?" she asked.


    Some of the company looked confused, but Mirab, the rulers, and the foreign king suffered none of the sort.


    "I won''t repeat myself," Eluvie said. "Where are their seeds? Everyone has two backups."


    "They''re all gone," Mirab said, with the tone of a compliant but unrepentant murderer. "We found every one. We had to."


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    Eluvie nodded solemnly. She had expected nothing less from Mirab of the East.


    "Show me what you wish, then," she said. "It should prove interesting."


    Her voice was ice-cold to her own ears, but she suspected that it sounded even worse to the others. Most wore looks of ill-disguised worry. Some looked outright terrified. She tried to see herself from their perspective. She had stopped a magical storm, torn holes in the ground, and made a glass box fly them miles into the sky. If she turned that power against them, whatever their defenses, they would find the battle challenging.


    So, why had she not yet attacked them?


    The group walked some more in silence. Eluvie saw that most tried to avoid stepping on the dead branches, but that was not often possible. Their minor attempt at decency meant nothing to her, however.


    The long, silent walk terminated at another staircase. This one stood alone in the middle of the landscape, without walls or supports. More curiously, it seemed to go nowhere, instead terminating about 200 yards into the air.


    "I''ll go with her," Mirab said. "Everyone else can wait here."


    No one objected.


    Eluvie began to fly up, but Mirab called her back.


    "Let''s climb instead," the ruler said.


    There was such an odd look on Mirab''s face that Eluvie''s curiosity overrode her contrarian nature.


    They climbed the staircase with slow, deliberate steps. The whole time, Mirab maintained a weighty and deathly silence, as did those waiting below them.


    Eventually, they reached the top of the staircase. There was a small landing, but nothing else. Eluvie searched for another door, one she had missed on her first inspection, but nothing of the sort appeared.


    "Why are we here?" she asked.


    "Fly up from here," Mirab said. "But go slowly. Very slowly."


    Eluvie obeyed. She rose in small increments, only a foot or so at a time. About a man''s height later, her head collided with something.


    For a few seconds, she could not understand what had happened. The sky was clear far above her. There was nothing to collide with. She readjusted herself, moved to a different position, and tried to rise some more. Once again, her head hit something.


    She switched to inspecting the space with her hands and found a flat, solid surface above her. It was strangely non-existent to her eyesight but present everywhere she searched.


    "Make it show itself," Mirab said. "Control it as you did with the door and the transport."


    With her mind, Eluvie asked whatever was in her way to reveal itself. Pieces of the sky began to fall away. One by one, scale-shaped portions detached from the sky above her, fell a short distance, and dissolved into nothingness. They fell faster and faster as she watched, until the entire sky above her was gone. Nothing remained but a stretch of nothingness as black as tar, from one horizon to the other.


    "Don''t worry," Mirab said. "No one on the surface sees any of this."


    Eluvie turned back to Mirab and stuttered out the only words she could find. "What, by heaven''s mercy, is this?"


    "The sky," Mirab said flatly. "What it actually looks like. It does not matter how far you travel. If you fly high enough, you will find this barrier, spelled to look like the sky we often see. Think of the world like a ball. We live on its surface. This area we are in is another ball around the first ball, and that barrier above is the surface of an even larger ball.¡±


    Eluvie stared blankly at her.


    "Are you familiar with a toy glass?" Mirab asked. "One of those glass balls with an entire town suspended inside it?"


    Eluvie nodded.


    "Our world is a toy glass. We live in the town trapped inside it. Outside that barrier is the real world."

 Warden And Prisoner, Prisoner And Warden

    Eluvie wanted to call her a liar, wanted to demand an explanation for this ridiculous ruse. Instead, she composed herself and flew back down to the platform. Mirab was not lying. If she had reason enough to make up something so outlandish, Eluvie could have no hope of understanding her mind.


    "How do you know this?" Eluvie asked.


    "Everyone knows it," Mirab replied. "The lower class knows it only as ridiculous stories. We, rulers, know it for a fact. My mother came from the outside world." Mirab stared pensively at nothing. "She spent her whole life too miserable to even rule. If you spoke with her for even five minutes, the conversation somehow turned to what a miserable prison this world is and how much she missed living in civilization."


    Eluvie sighed and rubbed the back of her neck. "Why didn''t she stay in civilization, then?"


    Mirab laughed as if that had been a joke. "I believe the situation was forced upon her."


    Eluvie began to climb back down the staircase because she needed time to think. She wanted to know more about Mirab''s mother. She also wanted to know what this ''civilization'' looked like. And she wanted to know what any of that information had to do with her.


    Her life was full of more questions than answers.


    Mirab caught up with her, and they walked side by side down the staircase.


    "And why was it necessary to show me this? What do you want me to do about it?"


    "Only Illrum can open the way back to the other world," Mirab said in a small voice. "You are the wardens in this prison."


    "And did you ask the others to do this? Before you killed them?" Eluvie could not keep the accusation from her words, and she did not want to.


    "We did," Mirab said. "Even as the ocean began destroying our land, putting entire species in danger, they refused. They never gave a good explanation for it. They claimed to be following ''rules''. Rules that would see us dead. I did not participate in the war but, truthfully, I believe it was destined from the moment those roles were put in place. To them, we were just prisoners, people who should be kept away from society. But look around. Every one of us was born here. Whatever their reasons for expelling my mother, I am no party to it."


    Her tone changed to a coaxing one. "You are no party to it, either. You were born here and given the task of guarding us, but you should not be a prisoner any more than we should be."


    Don''t react, Eluvie told herself. Don''t react. There''s no need to point out the irony of this situation.


    "And how would I free you, if I wanted to?" Eluvie asked.


    She did not look at Mirab''s face, but she sensed a hopeful shift in the woman''s stance.


    "There is a door that can be made to open," Mirab said. "It is a bit further along. We could go and see it."


    "We can do that," Eluvie said. She had no desire to free any of them, but there would be a time to take such a stance. "But there''s still so much to understand." They were now halfway down the staircase. "For example, it is odd that you couldn''t find another Illrum to open the gate. There are so many here. Surely, one of them would have been reasonable."


    Mirab took a long time giving her answer, but it did not surprise Eluvie when she gave it. "All the Illrum must work together to open the gate," she said.


    "And once you began killing them," Eluvie said, "the remainder probably grew less amenable. You would have needed to kill them all, except one, and hopefully, you could endear yourself to the remaining one and gain her sympathy."


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    But then, Eluvie thought, why would they treat her so badly for so long? What had they done with her blood?


    Mirab replied, "As I said, I had no part in most of that, but I''m sure that is no comfort to you."


    Eluvie ignored the remark. *Let her remain uncertain. Have I fallen for her trap or will I open the gate?*


    Obviously, Eluvie could not open the gate. If all the Illrum were necessary, then she needed the boy''s help. She was trapped. Refusing to open the gate would entice them to torture again, but attempting to do so would expose the boy''s existence when she failed. Then, he would be forced to either help them or surrender to the same treatment she had endured.


    "Well," Eluvie said, stalling while she thought. "I don''t want the world to drown, but I''m still concerned about this other world. We don''t know much about it. For all we know, it is safer in here. Or they have the means to either kill us or send us back here. I don''t like the idea of opening an unknown gate to an unknown place with an unknown situation. And that leaves aside the matter of how little I trust you. Before we even look at the gate, I need to know more. Your mother must have told you enough to give you confidence about the outside world."


    Mirab scoffed. "Between drunken episodes? I have told you almost everything she ever said on the subject. I''d think the alcohol damaged her memory, but it''s possible that she was simply too spiteful to share any information. When she was sober, you could never drag any details out of her, and when she was drunk, she was barely coherent to do more than gripe. ''It wasn''t my fault. This is so unfair. No one could have passed such a trial. Why should I be punished for something impossible?''"


    Eluvie stumbled. Mirab''s mention of a trial was so sudden that she misjudged a step, leaned into thin air, and stumbled down several steps. She quickly righted herself with the help of her wings and made a show of being embarrassed.


    Please don''t question it, she prayed, please don''t question it.


    Mirab hurried to her side, eyes wide with concern, but Eluvie brushed off her seemingly worried questions.


    As they began to walk again, Eluvie attempted to conceal the reason for her stumbling by acting normally. "So, she didn''t tell you anything about that place?" she asked. "About the punishment or the trial or anything else? Didn''t you try to find out more?"


    "You misunderstand the depths of my mother''s stubbornness. Drunk or sober, she never revealed a word more than that. We''ve researched reports of other exiles, but everyone else was long dead. They don''t seem to be common, so we won''t have as much information as we could want. But I don''t think we have alternatives. The remaining islands are in more danger by the day. Just waiting for more information could doom us."


    Eluvie nodded. "I see."


    She let a silence stretch on for several minutes until they were off the staircase. Then, she spoke to Mirab and to the others gathered.


    "I think you are despicable people," she said. "More than thinking, I know it. And you must know that I''m not so stupid as we are pretending. I know I''m your prisoner. I know that you are keeping information from me, and I know the ''war'' was not nearly as neat as Mirab has presented it."


    She wanted them to digest that information. They didn''t rush to defend themselves. They simply waited. They still had hope.


    "But it seems that I have no choice but to open that gate. I won''t punish every human for their rulers'' transgressions. It is also only reasonable to learn what is on the other side of the door. If it is dangerous, well, that is what advance guards are for. And if you have lied about anything material, the truth is a solid foundation, but lies are known to give way under the weight of reality."


    Mirab smiled, and Eluvie finally learned what a genuine smile looked like on the woman''s face.

 Crystal Air

    Mirab¡¯s smile lasted barely more than an instant. Then, her expression grew serious. "Do you have conditions?" she asked.


    "What conditions could I have for saving lives?" Eluvie asked. "I could ask you to forgo this ridiculous plot to imprison me. But if you refuse, will I let your subjects die?"


    Eluvie was not as high-minded as that. She simply knew that there was no point in negotiating with them. The only thing she wanted was her freedom. But if she dared to ask for it, they could simply fall back to torturing her.


    "Show me this gate I need to open," she said. "Who knows if I can even open it?"


    Mirab looked suspicious, but she chose to accept the gift as it was given.


    "It¡¯s this way," Mirab pointed in a direction that seemed as empty as the rest.


    Eluvie let Mirab lead the way while she walked slightly behind. She did not know how she would protect the boy and herself at the same time. Her life felt like a deadly maze. She knew to avoid the flaming walls, but not which of the openings led to safety.


    When they finally reached the gate, almost a half hour later, she had not found a plan she could trust.


    Unlike the previous gate, this one was made of stone. That made it the only stone structure on the entire plain. It was essentially an archway, but the arch had also been filled in with plain stone.


    "It opens much like the previous one," Mirab said, her eyes filled with anticipation. "Except that there is no code. As long as every Illrum wishes it to open, it will open."


    Eluvie turned to the gate and stared at it for a long time. No one bothered her. They waited in silence while she pondered how to explain her failure. Finally, when she had thought for too long, she addressed the arch.


    Open, she said.


    The required number of wardens has not been met, it said. One warden is absent. Would you like to override this requirement?


    Eluvie¡¯s breath caught.


    I can override it?


    Overriding the requirements for every doorway is within your power, it replied.


    Why? she asked.


    Overriding the requirements for every doorway is permitted for every Illrum ranked Isei and above.


    Eluvie felt like her hands were trembling, but she looked down and found them steady.


    What is my rank? she asked.


    Isei, it replied.


    What other ranks are there?


    The first ten ranks are Ilu, Eram, Guira, Eyi, Chi, Gree, Isei, Rauw, Ber, and Ishem. The ranks beyond that have not been named.


    It was answering her questions without inhibitions. That was odd.


    Are you conscious? she asked.


    I exist to guard the doorway to Sanctuary, it said. I respond to commands given by those with the appropriate authority. I cannot think or act of my own volition.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    That explained it, Eluvie thought. She wondered how much information she could retrieve from it, but she was keenly aware of the amount of time she had already wasted. The rulers were waiting behind her. If she turned around now, they would ask if she could open the doorway. And she could not lie to them.


    As usual, there was a path forward and no guarantee that it was the right path. She only knew that it would postpone danger.


    Override the requirements, she said.


    The stone filling the archway melted away to reveal a pitch-black, water-like surface.


    Silence filled the air for what seemed like an eternity.


    "She did it," someone said, his breathing filled with disbelief.


    Eluvie did not turn to them. She kept her face towards the archway as their sounds of joy and relief grew less restrained. When someone touched her shoulder - Mirab by the direction of the touch - she wriggled out of reach. Instead, she busied herself by sticking an arm into the doorway''s blackness. The arm encountered neither texture nor obstruction. When she retrieved it, it felt unchanged.


    "Why did you do that?" Amu said. "You shouldn''t stick your arm into unknown places."


    She ignored him too. Her mind was full of churning thoughts.


    Eluvie''s captors began arguing over the next steps. They wanted to send guards through to examine the other side, but they could not decide whose guards to send. The rulers insisted on sending the foreign guards since there were more of them. The foreigners seemed to suspect some form of subterfuge. After several minutes of increasing voices and ridiculous accusations, Eluvie was ready to strangle someone.


    Instead, she stepped through the gateway.


    She stepped out onto the other side almost the instant she stepped through. Two steps into the new world, she stumbled to a halt.


    She blinked, over and over again. Then, she pinched herself several times, blinked some more, and pinched herself even harder.


    She did not seem to be dreaming, but the scene before her was as dream-like as talking horses and candy-coated mountains.


    She walked forward, slowly, her head swiveling from side to side as she tried to take in the entire scene.


    It was a riverbank - as mundane a setting as anyone could find. But every detail of it was wrong. The water was blue, but not a normal blue. It was blue like the shimmering magic of a mage''s spell, a blue that did not exist in nature. The sand coming up to her ankles was wet, gritty, and made of the most perfect crystals she had ever seen. Every single grain could have been a diamond, carefully selected, cut, and painted by a master.


    The sky was a faint, golden yellow. The breeze carried a fragrance so wonderful that it seemed new every moment. The sound of the wind on the river''s surface sounded like music.


    If she was not dreaming, then she had walked into a place far more dangerous than her captivity.


    During her inspection, she had heard the others come through the archway. Every one of them had stopped within seconds as she had. Some had bumped into her, pushing her further away from the gateway. Now, they all stood in a jagged line, staring at the landscape with amazed and terrified expressions.


    Actually, everyone seemed terrified except Amu. She could not interpret his expression, but there was less surprise in it than there should have been. He knew of this place.


    He caught her staring at him and started guiltily.


    "That was dangerous," he said. "You risk your life too easily."Eluvie cast her gaze over his entire body, picking apart his attire and posture. But if he held secrets, she could not discern them.


    Mirab, the rulers, and their foreign companions moved further from the group. Some guards went with them, but most remained with Amu and Eluvie.


    "What do you think of this place?" Amu said.


    Eluvie wanted to respond, but she could not find the words to do so.


    "It''s like a dream," one of the guards said. "Exactly like a dream. I swear, I dreamt about a lake full of wine once, and it wasn''t nearly as strange as this."


    Another guard agreed, adding that no one would believe him when he told this story. They started discussing the other features that could be different in this place - animals, plants, the occupants.


    Eluvie broke away from them and approached the river. She moved slowly so that the paranoid guards would not suspect her of plotting an escape. As she moved, she let her legs dig into the sand.


    She had almost reached the river when she sensed something odd. The guards, ever her shadows, had ceased their talking. She could not hear their footsteps either, and they were always so loud. She spun around, alert and fearful.


    Every person in the company was passed out on the ground. The guards lay in awkward poses, as if they collapsed without warning. Some lay atop their weapons. One had his face half-buried in the sand. Amu lay partially on one of the more bulky guards while the rulers were passed out in their cluster.

 Its Justified Murder

    Eluvie remained stunned for a moment, then she made several rapid rotations, searching for the source of the danger. Nothing appeared out of place. She could still see the now unattended gateway. The river continued to flow. Beyond it, a thick fog covered the landscape so that she could only pick out a few trees with her eyesight. To every other side of her, there was only sand, and - further out - fog.


    Her breathing began to grow difficult. She could still draw in air, but it required far more effort than it should have. Her legs grew heavy.


    There''s something wrong, she thought.


    She did not know what it was, but she did not need to know. They had walked through a strange doorway with little preparation. For all she knew, the fog was a toxic gas choking the life out of them. She needed to leave.


    The portal was well within reach, even given her exhaustion. But what would she do if she went through it? She could not travel more than a certain distance from the group before she hit the barrier that kept her in. And she still did not know how to disable it.


    Her discomfort was not great enough that thinking was uncomfortable, so she chose to move. Presumably, the rulers possessed something that kept the barrier in place. Whatever it was, it was small and mobile. She would find it and take it with her. Then she could escape through the doorway and go wherever she wanted.


    Her first target was easy to choose: Mirab.


    She walked as quickly as she could without straining herself and soon reached Mirab''s side. To her disappointment, the ruler was still alive. Her chest rose and fell slowly with her breaths, but she did not stir.


    Eluvie searched Mirab''s clothing frantically, practically undressing her in the process. The longer she searched, the shorter her breath grew, the more frantic she felt, and the more roughly she searched.


    But she found nothing.


    With a hiss of frustration, she moved on to the next ruler. She searched them one at a time, but none of the four was carrying so much as a purse. By that point, her head ached, and her vision had developed spots. She had to leave. She could take a good breath on the other side and return to continue the search.


    Reaching the portal was a difficult struggle, but she made it. On the other side, she fell to her knees and panted, distracted for several moments by the task of recovering her breath. When she was no longer overwhelmed by her struggle for survival, she was able to take in the world again.


    It looked faded, like a piece of cloth washed for too many years. The air smelled stale, the sounds were jarring, and both the sky and ground seemed somehow unreal. She grasped the archway beside her, partly to steady herself and partly to confirm that it was real. She had been on the other side for mere minutes. Yet, she could not believe that she had ever seen any beauty on this side.


    The disbelief slowly wore off but did not disappear. Eventually, however, her mind was clear enough to evaluate her situation. For the first time, she could remember, she was away from her captors. Yes, she was still tethered to them, but the sense of freedom was strong enough to weaken her legs. She wondered how far she could go.


    As it turned out, it wasn''t far.


    She walked in one direction for less than five minutes before she collided with an invisible barrier. She cursed, fury overwhelming her. Freedom was so tantalizingly close, and yet nowhere within reach. Away from Mirab''s side, her anger was far more potent than her fear. Anger at their lies, at their cruelty, at her own weakness.


    Mirab claimed that their goal was only to save lives. Then why treat her so terribly? She had been in their power for ages. If they had treated her well, she would have opened the portal without a qualm. Why torture her?This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She turned and headed back to the portal, hands clenched into fists and secured to her side.


    You''re probably still deaf, she prayed, But if you have any mercy, let them still be unconscious and let me find the source of the barrier.


    At the portal, she allowed herself a moment of hesitation, held her breath, and stepped through the portal.


    The brilliant colors were just as stunning as during her first trip. To her astonishment, they were even more captivating than she recalled, as if her brain, unable to process the scene, had dulled them in her memory.


    It took almost an entire minute to tear her gaze away from the landscape and realize that the rulers'' bodies had moved.


    She panicked, cast her gaze around the area, and found the culprits.


    There were three people standing over the collapsed guards and watching her with wild expressions. Referring to them as "people" seemed insulting, though. Eluvie recalled seeing herself in the mirror for the first time and realizing that she was beautiful. The difference between her appearance and these people''s was comparable to the difference between the two sides of the gateway. Oddly, they seemed just as stunned to see her as she did to see them.


    The sole woman in the group recovered first and smiled a brilliant smile. She gestured with both hands at the group of rulers and the separate group of guards.


    "Your friends are alive," she said. "Fortunately, we found them in time. The air here is dangerous for mortals. We will transport them back to your home, and they should recover quickly. You should leave as well, or you won''t fare better."


    Eluvie felt a burst of irritation. It must have been visible on her face because the woman''s smile disappeared.


    They stared at each other silently. Eluvie was considering how quickly she could strangle every one of the unconscious humans while the woman was likely pondering the source of her murderous gaze.


    One of the men spoke. He and his companion were dressed in identical clothing: large-sleeved shirts and a matching pair of slacks. Their sleeves, like that of the woman''s gown, had a conspicuous pin band. Conspicuous because the rest of the clothing was flawless black.


    "You should leave at once," the man said. "Delay is dangerous."


    "How much longer will they live?" Eluvie asked.


    "I would not recommend waiting," the woman said. "They might survive for an hour without any ill effects, but that is not certain. Past that, even if they recover, there will be effects."


    "But how long until they die?" Eluvie asked again.


    The woman seemed shocked by the question. "As I said, an hour will cause them damage. As for how long until they die, I cannot say. We have never had that happen."


    "Give me an estimate," Eluvie said.


    The woman scowled. She seemed unable to decide if she was dealing with an idiot or a scoundrel. "You show very little care for your friends. We will help you leave, now."


    She gestured to her two companions, and before her prompting was done, they had each hoisted one guard onto their shoulders.


    Eluvie made her decision in one instant and executed it in the next.


    She transformed her hair, letting it grow long enough that it could pass for a carpet, then solidified it into a steel barrier over the archway.


    The newcomers froze in evident disbelief.


    "You seem like kind people," she said. "Your only problem is your inability to mind your own business. So, I will be frank with you. These people are monsters, and I am their prisoner. If you send them back and they recover, I will be their prisoner again. I will not allow that. Put them down and walk away."


    Eluvie expected many things from the woman then: annoyance, disbelief, even anger. What she did not expect was pity. And to see it reflected on the faces of the two men, that broke something inside her.


    Her hands shook with either grief or rage. Her knees joined the shaking, as if sobs inside her could not contain themselves to her chest. But she remained in place.


    She held out a hand, transformed it into her true form, broke off a tiny piece of the transformed hand, and then transformed that piece into a knife.


    "You can try to stop me," she said, "but I assure you that I am very, very determined. At least one of you won''t make it through this alive."


    Their expressions changed again. They now seemed to recognize danger in the situation. That comforted Eluvie. She did not believe that she could defeat them, but she wanted to give them pause.

 My Kind

    The woman waved for her companions to put down the guards they were carrying. Then, the three huddled into a circle and began to converse. Eluvie heard their words, but it was in a high-pitched, flowing language that she could not understand.


    The conversation went on for a while. One of the men grew agitated and began gesturing in a way that indicated frustration. The woman¡¯s tone grew similarly sharp.


    Eluvie turned her attention from them and considered her options. She did not know who these three were, but she was certain that she would not best them in a fight. Her fighting experience was limited to dreams. Truthfully, she was surprised that they had not immediately rushed over, manhandled her, and thrown her back through the portal. She needed to make a decision before they realized that they could do that.


    Her hands trembled with the knowledge of her situation. She was one poor decision away from permanent freedom or the return of her nightmares. One of those options was unacceptable while the other would be challenging to manifest.


    The knife in her hand felt warmer than a knife should be.


    I should kill them.


