Riz

When Rhian and Andrei asked me to tell this story, obviously I said yes. But to be completely upfront, I can't remember the last time I sat still long enough to write anything down, so your results may vary. Anyway, they asked me, so I said yes. Same as when Everleigh Gloom asked to join me on my trip. You might remember I once told Drei he shouldn't trust any of the Anima, that it was safer that way, and I'd destroyed over a dozen of them myself with that in mind. But then I met Alexander, and Sebastian, and sweet, sweet, Everleigh.

After the way she played? And after what she did? And then she cried?

Yeah, I was determined to give her the best time of her life.

Once Evelyn was safe in Stracha, we set out to take Rhydian back to the lair. Ever wanted to see the place for herself, and I had an idea to help her with something, so we popped in for a quick visit. Nothing much had changed, and it was good to see the familiar faces. Ever didn't say much as she took it all in. Not like I could blame her. The others all looked at her sideways, like if I had to sum it up, a mix of confusion, pity, and fear. She could see their faces, too. Even worse part is, she could probably feel their feelings.

After the devastatingly awkward introductions were over, I brought Ever back to my old room which, amazingly, wasn't occupied by anyone new yet. But then I figured, with Drei being the new overlord, he might get to keep his room, and as the overlord's best friend, I was reaping the benefits. I knew he'd be good for something.

Ever sat down on the edge of the bed with her violin case in her lap. I sat in the chair.

"So, where do you wanna to go after this?" I asked.

It took her a while to respond. "Back to Amalia, I guess."

"Yeah? Because I was thinking we could go back to Amalia, too, but maybe we could take a little detour first."

Ever shifted on the bed. Intrigue? Sure, let's go with that.

"What kind of detour," she asked. I think.

She had this strange way about making her questions sound like statements.

I hadn't told anyone but Drei what I was about to tell Ever. But with everybody else working on facing their pasts around that time, I figured I may as well do the same.

"I was my mother's Receiver when she died a few years ago," I said.

"What's that."

"A Partisan gets to leave their Receiver a gift, or a message, or whatever, when they die. The Assembly aren't allowed to look at it, or so they claim."

"Okay."

"Anyway, my mom left me these coordinates."

"To where."

"Celestian waters, that much I know. Whatever it is, it isn't charted on official Palisade maps—at least not the ones we were distributed. I'd say I haven't had the chance to follow them yet, but I have, I just—wasn't ready. Now, though? Now, I think I am. I wondered if you might like to come along?"

"Okay."

I grinned. "Yeah? Great, good. But there's got to be something we can do about your problem. That can't be fun for you."

"I knew what I was getting into."

"Well, before we think too hard about a solution, have you tried just not getting sick?"

The side of her lip twitched. A smile? Yeah, I liked to think so.

"Standing on my head works for a little while."

"Well, that's something." Something I was very sorry I missed. "But I was thinking: we have access to dozens of Partisans with different knowledge and skills. We could ask around while we're here."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Okay."

"Don't worry too much about the others, by the way," I said.

Ever shrugged and set her violin down on the bed, standing even before I did.

We worked our way through the curtain and down the hall where we ran into one half of the Endican couple I'd once introduced to Drei. She smiled at us both.

"Riz, it's so good seeing you, and I haven't had the chance to meet our new guest."

The Endican was taller than I was by a whole pumpkin. She was broader, too, and blonder. That day, she was still in pajamas.

"I'm Ever," Ever said.

"Ever?"

"Just Ever."

The Endican nodded. "Well, Ever, it's always nice seeing new faces around here."

"We were hoping you could help us, actually," I said.

"I will if I can."

"Ever and I are headed out to sea again soon," I started.

"I get seasick," Ever finished.

"Oh, you'll want to speak with Silence. A few others around here suffer the same problem, and she has remedies that work for some."

"Yeah—Silence, that makes sense, thanks."

We all chatted a little while longer, nothing worth mentioning so much. Except when we were done, Ever performed a small bow before we took off down the corridor. It seemed like it was more of an instinct than anything else, like covering your mouth when you yawn.

"Silence is the medic," I said.

She stopped in her tracks. "I don't like doctors."

Yeah, I guess she wouldn't. Real smooth, Riz.

"I agree, they're mostly full of shit," I said, and I had no idea if that was actually true. "Do you want me to ask her about it and you can wait outside?"

Ever stared at me for a time, and I wasn't sure which way it would go, but at least I was pretty sure she didn't hate me. I ran my hand through my hair.

"I'll go with you," she decided.

"Yeah? Okay, great. Good."

There was no one else waiting outside the clinic that day, and the curtain was open.

Silence was one of the few Senec around the lair. She once told me she was forty-something, maybe forty-five, forty-six. Anyway, she didn't look a day over twenty. Ever was fifty-one and didn't look a day over twenty, either. So, at least they had that in common. The medic seemed a little alarmed by my company, and if I noticed the reaction, then so did Ever. I mean, it's not like people knew right away she was one of the Anima, it's just that this particular Anima had a certain at-death's-door look about her.

I thought she was beautiful, though.

The medic waved us in. "How can I help you both?"

"Ever and I are headed out to sea again soon," I started.

"And your Anima friend gets seasick," Silence finished.

Okay, so maybe the medic knew right away. Drei once told me the reason the Anima didn't have prophecy was because their lives had technically already ended, so they no longer existed in reality. Something like that, anyway. If a Senec tried to get a read on an Anima's future, it'd probably come back blank.

"Hold your hands out, palms up if you will," Silence said.

So I did, but of course she hadn't been asking me. Oh well. Solidarity. We both held our hands out, palms up. The medic asked Ever's permission before touching her. To no one's surprise, she said no, so the medic offered to demonstrate on me. "Press here," she said, pushing on the inside of my wrists, "and it should relieve some of the discomfort."

The medic showed me a few more times where to press before letting go of my wrists. I gave her a thumbs up, but I was pretty sure it wouldn't work.

Before leaving, Silence gave Ever a small vial with a cork stopper.

"Peppermint oil," she said. "A dab under your nose."

"Okay," Ever answered.

Once we'd left the clinic and were a ways down the corridor, I paused to ask, "Do you even like the smell of peppermint?"

"I guess," she replied. "But why are you helping me."

We stepped out of the way when group of younger Partisans barreled down the corridor. "I'm helping you because every good Nav needs a good co-Nav, and what good are you if you're sick below deck the whole time?"

"I think you're the one full of shit."

I really was. Navs didn't have co-Navs on an embark. So, yeah, there were a number of reasons I was helping her, and that wasn't one of them. "Come on," I said. "There's just one more thing you need so this feels like a real seafaring adventure."

"What is it."

"Three guesses."

Ever stared. "A hat with a feather in it."

"You read my mind."

"Obviously."

As a Nav who'd trained under Vivienne Delaterre, I'd had good counter-telepathy training. I wasn't an easy target, but as far as I was concerned, Ever could have whatever she wanted. To survive the fool's mirror, you can't trust anything but yourself, and if you're lucky enough, your crew. I needed her to know I'd have her back.

"Cheater," I said.

"Liar," she added.

And yeah, I guess we were even.

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