    That option was simple, permanent, and the solution to all her problems. She didn¡¯t even need to consider it for long. Held side by side with the memory of her prison, the thought of letting them live seemed ludicrous. Not even the maker, if he had any interest in his creation, could fault her for this decision. If she walked by a group of people on the road and saw them doing to someone what had been done to her, she would kill everyone there without the slightest burden of guilt. Why would it be hard to execute justice for herself?


    The entire thought from conception to acceptance took less than ten seconds.


    She walked, because her feet were more silent than her wings. Once the decision was made, her mind was so focused on it that, other than her targets, the world disappeared from her sight. She headed straight for Mirab, her steps so smooth she might as well have been floating. At the ruler¡¯s side, she knelt in the sand and took in the face she had hated above all else.


    She pressed the knife to Mirab¡¯s throat and saw the next moment so vividly that she seemed to live in the future.


    Then, the knife was snatched from her hand with a backward force. At the same time, something wrapped itself around her and pulled her away from Mirab.


    She came back to her senses to find herself floating several feet in the air with a golden cord tied around her like a snake would coil around its victims.


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    She struggled violently, but the cord would not budge. Instead, it turned her around so that she could see that its other end was attached to one of the newcomers, growing from the end of his arm like an extraordinarily long hand.


    His eyes were wide with both horror and terror. From his other arm, grew another golden cord, which was wrapped around Eluvie¡¯s stolen knife.The other man and the woman were frozen as well, their bodies positioned as if poised to sprint, both watching her as if she had suddenly sprouted four thousand venomous fangs.


    Eluvie decided that she would not be stopped. She transformed again, this time into an invisible mist. In an instant, she was out of the man¡¯s grip and climbing the air currents, headed towards her target. If she couldn¡¯t cut the witch¡¯s throat, she could still strangle her.


    She slammed into a barrier. Terrible memories triggered panic in her and she switched directions, only to run into another barrier.


    ¡°Please, calm yourself,¡± the man said. ¡°Calm yourself and listen.¡±


    Eluvie did so, but only with supreme effort. When she did, she found that the man had transformed his rope into a glass box half as large as a person. That was what had trapped her.


    ¡°Do not try to break free,¡± he said. "If you transform into something too large for that box, you¡¯ll hurt yourself.¡±


    Eluvie was tempted to do so anyway, but her reason was a little bit stronger than her emotions.


    The man waited several more seconds, then let the box float to the ground. There was still a golden cord linking it to his arm and it did not appear that he would release it soon.


    He made the box larger until she could transform into her human form without harming herself. Then, she spoke with the infinite patience with which one addresses madmen and distraught children.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± he said. ¡°We did not properly consider the gravity of your situation. Of course, you do not want your assailants released. We cannot let you harm them, but, for now, we will not permit them to harm you.¡±


    He paused as if waiting to see if she understood him. Eluvie gave him no response.


    ¡°My colleague will leave to fetch our supervisor. While she is gone, I regret that I must keep you restrained. It will not be more than a few minutes. Once we have consulted with our superiors, we will discuss the next steps. Is that acceptable to you?¡±


    Eluvie remained silent.


    He, too, remained silent.


    When it grew clear that he would not speak unless she did, she forced herself to answer him.


    ¡°If you do not revive them or send them through the portal, I will not do anything drastic,¡± she said. ¡°If you attempt to do either of those things, I will consider you my enemy, on par with them, and do whatever I must.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± he said.


    He nodded to the other man, who subsequently sprouted wings, took to the air, and flew off in the direction of the river. Then, the remaining pair proceeded to stand in still and utter silence. Eluvie rewarded them with the same silence. No introductions or explanations were offered. They watched her like one would watch a hissing snake, deliberately, unblinking, as if she could strike at any moment.


    And as they waited, Eluvie caught a glimpse of the pity she had previously seen on their faces. It was mixed with sadness and concern, but it shone through. And, for no reason that she could discern, it angered her.

 Pass The Buck

    She worried about her own breathing. It was not yet strained, but she wondered what they would do if she collapsed. Would they keep their promise or would they throw her through the portal and consider the matter finished.


    "If your breathing grows shallow," the man said, "transform into a form that does not require air. It will keep you safe."


    She accepted the offer without thanks. They seemed like kind people, but so did Mirab.


    True to their word, the other man returned within minutes. He was accompanied by another man. The newcomer wore black clothing as well, but the band on his sleeves was pale blue. He watched Eluvie as he flew over, mouth gaping slightly, like she was a magically oversized fish.


    When he landed, before the woman, and turned to speak with her, he turned his body first, while his eyes remained on Eluvie. He had already begun speaking before he noticed his odd position and rectified it. He spoke to the woman in their strange language, using quick, short sentences. She responded with longer sentences that seemed to be explaining something.


    While she watched the exchange, she found room in her mind to wonder at their reaction to her. For the first time since the encounter, she was calm enough to wonder if they knew her. Supposedly, this was the place she had come from. This place had sent her out on a trial. Her "rank" was even high enough to terrify magical creatures and open the gateway unaided. Of course, these people knew her. The new man had not stared at any of the humans. From the moment he had seen her, he had watched her and nobody else.


    There was nothing odd about her, so the clearest explanation was that he knew her.


    The man finished speaking to the woman. But instead of speaking to her, he rose into the air and flew off across the river.


    "He has gone to consult with his superior," the woman said, a hint of humor in her tone. "We do not receive many human visitors."


    Eluvie wanted to question her, but she held her voice. If her suspicions were correct, they knew her and were concealing that fact. In that case, the direct approach would yield little. Like the invisible voices who refused to interact with her, she could drive them into unhelpful silence.


    The other man soon returned with yet another man in tow. This one''s clothing was sparkling white with deep blue bands around his sleeves. Eluvie took note of the colors in case they meant something. The latest man exchanged very few words with the group before as well.


    Eluvie felt the first stirrings of irritation.


    This time, the man was gone for a long time. Eluvie estimated that nearly half an hour passed before he returned. He brought two more people, both dressed in white with dark blue sleeves. Presumably, they were of equal rank with him.


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    They formed a huddle with all the other Illrum and engaged in spirited conversation. Eluvie eventually grew so annoyed that she contemplated interrupting them. But something stopped her: she heard the word ''Isei''. They used it multiple times. She could not tell if each instance referred to her. Perhaps - and most likely - several people held that rank. But its occurrence triggered her curiosity and overpowered her impatience.


    Finally, the conversation ended, and one of the latest arrivals approached Eluvie.


    ¡°Might I ask your name?¡± she asked.


    You already know it, Eluvie thought. But she concealed her annoyance. I¡¯m playing the long game.


    ¡°Eluvie,¡± she said.


    The woman responded with a bright, gentle smile. ¡°I am Chi Marina. I will be frank with you, Eluvie. You have placed us in a difficult situation. We never allow humans into our home. You have not been here an hour, but you have already shown such obscenely violent character that my juniors had no response. I have the power to throw you and your companions out in an instant. Back in your barbaric homeland, you may club, stab, and strangle each other to your hearts¡¯ content. I am restrained by one thing only: hospitality.¡±


    The woman took a deep breath.


    ¡°While I worry about the harm you may do to my juniors, I cannot conscientiously send two warring parties to their deaths without offering the help that is available to me. So, this is what we will do.¡±


    She gestured to the group gathered behind her. ¡°My juniors will find suitable accommodations for you and your companions. Naturally, we will house you separately. We will nurse them to health and hold one mediation session between you. After the session, no matter the results, you will be sent back to your homes. This is the extent of the assistance we can provide. For two days, we will keep you from killing each other and attempt to help you settle your grievances. That will keep us from being accessories to your bloodshed. Do you have any objections?¡±


    Eluvie interpreted her statement like this: ¡°We will nurse your enemies back to health and then beg them not to harm you. Then, once they are healthy, we will send them through the gateway in good enough condition to harm you.¡±


    Eluvie smiled and nodded. ¡°That is perfectly reasonable,¡± she said.


    The woman did not seem fooled.


    ¡°My juniors will educate you on our laws,¡± she said. ¡°But they are very simple. Do not harm anyone and do not display your violent tendencies where the young ones might observe them. Break this law and we will confine you in your accommodations until you are expelled. Is that clear?¡±


    Eluvie nodded again.


    ¡°Then, I will entrust you to them,¡± the woman said. ¡°Guira Maso, Guira Yira, come forward.¡±


    Two Illrum hurried forward. One was the man who was still restraining her, and the other was his female counterpart.


    ¡°Have her situated,¡± the woman said. ¡°I trust that you will do this task with the diligence befitting your rank.¡± She turned her gaze from Eluvie to them and addressed them in a chilling tone. ¡°If you fail, it will mean that you lack the maturity to be Guira. You will get the choice between a demotion and a fresh trial.¡±


    Both Illrum looked as if she had threatened them with a hanging.


    The woman, Yira, spoke up. ¡°I have a lot of duties¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that cowardice?¡± the woman asked. ¡°I had heard that you were being considered for elevation to Eyi. Should I be concerned for you?¡±


    Yira fell abruptly silent.


    Eluvie wanted to point out that bullying subordinates was unbecoming for a leader of a peaceful society, but she too held her tongue.The woman instructed some other people to handle the guards and rulers, then she flew off.

 Utopia

    Eluvie followed her guides, both of whom seemed tense, as they flew over the river and through the fog. She allowed herself an occasional glance back, but there was little to see. Other Illrum were stripping the guards of their weapons and lifting the humans onto their shoulders.


    "Do you have a preference in accommodations?" Yira asked.


    Eluvie drew her eyes away from the scene behind her and looked at Yira. "Space," she said, "and plenty of light."


    Yira smiled. "Naturally. Any other requests? We have accommodations by the water, and a more secluded one if you enjoy quiet. You can also request any scenery you like."


    "How will I breathe?" Eluvie asked. "You said your air is dangerous."


    Yira waved away the concern. "Inside your accommodations, we can remedy that problem. Going outside will be difficult, but you will not be here long."


    As they traveled, the fog seemed to part around them, revealing new territory while concealing those behind them.


    After the river, they flew through a forest of spectacularly tall trees. Between the trees and the fog, it seemed impossible to tell what was ahead.


    Then, they exited the forest and entered a colorful valley.


    They flew over the water. With each foot they traveled, they discovered new scenery hidden by the fog.


    Below them, green vegetation predominated, but there were spots of yellows, reds, and even blues. The housing they flew past was odd. For one, most had no roofs, as if the occupants could not be bothered to shield their beds and living quarters from prying eyes. That confused her for a moment. Then, she recalled that Illrum grew stronger in sunlight. She was yet to see the sun in this place, but the light that suffused the environment was strong and warming.


    Illrum gathered in clusters all over the landscape: some out in the open and others within unroofed walls. When she flew lower for better sight, her guides did not stop her. That permitted her to observe both the people and their activities. The activities were varied. Some Illrum appeared to be gardening. Others were working at various crafts or reading at desks. She saw a group of small ones running about a meadow, playing the universally-recognizable game of tag.


    By observing their clothing, she counted six ranks of people. The majority wore black clothing. The youngest children and some of the adults wore unornamented black. Then, there were black-clad Illrum with brown, orange, pink, and pale-blue sleeves, in order of frequency. The last set of Illrum wore white clothing with dark blue sleeves. They were so rare that she could only pick out one every so often.


    They left the more populated areas behind before her curiosity was completely sated and landed on a hill.


    "This will be yours," Yira said.


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    Eluvie stared at the scene. The hill contained only an empty meadow dotted with crawling, orange-leaved plants. Its sole likeness to a house came from the broad trees that lined its perimeter, forming a large square between their trunks.


    "Do prisoners not get walls?" Eluvie asked.


    Both Yira and the man, Maso, laughed.


    Yira bent down and placed a palm on the ground. For several seconds, nothing happened. Then, the hill began to change. Wood rose up from the ground to form a floor, then wooden furniture sprang up from the floor and covered themselves in soft cushions of unknown source. Stone rose up to form walls, then grew horizontally to form a roof. The final structure was a spacious single-room structure, sparsely furnished, but comfortable-looking, with glowing lanterns hanging from the ceiling.


    "You may modify it to your taste," Yira said. "Just touch the ground and think of what you want. If you do not wish to sleep in human form, you may have the bed removed. The roof can be removed as well, for more light."


    Eluvie really wanted to modify it. The structure felt too square for her comfort. But she reminded herself that this was not her home and she was not safe. Indulging in such a situation would be foolish.


    "Thank you," she said.


    Both of her guides smiled.


    "Would it be possible to find something to eat?" Eluvie asked.


    She half-expected Yira to spring something from the ground. Instead, Maso offered to fetch something from the kitchen and left through the building''s sole door.


    Eluvie busied herself by walking around the room and touching the furnishings. They felt comfortable even though she could not tell what the cushions were made of.


    Halfway to the bed, something occurred to her.


    She turned to Yira.


    "I had a barrier that kept me closer to my - to the others."


    "I removed it," Yira said. "Do you need it?"


    Eluvie stared at the stupid woman. "No, they were using it to imprison me."


    Yira frowned. "How?"


    "Because I couldn''t remove it," Eluvie said.


    Yira blinked twice in quick succession. Then, her mouth formed a small O.


    "How did you remove it?" Eluvie asked.


    "Well, it wasn''t difficult," Yira said. "It''s only a safety cushion. You have to find one of its surfaces, then you pinch it between two fingers and pull it toward yourself. If you pull too hard or too fast, or push against it, it''ll harden and it won''t let you remove it for another minute. We use it to protect children."


    Eluvie stared at her in silence. Yira, sensing that something was wrong, remained perfectly still. Perhaps she was wondering if the violent woman would react violently to the revelation that she was about as intelligent as a child.


    "Thank you for telling me," Eluvie said.


    The knowledge that her prison could have been broken with the appropriate application of brainpower was jarring, but it was not as infuriating as it could have been.


    Let that be a lesson to you, she told herself, if you spend more time thinking and less panicking, you could be safer.


    "I was told that a human made the magic that generated the barrier," Eluvie said. "Was that a lie?"


    "I suppose a human mage could find a way to replicate it," Yira said. "But a safety barrier is just a piece of yourself stretched extraordinarily thin and tethered to a location or object. Even if a human wanted to make one, they would need an Illrum''s seed or body part."


    "Like making a snake trap out of snakeskin," Eluvie said.


    "Eh, yes," Yira sounded uncertain. "Something like that, probably."

 Her Other Self

    Maso returned with a bowl filled with a thin-looking broth. Eluvie was skeptical at first, but Maso assured her that it was delicious, filling, and safe for her physiology. He was proven correct on all counts.


    After dinner, Eluvie requested a tour. Both Yira and Maso tried to dissuade her from it, but she stood her ground and promised not to corrupt any of their children. In the end, they consented to granting her the tour if she stayed far away from the inhabitants.


    The first part of the tour was deathly boring. They flew so high that the people below resembled colored dots. Yira pointed out orchards and flower fields with the enthusiasm of someone describing magnificent feats of nature. For a while, Eluvie thought that the woman truly considered plants that interesting, but after a half hour, it grew clear that they were steering Eluvie away from anything of actual interest.


    So, Eluvie took control of the tour. She flew in the directions she wanted and asked about the features that interested her.


    ¡°What is that building?¡± Eluvie indicated one of the few roofed quarters around. Its roof was made of purple leaves in various hues and it occupied as much ground space as several buildings combined. There was also a large, empty buffer between it and the rest of the buildings.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that,¡± Yira said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°But a surefire way to make something seem interesting is to keep it a secret. The truth about that house is probably less interesting in reality than it is in my imagination right now. If you don¡¯t tell me what it is, I can guarantee that I will seek it out at the earliest opportunity.¡±


    Yira sighed, likely regretting that she had consented to this tour. ¡°No one goes in there,¡± she said. ¡°It houses something extremely important, something that keeps this entire place running. I mean, everything. The plants, the water, the sky. Our entire livelihood depends on it. If anything happened to it, we would either starve to death or the sky would cave in. And if you are caught in there, I would be demoted so far, I won¡¯t reach this rank again this century.¡±


    She stared intently and quietly at Eluvie. She stared for so long that Eluvie eventually grew uncomfortable.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go in there,¡± Eluvie said.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Yira said.


    They resumed their flight and Eluvie noted that Yira¡¯s lie-detection skills were abominable. She had no intention of going in there, but her survival, not Yira¡¯s status, was her first priority.


    ¡°What about that one?¡± Eluvie pointed at another building. This one was completely roofless, yet entirely furnished. There was no bed, but there were sitting areas, reading desks, and what resembled a private garden with a pool. The atmosphere seemed both utilitarian and luxurious.


    ¡°That one is empty,¡± Yira said.


    Eluvie subsequently noted that Yira¡¯s skill at deception was also non-existent. It was true that the building was empty, but from Yira¡¯s tone, there was clearly something significant about it.


    ¡°Who used to live there?¡± Eluvie asked.


    ¡°Isei,¡± Yira said.


    Eluvie heart began thumping, but she kept herself composed.


    Yira sighed, as if she would rather avoid the topic, but she clearly recalled Eluvie¡¯s warning about secrets.


    ¡°Isei is a rank, not a person,¡± Yira said. ¡°You can think of her as our king, though the similarities are few. Anyway, she is away at the moment, so that place is empty. Don¡¯t go in there. The caretakers have the power to immediately expel you without answering to anyone.¡±


    Questions assaulted Eluvie like a swarm of flies, but she knew she had to be careful. Yira did not know how much knowledge Eluvie already had. So, as long as Eluvie was careful, she could glean more information without triggering suspicion.¡±


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t she have a roof?¡± Eluvie asked. ¡°As a ruler, she must have secret information in her quarters.¡±


    ¡°No one would violate her sanctuary,¡± Yira said.


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    ¡°And,¡± Maso said, ¡°the absence of a roof makes intruders easier to stop.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Eluvie said, as if that explained everything. ¡°Presumably, she generates one when she wishes to bathe.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yira said.


    ¡°Where has she gone?¡± Eluvie asked. She worried that that was too direct, but she judged it worth the risk.


    ¡°Firstly,¡± Yira said, ¡°I¡¯m not high enough to be trusted with such information. Secondly, if I did know where she had gone, I wouldn¡¯t tell it to strangers.¡±


    She spoke with enough confidence that Eluvie decided that the statement was partially true. She didn¡¯t know where Eluvie had originally gone, but she knew where Eluvie was now. It was a subtle, but distinct difference.


    They were quickly moving a good distance away from the structure, but Eluvie kept craning her neck to watch it. When that grew too difficult, she turned her gaze forward and cast her net in a new direction.


    ¡°Besides Isei, what other ranks are there?¡± She asked.


    ¡°What would you even do with that information?¡± Yira asked.


    ¡°Satisfy my curiosity,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that it was a secret. Is it?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Yira said. ¡°There are an infinite number of ranks, but Isei is the highest one currently held by someone. It is the seventh rank. No one has ever passed the tenth rank, so we don¡¯t have names for the ranks after that.¡±


    ¡°How does it work?¡± Eluvie asked. ¡°And which rank are you two, if I may ask?¡±


    Yira seemed more comfortable with this topic than she had with the question of Isei¡¯s location. That pleased Eluvie. She had found a topic that helped her, but did not make her guides suspicious.


    ¡°We¡¯re at the third rank, Guira. In your language, it means ¡®Pure¡¯. I¡¯m close to being promoted to Eyi.¡± Her gaze grew distant.


    Eluvie let her stare into space for a while, as the wind whipped around them.


    Finally, Eluvie spoke again. ¡°How do you get promoted? Is it age-related?¡±


    Yira recovered from her blank stare. ¡°No. There is a test,¡± she said. ¡°You can take it whenever you feel ready.¡±


    Yira grew contemplative again.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t feel ready,¡± Eluvie said.


    Yira continued staring into space.


    "She thinks too much," Maso said. "Actually, maybe you can help." He shot a pitying glance at Yira before continuing. "You see, for the first three ranks, you have no choice. Once you are ready, your teachers will make you take the trial. But after the third rank, you don''t have to take the trial if you don''t wish to. We can technically remain Guira forever. So, you have to ask yourself: should you remain where you are or take the trial and possibly fail?"


    "What happens if you fail?" Eluvie asked.


    "It''s worse than death," Maso said.


    Eluvie raised an eyebrow, but he appeared serious.


    "So, you have to choose between staying at a lower rank or a potential fate worse than death," Eluvie said.


    The answer was clearly simple. Who would choose possible death over certain life? But both Maso and Yira were watching Eluvie so closely that she decided to properly ponder the matter.


    After thinking for a while, she asked, "Is there a time limit on this choice?"


    Both Maso and Yira shook their heads.


    "Then it''s easy," Eluvie said. "Wait a year."


    The pair stared at her in confusion.


    "Since you are uncertain this year, you wait a year," Eluvie said. "This time next year, you ask yourself the question again. If you are still uncertain, wait another year. The day will come when you either decide that you like this position or that you hate it so much, you are willing to risk your life in an attempt to change it. On that day, you''ll finally know."


    Neither of them seemed comforted by this explanation, so she cast about for an example.


    "Imagine that someone killed your - no," she recalled their distaste for violence. "Imagine that someone took your hat unfairly. You can either accept the loss of your hat or try to take it away from the person. Trying to take it away might get you back your hat or it might upset the person. What do you do?"


    Maso responded first. "Report to the thief''s superior," he said.


    "No - it''s - I - W- what if there is no superior? What if the thief is the most senior person here?"


    They seemed confused by the scenario, but Yira eventually replied, "Then, you report to the maker."


    Eluvie was stunned. What a pair of idiots.


    "The answer is that it doesn''t matter," Eluvie said. "If you can live without the hat, then live without it. But if losing it hurts you so much, if the pain is worse than your fear of failure, then go ahead. Whether you succeed or fail, you will not regret the choice."


    Both Yira and Maso wore solemn expressions.


    Then, slowly, their expressions cleared.


    "Make the choice that you will not regret," Yira said. "That makes so much sense. Why didn''t anyone say that?"


    "She''s a genius," Maso said, smiling at Eluvie. "Thank you... er... Eluvie. You don''t know how much you''ve helped. I''ve talked to ten different elders, asking for advice. They can''t even say how they made their choice, let alone advise someone else."


    Eluvie shrugged. In a society where the houses grew effortlessly from the ground and no one ever punched another, how deeply could they understand regret?


    After an awkward pause, they resumed their flight.

 The Choice Youll Least Regret

    "Tell me about this Isei," Eluvie said. "With the highest rank in this place, she must be an incredible person."


    It was a bold request, but with the thawing atmosphere around them, there would be no better time to ask it.


    "She is," Yira said somberly.


    Maso scoffed. "Incredible?" He said. "She is unrivaled. She passed her first trial at the age of five. Five! At that age, I couldn''t eat without soiling my clothes."


    Yira shot a meaningful look at Maso, but he returned a defiant look. "What?" He said. "Is there any reason not to tell her?"


    "She is a stranger," Yira said. "Important matters shouldn''t be shared so freely."


    Maso looked incredulous. "We''re sharing our opinions, not secrets. Anyway," he turned to Eluvie. "There hasn''t been anyone like her in a thousand years. We all spend decades agonizing over our next trial. She treats them like vacations: one this week, one next week. She returned from her trial for Isei, just having surpassed her mentor, and the next day announced that she would be trying for Rauw."


    "What is chasing her?" Eluvie asked.


    Maso burst into laughter. "That is what I said! I mean, she''s clearly capable. She clears trials in half the time it takes everyone else, but she should take an actual break now and then. Trials might be easy for her, but they can''t be as easy as she makes it seem."


    He sounded as if he was speaking directly to Eluvie there, though he gave no visual indication of that.


    "Why would she bother?" Eluvie asked. "If she already outranks everyone, what is the point?"


    Yira still looked miffed at the direction of the conversation, but she supplied an answer.


    "She is actually doing a good thing," Yira said. "The elders don''t tell us, but we know there are important things that can only be done at higher ranks, important things are getting neglected. The sky, for example, it doesn''t maintain itself. The other worlds -" she paused nervously, "your world is horrible, but some worlds are literally falling apart. Higher ranks come with more power, the power to fix larger problems. Everyone is so terrified of the trials that after a certain rank, no one wants to advance anymore. But if they don''t we might be fine for now, but the decline of those worlds can reach us. Isei has a good heart. She cares about the people of other worlds. She goes through terrible trials for them. She is brave, selfless, and has an unfathomable understanding of the creator. If even half of us were like her, we could create a thousand Sanctuaries, instead of cowering in this one."


    The woman they were describing bore no resemblance to Eluvie. Eluvie didn''t even want to be like her.


    "So, you think she will pass the trial?"


    Both Illrum fell silent.


    "She''s failing," Eluvie guessed.


    Maso shook his head solemnly. "No one can say. No one knows the actual success conditions for a trial until it is over."


    He said that, but it was clear from their expression that the situation was dire.


    "It''ll be fine as long as she doesn''t kill anyone," Maso said, earning a glare from Yira; a glare he promptly ignored. "I know that for each trial, you need to meet the requirements for the coming rank without violating the requirements for your current rank. And being unable to forgive your enemies clearly violates the requirements for Isei."


    "We should go inside," Yira said. "We''ve seen enough."


    While they guided her back to her room, Eluvie steered the conversation to the topic of food. Yira treated even that topic as if it were a national secret, but she seemed less anxious about it.


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    ***********************************************************************************************************************************


    Yira and Maso proved to be worse captors than Mirab¡¯s guards. When they returned to their quarters, Eluvie requested something mild to drink and then expressed the intention to sleep.


    She truly did sleep, knowing how complacent that made the guards. And it worked. She woke hours later and found Yira and Maso, not asleep, but lying on the floor, engrossed in their own conversation. Escaping them proved nerve-wracking, but comically easy. She split off a tiny piece of herself, converted it to a wisp of smoke, and steered it out through a hole in the ceiling. With the strength she had accumulated from their strange light, controlling both portions of her body proved easy and she was able to confirm that her escape had gone unnoticed.


    Outside, the world seemed frozen in the moment between twilight and dark. The weak light lent the evening an ethereal quality while lamps dotting the landscape provided just enough light to navigate by. Eluvie soared higher until she was certain that even Illrum eyes could not see her, then she proceeded toward the house that held her enemies.


    She knew exactly where they were. The tour, ostensibly born out of boredom, had actually been a survey mission. The guards and rulers had been housed together in a roofless building on the opposite side of the settlement.


    The journey was long, but not long enough for all the thoughts rattling about in her mind. When she reached her destination, she was not ready. But she was ready. She moved as quickly. When you¡¯ve made a decision, hesitation can only presage defeat.


    Once arriving at her destination, she found the best situation she could hope for. The house was still roofless, and the prisoners were still unconscious.


    Who says that heaven gives no gifts?


    There were guards. Two stood watch in the air, two stood watch on the ground, and two were in the room with their eyes fixed on the prisoners.


    But, clearly, they had never before guarded anything more important than a locked door. They were so poorly positioned that she almost wondered if they were decoys.


    The two in the air were laughably easy to evade. They possessed blind spots as wide as a town. And neither seemed to be watching for an invisible wisp of air.


    The two guarding from the ground were similarly easy to avoid. Eluvie watched long enough to confirm that they never looked up, then found a route that would avoid them without drawing suspicion from those above.


    The two in the room were the real challenge. She hovered above the room for a while, wondering what to do. Unlike the other guards, these had their eyes on the prize. They would notice anything odd happening to their charges.


    The answer came to Eluvie, blessedly, with only a moment¡¯s thought. It did not matter if they could see her. What mattered was that they would not stop her.


    She split herself again, then let both portions grow until they were as large as she needed. Then, she descended into the room and formed a box just as Maso had done. Inside the box was her other half, still in smoke form, and the captives. Before the guards could react, she had solidified the box into a steel structure, transformed into human form, and created a knife for herself.


    The guards attacked the box, but Eluvie poured most of her strength into reinforcing it. It held. It would eventually fall, but she needed less than a minute. One of the guards continued to pound on the box, his fists delivering enough force to crumble normal walls, while the other launched a sort of mental attack against Eluvie.


    Her head pounded, and she felt a strong invitation to put down the knife. She called up a mental image of Mirab¡¯s face, and the mental pressure eased.


    The bodies lay defenseless before her. Her captors, unconscious and helpless as babies. Helpless as she had been in their hands. As long as she acted, she would never have to suffer at their hands again. She would never shiver with fear, cry out from nightmares, never return to the tub, never have her wings dug out, never hear a sound in the darkness and be unable to see it.


    As long as she could have that, she would want nothing else.


    Naturally, one should take the path with the least regrets.


    She began with Mirab.


    She bent over and made one slash across the woman¡¯s throat, all her grief in the one movement.


    But the slash failed. The knife disintegrated in her hands an instant before the cut began, so that Eluvie finished the movement holding nothing but air.


    Suddenly, she could no longer feel the box she had made. The pressure of the guards¡¯ thoughts on her mind was gone. She could not feel the body she had left behind in her quarters. She only felt weak, small, and cold.


    With the box gone, all six guards rushed at her and pulled her away from Mirab. She tried to struggle, but their grips might well have been made of steel.


    She glanced down at herself, searching her mind and body for an explanation. Even her clothes had disintegrated.


    She recalled Maso¡¯s reply to her question about the consequences of failure.


    Worse than death, indeed.


    She was no longer an Illrum, and her enemies were still alive.

 At The Reading

    It turned out that the Illrum owned real prisons and that, when the mood struck them, they could properly secure a prisoner. Eluvie¡¯s new home was a house with no doors, windows, or decorations. The walls were made of smooth stone with no handholds or imperfections and rose to a height ten times the height of any man. Her only company was her shadow, cast by glowing rocks embedded into the wall, and her imagination. She suspected that there were guards stationed outside, but they had never replied to any of her questions.


    Twice, the ground had opened up and delivered bowls of soup to her. Hours later, it had opened up and swallowed the untouched bowls.


    She had no regrets. She lamented her failure, but not the attempt. If she had not made it, there may never have been another opportunity for freedom.


    A doorway appeared in the wall, forming from the bottom upwards. Eluvie was tempted to rise, but she kept her composure and focused on the opening.


    Two men stepped through it first. Afterwards, came her two guards - Yira and Maso. The two wore sullen expressions paired with stiff walks. Yira actually glared at Eluvie when she stepped into the room, so any goodwill between them had certainly dissipated.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take you for your reading,¡± Yira said.


    Eluvie remained seated. ¡°What is a reading?¡±


    Yira replied, ¡°Your trial record will be read, and then it will be determined whether you failed or passed.¡±


    Eluvie rose to her feet and dusted herself off. ¡°I thought that was already determined.¡±


    ¡°Not formally,¡± Yira said.


    ¡°Actually,¡± Maso said. ¡°No one knows if you¡¯ve passed or failed until the reading. You would be surprised at how strangely those things can go.¡±


    He seemed to genuinely mean that.


    Eluvie eyed him. ¡°My physical changes would indicate failure, would they not?¡±


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Maso said. ¡°Probably. But believe me, those records can say anything. Don¡¯t lose hope.¡±


    He smiled, though the smile looked painful. While Yira wore her anger clearly on her face, Maso was making an effort to be generous. It made her chest itch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you were demoted,¡± Eluvie said. The bands on their sleeves were now orange instead of pink.


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    Maso gave a broader but still unhappy smile. ¡°We already passed the trials for Guira once. Passing again is a given. This just means that our duties will be easier for a while.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Yira said. ¡°And don¡¯t try to escape. You¡¯ll fail.¡±


    They allowed her to go ahead of them. Through the doorway, she found bright daylight and thousands of Illrum gathered. They formed two crowds on either side of a stone path, some flying, some standing, all watching with wide eyes and loud whispers.


    ¡°Stay close to me,¡± Yira said. ¡°I¡¯m filtering the air so that you can breathe. If you fall unconscious, we¡¯ll have to postpone the reading.¡±


    Eluvie found enough strength to feel amusement. Yira had just told her how to postpone the reading and seemed utterly oblivious to that fact. Life in this place must be immensely easy.


    The surrounding chatter was in no language Eluvie could understand, so she was forced to ignore it. The crowd¡¯s expression was easier to understand, however. There was excitement, wonder, pity, and plain curiosity. Some people managed to look bored, forcing her to wonder what had drawn them to the spectacle.


    The walk was long. During her tour, Eluvie had noticed that the buildings were often spread out. It was likely never a problem for the Illrum - they could fly - but it was a far more irritating discovery when she had to walk up and down the hilly path. Her guards took the trek with ease, never seeming winded, and slowed to match her pace as she tired. Finally, about half an hour later, they reached their destination.


    The crowd was gathered around a tall building with vine-covered stone walls. Throughout the trek, they had maintained a respectful distance from Eluvie and her guards, but here they pressed so close to the building that there was barely enough room to walk. Still, no one approached the group or stepped out of their place in the crowd.


    Inside, the building proved rectangular, like most of the others she had seen here. The roof was made of the same stone as the walls, and the hall was lit just as her prison had been.


    It was almost free of furnishings as well. On a dais at one end, several rows of chairs were arranged on a semicircular staircase, while the middle of the room held one cushioned wooden chair. There was no other furniture. Every chair on the dais was occupied. The Illrum in them all wore white clothing and solemn expressions. There were only two ranks that she could spot: those with red sleeves and those with dark blue sleeves.


    The guards led Eluvie to the central chair and offered her the opportunity to sit. She considered resisting but found no reason for it. With her at her destination, the guards had fallen back and stood waiting for further instructions.


    The man in the center of the first row of judges rose and walked further into the room, until he was halfway between Eluvie and the judges. When he spoke, his voice carried to every corner of the room.


    ¡°This is the Reading for Isei Eluvie, at the completion of her trial for Rauw. Those gathered here are to be witnesses, verifying that the traditions are kept, the rulings are correct. Will you witness the reading?¡±


    The judges seated responded in one chorus: ¡°We will.¡±


    The man turned to Eluvie, his eyes solemn. ¡°You have survived a grueling trial to prove your worthiness for more responsibility. However, this reading ends, your bravery and diligence are not in doubt among the community. We honor you. And the Maker, seeing you, must be pleased.¡±


    Eluvie held her tongue. She had nothing good to say to that.

 Failure Conditions

    The man turned back to the judges. ¡°The bookkeeper will now present the book,¡± he said.


    Until this moment, two men had been standing in one corner of the room. With only their backs and sides to her, Eluvie could not see much of them beyond their black clothing and pale blue sleeves.


    One of them broke away and walked to the speaker. He met Eluvie¡¯s eyes once during the walk but did not linger. When he reached the speaker, he held out both his hands and presented something. The speaker accepted it, then turned back to the judges and held it out.


    ¡°This is the book,¡± he said. ¡°I confirm that it remains unopened.¡±


    Then, he walked over to Eluvie and handed the book to her. "Confirm that it is unopened," he said.


    Eluvie accepted the book with three fingers. It was light and small, barely as thick as her thumb. The cover was a deep black with no words or ornamentation. The entirety of it was encased in a smooth and thin but tough-feeling membrane. She was tempted to immediately tear the membrane and watch their reaction, but she composed herself. Any irregularities in the proceedings were more likely to harm her than anyone else. There would be time to act, she hoped.


    She handed the book back to the man. She said nothing, but he took her silence as confirmation.


    "I will now break the seal," he said. He did that, opened the first page of the book, and read from it. "I, Isei Eluvie, confirm that this is the Scenario Book for my trial to Rauw. I write this in my own hand, before witnesses, on the 13th day of Mayok, in the 19th year of the 41st millennium. My witnesses are: my mentor, Gree Zaniba, my mentee and watcher, Eyi Amu, my bookkeeper, Eyi Rui, Mistress of Rites Gree Maya, Forest Keeper Chi Marina, Tower Watcher Gree Yarevu, and Children''s Educator Gree Beneficu."


    The speaker finished his recitation and handed the book back to Eluvie.


    "Confirm that it is your name and writing on the first page, and that it is your writing in the rest of the book."


    Eluvie accepted the book, mildly annoyed by the repetition. When she saw the first page written in an unfamiliar language by an unfamiliar hand, her annoyance grew.


    "I can''t read a word of this," she said, "and I suspect that you knew that."


    The speaker took the book from her and held it out to the other man, the bookkeeper. "Confirm that it is her writing," he said.


    The bookkeeper walked up to them, accepted the book, nodded that it was her writing, and returned it to the speaker.


    Eluvie huffed. "He was the one who presented the book," she said. "Of course he thinks that it''s legitimate."


    She didn''t care about the verification, but she felt an overwhelming urge to point out the oversight.


    The speaker was unfazed. "The bookkeeper is an acceptable second witness because he is in the list of witnesses," the speaker said. "But you are correct that it is irregular. If you wish, we may call an additional witness from the list."


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    "Don''t bother," Eluvie said. "This is tedious enough already."


    "Then, you may return to your place, Eyi Rui."


    The bookkeeper returned to his original position and the speaker continued his performance.


    "I will now read the details of the trial," he said. "It is written in two parts. The first part is the objective. In order to pass the trial and ascend to Rauw, Isei Eluvie must have completed all the requirements in the list of objectives. The witnesses present will vote unanimously on whether she has met those requirements."


    Eluvie felt a glimmer of hope. "I have a question," she said.


    The speaker paused and turned to her.


    "You said that the witnesses must vote unanimously on whether I passed. What happens if they are not unanimous?"


    The speaker made an expression she could not interpret. "Then, they will debate the issue and keep voting until they are unanimous."


    "What if that takes a long time?" She asked.


    "By tradition, the witnesses must unanimously vote to approve the ascension, reject the ascension, or request another trial. This Reading will adjourn and reconvene every day until one of those things occurs."


    Eluvie barely held back a grin. By her count, there were fifty people on the panel. She did not know what her odds of swaying even one of them were, but she could see a few sympathetic faces among them. The trial had suddenly become much more interesting.


    The speaker resumed his reading. "The second part lists the failure conditions," he said. "If Isei Eluvie meets any of those conditions, then the council must unanimously approve her dismissal and exile. She will return to the planet on which she spent her trial and live out the rest of her days undisturbed."


    Eluvie''s heart sank. If attempting to kill Mirab was one of the failure conditions, then there was less hope than she had thought.


    The speaker had not stopped. "If she does not meet the failure conditions or the success conditions, then she will be permitted to retain her rank as Isei and cannot retake the trial for another year."


    He paused, either for dramatic effect or interruptions, but no one spoke.


    "I will now read the objectives," he said. "The first objective is to neutralize Ijuv, the rogue exile, currently presenting as an ocean who intends to drown all the residents of the planet Marovieka. This objective is considered met if, at the conclusion of the trial, Ijuv has ceased to claim more land or attack humans and has retreated to his designated basin."


    Eluvie winced. She had not achieved that.


    "The second objective is to unite the leaders of the planet in restoring their home after Ijuv''s rampage," the speaker said. "This objective is considered met if the leaders have in place a written agreement to aid each other in mutual rebuilding efforts."


    Eluvie bit her lip and cursed silently. She had not met that requirement either. Yira and Maso had acted as if she was a genius, but so far her performance was far below that bar.


    "The third and final requirement was to redeem and reconcile with Lady Mirab Semit, ruler of the Eastern Division of Hauma."


    Eluvie gaped at him.


    "This objective is considered met when Lady Mirab sincerely apologizes for her past treatment and Isei Eluvie wholeheartedly accepts the apology."


    Laughter overtook Eluvie; wheezy, hysterical laughter. She tried to stop, but each time she made a serious attempt, an image of her forgiving Mirab bubbled to the front of her mind and the laughter began anew.


    No one moved or spoke while she laughed. When, finally, she found a way to compose herself, the room seemed filled with a haunting silence.


    Sweet heavens, she thought, how I wish I''d killed that piece of slime.


    She didn''t even want to pass the trial anymore. Any trial that ended with her in league with Mirab was unreasonable and disgusting.


    The speaker cleared his throat. About half of the judges returned their attention to him, but the rest remained focused on Eluvie.

 Benevolent Sabotage

    ¡°On to the failure conditions,¡± he said.


    Eluvie had lost interest, so she only casually listened to his words.


    ¡°There are two failure criteria,¡± the speaker said. ¡°Firstly, killing Lady Mirab Semit, or attempting to kill her, if the attempt would have succeeded without external interference. Secondly, successfully killing any enemies in anger or out of a desire for vengeance. Thirdly, the destruction of the planet Marovieka. Finally, any conduct that violates the behavior required of an Isei. I will now take questions.¡±


    No one spoke for several seconds.


    Accepting the silence, the speaker opened his mouth, and then a voice interrupted him.


    ¡°I told you we were late,¡± the voice said.


    Everyone in the room turned toward the doorway, so Eluvie followed their gazes.


    Two men were walking in, a tall, burly man with a confident stride, and a lankier, bored-looking one.


    The tall one froze, then a smile bloomed in the middle of his shaggy black beard. ¡°It¡¯s Moonbeam! Good heavens! When did you get back?!¡±


    He disappeared from view and immediately appeared before Eluvie, while the other man continued his slow and steady progress.


    The bearded man looked down at Eluvie with a mischievous grin, then compounded it by violently rubbing her head. ¡°You look like you got chewed up by a lion, digested, and then expelled via the other end. So, bad news, eh?¡±


    He was still rubbing her head.


    Eluvie swatted at the hand, but he dodged the attack, laughed, and rubbed her head again. ¡°Aww, there¡¯s that scowl. Don¡¯t worry, no matter what happens here, I am on your side.¡±


    The speaker cleared his throat. ¡°You are not permitted as a judge, Gree Zaniba.¡±


    Zaniba glared at him. ¡°I know that, you stick in the mud. Obviously, I can only offer moral support,¡± he raised his voice so that he was addressing the entire room, ¡°and my heartfelt gratitude to anyone who makes the correct ruling.¡±


    ¡°Gree Zaniba!¡± The speaker spluttered. ¡°Attempting to bribe the judges is prohibited!¡±


    ¡°Your reaction only encourages him,¡± someone said. It was the other new arrival. ¡°He won¡¯t do anything nefarious. He¡¯s only teasing you. We are here to observe the proceedings. I trust that that is permitted.¡±


    ¡°Might I require a minimum of interruptions?¡± The speaker asked.


    ¡°That is likely too much to ask,¡± the other man said, ¡°but Zaniba knows when to be serious. He will behave.¡±


    Zaniba gave Eluvie a wink, then strutted over to the dais. Once there, he made two more chairs appear on the first row, then the two newcomers sat themselves. Eluvie had more time to inspect them during the process. Both wore neat clothing: white, like most of the room, and with red bands on their sleeves. Eluvie had determined that the red-ranked Illrum were the highest-ranking ones in attendance. It was an easy guess, since every person who was even mildly unruly had red sleeves. The speaker was also one of them.


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    Gree. Eluvie memorized the rank.


    ¡°As I was saying," the speaker still sounded irritated, "now that we have heard the objectives, the watcher will present his report."


    The man standing beside the bookkeeper finally stirred. He moved over to the middle of the room and positioned himself so that the dais was on one side and Eluvie and the speaker were on the other.


    Something about him seemed familiar to Eluvie, but in the white clothes and pale blue sleeves, he could have been one of a large number of Illrum.


    Then, he spoke and everything fell into place.


    "Everything that needs to be said is in my report," Amu said flatly.


    "Please summarize it," the speaker said shortly.


    "As you wish," Amu said.


    He had not glanced at Eluvie. Not once. Not while he had waited his turn to speak, not while walking to his position, and not now, while speaking.


    But for his voice, she might never have recognized him. He had the same incredible beauty that all the Illrum shared, and he walked with a posture far more regal than she had ever seen on him. Even the sound of his footsteps, which she had listened to every day for two decades, was different. But his voice was the same.


    "As I said in my report, which every person here should have read after I spent thousands of hours of my life writing it, and which I have no reason to repeat..." he took a breath. "Of the three success conditions, none were completed. Of the failure conditions, two were met. Firstly, Isei Eluvie attempted to kill Lady Mirab and carried out the attempt in such a way that she is certain to have succeeded absent external intervention. Secondly, she displayed behavior not in keeping with her status as an Isei. She held consistent, long-lasting malicious intent toward those who harmed her, was unable to find the creator''s path through her challenges, and allowed herself to be negatively affected by her difficult circumstances. Support for all these charges is present in my report."


    Eluvie kept staring at him, waiting for him to meet her gaze. Both anger and worry had drained out of her. Had she not been sitting, she would likely have been unable to support herself.


    "We have heard the watcher''s summary," the speaker said. "Are there any questions or comments?"


    Eluvie sensed that the ceremony was reaching a critical point. She looked at the dais, heart pounding, and saw one solitary blue-sleeved hand go up.


    "Yes, Chi Brumi," the speaker said.


    Chi Brumi rose. He was a small-looking man on the back row, with a severe expression.


    "I have a question about page 14119 of the report," he said.


    Out of the corner of her eye, Eluvie saw Amu''s face twitch. But when she turned to him, he remained as stoic as before. He did, however, finally meet her gaze. He smiled at her with some warmth, then turned back to the dais, leaving her to puzzle over his perplexing behavior.


    "On that page, Isei Eluvie attempts to kill the watcher, Eyi Amu. He convinces her to spare him temporarily, but uses strange words to do so. For example, he tells her that killing is ¡®not for her'' and says, I quote, ¡®You are not that person and you don''t want to be.'' Here is my question: Eyi Amu, did you handle that scenario as Amu the doctor, in a believable attempt to preserve your supposedly human life, or were you attempting to give her a hint about the trial, as is prohibited?"


    ¡°I was attempting to preserve my life,¡± Amu said.


    ¡°Can you prove that?¡± Brumi, the questioner asked.


    ¡°Can you prove that you haven¡¯t been stealing yarn from the crafting academy?¡± Amu asked. ¡°They have been suspiciously short lately, and I saw you in that vicinity once.¡±


    The man was unfazed. ¡°Please, answer the question, Eyi Amu. I, personally, believe that you intended to properly carry out your duty. But, Isei Eluvie is your mentor and friend. When you addressed her on that night, you probably desired to keep her from killing you. But what percentage of that desire was commitment to your charade, and what percentage came from your knowledge that killing you then would doom her?¡±


    The room was deathly silent. Every eye was on Amu. Amu, in turn, was watching his interrogator with a murderous expression.


    Eluvie suspected that she was missing something about the situation, but she could not tell what it was.

 If He Sacrifices Himself

    When the silence had gone on for far too long, Brumi spoke again. ¡°I will ask again. The watcher¡¯s neutrality is an indispensable part of a trial. Was there some part of you, in that conversation, that was acting with the intention of protecting Isei Eluvie from failure? If that is the case, I charge you, by the purity of your rank, to reveal it and protect her from the consequences of your failure?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps someone should enlighten me,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°You all seem to be speaking a different language.¡±


    ¡°My good pupil,¡± Zaniba''s voice was loud enough to echo in the room¡¯s farthest corners, ¡°you are witnessing what I prefer to call ¡®Advanced Interrogation, Rank 4.¡¯ If Amu claims that he did not, even a little bit, desire to keep you from failing, who here would believe him?¡± Zaniba gestured with his hands. ¡°He has been your mentee for more than half a century. Sometimes, I think he loves you more than I do. Obviously claiming complete detachment would be a lie.¡±


    Zaniba tented his fingers and continued, ¡°But if he admits to the tiniest bit of desire to help you, then that scene becomes evidence that he tampered with your trial. On the one hand, you win a retrial - woo hoo! - on the other hand,¡± he drew a finger across his throat, ¡°Amu has committed a crime punishable by the stripping of all his ranks.¡±


    Eluvie tried to interject, but Zaniba continued.


    ¡°It gets worse. Amu can certainly take the blame. After all, what are ranks compared to your life? Ranks can be regained.¡± Zaniba shot a knowing glance at Amu. ¡°I bet he¡¯s even tempted. There¡¯s only one problem: He knows - and everyone here knows - that he is innocent. If any person here can put integrity above friendship, it¡¯s Amu. He might have wished to help you, but he never acted on that wish. If he confesses to any crime, it will be purely for your benefit, and it will be a lie. And an Illrum who tells such a grand lie, I doubt he will pass any trial ever again. So, crafty Brumi here has engineered a scenario in which you win a retrial, but only if your mentee walks into the noose for you.¡±


    Eluvie looked at Amu. He seemed disturbed, but she could not tell what he was thinking.


    Brumi looked insulted. "This is no plot," he said. "If Eyi Amu is confident that he has acted properly, he should answer the question with confidence. His silence tells me that he doubts his own actions. And if he is doubtful, why should we believe him?"


    More tense silence followed. Amu''s expression remained unreadable.


    Finally, Amu spoke. "I call for an adjournment," he said. "I have had a long-"


    "I second the call," Zaniba said. He mouthed to Eluvie, Join us. Join us. Join us.


    "I, too, am tired," Eluvie said, uncertainly. "We should adjourn."


    Zaniba rose with a jump and gave a long, elaborate stretch. "Three of those present have requested an adjournment. I trust the speaker-"


    A loud uproar rang from the crowd gathered outside. For a moment, Eluvie thought they were reacting to the adjournment, but they had reacted to nothing till that point and the others in the room looked confused.


    For a moment, no one moved, then the sound came again: screams. Whether from shock, fear, or anger, Eluvie could not tell.


    Someone removed the roof and walls so that the surrounding crowd was clearly visible. Eluvie rose from her seat and spun around, searching for the reason for the screams. There was nothing clearly amiss, but the crowd seemed agitated. Some people were leaving while others stood staring at the sky in alarm. Eluvie followed their gaze upward, but there was nothing to see. The sky remained its pale yellow, without a hint of clouds.


    "What is going on?" Zaniba asked, loudly enough to be heard by the crowd.


    His response was another round of screams. And then, they saw it. A dark rent appeared in the sky, like a tear in a piece of fabric. It ran from horizon to horizon, thin at the ends and wide at the middle, like a gaping mouth to the otherworld.


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    Someone grabbed Eluvie, triggering an instinctive struggle from her.


    "It''s me," Amu said. "We need to get to safety. You four," he indicated Eluvie''s guards, "has the emergency plan changed?"


    One of the guards shook his head dazedly, but the others remained staring at the sky. The slit had quickly repaired itself, but another, smaller line had already appeared in a different part of the sky. The screams were now constant, less alarmed, but more panicked.


    "Quiet!" A voice boomed over the crowd.


    Eluvie looked over to find Zaniba hovering above the room, high enough to be seen by all, with golden-yellow wings spread out.


    The commotion eased somewhat, but complete silence did not return.


    "Enact emergency plan number 3," Zaniba said. "Younger ones, that means go to the Grand Hall and congregate with your work group. Not your residence group, not your friends, not your age group, your work group. Do not return to your residence. No, not even for your pets. If anyone violates this order, you will see a side of me that will shock you."


    There was a brief moment of confusion, then the crowd turned in one direction and began to run. Zaniba floated down to the ground and dismissed his wings.


    "You all know your duties," he said to the room. "Gree, remain with me. Is anyone missing?" He scanned the room, while most of the red-clad Illrum shook their heads.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± he said. ¡°Moonbeam,¡± he pointed at Eluvie, ¡°you and your group, wait there.¡±


    The blue-clad Illrum disappeared, while the red-clad ones gathered around Zaniba for a conversation. The bookkeeper left as well. Meanwhile, Amu and Eluvie¡¯s guards gathered around her.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± Eluvie asked. She directed the question to Yira, making a point to ignore Amu.


    ¡°Emergency Plan 3 means that we¡¯re safe,¡± Yira said, ¡°but they want to take a census and keep everyone in one place.¡±


    The sky was forming tears at a faster pace, but they were smaller than the initial ones.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Eluvie asked, ¡°and the other humans?¡±


    Yira gave a disturbed shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I wouldn¡¯t have that information.¡±


    ¡°Guests and prisoners also gather in the Grand Hall,¡± Amu said. ¡°Zaniba just wants to speak with us before we leave.¡±


    Their calm responses comforted Eluvie, though she suspected that much of it was acting.


    ¡°I bet Mirab did this,¡± Eluvie said.


    Amu grunted.


    Eluvie risked a glance at him and found him watching the gathered Illrum. Her stomach cramped with fury, but he seemed unfazed.


    The Illrum group dispersed, the members flying off in all directions, and Zaniba turned back to them. His previous, playful grin had grown more serious, but he still looked too complacent for the current situation.


    He reached Eluvie in a few strides and as his first act, ruffled her hair. For some reason, the action filled her with intense, unexplained anger. He laughed at her scowl, and backed away when she attempted to swat him.


    ¡°Just yesterday, I was thinking of how much I miss you,¡± he said, ¡°then you return and make me miss your absence. Did you plot this with those humans or are you just stupid?¡±


    The insult should have angered her, but it was delivered in such a teasing tone that she could detect no malice in it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me,¡± she said. ¡°I wanted to kill them.¡±


    Zaniba chuckled, then turned to Amu.


    ¡°These two fools have already been demoted once. Don¡¯t leave her alone with them. And don¡¯t let her near the other humans. She¡¯ll try to kill them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not the best choice,¡± Amu said. ¡°She hates me too.¡±


    Zaniba gave him a stern look. ¡°Can you name anyone better able to handle her than you? This is a crisis and I need competence. Can you do it?¡±


    Amu hesitated for a while, but eventually nodded.


    ¡°Good,¡± Zaniba said. ¡°Take her to the Grand Hall and remain there.¡±


    He turned to Eluvie with a scowl. ¡°Behave. You still have all of your natural cunning but none of the knowledge required to effectively use it. If you cause any trouble, you¡¯ll be the primary victim.¡±


    He ruffled her head one more time, laughing at her inability to dodge the attack, and flew off in a sudden burst of wings.


    They watched him fly off for a time, then Amu spoke.


    ¡°The Grand Hall is a fair walk away,¡± Amu said. ¡°It will go faster if someone carries you.¡±


    Eluvie began to protest, but she was already floating in the air, suspended by a golden cord tied around her and attached to Amu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I apologize for the indignity,¡± Amu said, ¡°but we need to be quick.¡±


    Eluvie decided against responding.


    The flight was short and smooth. They flew quickly, but neither the wind nor speed ever grew uncomfortable. Whenever Eluvie spared a glance at Amu, he was looking straight ahead, wearing no emotions that she could discern.

 Watcher

    The Grand Hall was truly grand. If all of Mirab''s "Thousand Rooms" palace had been on one floor, it would have fit into the hall four times and still left some room. From one end of the hall, Eluvie could barely see the other end. Initially, she doubted that all the Illrum still arriving could fit into it, then she caught sight of the walls moving to make the hall larger, and she understood.


    As instructed, Amu never let her out of his sight. He led her to a secluded corner, positioned the guards around her, and instructed them to send off anyone who approached her. He made a chair appear so that she had something to sit in, but the others stood.


    There was little to entertain herself with, so Eluvie watched the census process. Illrum gathered in groups of ten to fifty. One Illrum in that group collected information - likely names - from those gathered. Then, at intervals, that Illrum met with representatives from other groups to trade information. One Illrum from that group of representatives then met with representatives of the larger groups, until the aggregated information was shared with a final group of ten senior Illrum. When a group was complete, it stopped taking part in the census and its members remained sitting in their group, chattering in their unintelligible language.


    Occasionally, a call would thunder through the hall, requesting a specific person. If the person was present, he would streak through the hall to report at the announcer''s desk. Otherwise, the call would repeat at intervals until the person was found.


    Amu sent Maso as the representative from Eluvie''s group. Several minutes after his initial report, he left again and returned with six square, wooden tags.


    "Don''t lose this," he told Eluvie as he gave her one. "It has your name, number, and group. It also tells people which food to give you, so you won¡¯t eat the wrong thing and die."


    Eluvie hung the tag over her neck. Across from her, Amu did the same with his. He had been resolutely quiet during their wait. And Eluvie, avoiding the feelings churning every time she saw his face, had ignored him. Suddenly, however, she wanted to speak with him.


    "So, how did you do it?" she asked.


    He turned to her, somehow instinctively knowing that she was addressing him.


    "I would have sworn to anyone that you were not an Illrum," Eluvie said. "Your knowledge was suspicious in hindsight, but even Mirab never suspected it."


    "I have excellent control," Amu said, "and extensive experience."


    "And what was even the point?" Eluvie asked. "You could have observed from a distance. It would have prevented any accusations of unfairness."


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    "The scenario required active involvement to steer it at certain points," he said. "It traditionally falls to the watcher to do that. There are fewer complications than involving an additional person."


    He spoke calmly, as if he was discussing the weather, not extended years of torture.


    "Was it easy?" she asked, her tone accusing.


    He finally met her eyes, and his looked like the depths of a well at midnight. "No," he said. "It was the hardest bloody thing I''d ever done."


    ¡°Then, why do it? I don¡¯t believe there weren''t other capable watchers. You even knew the scenario beforehand.¡±


    Anger flitted across his face, but it was gone in an instant. Rather than respond, he stared at a spot over her head. She looked behind her, confirmed that there was nothing there, and returned her gaze to him.


    ¡°Well?¡± she asked.


    He swallowed and responded in a stilted voice. ¡°The watchers for trials are randomly chosen. When I was chosen, I elected to drop out, but you wouldn¡¯t let me. We argued over it. You said that I could do it. That the opportunity to experience living on a planet is rare. It would teach me a lot, help me with my future trials. And to watch a Rauw trial? Who knew when such an opportunity would arise again? You would not let your mentee pass over such a life-changing experience. You said that if I was such a coward, then I did not deserve my rank. You threatened to end my mentorship.¡±


    ¡°So, I bullied you into it.¡±


    ¡°No. If I could be so easily bullied, I wouldn¡¯t have made it this far. Besides, you were only speaking the truth.¡± He indicated the room around them. ¡°Most people here never have the opportunity to experience any hardships. Guile, intrigue, sadness, pain, those are things we read about in stories. That¡¯s likely why so many people fail their trials. We have little opportunity to practice the skills the trials want us to demonstrate. The opportunity to live through something so hard, it was worth another thousand years of learning.¡± He swallowed. ¡°But that¡¯s not why I did it. I¡¯m a good watcher. You knew that I would never interfere, not even if I thought you would fail. If you got the wrong watcher, one without that much restraint, not only would he ruin his life, he may very well have ruined yours. I did it because it was an important event for you. And since you were stupid enough to go into a trial with only five days of preparation, the least I could do was make sure that no one ruined it for you.¡±


    Eluvie gave him a sardonic smile. ¡°So, you were doing a good deed.¡±


    A part of her told her that she was being unfair to him. She squeezed that part until it fell silent.


    He stared down at his hands and spoke in a small voice. ¡°Do you want me to say that I interfered?¡± he asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s possible that I did. I tried not to, but there were moments¡­ It¡¯s not easy to tell when you have two reasons for doing something, which is the stronger reason. So, truly, my motives were not completely pure. And if I made a mistake, then you should get a second chance.¡±


    Eluvie gave him an even stare. ¡°You should do whatever your conscience tells you,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you just because you sacrifice yourself.¡±


    They fell into silence.

 From Yourself

    After several minutes, a question floated to the front of Eluvie¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Why was I so intent on taking the trial?¡± she asked. ¡°It sounds like I could have waited?¡±


    Amu sighed in frustration. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said. ¡°Almost everyone tried to dissuade you. It seemed that you had a reason, but after 40 years of puzzling it over, I still don¡¯t know. Whatever it was, I hope you achieved it.¡±


    "Twenty years," Eluvie said. "I was with Mirab for roughly twenty years, right?"


    "You were with the other Illrum before that," Amu said. "The wardens on the planet."


    Eluvie had more questions, but before she could ask any more, something blurred toward her from a distance, collided with her, and knocked her off her chair. She tried to rise, but that thing clamped two arms around her and held on with a steely grip while jabbering strange words at a terrifying speed.


    It took several terrifying seconds to realize that she had been attacked by a child, and that it was hugging her, not trying to kill her.


    Amu barked something that she couldn''t understand and, in response, the child held on more resolutely.


    More of them appeared just as she made it to her feet. Some grabbed at her legs while others attempted to push past the early arrivals. They kept chattering in their strange language until her patience was at its end.


    Finally, her guards managed to pull them off her. Each guard held onto two or three children while Amu scolded them and their mortified male caretaker.


    The children ranged in apparent age from four to twelve years, with the oldest - a boy - being the only unrestrained one.


    "My apologies," their caretaker bobbed his head at Eluvie, "they are craftier than I expected, but that is no excuse. I will do better."


    "It''s fine," Eluvie said, staring at the wide, unrepentant eyes.


    One of the children began to chatter again, but he trailed off at a scolding look from Amu.


    "Who are they?" Eluvie asked.


    "Your afternoon class," Amu said. "You teach them language and writing.


    "You said you would be back quickly," one of the children said. His voice was stilted, as if trying to sound out the words to an unfamiliar language. "I waited and waited."


    "I''m sorry," Eluvie said, not knowing how else to respond.


    The boy grinned, his face lighting up as he did so. "It''s fine. You''re back now."


    Eluvie''s heart sank.


    Amu went down on one knee and gathered the children around him. For a while, he spoke to them in their language. Eluvie wondered if he was telling them about her failure, but their reaction suggested otherwise.


    After some time, he rose to his feet and addressed Eluvie. "We''ve made a deal," he said. "They will leave us alone in exchange for one hug per person and a promise to review one of their essays.


    "I - " Eluvie wanted to point out that she did not understand the language, but Amu gave her a look that said, ¡®just accept it''.


    So, she did. The oldest refused a hug on the grounds that he was too old. That was funny, since they were all at least forty years old, but she compromised with a pat on the head.


    Amu scolded the caretaker once more, and then the children departed.


    With their departure, the group seemed significantly less lively. Eluvie felt an ache in her chest, even as she smiled and waved to the departing children. Previously, her failure had felt distant, like a tragedy belonging to someone else. Beyond Amu, she knew none of the people in this place and she barely liked those she''d met. But the knowledge that someone would miss her, that she was leaving a hole in lives she had not previously known of, that ached.


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    She ignored her chair ¡ª it was awkwardly placed anyway ¡ª and took to sitting with her back to the wall. Then, she had her umpteenth shock of the day. The wall opened up and swallowed her.


    Before she could understand what was happening, she was sliding down a slope. She slid only for a short while, then collided with a flat surface. By the time she recovered her senses, there was no indication of where she¡¯d fallen. There was only red dirt behind her, and a tunnel in front.


    She began by feeling the dirt around her. She tried to dig through the dirt, to find a way back to where she had come from. But she couldn¡¯t do more than dislodge a few pebbles. And she didn¡¯t know which direction to dig in.


    The walls rattled a little, and then colored rocks began to protrude from the walls, each one a different color. They stopped on the surface of the wall, half in and half out, and began glowing. They filled the tunnel with overlapping spots of light. The effect was odd, but also oddly comforting.


    Go forward or remain here?


    Amu would be trying to reach her. She smiled, imagining his frustration at losing her.


    Go forward, she decided. Firstly, she had no desire to sit in the dirt. Secondly, she felt safe. Everything in this new place was unfamiliar, including the tunnel. But this was the first place where she felt safe, calm.


    She followed the tunnel for several minutes. It sloped gently downward and leftward, but otherwise, the journey was easy. The longer she walked, the more relaxed she felt. It was difficult to identify the source of her comfort. Everything about the tunnel: its slope, the lights, the temperature, even the smell¡­


    She paused.


    The tunnel had been cooler when she had first fallen into it. It had also been darker and had smelled more of dirt. Now it was the temperature of a hot day ¡ª stinging, but pleasant ¡ª and smelled of something green and leafy.


    She immediately wanted to turn back. Someone was luring her somewhere and whether it was a person, a ghost, or one of the strange entities she did not yet understand, she wanted to be away from it.


    What can it do to you there that it can¡¯t do here? her mind asked.


    It was true. She had already been kidnapped and locked in an unfamiliar tunnel. If the perpetrator had ill intentions, it was too late for a weak human like her to avoid them. So, she continued walking but tried to remain alert.


    Eventually, the ground began to change. The change was slow at first. Patches of stone began to show among the dirt. Then, patches of something gold-colored began to show among the stone. Then, there was no more dirt. Gold and stone mingled to form a leaf-like pattern with the gold as the leaf and stone as the veins.


    The changes made her extremely uneasy. She knew only one thing with that golden color. Once again, she had to decide whether to keep going or turn around. There had been no coercion, so far, no signs of danger.


    She decided to confirm her suspicions first.


    She bent onto one knee and felt the golden substance beneath her. It felt as strong as the stone, but it was also warm ¡ª as warm as a living body.


    "Who are you?" she asked.


    No one replied.


    The golden substance was clearly an Illrum''s body, but she could not explain its purpose in the tunnel. And how could the Illrum not notice that she was walking on it? Perhaps it was a dead Illrum? She dismissed the idea at once. The bodies she''d seen previously had been brown.


    "Should I turn around?" she asked.


    There was still no response. After a while, she shrugged and continued the journey. Whatever was going on, presumably it was as it should be.


    The end of the tunnel appeared soon after that. The tunnel''s wall transformed from gold and stone into what felt like clay blocks. Each block was a slightly different shade of blue, giving the wall an uneven appearance like the walls of a brick house. The floor, however, was a uniform gray. The effect was soothing, despite the tunnel''s odd warmth.


    An archway ended the tunnel and led into a sitting room.


    The room was spacious, with only a smattering of furniture and ample walk space between them. There was one divan, two wooden chairs set across from a card table, a pair of armchairs sitting in one corner, and one soft-looking mattress on a wooden platform. There were no windows, but sparse furnishings and a domed ceiling were enough to stave off claustrophobia.


    She strained her brain, but could not manufacture a single satisfactory explanation for such a room below ground. She considered the possibility of a secret prisoner, a secret hideout, or even a non-secret hideout. But none of the explanations seemed adequate.


    There was something distinct on the card table, so she approached it. Each step that she took left distinct footprints in the dust on the floor. She did not know how long it took for so much dust to accumulate, but she knew that it required more than a year.


    The chairs around the card table were similarly dusty, but the item on the table was not. It was two sheets of paper with the top one bearing only two sentences:


    "For Eluvie, If You Fail. From Yourself."

 Five Sips

    She snatched up the pile with such speed that, later, she could not remember the movement.


    Those four words were all that was written on the first sheet. The second, however, was more cluttered. She noted that it was written in the language she understood, not in the one the Illrum in this place spoke, and that the handwriting was the neatest thing she had ever seen.


    Dear Eluvie,


    This letter has gone through enough iterations that whatever I write now must stay. I think what I''ve learned from all these attempts is that I have very little to offer. I don''t have explanations. I don''t have promises. I don''t have solutions. All I can say is that you know me, as I know you. You know that I made the choice I had to make. And that, no matter what, I have no regrets.


    I do have one thing to offer you, I suppose. It might feel like the world has ended, or that you have no way forward. It might seem like the path before you stretches up like a mountain - impossible to climb despite the fact that you must climb it.


    To that, I say, remember what you are. You have reached heights that no one in millennia dared to dream of, at speeds that no one in history dared to imagine. When you are not a sulky lump of dough, you are a force of nature. And if you didn''t pass this trial, no person alive could have passed it.


    I don''t think that this is the end of the path He made you for. And I hope that, after some grieving, you will see that too.


    In my own hand,


    Eluvie


    Eluvie turned the page over, but there was nothing on the other side. Those useless words were all she had by way of explanation.


    "There must be something in the air here," she said aloud. "Even my past self is infuriating."


    She let the note drop back onto the table - there was no point in keeping it - and inspected the rest of the room again.


    As she walked, she noticed her footsteps again and recalled how odd the situation was. There was a dust-free note on a table surrounded entirely by dust. That could only happen if the note had been recently placed. But there were no footprints other than hers.


    She pondered the situation while she searched the room. Nothing was hidden in the seats, but there were cabinets along one of the walls. The first cabinet held bedding and delicate-looking utensils. She found a small but sharp knife there. The next cabinet held books written in a foreign language stacked for storage. The last one held more eating utensils, two trays, and some food. She put a selection of fruit onto the tray and added a jug half-full of a pink, pulpy drink.


    Bearing the tray, she returned to the table and took a seat. Then, she selected one of the fruits - something with tough, red skin - and began to peel it.


    She crossed her legs at the ankles and addressed the invisible but present person.


    "We''re going to play a game," she said. Her voice, so loud in the room, made it feel even emptier. "The game is called ''I ask a question and you answer it because I am insane and tired of being led around by the nose.'' Have you heard of it?"


    As expected, there was no answer.


    Eluvie whistled a little as she peeled the rest of the fruit.


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    "So, you haven''t heard of it," she said. "Then, have you heard of Five Drinks, One Life?"


    There was no response to that either. Eluvie finished peeling the fruit and pushed the peels onto the floor to clear her tray.


    "It''s a fascinating game. One year, I had some guards who loved to play it. How is it played? Excellent question. Two people face each other. They set ten cups on the table, five before each person, each person takes turns stealthily poisoning one of his five drinks, and then they swap seats."


    While speaking, she had cut the fruit into five identical pieces. The one seed in its middle left an indentation in each piece.


    "I heard that there''s a traditional poison used, but I don''t remember its name. And we don''t need it, do we?"


    She laid the slices out in a line, picked up another fruit, and began peeling it as well.


    "Where was I? The poison. Right, so, the participants flip a coin to determine who goes first. Then, they take turns drinking from any one of the cups in front of them. The loser is the person who dies or resigns first. Barbaric, isn¡¯t it? Most people don''t play with real poison, but I''ve heard that there are places where you can be challenged to a game and refusing to play is the same as losing."


    She finished peeling the second fruit, cut it up, and laid out the slices. The remaining fruits were berries and needed no peeling.


    "Why did I tell you all that?" she asked. "Because we''re going to play a version of it." She gestured to the tray in front of her. "Here we have some food that I have been assured will probably kill me. I don''t know how much is necessary, but I presume that you do. I will ask a question. If you pretend that you cannot hear me, I will eat one slice. Then, we will keep going until one of us folds or one of us dies. And, in case you are uncertain, I won''t fold."


    She picked a slice from the middle of the arrangement. "You must be wondering how certain I am of your presence? How could I do something so risky?" She barked a laugh. "Risky? I''ve lived in madness for as long as my memory serves. I actually find this entertaining. Let''s begin. My first question."


    She waved the piece of fruit around as she pondered the question. "I should pick something simple. Introductions. That''s right. What is your name?"


    She waited in silence. In the room, nothing moved.


    When enough time had passed, Eluvie shrugged, put the piece into her mouth, chewed for a suitable length of time, and swallowed. The taste was as intense as she had expected, so overpowering that she could not truly understand it. The intensity turned what might have been a delectable meal into a chore. When she finally swallowed it, it was with relief, not pleasure.


    Seconds after swallowing, she felt a shock, as if a mild bolt of lightning had run through her. It never truly faded, but it grew more pleasant, distracting. She felt so light that she had to look down to verify that she was not floating.


    "That is strange," she said. "Hmm. I wonder if the others do the same thing." She reached for an oblong-shaped berry but found nothing. She frowned. The fruit had not moved. She repeated the attempt and grabbed something, but not the fruit she had been aiming for.


    "Like being drunk," she muttered. "Hmm. This will do."


    She tried to run the new fruit through her fingers, but it slipped and fell to the floor. With a sigh, she managed to grab another berry. Idly, she wondered if she could even find her mouth.


    "So, the second question. Better answer quickly, I might not manage a third. The question is: are you an Illrum or one of those invisible voices? Like the ground back in Mirab''s palace."


    Resolute silence followed. The thought occurred to her that she had miscalculated. Perhaps there was no one here. Or perhaps the thing or person could not respond. She dismissed the thought. She had nothing to bargain with. If she went along with the whims of those around her, she would end up back where she had come from. If she wanted to live, she needed boldness.


    She ate the new piece of fruit. There was a moment in which she expected to be stopped, but no one stopped her.


    The feeling was the same as the first - an undecipherable taste, a bolt of lightning, then light-headedness. Her vision lost focus. The objects in the room multiplied. Where there should have been one tray, there were four or five. She had no chance of picking the right fruit now, so she grabbed a handful, slurred out a question, and ate the handful without waiting for a response.


    What a group of liars. Pretending to care about me, pretending that torturing me is funny or beneficial or whatever insanity you want to claim.


    "I win," she said. "You''ve shown¡­ you''re just pretending. All of you. You don''t care. This is just a game for you. Well, I won''t play your game. It''s my rules¡­ or none at all."

 Visions

    Someone was stroking her back. No one had ever done that before. The unfamiliarity should have triggered alarm but, instead, she leaned into the sensation. It was pleasant, calm, as her life so rarely was. She longed to remain in that state forever. But other sensations kept intruding.


    She was lying on the ground, even though she never recalled moving there. She was also on her stomach, with her head tilted at an uncomfortable angle. And the hand stroking her had seemed to grow less gentle. Eventually, all the pleasure was gone, and only anxiety remained.


    With a sigh, she opened her eyes and turned onto her back.


    Then she shot to her feet.


    Mirab smiled from her still-seated position. She had that smile - the one that Eluvie could find no fault with. Her beautiful witch¡¯s smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± she said. ¡°How was your nap?¡±


    Shock and confusion kept Eluvie¡¯s mouth shut. Nothing else about the room had changed. The tray remained on the table, above the note from her past self.


    Mirab rose to her feet and tried to wipe some dust from her dress. That did little but smear the dust.


    ¡°It¡¯s been hours,¡± Mirab said. ¡°I was worried, but Amu said you would be fine.¡±


    Eluvie scanned the room again, searching for Amu.


    ¡°He went to find water,¡± Mirab said. ¡°He thought you would sleep longer.¡±


    That was clearly a lie. Amu would never leave her alone with Mirab. In fact, there was no reason that Mirab would be here at all. Unless she had escaped her captivity.


    Mirab sighed. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re still angry.¡±


    Caution, Eluvie thought. She has not attacked me. She might not know that I tried to kill her.


    ¡°Angry?¡± Eluvie said. ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Mirab looked pained. ¡°Since you woke, you haven¡¯t been looking at me in the same way. You seem suspicious. I wish you would regain more of your memory, then we could resolve this.¡±


    Eluvie struggled to understand the words. What ruse was this? What act of this drama were they on? And how had she survived the food?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Mirab said. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way.¡± The smile returned. ¡°Do you want something to eat? Their food is so delicious.¡±


    Eluvie did not know if she could move. Her whole body seemed intent on remaining in place. And Mirab did not seem interested in harming her. So, as long as she remained in place, remained compliant, there would be no danger.


    Mirab walked past the table and toward the divan. Someone had placed a tray of food there: some of the soup they kept offering Eluvie, and some bread.


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    ¡°They¡¯re so repetitive with the soup,¡± Mirab said. ¡°But I still haven¡¯t tired of it.¡±


    For a moment, Mirab¡¯s back was turned and Eluvie¡¯s gaze flitted over to the knife on the table. Mirab fiddled with the soup for several moments.


    There was time. Mirab was human. If she hurried, she could have the knife within seconds. With Mirab, surprised and unarmed, she would win, would she not.


    Her brain plotted out every step. It ran over the entire sequence twice. She had time to do that because Mirab seemed to be taking an astonishing amount of time with the soup. But even when she made her decision, when she ordered herself to attack, to rush for the knife before Mirab grew suspicious, Eluvie could not move.


    Mirab returned, holding the tray. When she reached Eluvie, she eyed the table.


    "Those chairs are so uncomfortable," she said. "Let''s remain on the floor."


    She set the tray on the ground and sat before it. After a moment, she motioned for Eluvie to do the same. Eluvie obeyed.


    "You''re still tired, aren''t you?" Mirab pushed the tray to one side and adjusted her position so that her legs were outstretched. "Here," she said. "Lie down. I''ll feed you."


    Mirab had never done such a thing as far as Eluvie could recall.


    "It''s alright," Mirab said. "I''ve done it every time you''ve been sick. I''m not bad at it. Go on."


    Eluvie lay down as instructed, but only because it seemed easier than resisting. There was no danger in soup.


    Mirab did as she had promised. She carefully scooped a spoonful from the bowl and moved it to Eluvie''s lips. She was as good as she had claimed. Not a single drop spilled.


    Spoonful after spoonful, Eluvie ate in silence. Mirab''s smile kept her company, clean, and beautiful, and not explicitly threatening. But she couldn''t taste the soup. All of her brain power was committed to one task: eating. As long as she did that, nothing would go wrong.


    "Just like that," Mirab said. "I told them. I''ve trained you. If I only ask, you will do it. Whether you remember me or not, your body remembers. And if it does not, well, the training can always begin again. It won''t take so long the second time. So much complaining. Why do the baths and the blindfold? Only one is necessary. But it worked, did it not? You won''t disobey me, will you?"


    Eluvie shook her head. She wasn''t certain why she was doing that, but something in Mirab''s tone told her to. So, she obeyed.


    "Good girl," Mirab said. "Keep drinking. There isn''t much left."


    Her face was wet. She was crying. But she didn''t stop drinking, and Mirab didn''t stop smiling.


    "Poor child," the voice changed, but Mirab''s face remained. "There isn''t much left. We''ll be done soon."


    "Why is she crying?" Another voice. Someone stroked her head.


    "I don''t know. Just keep feeding her. Can you hear me, moonbeam? You have to drink all of it. Or I''ll strangle Amu and earn my own banishment."


    "She''s not waking up. She should be awake."


    "If I were an incompetent hack, I would keep my opinions to myself." That was Zaniba''s voice. "What a day! Keep feeding her. And don''t spill a drop. You need that much skill or I won''t find a level to demote you to."


    A new round of tears broke free from Eluvie''s eyes. As they fell, the blurry scene before her changed and sharpened. Gone was the ceiling of the secret room. Now, there was one made of brown wood. Mirab''s face was gone too. It was Amu who held her, stark terror on his face. Zaniba knelt to one side. One of her guards was partially visible above Amu, looking as if his life was over.


    She opened her mouth to say something, to ask if it was real, but only a sob broke out.


    Zaniba pushed Amu away, pulled her up, and crushed her in a hug. "The Creator''s Blood, girl." He seemed to be sobbing too. "Why? Why would you do that?"


    Eluvie gave up on a response after two tries. She didn''t try to push him away, either. She simply waited to see if the world would disappear again, if anything else would turn out to be a dream.

 In Search of Rescue

    They made Eluvie drink the rest of the liquid, then helped her onto a couch. She was surprised by how weak her legs felt. The short walk to the couch felt like a trek up a mountain, and when she collapsed onto it, she couldn¡¯t keep herself in a sitting position. Instead, she lay down and wondered where she was. Someone helped her feet onto the couch, and another person found a blanket with which to cover her.


    ¡°That you are alive is the creator¡¯s blessing,¡± Zaniba said. His voice was low, as if tending to a dying person. ¡°If you had eaten the wrong thing, you would have died immediately. What happened?¡±


    Eluvie shook her head weakly. She did not feel able to speak, and she did not know what she would say if she was able.


    ¡°Amu is claiming that you were kidnapped,¡± Zaniba said. ¡°According to him, you dropped into the ground. Then, after they had searched the whole area for you, you appeared in the same place unconscious. Since no one in the community has reason to kidnap you, I don¡¯t know what to make of his account.¡±


    Eluvie made one attempt to speak, but the effort required to open her mouth dissuaded her.


    ¡°Should we allow her some rest, first?¡± Amu asked.


    Zaniba shot him a furious look. Amu, in response, affected as neutral an expression as one could manage - gaze averted, posture non-threatening.


    Zaniba gave an accepting sigh, then nodded. He stroked Eluvie¡¯s head lightly, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and then left. Amu and the other guards seemed to relax slightly once his back was turned. Walls rose from the ground, forming a room and doorway around them, so Eluvie could no longer see the rest of the building.


    ¡°You must be tired,¡± Amu said softly. ¡°If you need anything, just wave and we¡¯ll find it for you.¡±


    The instruction proved unnecessary. With the couch under her and the blanket above her, Eluvie could barely keep her eyes open. Despite that, she could not sleep either. She caught snatches, but never for more than a few minutes at a time.


    While she attempted to sleep, she heard other Illrum gathered outside the room, arguing in loud voices. No matter how much she slept, their voices never seemed to fade. In fact, they only grew louder. And though she could not understand their language, her name came up so often that there was no question about the topic of contention.


    Eventually, she recovered enough strength to whisper a question.


    ¡°What is going on?¡± she asked. ¡°And where am I?¡±


    Amu made her repeat herself twice, leaning forward on the stool that he had brought at some point, before he replied.


    ¡°You are in Zaniba¡¯s residence,¡± he said. ¡°As for what is going on?¡± He sighed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t tell you, but the only thing more dangerous than your determination is your curiosity. They¡¯re discussing what to do about the situation.¡±


    ¡°Situation?¡± Eluvie asked. Her voice was too low to hear, but he seemed to understand.


    ¡°You saw it,¡± he said. ¡°This world is a bit like the one we left. It¡¯s a shell with just enough space for us to live in. Something is attacking it. It keeps trying to repair itself, and that is working so far. That¡¯s why they can be so relaxed about the argument. But that can¡¯t possibly continue forever, so we need a solution.¡±


    He adjusted himself in his seat. "You were right that Mirab is responsible, somehow. At least, she claims to be responsible. But none of them will tell us how to resolve the issue unless we give them something we cannot give."


    "Give what?" Eluvie asked.


    "They want to be made Illrum."


    From Amu''s expression, Eluvie guessed that that was as possible as wanting to be made a dragon.


    "Why would she ask for something impossible?" Eluvie asked. Her voice was clearer now. Perhaps she had simply needed practice.


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    "I''m not sure she has," Amu said. "She has been planning this for decades. I''m sure she has gone over every inch of this plan. She didn''t come all this way to foolishly ask for something we cannot give. That is what I told the others. If she believes that it is possible, she must have enough reason to believe so. But she won''t tell us the reason and we can''t find it by ourselves. So, here we are."


    Eluvie frowned as she considered the problem but no matter which way she turned it, she could not understand Mirab''s plot.


    "You never answered my other question," she finally said. "What are they arguing about?"


    "Well, we don''t know how to solve this problem, but we know someone who would have known: you. Until we complete your Reading, you are still the highest-ranking member of the community. There are things you knew that no one else does. Many secrets here are only revealed to Illrum when they gain a new rank. If you don''t have a solution, then none of us can find one."


    "But my memories are gone," Eluvie said.


    "Not gone. Just put away. Do you recall when you revived one of your seeds and you knew things you hadn''t known before?"


    Eluvie nodded.


    "You made a copy of all your memories and put them in a seed before you left. You can theoretically retrieve them."


    Eluvie frowned in confusion. "Then, what is the argument about?"


    "You''re human now, not an Illrum. You could never absorb all the memories. We have a technique that will let you search them for the ones you need, but it is dangerous. You could die. Or sleep forever. In fact, you likely will sleep forever. It has only been attempted on four humans. Two survived it and the other two never woke. And the two who survived were much younger than you are. Zaniba will never allow it."


    "And if he doesn''t? What are the options?"


    Amu shrugged helplessly. "We could hope that the matter resolves itself," He sighed for what seemed like the millionth time, "but I don''t like the odds of betting against Mirab. If it continues, we could evacuate and live on one of the other worlds."


    His voice trailed off and he stared off at a spot on the wall behind her.


    "What is wrong with that plan?" Eluvie asked.


    "You know how humans cannot breathe the air here?" He asked. "We would have a similar problem in the other worlds. Not with the air, but with the light. It will not be strong enough there to sustain us. Even the wardens there must eventually leave or die. The oldest of us need more energy than the others, so they would die first. The youngest - the seeds have yet to sprout - would die second. Then, we would be left without leaders and without a future. I don''t think that Zaniba would allow that outcome either."


    His voice had taken on a pained tone while he spoke. By the end, all hope was gone from his eyes.


    "It seems I will have to attempt to retrieve the memories," Eluvie said.


    "If Zaniba says it won''t happen, then it won''t happen. They don''t seem to be changing his mind. In fact, he''s getting more and more resolute."


    Eluvie listened to the voices coming through the walls. Whenever she heard Zaniba''s, it was calm and unwavering.


    "What is his problem?" She asked. "I understand wanting to protect your mentee, but will he really sacrifice everyone to protect me?"


    "He will," Amu said. "The Reading was almost over. In normal times, you would not even be here. You are a human now. Saving the community is not your duty. And understand, this is partially our fault. If even one of those people out there," he pointed at the doorway, "had been brave enough to take their trial, perhaps we would have two Isei. Then you would not be our only hope. Their cowardice has caused this. Zaniba might have faults, but injustice is not one of them. He won''t make you pay for his mistakes."


    Eluvie almost laughed at his dramatic words. "Technically, I brought Mirab here," she said.


    "No, you did not. You were engaged in a trial. Everything you did should have been as expected. Because we were foolish, no one knew that an Isei can always open a portal. No one was cautious enough to guard the portal. When it was opened, no one was wise enough to send the humans back immediately. Instead, we allowed them enough time to do whatever they did. No matter how you look at it, this is an administrative failure."


    Eluvie was silent for so long that Amu began to look worried.


    "Say something," he said.


    What was she supposed to say to all of that? "That philosophical discussion is beyond me," Eluvie said. "I suppose, living for centuries, you all must have a lot of time to talk. I think if Zaniba wants to punish himself, he can arrange for someone with a whip. Why risk the life of his subordinates? Call him over. I''ll talk him into letting me do it."


    Amu raised an eyebrow.


    Eluvie gave him a small smile. "Trust me. It is actually really easy."


    "And what will you do if you die?"


    She shrugged. "Why worry about that? You are all currently planning to send me back to that nightmare. My future doesn''t seem too bright already."


    Worry blossomed on Amu''s face. "Eluvie, if you need someone to talk to-"


    "I don''t plan to die, Amu. Believe that much. I''m fighting to live. So, help me. Fetch Zaniba."


    He still seemed reluctant, but Eluvie fixed him with her most determined gaze, and he acquiesced.

 The Desperate And The Insane

    Soon after Amu left the room, the talking from beyond the wall fell away. Then, Zaniba returned with Amu. There were initial hints of worry on his face, but they seemed to subside when he saw Eluvie.


    He felt her forehead, then pulled forward the stool Amu had been sitting on and took his place on it.


    "How are you doing, sugar?" He kept his voice low, like Amu had initially done.


    Eluvie regretted that her voice did not have the strength that she wished, but she was able to speak clearly. "Amu says that the others have a plan, but you have objections to it."


    Amu stood back, his posture one of deliberate avoidance.


    Zaniba scoffed angrily. "Plan? It''s a destructive bundle of hope masquerading as intent. You don''t need to worry about it."


    "Have you found an alternative?" Eluvie asked. She noticed that she felt oddly safe with him. Toward the guards, his gaze was full of annoyance, but that always disappeared before his eyes touched her. Then, he seemed to be filled only with fear and worry.


    "You don''t need to -"


    "Then, I would like to follow their plan." Eluvie proceeded quickly, trying to explain her view before he worked up the strength to dispute it. "I believe that it would be to my benefit, and I don''t want to lose the opportunity."


    Confusion filled his eyes. Eluvie took that as a positive sign.


    "Currently," she said, "you are all in danger. And I suspect that you might be underestimating Mirab. She''s only a human, after all."


    "I read Amu''s report," Zaniba said. "I know how cunning she is."


    Eluvie shook her head. "I doubt words properly conveyed her abilities. She is an expert at appearing to do one thing while keeping her true intentions invisible. I learned it from her. Whatever her true plan is, I bet that it has little resemblance to what she claims."


    "We know that -"


    "Then, I suggest that you take advice from the only person in this room who has ever outwitted her. Speed and unpredictability are your weapons. The longer you spend deliberating this issue, the more likely she is to succeed. It is already clear that she knows more about your society than Amu thought."


    Zaniba looked displeased by her words, but he hadn''t stopped her yet.


    "If you''re worried about the danger to me, there is no need to be. My situation is currently as bad as it can be. Sending me back there, to a failing planet, with Mirab is a more certain death than trying to retrieve my memories. If you refuse to let me do this, you would certainly be killing me. I won''t last a day there. Besides, I won''t be doing it for free."


    Zaniba still appeared skeptical. "And what payment do you expect?"


    "A few things. Firstly, if I successfully retrieve the memory you want, I will be permitted to retrieve any memories I want."


    Zaniba pressed his lips together and nodded for her to continue.


    "Secondly, if Amu confesses to having sabotaged my trial, I want you to exercise your authority and grant him a full pardon."


    Zaniba''s face twitched, as if he was fighting off a smile. "We don''t trade for pardons," he said.


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    "I don''t care," Eluvie said. "Had you done your duties properly, he would never have been a candidate. No sensible person would expect him to be completely neutral. That he did his best and it was not enough is not his failing."


    The smile appeared now, faint but noticeable. "I see. Any more?"


    "I also want one unrestricted wish, to be used at any point, and for anything that you or your peers can grant."


    Zaniba nodded slowly. "Those are all within my power," he said. "And if you want to help us in return for them, then that is a trade I am authorized to accept. But you have one problem to consider. Assuming that you successfully retrieve your memories, assuming that there is something useful in them, and assuming that we successfully vanquish this threat, and assuming that Amu incriminates himself - assuming all of that is successful and we grant you a retrial, you will likely still fail."


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± There was a touch of defiance in Eluvie¡¯s tone, but inside, she was fearful.


    ¡°Because trial results are reproducible,¡± Zaniba said. ¡°That is why we are confident in them. Retrials are not for re-attempts, they are for confirmation. No one has ever failed a trial and passed it on a retrial. That is even more unlikely for you. We might quibble about whether Amu was neutral or not, but we all know that his actions had a very minor effect on your results. You failed because the person you were was not the person you needed to be.¡± His expression softened. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be so blunt, but you need to know the truth.¡±


    Eluvie swallowed, accepted his warning, and filed it away in her mind. ¡°Then, that is something I will need to consider,¡± she said. ¡°But I must still do this. You might not care about me saving the Illrum, but I care about saving myself.¡±


    **********************************************************


    Zaniba discussed the matter with the others, but their voices were no longer raised. Soon afterward, he returned to the room with two objects and handed them to Amu.


    ¡°You¡¯re more experienced at this,¡± he said.


    Amu accepted the items: a cup of muddy-brown liquid, and an enormous and glassy-looking golden orb. The orb was so large that Eluvie would have needed two hands to hold it. Yet, both Amu and Zaniba had casually balanced it on one palm.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to drink this.¡± Amu held the cup out to Eluvie and she accepted it. The liquid in it smelled oddly green despite its color.


    ¡°It¡¯ll put you in a trance,¡± Amu continued, ¡°and then I¡¯ll put this in your hand.¡±


    He indicated the orb.


    ¡°Once you are holding it, the memories will link themselves with your current memories, but not completely. You should be able to search them, but they shouldn¡¯t overwhelm you.¡±


    His eyes were intense and hinted at fear. Clearly, he did not want her to do this, either, but he had not tried again to dissuade her.


    ¡°The process is straightforward, but different for everyone. Some people retain most of their awareness. Some are completely taken over by the process. However it occurs, the situation should be intelligible to you. You should see two things: a way back to reality, and a way to sort through your memories. For example, you might see a hallway full of doors. One door leads back here, and many other doors lead to various memories. Or you might find yourself in a library with one book labeled as a ¡°return¡± book, and the rest filled with memories you can read.¡± His brow knotted and relaxed at intervals.


    ¡°There is a limit to the size and number of memories you can absorb so, please, please, don¡¯t stray. Just find the memory we want and return. You can take more trips if this is successful.¡±


    Eluvie nodded her understanding.


    ¡°The memory is nine days before your departure. We held a ceremony to officially appoint you as Isei. During those ceremonies, the ascendant will approach an altar and receive new powers or new knowledge or both. We want to know what you learned there. If you didn¡¯t learn anything, then come back and let us know. We¡¯ll decide if another trip to a different memory would be helpful.¡±


    He fixed her with a deliberately intense gaze. "It is very important that you do that. If you do not and anything goes wrong, we won''t be able to help you."


    Eluvie huffed. "Don''t worry. I''ll do as you say. My safety is important to me too."


    "Thank you," he said with a relieved sigh. "You may drink it now."


    He still seemed quite tense, but he had evidently accepted the situation.


    Eluvie did as instructed. The liquid was the first bad-tasting thing she had tasted since her arrival. It was tart at first, and then grew more bitter the more it lingered on her tongue. She was tempted to stop, but reminded herself that she had suffered much worse.


    Its effect was almost instant. One moment, she was handing the cup back to Amu. The next, gravity was pulling her back onto the couch. And in the third, she had become the room''s sole occupant.

 Recognition

    The room around Eluvie was an exact replica of the one she had just left, but she knew that it was not the same one. Not only had the occupants suddenly disappeared, but the atmosphere had an invisible but substantial difference in atmosphere.


    She stepped through the doorway that separated her from the rest of the house and found it similarly unchanged. There was a sitting area, item shelves, and the same walled-off bedroom. And, alarmingly, there was no sign of the things Amu had described. Only one doorway led out of the house, and there was nothing resembling either a library or a hallway full of doors.


    She made two circuits around the house, her desperation growing with each step, before accepting that she was in trouble. The situation was not remotely surprising, but it was depressing. Even if she found the information she needed now, she could not tell if she could return to reality.


    Well, she thought, one problem at a time.


    She headed toward the house¡¯s sole door and stepped through it. Outside, the world was an expanse of grass, rocks, and the occasional tree. The nearest house was so far away that she could cover it by holding a hand in front of her face. She had nowhere to go, but even if she found a destination, reaching it would take a ridiculous amount of time. With Amu¡¯s warning buzzing in her mind, her life seemed like a tangled web of problems, running all over each other.


    If only she could fly.


    Wait, she wondered, can¡¯t I fly?


    Technically, this was similar to a dream. In dreams, one could exert some measure of control over the surroundings.


    She prayed for help, for something to go right, and imagined herself with wings.


    They appeared immediately, with a slight rush of air and a flutter. Delight and wonder filled her. Without a moment¡¯s thought, she was in the air. A lot had happened in a small amount of time. She felt like she lived under a permanent cloud, heavy with rain and always threatening a downpour. But once she was in the air, she felt lighter than she had in a long time. It was as if she had left most of her problems on the ground. Not all of them, but enough to feel relieved.


    From the air, she inspected the world around her. She couldn¡¯t remain where she was, paralyzed by indecision. Yet, she didn¡¯t know what to do. Then, she saw the Grand Hall. The memory she needed had occurred there. She did not know if she could learn anything by visiting it, but she had no other ideas.


    The flight took less time than she had expected. She was tempted to fly past the building, just to enjoy some more time in the air, but she disciplined herself and landed in front of its doorway. The interior looked dark from that vantage point. What she could see was a cold, empty hall, with no hint of help. It was disappointing. Still, she stepped through the doorway.


    Once the last bit of her body was through the opening, the room changed.


    The interior was suddenly bright and full of people. Colored ivy decorated the walls. The occupants were clearly Illrum, but they had abandoned their usual colorless outfits for a riot of colored clothing. Every face was turned toward her, bright with smiles and filling the room with cheering.


    Something odd had happened to her as well. The true her was stunned by the change, but her body had not stopped moving. She was moving forward sedately with her eyes pointed forward and only a slight smile to acknowledge the cheers. Ahead of her was a straight walkway leading to a platform, with Illrum to either side of it.


    She tried to force herself to stop, but her body would not obey her commands. She moved as if possessed. Or, more accurately, as if she was a guest in her body. She could sense some of its feelings and understand its intent. But she felt more like a stranger watching the proceedings than a participant.


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    After a little more struggling, she accepted the situation. Assuming that it was a memory, it would eventually end. Rather, she spent her energy inspecting herself and the scene around her.


    She was the only person in white clothing. The strip of color on her sleeves was lilac, a color she had not seen in the community. From somewhere, the knowledge came to her that the color was reserved for Isei, her new rank, and that this was her first time wearing it.


    She reached the platform at the end of the path, climbed up a short flight of stairs, and found herself standing before a table with a thin cushion placed where a chair would be.


    She knelt onto the cushion. When she did so, the top of the table came up to her neck. The table¡¯s contents proved practically invisible. She spared a glare for Zaniba. He was in the front row of Illrum, chuckling at the prank. Every time, he arranged for a table that was too tall for her. How old did he have to be to outgrow practical jokes?


    From her kneeling position, she felt around on the table until she found what she sought: a glass cup filled to the brim with bright yellow liquid. She pulled the cup off the table and drank every drop from it. At her first ceremony, the drink had tasted sickly sweet. Every time after that, it had seemed less and less sweet. Now, in this cup, only a hint of the original sweetness remained. She had drunk better-tasting water.


    She placed the empty cup back on the table, but remained kneeling. Something was supposed to happen. In the past, the cup had given her visions and abilities. And it had always done so before it was empty. Now, several seconds had already passed, yet nothing had happened.


    She waited until murmurs began to rise from the crowd. Then, it was too awkward to wait anymore. With a resigned sigh, she rose to her feet.


    The crowd broke into a new round of cheers. As she began walking off the platform, the invisible bonds that had held them in place broke. Many people rushed toward her, eager for a chance to meet. None of them succeeded. The higher ranking Illrum broke from their positions at the front of the room and formed an impenetrable wall around her. Someone announced that dinner was ready in the dining hall and that she would be addressing them. The others pointedly redirected any persistent well-wishers, letting only Amu and Zaniba through.


    Zaniba was the first to greet her. He pressed her into a long hug. After so many years, she could read every ounce of pride and relief in his posture.


    She let him hold on for a while, but she eventually had to pull away. She¡¯d had barely any sleep between her 18-year-long trial and this ceremony. After so long in the human world, familiar people seemed like strangers, and old expressions of affection felt strangely threatening.


    Zaniba understood. He squeezed her shoulder for a brief moment and then dropped his arm to his side. Since the front doorway was still obstructed by the crowd, he led her toward one of the back walls and made a door through it. Amu followed them. He wore a relieved but tired smile and gave a brief statement of congratulation.


    ¡°What did you learn?¡± Zaniba asked. ¡°Did you gain any powers?¡±


    Eluvie did not know what to say. She had not heard of an Illrum failing to receive a revelation before. Perhaps she had received one and failed to understand it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡±


    Zaniba slapped her back playfully. ¡°Well, whatever it was, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s no call for such anxiety. It¡¯s a happy day. You outrank me now. What would you have me do first, Isei?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Eluvie said, a smile in her voice. ¡°How do you feel now that your student has surpassed you?¡±


    ¡°Relieved!¡± Zaniba said. ¡°I¡¯ll have all of my documents sent to you by tonight. Enjoy running this circus!¡±


    Eluvie laughed at that. ¡°I¡¯ll have to apologize to you,¡± she said. ¡°I won¡¯t be taking on your duties immediately.¡±


    Zaniba frowned. ¡°Why not? You outrank me now. A snake can¡¯t live with two heads. It¡¯s unmanageable.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I will be leaving for my next trial as soon as the preparations are complete.¡±


    Zaniba stumbled to a halt. ¡°What nonsense is that? You haven¡¯t even recovered. You¡¯ve spent the last half-day jumping at sounds.¡±


    ¡°Nonetheless, it will be happening,¡± Eluvie said.


    She attempted to keep walking, but Zaniba held on to her arm, keeping her with him.


    ¡°Give us a moment,¡± he said.


    Amu nodded and walked off, leaving the two behind.

 Be Reasonable

    ¡°I thought you had let go of this idea,¡± Zaniba said.


    Eluvie sensed an argument beginning, and she was far too tired to engage in one. ¡°I had not,¡± she said. ¡°You ordered me to forget it, and I chose to outrank you instead.¡±


    ¡°Moonbeam, be reasonable.¡±


    ¡°Can we postpone this? I¡¯m tired and irritable.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to postpone it. You want to avoid it altogether.¡±


    Eluvie spun to face him. ¡°Yes! Because we¡¯ve covered every inch of this ground twice. You won¡¯t stop me, and you really should have given up by now.¡±


    ¡°How could I give up?! You¡¯ve decided to simply throw your life away. I cannot tell if it is sheer arrogance or just stupidity. Help me understand! If you won¡¯t tell your mentor, you should be willing to tell the person who raised you. What am I supposed to do? Just let you go?!¡±


    Exhaustion overcame Eluvie. She turned away from him and resumed walking. When he grabbed her arm again, she turned on him and released the lock on her anger.


    ¡°Why are you so foolish?!¡± she asked. ¡°Why is it so difficult for you to see? You claim to have lived longer than me. Yet, what have you achieved? Waiting here? In this cage? Do you truly believe that if a cage is colorful and beautiful and soft it becomes less of a cage? No! It becomes more! And I cannot believe that someone I respect so much can exemplify everything I disdain!¡±


    She regretted the words as she spoke them, but something had broken inside her. She did not know when she would return. She did not know if she would ever return. And if she did not say the words now, when would she ever say them? She had spent centuries waiting for the right time, but it would never come.


    Zaniba''s response was calmer than it should have been. "So, that is what it is. That theory."


    Eluvie rubbed her face in frustration. "I don''t dream of changing your mind," she said. "I just want you to consider. Consider what has happened to you in the centuries since you last passed a trial. Ask yourself: if you had to take that trial again, would you pass it? Have you become better or worse in the time that has passed? When you can answer that question, and when you are wise enough to see that something terrible lies beyond the heights you have reached, maybe then you''ll learn the things a child like me cannot teach you. I''m returning to my residence. Please tell the community that I am still exhausted and will address them tomorrow."


    She let her wings form from her back and rose into the air. Zaniba did not follow.


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    Wind rushed around her, its violence matching the turmoil inside her.


    And then, just as the vision had begun, it was gone. She was standing in the doorway of the Great Hall and staring into the dim interior. There was no crowd, no platform, and no light.


    The sudden silence was shocking after the memory''s chaos. It took Eluvie several minutes to accept that she was, in fact, alone and that the crowd she had previously been aware of was not nearby. When that fact sunk in, she stumbled into the hall, searching all the while for what she did not know. There was nothing to find. Light-emitting crystals appeared in the walls as she moved around, as if they had sensed her presence. But nothing else changed.


    She tried leaving and re-entering the hall several times, but that triggered no new memories, and finally, she was forced to consider her next steps.


    Amu had been adamant that she return after retrieving this memory. She did not know how to obey that request, but she believed that it would be wise to make an attempt. And since she had no other clues, she returned to Zaniba''s residence.


    The flight there felt lonely. In the real world, Illrum had dotted the landscape. Here, there was nothing but empty houses and silence. Her earlier joy at flying remained, but its intensity had diminished as the reality of her situation sank in. She had been so confident in pitching this plan to Amu and Zaniba, but only because she had seen no other opportunities. Now, if she did not deliver the results she hoped for, she could not imagine how long she would be trapped, sleeping until death.


    Back at Zaniba''s residence, she landed in front of the open doorway. She did not know if walking in would trigger more memories, but she could think of no way to avoid that anyway. So, she paused at the doorway, took a breath, and stepped in. No memory captured her. No people appeared. And the house remained in the same state in which she had left it.


    She felt both relieved and disappointed.


    She searched the room again, though she expected to find nothing. Several minutes later, there was not an object in the room that she had not lifted, peered under, or prodded. If there was an exit, it was very well hidden. She was tempted to keep searching, but she knew the impulse to be driven by panic. She forcibly calmed herself.


    I am safe for now, she thought, and I will probably be safe for a while longer. If I take too long, the Illrum might be forced to evacuate, but I might find some information that allows them to return home. As long as I am alive here, they will keep me well-cared for there.


    The words stemmed some of her distress and allowed her to look at the situation with fresh eyes. The task was difficult but straightforward. Unlike in Amu''s instruction, her mind was not orderly. So, the memories and exits were not ordered. But they still existed. She only needed to find the exit without absorbing too many memories. That meant avoiding doorways when possible and keeping strict track of how many memories she triggered.


    She decided to take a walk. The exertion would help her think and perhaps spark some ideas. She aimed for the nearest building. By her estimation, the walk would take half an hour. There was no risk that she would lose track of time, and therefore no drawback to the endeavor.


    She had been walking for only a few minutes when she realized that she had miscalculated. The walk would take longer - close to an hour. Yet, the scenery was pleasant, if desolate, and all her thinking had yet to produce a solution. She was walking with her eyes focused on the empty horizon rather than on the path, so naturally, she stumbled.

 "She Failed"

    She stubbed her foot against a half-buried rock. The pain was minimal, but the accident still threw her off balance and forced her to scramble to remain upright. She failed and fell flat onto her face.


    Laughter erupted around her. Even as that development stunned her, she knew that she had been drawn into another memory. She rose from the dirt, dusting off herself and glared at the laughing bystanders.


    ¡°Who tripped me?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser, Eluvie,¡± a girl laughed happily. ¡°You dropped the ball, we get a point.¡± She was tossing a cloth ball from one hand to another. If you couldn¡¯t play, then you should have stayed on the sidelines.¡±


    The girl wore the completely black clothing that only unranked were permitted to wear, and so did the rest of the group - 16 people in all. Only Eluvie had brown stripes on her sleeves, a sign that she had reached the first rank.


    ¡°It was a foul,¡± Eluvie said, but the girl was no longer listening. She had thrown the ball to one of her teammates - a short boy with dirty sleeves - and he was now throwing it to the scorer.


    Eluvie huffed. One of her teammates caught her eye and shrugged. His meaning was clear: no one was interested in playing fair. Well, she decided, if fouls were allowed, they would learn that she was just as capable of them.


    She moved to join the game but was interrupted once again. Just visible in the distance and fast approaching them was a figure: Jema. And she was running. Jema rarely ran. She was famous for being the laziest member of their birth group. So, if she was running, there was news.


    Eluvie¡¯s distraction caught the group¡¯s notice, and one by one, they stopped to watch the approaching figure.


    ¡°What do you think is happening?¡± someone asked.


    But no one replied because no one knew.


    Finally, Jema reached the group, stumbled to a sudden halt, and stared at them in silence.


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    ¡°Well?¡± someone said. ¡°Why the drama?¡±


    ¡°Riwioti¡­¡± Jema said.


    Everyone froze.


    Riwioti was the last member of their group. She had left for her first trial only days before.


    ¡°She¡¯s back already?¡± Eluvie asked. ¡°That was quick.¡±


    Jema shook her head.


    Eluvie tried to read her face. She was clearly tired from the run, but beyond that, Eluvie could determine nothing of her feelings.


    ¡°Is something wrong with the trial?¡± Eluvie asked. As the most advanced, she was their group¡¯s unofficial speaker. As long as she was present, the others were happy to let her say what they were thinking.


    Jema shook her head again. ¡°She failed.¡±


    The words landed like an earthquake.


    She failed.


    The thing that couldn¡¯t happen, that no one dared imagine, that they had all silently agreed to ignore.


    She failed.


    "She just left," Eluvie said. "Don''t spread rumors."


    "They''re removing her name plaque," Jema said. "They already completed the reading. We weren''t invited."


    Everything that happened next seemed to happen to someone else. Eluvie saw herself shoving the others out of her way and running to the Evaluation Hall. She found no one there. The hearing had been over for hours. She ran to their residence and saw the damning sight: 18 beds, well-made and surrounded by the owners'' belongings, and one empty spot where the 19th bed had been. She saw herself hunt down one of their teachers, demand an explanation, and refuse to accept the offered explanation. Then, she saw herself locked in a room overnight and told that she would be freed when she calmed down; something she could not do. Because Riwioti was the best of them and Riwioti had promised to return and they had planned a four-day hike for her return and how would they ever sleep now, with one empty place in the room?


    When Eluvie came back to the present, her heart was still pounding, her mind still roiled with shock and disbelief. She sat on the ground, held captive by emotions that had not faded with the memories. It took several minutes for her to return herself to a semblance of peace. But no matter how she told herself that it was only a memory, the grief would not release her.


    When she finally rose to her feet, she had no knowledge of how long she had been sitting there. She hoped that it had been only a few minutes, but she comforted herself with the knowledge that if it had been longer, there was nothing that could be done about it.


    She walked several more steps, but walking proved too tiring and flying felt unappealing. Since those were her only means of transportation, she decided to rest for a few more minutes. After all, she had no fixed destination.


    She stumbled to a nearby tree, sat down, leaned her back against its trunk, and was immediately pulled into another memory.

 All The Friends Lost

    Nine people stood in a row; all that remained of their group. The room around them, their residence since their first day of life, now had only nine beds. They all wore smiles, though there was little happiness in those smiles. Instead, there was fear, grief, and loss.


    "You all look like you''re about to be sacrificed," their teacher said.


    She looked as if she had done this a million times. And perhaps she had. She was certainly old enough.


    She went from person to person in the line, handing each a small cup. Eluvie accepted her cup quietly and peered down at the black liquid inside.


    "It''s sweet that you''ve chosen to do this together," the teacher said.


    "There is nothing sweet about it," one of the boys said. "If we go one at a time, each failure will kill the next person''s spirit. It''s better to do it this way. Then we''ll either return to see each other''s faces, or never return at all."


    The teacher clicked her tongue. "I don''t see how you plan to pass with that attitude, but it''s too late to fix it now." She finished handing out the cups and stepped back to address them all.


    ¡°You have all done this once before,¡± she said, ¡°so you should remember the process. You should have made copies of all your memories. If you have not, tell me now. Unless you want to return and have the memory of a newborn.¡± She paused, but no one confessed to that negligence. ¡°Then,¡± she said, ¡°all that is left is to drink the sedative and lie down. I¡¯ll be back to complete the process. Don¡¯t dally. If you miss the scheduled time, you¡¯ll be forced to take whichever trial becomes available next.¡±


    She left the room, then. The moment she was gone, several members of the group drank down the cups and began climbing into their beds.


    ¡°Eluvie,¡± one of the boys approached her.


    She covered her cup with a hand so that it would not spill. ¡°Do you need help, Zayo?¡±


    He stopped close to her and shook his head awkwardly. His gaze was pointed slightly downward as always. Zayo never met her eyes. And when he spoke, it was always in a small voice.


    ¡°We can take one item with us,¡± he said.


    Eluvie nodded. ¡°If it¡¯s inconspicuous.¡±


    Zayo swallowed, squared his shoulders, and lifted his gaze slightly off the ground. ¡°Then, I want to give you something,¡± he said.


    Before Eluvie could object, he touched his chest. The clothing and flesh there morphed until it produced a gold-colored piece. Then, his skin and clothes knitted themselves back together. The piece in his hand formed itself into a thin, rope bracelet. To anyone, it would resemble a cheap item made of spare threads. But Eluvie, and the other watching Illrum knew what Zayo had just done.


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    He held the bracelet out to Eluvie, his eyes still glued to the ground, his body tensed for her rejection.


    Eluvie suppressed a sigh. What an irritating time to make such an offer. She liked Zayo as well as anyone else, but his personality was a bad match for hers. She also didn¡¯t trust anyone who was able to fall in love while undergoing the intense preparation they had been involved in. But she didn¡¯t want to crush his spirit before such an important venture.


    She took the bracelet from his hands.


    He was so shocked that he met her eyes for likely the first time in months.


    ¡°I¡¯m not accepting it,¡± Eluvie said. ¡°I''m just taking it. I¡¯ll put it here.¡± She placed the bracelet on her bedside table. ¡°When we return, give it to me again. Everyone is different after their second trial. If you still like me then, I¡¯ll trade you one outing in return for the bracelet.¡±


    Zayo¡¯s face lit up like the sky at midday. It was Eluvie¡¯s turn to look away from him. She felt as if she was deceiving him, but she had not promised anything that she could not give.


    ¡°We should hurry,¡± she said. ¡°I chose this trial very carefully. I don¡¯t want to miss it.¡±


    The scene changed, but the memories did not end. Instead, Eluvie saw herself sitting under the tree she had just leaned against, holding the bracelet that Zayo had offered her and crying in great, gulping sobs. Nineteen of them had begun this journey. Ten had failed the first trial and died on the prison planets. The other eight had failed the second trial. She, alone, was left.


    Beside her, their teacher knelt in the dirt, offering her own ineffective brand of comfort. "It''s for the best," she said. "This place is not right for -"


    Eluvie rose and tucked the bracelet into her pocket. "No need," she said. "You''ve said all of that before."


    The sudden calm in Eluvie''s voice seemed to spook the teacher, but the woman put on a strained smile. "I''ll stop talking. I know you need time. For now, do you know which residence you wish to move to?"


    "I''m not moving," Eluvie said.


    "What?"


    "There''s no law mandating that I do so."


    "Guira are not allowed private residences. You know that."


    "It is not a private residence," Eluvie said. "Eighteen other people live there."


    The woman''s mouth fell open. Eluvie saw the moment she began to worry about Eluvie''s sanity.


    "The Creator is capable of anything," Eluvie said, "even raising the dead. He cares for everyone who serves him, and they served him wholeheartedly. Someday, when I meet him, I''ll ask him to revive them."


    The teacher was clearly unprepared for this eventuality. She attempted to speak several times, but shock had stolen her words.


    "For now," Eluvie said, "you can ask for an exception on the grounds that forcibly moving me would harm my mental state. That is clearly true, don''t you think?"


    The woman finally closed her mouth. Whether she believed Eluvie or not was uncertain, but she nodded her acceptance.


    "Very well," she said. "You may remain there for now. But I''ll have to assign someone else to share the residence with you. You won''t be allowed to live alone."


    Eluvie knew that that was all the concession she would win. So she, too, nodded.


    The memory faded, and Eluvie found herself sitting under the tree once again, with all the ache of the memory pooled in her chest.

 Parting

    Eluvie didn''t move from beneath the tree for a long time. If even stumbling over a rock could trigger a memory, then moving was not safe. And the last two memories had contained more information than she had seen. She could remember things that had not been part of the memory: the names of all of her birthmates, their favorite foods, and moments she had spent with. She even knew that the residence they had grown up in was the same one that now belonged to her. It had never been taken away.


    "I''m doomed," she muttered. She could see no way to find an exit before she was overwhelmed with too many memories. She did not even know how many memories would be too many.


    I''ll have to switch strategies, she thought.


    After a bit more planning, she stood up. Since she could not avoid gaining memories, she needed to be strategic about the ones she gained. She had two places in mind to investigate first: her residence and the hidden underground room. Her residence would definitely contain a lot of memories, but most of them would be unimportant. The underground room, however, was different. Whatever she learned there, whether it helped her escape or not, would not be mundane.


    The choice, therefore, was easy. The only question left was how she would find the tunnel. She considered returning to the Grand Hall, but she did not want to risk triggering another memory. She looked down at the ground below her. If the ground still obeyed her in this dream world, she should be able to open up the tunnel here.


    She put a hand on the ground and thought about what she wanted: a tunnel to the underground room. Almost before the request was made, a square hole opened in the ground, displaying a set of stairs leading downward. She whooped.


    "There''s no point in delaying," she muttered to herself.


    She rose, braced herself, and took the first step. The moment her foot touched it, she was drawn into another memory.


    Day had changed into night. She was indoors, but the ceiling of her residence had one corner open to the dark sky. Since it was well past curfew, silence had descended on the whole community.


    She pressed a hand to a wall and ordered the ceiling closed. It did so, removing the last of the sky¡¯s light from the room. Then she took the staircase that she had summoned before her. She took the steps without watching her feet, like she¡¯d done many times before, a wicker basket clutched to her side, and her mind on the ceremony earlier that day.


    Zaniba had already visited twice since the morning, either to apologize, request an apology, or dissuade her from taking a new trial so quickly. She hadn¡¯t seen him. Amu, well-practiced at his duties, had announced that she was in prayer and unavailable until the next day. In fact, she had spent far less time praying than she had staring at her ceiling.


    Well below ground, the stairs ended in a familiar tunnel. As she stepped off the last step, the hole above her closed, sealing her into the tunnel. If Amu returned for some reason, he would wonder where she had gone. But he was accustomed to her late-night disappearances.


    The walk to the secret room took several minutes, which was unfortunate because it left too much time for ruminating. She wasn¡¯t hiding from Zaniba out of anger. She simply didn¡¯t know how to apologize to him. But the longer she waited, the more awkward the situation grew. Eventually, thankfully, she reached her destination.


    The room was covered in dust. No one had visited during her 18-year absence; apparently, not even Arra. Accounting for the dust, the room was in the same state that she had left it. A half-played game of chess sat on a table. A tray of fruit sat on another table, and a blanket was neatly folded on the couch.


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    ¡°Seriously,¡± she said to the empty room. ¡°I leave food for you. The least you could do is walk around a bit and eat it. If you keep stealing wine, someone innocent will get blamed.¡±


    Her invisible addressee gave no response.


    Eluvie went to the cabinets, opened one, and began restocking it with items from her basket. As expected, only the wine bottles had been emptied. All of the foodstuff and art supplies remained untouched.


    Once her task was complete, she fell onto the couch and let the basket drop to the floor beside it.


    ¡°Did you see the ceremony?¡± she asked.


    Once again, there was silence.


    ¡°Well, there was little to see,¡± she tried not to sound disappointed. ¡°You probably didn¡¯t notice that it was happening until it was over.¡±


    More silence followed. She let it linger for a while.


    ¡°I argued with Zaniba,¡± she said and sighed. ¡°I wish you would just let me tell him. I doubt that there is a more suitable person in the entire community. And if I don¡¯t return, then¡­¡±


    There was nothing to say on that front. Whatever happened, she would have to accept the risk.


    ¡°I suppose that you could tell him then,¡± she said. ¡°Or make another friend. But I don¡¯t want you to just become a recluse again.¡±


    Another pause.


    Her voice grew stern. "You are listening to me, right?"


    Nothing happened.


    "If you don''t respond, I will go and tell Zaniba right now."


    The lights in the room blinked twice, almost plunging Eluvie into darkness each time.


    She smiled in amusement. Whatever nonchalance he pretended, he always noticed when she entered this room.


    "And you will make another friend?" she asked.


    There was a brief wait, then the lights blinked twice again.


    Suspicion filled Eluvie and she narrowed her eyes. "Are you lying?"


    The lights blinked once.


    A sigh of relief escaped her. "I''ll hold you to that promise, then."


    She rolled over so that she was lying with her back to the couch.


    "I put the note for myself in the cabinet," she said. "Don''t forget it. And if¡­ if everything goes wrong, don''t break. You promised."


    She stopped talking and silence filled the room for several minutes. This one-sided conversation was never satisfying, but it was more honest than a lot of her other conversations.


    "When I leave," she said, "will you say goodbye?"


    Her invisible partner did nothing.


    "Don''t give me that nonsense about not wasting energy. It''s thirty seconds in a body to send off your only friend. What if I never return and you regret it for the rest of your life?"


    Still, there was nothing.


    "If you don''t say goodbye, I''ll tell Zaniba to start counting the wine bottles."


    The lights flashed in rapid, angry signals.


    Eluvie laughed until her eyes welled up with tears.


    "We have an agreement, then," she said. "A goodbye in exchange for continued inebriation."


    She lay quietly for several more minutes, knowing that she had to leave but reluctant to do so.


    Finally, she forced herself to rise.


    "I''ll return the night before," she said. "I have a lot to do till then, but you know how to bother me if you need something."


    Once again, there was no response.


    She picked up her basket and took the first step toward the doorway. Then, the scene faded and Eluvie found herself standing at the top of the steps again.

 In Mediocrity

    Eluvie walked aimlessly down a nonexistent path leading uphill. She did not know how much time had passed but had long ceased to seek out memories. They found her; triggered by flying over a distinctive building, staring in a certain action, or simply remembering a certain person. All of the ones since the tunnel had been mundane - even the ones she triggered in her residence. And since flying had proven no less dangerous than walking, she had decided to exert her legs.


    There was an empty stretch of land before her - free of trees, boulders, or buildings. It seemed like a safe place to rest, so she sat down.


    And, of course, triggered another memory.


    It was night again. Above her, the sky was starless as it always was in Sanctuary. All of the daytime animals had gone to sleep, while the nighttime ones - the insects at least - were fully awake. She sat on the grass, listening to the sounds and writing down the ones that she could identify.


    "Why are you here?" a voice asked.


    She jumped to her feet, momentarily terrified, then scowled and scolded herself. She was not breaking any rules. For a moment, she could not find the speaker. Then, she noticed that a tall patch of grass to her left had a man-shaped hole in it. The man wore plain black clothing that blended into the darkness.


    "Do you have the standing to ask me that?" she asked. "Aren''t you unranked?"


    "You have ten seconds to explain why you are violating curfew," he said flatly, "before I throw you across the town and into the arms of those incompetent guards."


    Eluvie prepared to scold him again, but she checked herself. Unranked Illrum were rarely so confident. Perhaps he was simply in the wrong clothing. If she offended someone high-ranking, her nighttime trips could come to an end.


    She schooled her voice into a respectful tone. "I have permission," she said. "For research."


    "Research somewhere else," he said tonelessly.


    Eluvie did not move. "Unfortunately, my permission for today restricts me to this location."


    "Then leave, and try again another day."


    Eluvie returned to scowling. "Why? Do you own this hill?"


    He laughed hysterically. "Coincidentally, I do."


    A suspicion crept into Eluvie''s mind, drawn by his odd laugh, his posture, and his nonsensical words.


    "Are you drunk?" she asked.


    "Eh, it''s possible. This body has a low tolerance."


    "That is against the rules," she said sternly.


    "Child, this is your last warning. Stop bothering me or I won''t apologize."


    Eluvie bristled at the insult. She was more than two centuries old and had passed two trials. She wasn''t a child by any objective measure. Still, she schooled her temper and considered the matter for a while. Only one of her friends had ever drunk to excess, and she knew that the problem hid more than a rule-breaking inclination.


    "Do you need help?" she asked finally.


    "What?" he mumbled.


    "If I tell one of the others, I''m sure they won''t punish you. If you''re struggling with something then -"


    "What a busybody," he muttered.


    His body tensed, as if he was about to do something to her, so she spoke quickly.


    "I won''t tell anyone as long as you let me help. But if you won''t accept my help, then I have to tell someone. You''re breaking curfew, drinking, and clearly miserable. It would be cruel of me to ignore this. I don''t want to be a nuisance. So, you have my word that nothing you tell me will reach another ear. You only have to tell me how to help and I will do it."


    He sat up and fixed Eluvie with a glare. "How old are you?"


    "Two hundred and nine."


    "And how many trials have you passed?"


    Eluvie squirmed under his disdainful tone. "Two."


    "Let me see if I remember this," he said. "That means that you''ve passed the Test of Obedience and the Test of Virtue. It''s no wonder that you remember all the rules I''m violating. Unfortunately, to properly counsel me or even understand a word of my problems, you need¡­" he counted on his fingers, "six more trials. So, run on home. When you''re a Rauw, return and I''ll tell you how you can help me."


    Eluvie frowned. "Are you a Rauw? I thought that there was no one that high."


    He rose to his feet with a frustrated sigh and a drunken wobble. "Never mind. I''ll just leave."


    "I''ll find you," Eluvie said.


    He froze in his steps. "My mentor is Zaniba. If I ask him to, he''ll call an assembly so that I can search every person in the community. I''m sorry to be so much trouble, but you need help even if you can''t see it."


    He muttered again. She could not hear his words this time, but the irritation in his tone was clear.


    He began tapping his foot rapidly, as if searching for a response.


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    "I''m sorry," Eluvie said. "It is rude to threaten others, but I can''t leave you in this state. Perhaps I can''t understand your problems, but there must be something that I can do. I know that if I were in your situation, I would want help."


    He turned back to face her, a full sneer on his face. "Fine," he said. "You want to help? Let''s see if you can afford to. Since you''ve managed to reach Eram, I know that your virtue is not in question. So, I''m certain that you will not repeat anything I say to anyone."


    He walked toward her until there was barely a foot of space between them.


    "You see," he said, "I have a problem. I can hear," he gestured around them, "to this place with two hundred million seeds, two hundred million Illrum. The very last Illrum that my Lord gave me. His only remaining children. Understand this: there are no more. He almost died saving these last few. Till this day, I do not know if he will ever wake again. But I thought, if I protect these few, someday he will wake and I will say, look at the people you saved with your life. Look at the people you sacrificed everything for. I''ve protected them. I''ve taught them. All that you lost was not in vain."


    He was staring at her with a gaze so intense that she thought she would melt.


    "But do you know what happened?" He asked.


    Eluvie instinctively shook her head.


    "It''s not the fact that they keep failing trials." He waved a hand as if to brush that off. "That is to be expected. They can''t all be perfect. No, it''s not that. You, how old did you say you are? Two hundred? And you''ve completed how many trials? Two?"


    He laughed hysterically. He laughed for so long that she thought he had gone completely mad.


    "You don''t see why that''s funny do you? Hey! Idiot! In my day, you took one trial per decade, every decade that you were able. Two trials in two centuries?! Of course, you all keep failing. Waiting longer between trials does not give you time to prepare. It gives you time to degrade, to become stupid and lazy, to get used to this nightmare, thinking that it is all you need."


    His breathing was heavy and the rage radiating from him forced Eluvie to back away.


    "And here is the most hilarious part. When you people reach the third rank, you just stop. Congratulations! You''re done!"


    His voice fell back to a reasonable volume and his tone grew cold.


    "So, when my Lord wakes, if he ever wakes, I will get to tell him: of the people you left me, some failed, became mortal and died. Some proved themselves to be cowards, stopping at the third rank, content to die as their bodies age. And the rest stopped somewhere before the tenth rank, never achieving true immortality. By the time he wakes, you will all be long dead and I will say, ''I''m sorry. I lost them all. I''m sorry. All those you sacrificed the love of your life to save. None of them are left.''"


    Eluvie¡¯s mind stumbled as she tried to find a response. "We are immortal," she said. "We won''t die."


    He glared at her. "You think that immortality is granted to fools and cowards? Those who stop at the third rank, too fearful to test their courage, can they be trusted at any task? Zaniba, who has led the entire community into this life of cowardice? Should he be rewarded for it? When true evil, our enemies who forced us into this corner return? Is it those weaklings who will stand against them? Or will they join them, searching for the easiest and safest path as they have done for centuries?"


    Eluvie was not certain that she understood his entire rant, but she understood enough.


    "Why didn''t you tell us this?" she screamed! "My friends died! No one knows -"


    "What do you think a trial is?! Do you believe that you can be brave only when I tell you to be brave? Be virtuous only when I ask you to be? Do you think our enemies send announcers before their arrival saying, ''now is the time to dust off your intelligence, we attack at dawn?!'' This whole place is a trial, you moron! All of it! It''s a trial to see: when our Lord is absent, when he no longer tells you what to do and where to go and who to be, can you be anything? You are always, always, in a trial. That is why those fools like your mentor who believe that they can simply stop progressing, that is why they are so wrong. Because they have already failed and they do not know it."


    He covered his face with his hands.


    "And I am so tired," he sobbed. "I didn''t think that I would have to hold on this long." He laughed miserably. "I did not imagine that you would all be so stupid. So, child who wants to solve my problems, this is your warning. I am giving you all until the last seed sprouts. When that last Illrum reaches a hundred, if nothing has changed, I will stop fighting. This land you''re standing on, the sky that keeps you from the cold vacuum, all of it is my body, not that of a mindless being like you have deluded yourselves into being. And I''ve grown very, very tired of holding it in this form. When I stop fighting, I will leave you all here to die and return to my Lord. Even if he has not woken, I will do more at his side than I am doing here."


    He turned to walk away, paused, and turned back to you. "Oh," he said. "Don''t tell anyone this. It might make it easier for them to keep taking trials, but knowing the truth means that they don''t get any credit for attempting a trial. So they''ll need to make up for it by taking harder trials. You''ve already taken that curse upon yourself. You wouldn''t want to do it to your friends."


    He started to walk away again. He made it a good distance before Eluvie regained control of her body and ran after him. She grabbed his hand and forced him to look at her.


    "You didn''t tell me what I can do," she said. "I asked for how to help you, not your life story. If I can''t tell the others this, what should I do?"


    "Isn''t it obvious?" he asked. "Be the one who survives. That way, I can give my Lord something when I return. But how will you do it now? You probably wouldn''t have passed your trials before. You certainly won''t pass them now."


    Eluvie did not let herself believe that. Losing hope was halfway to failure.


    "I will if you teach me," she said, still holding onto his arm. "Be my mentor and I promise, even if I cannot survive till the end, I will teach my mentees to the best of my ability."


    He hesitated for a while, then made a face.


    "No," he said. "It''s useless."


    "You have to," she said. "You drunkenly told me all these secrets. Now, my trials will be more difficult. How will I pass them without a competent teacher? And if I fail before I can mentor even one person? How will I make a difference? When you meet your Lord, would you like to tell him that you had one opportunity to fix the problem but you were too drunk to see reason?"


    He blinked several times as if trying to digest the information.


    Finally, he grumbled, "ugh, I can''t even tell if you''re being reasonable or not. Why did you have to come here and ruin my evening?"


    "I am being reasonable," Eluvie said. "You can''t be too drunk to understand that. You''re an Illrum, not a human."


    He tore her hand off his arm. "Release me. I''ll think about it."


    Eluvie stepped back and bowed deeply. "Thank you, teacher."


    "I said I''ll think about it. And, for the record, I have low expectations of you. You have no idea just how much this endeavor will require of you. You will almost certainly fail. But if you survive long enough to train a sensible student, perhaps, in about ten generations, we can produce someone intelligent."


    He had been put off balance by her proposal and was trying to regain control of the situation so she let his insult go. Later, she would parse everything she had said. Later, she would probably grow angry again, when she remembered the friends she had lost and the fact that he could have saved them. But that was for later.


    "When will we have our lessons?" She asked.


    "When I''m not drunk. Go. I''ll find you."


    Eluvie didn''t leave. "What if you change your mind?"


    He growled at her. "You''re not the only one who passed the Test of Virtue. If I say something, I''ll do it. Now, get lost. This is my one night of indulgence and you''re wasting it."


    Eluvie stepped further away from him, an unspoken indication that he was free to leave. Then, she waited there, trying to reconcile her feelings of rage, fear, and hatred, while he stumbled off.

 Sanity

    Eluvie wondered if she would see her death coming. Perhaps she would find time to struggle against its impending embrace, like struggling to stay awake late into the night, until sleep finally stole in between snatches of thought. Or perhaps it would happen like a blow to the head; barely felt and never fully perceived.


    Several days had passed, each one a painful cycle of hope, fear, and then despair. Compared with the two potential deaths, a more terrifying possibility had begun to grow in her mind, its horror steadily overshadowing everything else: that she would never die. Perhaps she would linger here for ages, languishing in never-ending solitude as day and night traded places interminably. She could not even tell if the days and nights were real. After all, this world was merely a construct of her own mind and whatever defect had doomed this excursion could have further manipulated her perception.


    She forced the worries away for the umpteenth time.


    "There are worse things than time spent alone," she said. "I mean, Mirab could be here too."


    Those consoling words had long lost their power, but she kept saying them.


    The memories still came. Sometimes, they didn''t even need physical triggers. She would find herself thinking of something mundane, like rice, and then find herself in a related memory. She had long ceased trying to suppress them. Whether she regained too many memories was a milder problem than the one she was currently facing.


    She considered rising from the meadow she was lying in and taking another flight around the area. Perhaps she would find a new building to explore. Then, something about the atmosphere changed.


    There was nothing tangible about the change. The sky, ground, and surroundings remained stubbornly the same, but she now felt a heavy presence all around her, as if the very air had been replaced with lead. During her captivity, when she had lived permanently blindfolded, she had occasionally been struck by the irrational conviction that someone was watching her. The feeling had grown so powerful sometimes that it drove her to frantically search the room, despite her ears'' resolute testimony that she was alone.


    This feeling was worse than that. It was not her mind manufacturing a narrative due to visual deprivation. She truly did sense someone around her.


    She shot to her feet within seconds of the realization, and stood alert, not knowing whether to run or fight.


    "I''m sorry," a disembodied voice said. "I scared you."


    Eluvie was not relieved. She remained in the same startled pose, waiting for the voice to either attack her or prove itself a hallucination.


    It was silent for a disturbing amount of time. When it spoke again, the voice was gentle and somewhat tired.


    "I would conjure a form," he said, "but the cost is hardly worth the result. I hope you do not mind."


    "Who are you?" Eluvie asked. She searched around for a weapon, but could find nothing suitable. The nearest hand-sized rock was a fair distance away.


    The voice responded with a long pause. Then, before she could question it, a figure appeared in front of her.


    He was a young man. Had he been human, she would have pegged him in his mid-twenties, but the depth in his eyes told her that he was incomprehensibly older - if not in age, then in experience.


    He tilted his head and eyed her with mild curiosity. "Seeing me did ease your worry," he said. "That''s a human response, but you''re an Illrum."


    "Not anymore," she said. She regretted the words immediately. They made all of her bitterness known to this stranger.


    "You''ve been forced into a human form," he said, "but you''re still an Illrum. Just like wearing this body does not change who I am." He shook his head vigorously, as if clearing away a thought. The motion was sweet and even more disarming than his voice.


    "We have no time for this," he said. "Everyone I can reach seems distressed, but speaking to them would use too much energy. Can you tell me what is going on?"


    "You haven''t told me who you are," Eluvie said.


    The man tilted his head again. "You seemed rather frantic when I was watching. Now, instead of trying to quickly escape this place, and despite my warning about little time, you seem distracted by trivial questions."


    He sounded so genuinely confused that Eluvie felt the need to enlighten him.


    "Unanswered questions make me itch," she said. "I probably won''t be able to help you with anything until you answer me."


    He chuckled. "Fine. My name is Ettelvwi. Probably few of the living Illrum remember me. If there are any surviving records, they won''t use my name. Most Illrum just refer to me as ¡®My Lord''." A hint of sadness passed over his face, but was quickly supplanted by a forced blankness. "Do you need to know anything else while your brain slowly shuts down?"


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    Eluvie eyed him. "You don''t seem to be in a hurry, either."


    "I have excellent control over my emotions," he said, "and I don''t need to hurry. You do."


    Realization suddenly hit Eluvie. She could die.


    "You were going to tell me how to leave here," she said.


    He nodded and took on a more relaxed posture. "But first I need to know what is going on. It''ll be more difficult to speak to you when you wake."


    "A human poisoned the world the Illrum live in. It''s now threatening to fall apart with them inside it. They can''t evacuate because -"


    "Arra''s injured?! How badly?"


    His face had been completely overtaken by fear. Something about the situation startled Eluvie, but she struggled to identify it.


    "Describe the problem," the man said.


    That''s it, Eluvie thought. She rarely saw someone so powerful be so refreshingly honest. Everyone around her - Illrum and human - was hiding their fear, worry, or schemes. With Mirab, especially, every word, act, or expression seemed like a facade.


    "Eluvie," the man said insistently, drawing her from her thoughts, "describe what is happening to Arra."


    Eluvie searched her brand-new memories for information on Arra. When she confirmed that it was the Illrum forming Sanctuary, she responded.


    "The sky keeps forming cracks and healing them," Eluvie said. "There might be other effects, but I don''t know what they are."


    The man stood completely still for several seconds, his eyes fixed on the horizon. He opened his mouth, preparing to say something, closed it without a word, and then bit his lip. Throughout the sequence, his expression slowly grew more downcast.


    "Can you do something?" Eluvie asked. "Arra seemed to have a high opinion of you."


    The man continued to think in silence. Finally, his eyes snapped back to Eluvie.


    "I need to go," he said. "Leaving here is easy. Remember how you gave yourself wings. This landscape is just a room in your mind. You have power over it."


    Eluvie huffed in irritation. "You think I haven''t tried that? I have no control over it."


    The man shook his head. He seemed impatient, as if he would leave at any moment. "You''ve simply made a mistake." He tapped the side of his head with one finger. "You have a false conception of yourself. You''ve spent so long in a human guise that you keep limiting your strength. Even here, in your own mind, you act like one. From what I''ve seen of your memories, you are an Isei. You passed seven trials, each one difficult enough to crush a grown man. You''ve run empires and faced challenges greater than this. Even if you can''t believe yourself to be that person, pretend that you are, and you won''t be so limited. I have to go."


    He gave her a hurried smile, and then disappeared.


    Eluvie stood still for a moment, stunned by the abrupt departure. Then, she sighed and took stock of her surroundings.


    I can control it, eh?


    She stared at the ground in front of her, screwed up her face and tried to encourage it to generate a hole. Naturally, nothing happened. She felt another surge of irritation toward the man, but she put it aside.


    "Pretend," he said.


    There was some sense to the instruction. There was no logical reason why she should be able to give herself wings in this dream, but unable to modify the landscape. His assertion that her beliefs were limiting her made some sense. The thought had even occurred to her. But controlling her mind was not within her abilities.


    Would pretending work?


    She searched through the memories she had accumulated over the last few days, looking for the woman she had been, the person so confident that she had attempted a trial with barely a week of preparation.


    She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and told herself that she was that person again. She stood straighter and held her arms stiffly at her side. An unexplained burst of fear assaulted her, but it was gone before she could engage with it. She opened her eyes, stared out at the grass in front of her, and commanded it to form a door.


    Nothing happened.


    She wanted to hit something, but there was nothing around but herself and a distant building.


    She calmed herself, stuck her thumb''s fingernail in her mouth, and chewed on it as she thought.


    I should be in control of this place. I can already control myself. What is going on?


    She paced for a while, then decided to make the attempt again. Once again, she stood still, closed her eyes, and imagined herself as her past self. The burst of fear appeared again, just as short-lived, but more noticeable. Rather than proceed with her plan, she seized the feeling. Now that she was desperate enough to challenge it, it was easy to identify. She was trying to be the woman she was, a woman strong enough to overcome this. But that woman wasn''t strong enough. That woman was the sole reason for this fiasco. If she had not been so driven, everyone would be safe.


    Burn it, she swore, I really don''t think I''m her, do I?


    But she was. She was the woman who had made so many bad decisions, the one everyone respected, admired, and now pitied. Isei was not a separate person with separate flaws. She thought back over her experiences and compared them with the memories she had gained. They were both equally driven, plagued by tunnel vision, and self-destructive in their pursuit of their aims. The new her was simply ashamed of the old one, but the old one would be disappointed in the new one.


    Stop it, she told herself. They''re the same person. The person who made all of those bad choices is me. It''s us, not her. Me.


    There was a brief moment of expectation, as if the whole world had gone perfectly still, then memories crashed into her. She saw herself at different times in her life, from taking her first human form, to preparing for her first trial, to receiving her first duties. Centuries of memories overlaid over each other and tried to force themselves into her mind. They moved so quickly, that she could barely understand the rush of pictures. Her head felt as if it would split open.


    Dear creator, I think I just killed myself.


    "Stop!"


    At her word, the memories ceased. The ones she''d already gained did not disappear, however. She felt both nauseous and dizzy. Mentally, she ordered the memories to organize themselves. When her blurry vision finally cleared, she found herself sitting on the floor of a hallway. Doors lined the blank wall on both sides and behind her, as Amu had promised, was the door that led back to reality.

 Disaster

    This is becoming a pattern, Eluvie thought.


    She was lying in a bed, slowly returning to consciousness. The sound came first, sounds of people breathing, shifting, and speaking indistinctly. Then, she became aware of her body, of the awkward position of her neck and how uncomfortably hot she was. True consciousness followed. She realized that she was awake and there was no reason to keep her eyes closed. And, last of all, came the memory that the world was ending.


    She immediately sat up. That over-exertion brought on a wave of exhaustion that almost forced her back down, but she persisted and her light-headedness eventually eased.


    Amu reacted first. He rushed to the bedside and then stood, as if uncertain of what to do next. Her other guards rushed forward as well, abandoning their various lounging postures.


    "You woke up," Amu said. His tone was a mixture of relief and disbelief. He also sounded as if there was a lump in his throat. Eluvie thought that if she didn''t seem so fragile, he might have hugged her.


    She was still in Zaniba''s residence, but something about the place looked different. She focused on Amu''s face. He seemed different as well.


    "I think I know you," she said.


    Amu''s expression changed to stark terror.


    Eluvie barked a laugh. "Not like that," she said. "Of course, I know you. I mean, I think I remember you from before." She seized a memory. "When you were trying to become my mentee, you used to sneak into my residence, tidy it up, and leave cakes on the bed."


    Amu fell back a little as his eyes clouded with thought. Then, a smile spread over his face. "That happened, didn''t it?"


    Another memory forced itself on Eluvie. "And when I finally agreed to pick someone, you snuck in and moved your application to the top of the pile."


    Amu''s smile changed to one of embarrassment.


    "And you kept doing that, every day," Eluvie said, "until I was sick of it. I had your supervisor double your duties, but you still found the time."


    Amu scratched his head awkwardly.


    "That wasn''t the only time," Eluvie said. "You''re a troublemaker. How have you been pretending to be an upright person this whole time?"


    Amu looked offended. "You only remembered old things! I haven''t done anything like that in ages!"


    Eluvie glanced at the room''s other occupants. They no longer seemed like strangers. They were not friends, but she knew them. Yira had been one of her students and one of the male Illrum had shared a dining table with her for years. Even the room held a wealth of memories.


    She suddenly felt embarrassed. She must have looked so silly in her ignorance.


    "How did you wake up?" Amu asked.


    "Oh." She adjusted the blankets around herself. "The next time you use this memory technique, you should first make sure that the person is mentally stable."


    Amu frowned. "How are you not mentally stable?"


    Eluvie tilted her head and stared at him.


    He pondered the question for a moment and then nodded. "Fine," he said, "I can think of a few ways."


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    "It''s also not advisable to use it on anyone recently back from a trial," she said. "There are some identity issues wrapped up in that. And just don''t use it on humans. It helped that, underneath, I''m still an Illrum. Otherwise, I think the final rush of memories would have killed me."


    She recalled the urgency of their situation. "Where''s Zaniba?"


    Amu pulled a stool to her bedside and made himself comfortable. "He''s supervising the evacuation."


    "Evacuation?"


    Amu nodded. "We couldn''t convince Mirab to tell us what she did, and she won''t give up on being made an Illrum. It''s been difficult. It''s not just the sky that''s unstable now. We''ve been having minor earthquakes. We''re evacuating whoever we can."


    Eluvie''s heart jumped. They were abandoning Arra.


    "I need to talk to Zaniba," she said.


    She didn''t know what she would tell him. An evacuation was clearly the right choice, but the thought that they would leave Arra to die disturbed her.


    Against Amu''s protests, she climbed out of bed and pressed a hand to the ground.


    "What are you doing?" he asked.


    "Arra," she spoke in a low voice, "can you hear me?"


    There was no response. She worried that her effort to communicate would be a distraction, but she needed to know how to help him.


    "I know that you know what''s going on," she said. "If there''s a way we can help, you need to tell us."


    She felt silly after saying that. If they could help, he would have supplied that information sooner.


    Frustrated, she returned to her feet, fighting another wave of dizziness as she did so. She found Amu watching her with a mixture of curiosity and concern.


    "Send someone to Zaniba," she said. "Tell him that this world is not a construct. It''s an Illrum." Amu''s eyes widened as she continued. "I don''t know how useful that information will be, but he needs to know it."


    "It''s an Illrum?" Amu repeated.


    "He won''t talk to anyone and I don''t think it''ll be helpful to try to talk to him right now, but maybe that will give Zaniba some ideas. You." Eluvie pointed at one of the guards. "Find Zaniba and tell him that."


    The man looked for confirmation from Amu, then ran off when he received it.


    "I also need to speak with Mirab."


    Amu''s face took on a strange expression.


    "What?" Eluvie asked.


    "The humans were evacuated with the first batch," he sounded apologetic. "It''s -"


    "It''s protocol," Eluvie said, disappointment filling her. "I remember. But how will we speak with her? Has Zaniba actually given up?"


    "Mirab wasn''t going to help us. In fact, as insane as it sounds, it seemed as if she was stalling. So, Zaniba decided that our efforts were better invested elsewhere. We''ll evacuate everyone except the youngest and the oldest. Since the others can''t all survive on the other worlds, they''ll make extra seeds to send along with the evacuees. We''ll still have the backup caches of seeds here." His brow creased with worry. "The only problem is the embryos."


    He was referring to the Illrum seeds that had not yet begun growing.


    "Why is that a problem?" she asked.


    "They won''t survive if we move them off this world, but we don''t have any backups for them. So far, the plan is to distribute them evenly among the three caches and pray for the best."


    Eluvie didn''t like that plan. "If this place is destroyed, the caches won''t survive, will they?"


    Amu shook his head.


    Eluvie''s memories of the caches were vague, but she knew that each was as large as a house. They could not be moved through whatever portal was being used for the evacuation. The entire situation seemed terrible, but she felt helpless to fix it.


    "Don''t get that look on your face," Amu said, putting on a smile. "All the best minds in this place are on the issue. Your job is to rest and recover."


    "And then you''ll evacuate me to the same world you send Mirab to?"


    Amu had no response to the question, so he sat in stunned silence.


    Eluvie realized that she had been standing for a significant amount of time, which meant that she was strong enough to explore.


    "I''m going to take a look outside," she said.


    Amu tried to stop her, but she danced out of his reach.


    "Fine," Amu hurried along behind her. "A quick break for air, and then you''ll come back inside. You might feel strong, but that''s due to the medication we''ve been feeding you for days. Strain yourself, you''ll fall, and I won''t catch you."


    His words proved accurate. Several steps later, Eluvie was already wishing that she had remained in bed, but pride kept her moving forward.

 Alone

    The world outside the building was deserted. Wherever the evacuation was happening, it was well out of sight. The sky looked far worse than before. It was covered with a web of cracks. They did not seem to be growing larger, but neither did they seem to be disappearing.


    "How much longer are we safe?" Eluvie asked, her gaze still fixed on the sky while she leaned on the building for support.


    "We don''t know," Amu said. "But the last of the evacuees should be leaving. You might be the only one left. As long as you leave within the hour, all will be well."


    There was a long silence while Eluvie tried to choose her response. Nothing was well. Mirab had won. The Illrum were leaving, even though they could not survive on the other worlds. Arra was going to be left to die alone, and she, herself, would be sent back to Mirab''s territory.


    "Do you know someone called Ettelvwi?" Eluvie asked.


    Amu thought for a while and then shook his head. "I might have heard it, but I can''t say for certain. Is he important?"


    "Maybe." Eluvie stared into the distance.


    Amu waited for her to say more, but she merely kept her gaze on the horizon.


    "Let''s go inside," Amu said. "Someone might come for you soon. You need as much rest as you can get."


    "I''ll wait a bit longer," Eluvie said. She felt like a clock was counting down to her eventual imprisonment, and going inside would make it tick faster.


    "Fine," Amu said. "Let''s bring a chair for you."


    At the suggestion, one of the guards went back into the house and returned with a cushioned armchair. Eluvie hid how grateful she was to have it.


    They had been outside for several minutes when Yira spoke.


    "Is it getting darker?"


    Eluvie looked around. It did look significantly darker than when she had first come out.


    "The sun must be setting," she said. Sanctuary had no sun, only a steady pattern of light and darkness, but Eluvie could find no better term.


    Yira responded with deep confusion. "It''s too early for that."


    For a while, everyone stood in confused silence. Eluvie was about to suggest the time had come to speed up her departure, but something else claimed her attention.


    She didn''t know what it was at first. It seemed like a speck of something slowly descending from the sky. Her initial reaction was to disregard the phenomenon, but she glanced around the group and saw that everyone else was fixated on the falling object. When it hit the ground and kicked up a large cloud of dust, its spell was broken.


    "This will sound crazy¡­" Eluvie said.


    "I think a piece of the sky just fell," Maso said.


    "Yes," Eluvie said. "That is what I was about to say."


    Amu jerked into motion. "Inside. Everyone. Now."


    "So, we can be crushed inside?" Yira asked.


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    "We''ll put Eluvie under the bed and put the mattress above her," Amu said. "It will work. Quickly."


    Two more pieces broke away from the sky. One of them was terrifyingly closer than the other.


    With Amu''s assistance, Eluvie rose to her feet and hurried toward the door. Just as she made it into the house, the world went dark. There was a shocked gasp from someone. Amu clutched her hand harder.


    "It''s fine," he said. "I know the way. Just stay close to me."


    The silence was tense as they made their way to the bedroom. Eluvie had a dozen questions swirling around her mind, and none of them had satisfactory answers.


    Amu made her sit in a corner of the bedroom while he moved around in the darkness. Finally, he finished putting together a tent out of the mattress and some other items and encouraged her to lie under it. She worried about its use and stability, but she didn''t have a better idea.


    The tent fit most of the group, but Amu was adamant that the others had made their backup seeds and were therefore safe. He was only worried about her. They lay in silence for a while, Eluvie''s heart pounding so hard that she thought she would die. Occasionally, they would hear a distant or not-so-distant thump, and she was left to imagine what it could be.


    After several long minutes, she spoke.


    "Amu."


    He grunted for her to go on.


    "Illrum need light, correct?"


    "Yes," he said, his voice strangely loud in the darkness.


    "How long can you survive without it?"


    He was silent for a long time. Finally, before she could repeat the question, he spoke.


    "An Illrum is typically never in complete darkness, even at night. In normal circumstances, I could survive for an hour. But this is different."


    He fell silent again, so Eluvie was forced to prod him.


    "So, how long can you last like this?" She asked.


    He hesitated some more. "I started feeling weak the moment the darkness fell. But, like I said, I have four backup seeds, one in each of the caches here, and one that was sent with the evacuees." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You''re the only one in danger here."


    Eluvie wanted to believe that. Unfortunately, she had enough memories of Amu to know when he was playing at bravery.


    "If something falls on the caches," she said, "will they survive?"


    There was more hesitation. "Let''s imagine that that will not happen," Amu said.


    That only increased Eluvie''s worry.


    "In that case, I have another question," she said. "I don''t know if I''ve forgotten this or if I never knew it. This place has no sun. So, where does the light come from?"


    Amu gave a little laugh. "Everyone asks that question eventually. The answer is usually that you''ll know when you reach a high-enough rank. Given today''s events, I think it''s safe to conclude that it''s somehow generated by the world which, I guess, means that it''s generated by the Illrum you mentioned - Arra?"


    Eluvie nodded even though he couldn''t see her. Then, she continued.


    "The other worlds don''t have suns either," she said, "only a simulation of one. So, is it correct to assume that their light comes from here as well?"


    Amu sighed. "You''re really digging into this issue."


    "Have I ever been content to hide in ignorance?" she asked.


    "Fine," Amu said. "Yes, the light on the other worlds comes from here. So, if we''re in darkness, they are in darkness too. Which means that the seeds we sent with them are now dead, since seeds do not survive in darkness. The ones in the caches should still be fine, since the caches have a light store."


    "And how long till that runs out?"


    "Centuries," Amu said confidently.


    "So, the only risk is that one of those things falling outside will crush the caches. There are three caches, so the risk should be low."


    Yira spoke for the first time since they had returned to the house. "I don''t think it matters how many seeds we have. They won''t wake without light."


    Fresh silence fell on the group.


    "I can''t believe that no one predicted this," Eluvie said. "Zaniba was evacuating. Did he really think the light source would survive if this planet was destroyed?"


    No one replied.


    "I suppose he didn''t think that the planet and the light source were the same thing, but the question should have come up."


    There was more silence.


    Eluvie''s heart skipped a beat. "Are you still there?"


    When no one replied, she felt around the tent for another person. She searched every corner and found nothing before she accepted that, yes, they were gone and she was alone.

 The Choice

    Eluvie tracked the disaster''s progress by the sounds she heard. While she vacillated between calm control and outright panic, the sound of crashing objects grew in frequency until they sounded like the most terrifying rainstorm in existence. Then, all at once, they ceased. Somehow, perhaps miraculously, nothing collided with the building she was in.


    She waited for almost an hour after the last of the sounds disappeared. Then, realizing that nothing would happen on the planet without her involvement, she climbed out of hiding. The world was so dark that no amount of squinting could help her see. She was forced to navigate out of the building by touch and sound.


    Being outside was little better than being inside. She had an impression of open space, but she did not know how much of that came from her imagination. She also quickly realized that she had no sense of direction. Ideally, she would attempt to walk toward the portal and see if it would work. Or perhaps she could check that the caches were undamaged. But if she began walking, she knew that she would very quickly become lost. And being lost in the darkness was a nightmare she had no plans of exploring.


    So, what do I do?


    It was taking all of her energy to keep her panic at bay. She was the only person left on an entire planet. It might be possible to revive the others, or it might not. The whole world was dark. If that was not resolved, even the humans still alive might not live for long. And all this was mostly - if not entirely - her fault.


    A light caught her eyes. She caught her breath, hoping that it had not been summoned by her imagination. But no, it was still there. It was too far away to understand, but it stood out clearly in the sea of darkness.


    She debated her choices for only an instant. After all, a choice between standing in darkness or walking toward the only light in the landscape was no choice at all. Perhaps the strange man - Ettelvwi - had finally arrived. Or perhaps it was only a burning building. Either way, it would give her someone to speak with or a tool with which to light her path.


    The walk was long. For what was probably the third time, she cursed the spaciousness of the Illrum''s home. What should have been a few minutes'' walk turned into half an hour. Perhaps it was even longer; she was forced to take several breaks along the way.


    The light never faltered.


    Eventually, she grew close enough that she could see its source. It was clearly a person. Relief gave her strength and she found herself almost running. The man was glowing, but the glow decreased in intensity as she approached until she was right beside him and there was only enough of a glow to see him.


    Eluvie came to a halt right before him, only then aware that she had been running. She stood still, breathing hard and not knowing what to say or do.


    He gave her a weak smile. "Forgive me for not coming to you," he said. "I had to check the cache first. And retrieve what I could from Arra''s memories."


    Eluvie looked around the area, perplexed. The building that used to house the cache was a pile of rubble behind him. Beside him was a pile of orbs. She recognized them as seeds. Each orb was a pale, lifeless gray. Yet, the man sat with his legs tucked under him, showing little sign of distress. He looked unhappy but, unlike her, not frantic.


    "Are they all dead?" Eluvie motioned to the orbs.


    He nodded.


    Her panic rose a tiny bit. "What about the other caches?"


    "They were all broken."


    Eluvie had to take a moment to verify that she had heard that correctly.


    "Then," she stuttered, "the evacuees, and the seeds they took¡­"


    "Definitely dead as well."


    They remained still, one sitting, one standing, while Eluvie searched for words that were not utterly inadequate compared to the situation.


    "Why are you so calm?" Her voice came out as an unintentional whisper. She lacked the strength to properly force out the words.


    He took an exhausted breath and stretched his body a little. "This is the second apocalypse of my life," he tilted his head in thought, "or the second and a half, depending on how you count. You learn to deal with it. Are you hungry?"


    "No."


    When he jerked at her voice, Eluvie realized that she had been more forceful than she had intended.


    "I am not hungry," she said in a more even tone. "What I want - " her voice shook, "what I want is for you to fix this."


    He went very still as he watched her. His eyes were like an open door, displaying everything that he felt: grief, pity, and exhaustion the most prominent.


    "I''m sorry," he said finally. "I''m not capable enough to be everything I could be. It''s taking all of my strength to maintain this form and remain upright. Even taking you to the kitchen might be too much work." He stared at the empty space beside her head. "Sometimes, you do everything that you can and it''s not enough."


    He stared up at the blackness where the sky used to be. "If it helps, Arra is alive."


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    Eluvie started. She stared up, following his gaze but saw nothing of note.


    "I didn''t realize that it wasn''t obvious," Ettelvwi said. "When Illrum die, their bodies dissipate. If Arra were dead, most of this landscape - the parts that are still linked to him - would be gone. I suspect that he tried to protect you, since you were the only human here. That''s why you have air to breathe, and something to stand on."


    To Eluvie, that small victory felt like no victory at all.


    "There has to be something¡­" she said.


    "Eluvie," he said.


    His tone gave her pause. "What?"


    "There''s only the two of us here. Arra is conscious. There''s no need to pretend."


    He sounded so reasonable that Eluvie was taken aback. She searched her mind, trying to determine if she had even an inkling of what he was saying, but she found nothing.


    "Pretend about what?" She asked.


    "That you care," he said. "You don''t feel grieved that the Illrum died. You feel relieved. It feels like a weight has been taken off your shoulders. There is no one to force you to return to Mirab, no one to force you through another trial. You no longer have to feel responsible for the survival of an entire race. All the toil you have endured for so long will never bother you again."


    Eluvie would have slapped him, but he was still sitting and therefore out of reach.


    "The only complication is your guilt," he said. "But even there you can rest easy. Arra forced you to take the trial so early. Everything you did during the trial was natural and straightforward. That you successfully brought humans here is a failing of the older Illrum. You even warned them about your complacency before your departure. No reasonable person can deny that you did your best and fulfilled your obligations. So, if I find a way to send you through the portal to a mostly habitable world, you will find a way to protect yourself through this crisis."


    There was no hint of malice or sarcasm in his tone, but Eluvie could not believe that he was being straightforward.


    "Do you always insult people with a straight face?" she asked.


    He tilted his head in the way that was beginning to grate on her. "Are you saying that I''m wrong?"


    "Of course you''re wrong!"


    "Then what if I told you that you could save everyone by returning to Mirab and taking your trial all over again?"


    Eluvie''s heart lurched. She clutched her chest, momentarily worried that she was having a heart attack, but her heart simply settled into a faster, more terrified rhythm.


    "There it is," he said.


    He didn''t follow that with more words, so Eluvie was left standing there, searching for a way to both absolve herself and avoid a reality she would rather die than return to.


    "Calm down," he said after a while, sounding apologetic. "I was making a point. This is a terrible situation, but telling the truth, at least to yourself, will only make it better. You haven''t done something shameful. You''re just a tired, broken, and terrified person, much like myself. No one would want to live through that experience twice."


    "Is it true?" Eluvie asked. "If I pass the trial for Rauw, can we bring everyone back?"


    "No," he said flatly. "You need to pass at least three more trials to be useful in this situation."


    His answer did not comfort Eluvie. It terrified her. "Three trials?!"


    He tilted his head again and peered at her. "Don''t tell me that you''re actually considering it."


    "You have a tic," she said. "You tilt your head far too often."


    His eyes filled with awareness and he straightened himself, but he continued to watch her with surprise.


    "Of course I don''t want to do it," she said. "I want to strangle you for even suggesting it. I want to go back in time to the moment before I asked that question and never ask it. I want to drop dead right now, rather than continue this conversation. But I don''t seem to be able to manage any of those things, so what am I to do?"


    He gave his first genuine smile of the day. His whole face lit up. And his eyes, which had previously held so little life, seemed to fill with hope. Tears even seemed to be gathering in them. He blinked and the tears were gone, but the hope remained.


    "I see why Arra indulged you," he said.


    Eluvie watched him silently.


    "Most people would take the escape they''ve been given," he continued. "I can deliver you to a safe place. The human situation is difficult now, but they''ll survive for a time. You can live a calm, mostly painless life."


    Eluvie was tempted by the offer, but not as tempted as she should have been. "But you''ve forgotten my guilt," she said. "I''ll have to live the rest of my life knowing that I could have saved everyone but didn''t. I would never be happy."


    "It would be better than torture," he said.


    She shrugged. "Maybe. I don''t know. I haven''t tried it."


    He barked a laugh.


    The fear in Eluvie''s chest had not subsided. She needed him to do something, to either free or trap her with the words.


    "So, is it possible?" She asked again. "If I pass three trials, we can save them?"


    "If I said yes," he asked, "would you do it?"


    She wanted to tell him to answer her question first, but his warning about honesty had stuck. She needed to answer the question - at least for herself.


    "I would have to," she said. "I don''t want to. I really, really, really don''t want to. But I would have to try."


    Once again, his face lit up like the sky at midday. "Then we have a chance."


    She watched him suspiciously, waiting for him to elaborate.


    "If you have the desire to take the trials and the conviction to take them despite the cost to you, then I know a foolproof way to pass them."


    Eluvie did not like the sound of that. The words foolproof and trial seemed to contradict each other.


    "A foolproof way?"


    "For your specific situation," he said. "Because you''ve taken the trial before, you know the costs and you''re not undertaking it out of selfishness. Basically, we can exclude the portion of the trial that checks for self-interest and that opens up some helpful avenues."


    "I don''t understand a word of what you''re saying."


    "Trust me," he said, his face the picture of earnestness. "You only have to say that you want to try. Do you want to try?"


    Eluvie watched him silently for a long time.


    "I don''t even know you," she said. "Why would I put my life in your hands?"


    "How could it be worse than putting your life in your hands, person who failed her trial by accidentally committing genocide?"


    She scowled at him, but the look couldn''t pierce his new, joy-filled armor.


    "Come on," he laughed, "we''ll walk to the kitchen and I''ll explain the plan."