They Would Rue the Day

Seer Mei’s chilling last message twisted my gut into knots. I tried to determine what she’d been speaking about, but Seeker Len announced that it was time to retire for the day. The windowless quality of the room made time difficult to discern.

“How do you know what time it is?” I asked, rolling up the Seer Mei’s scroll with reluctance.

Seeker Len pulled out a medallion and showed it to me. On closer inspection, it was made of white stone on one side with a thin, clear bubble on the other. The bubble was filled with blue-tinged water. The white stone had lines drawn across it which were filled in with red.

“This is a water watch. I fill it up when I rise each morning. The water inside evaporates as time passes. Each line along the stone corresponds to an hour. Thus, when I look at how high the water is, I know how much time is left in the day.” He tapped on the lower part of the water watch, where only a small bit of water remained. “As you can see, it’s nearly time to turn in.”

I nodded and stood. Much as I hated to admit it, I was getting tired. The scrolls would still be here tomorrow, and I had every intention of being here bright and early to access them. Seeker Len led the way back down the tower and toward the back of the palace where the path to Sparrow Hall was. We stopped just short of leaving the palace, standing in a sort of entryway.

“Vris will take you back to Sparrow Hall,” Seeker Len said, covering his mouth when a yawn overtook him. “I sent a note to summon her. She should be here soon.”

I nodded and glanced at the door. “I’ll wait for her outside. Don’t let me keep you.”

“You have my thanks, Seer Rin,” Seeker Len said as he gave me a little bow.

You think too highly of me, I wanted to say. I just want to be alone. This has nothing to do with you.

He bid me goodnight and began to walk away. Before he could get too far, I called out, “Seeker Len.”

He paused and turned back to face me.

“I believe you, about The End of Days. But as for the rest, I’m afraid negotiations are still ongoing.”

His lips thinned and he gave me a curt nod before resuming his walk. I opened the sliding door and stepped out into the night. The sun had fully set with no traces of gold to show where it had been. Cool air brushed my face, the scent of pine rippling around me. The stars were an undeniable red, like tiny rubies caught in a bolt of navy silk. Two moons made the night fairly bright, each almost entirely full. I pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Good evening, Seer Rin.” Vris’s voice came from behind me. She moved to stand at my side, following my gaze to the moons. “Is the night sky in your world like this?”

I shrugged. “A little. We have stars too, only they shine with white light. And we only have one moon.”

Her eyebrows rose. “Just one?”

“One is . . . all we need,” I said, feeling the odd urge to defend our moon.

Vris nodded but I got the sense she was holding back a smile. “The closer moon is known as Vaghel, and the further moon is Dremaine.”

“I thought you couldn't tell me about Wosurei,” I said as we began walking back to Sparrow Hall.

She winked. “I cannot speak of the palace, or anyone in it beyond basic truths. But they never said anything about the moon and stars. And besides, the rule is technically already broken. No harm in breaking it a bit more.”

I laughed. Then it was back through the gate and into the small piece of forest that lay between the Palace of Gratitude and Sparrow Hall. By night, the trees loomed larger and their shadows held a sinister cold. I couldn’t shake the sensation of being watched despite never spotting eyes in the dark.

Relief poured through me as we left the trees and Sparrow Hall emerged before us. Light bloomed here and there inside the tower as tasks continued into the night.

“Is your day over as well?” I asked Vris as we passed the guard checkpoint and entered the tower.

“Yes, my lady. My schedule has been arranged so that I may be of service to you whenever you require. I sleep when you do.” She retrieved a tiny bell attached to a leather chord. “Ring this and I shall hear you no matter where you are and come to assist with whatever you require.”

I considered asking how the bell worked, but then I recalled the discussion we’d had around the mirror that could be assembled without a seam and decided against it.

We reached the top of the stairs. Vris offered to help me undress but I waved her away. Taking the clothes off would be easy enough and my heart panged with desire to be alone. She bowed and left, disappearing down the steps. I glanced at the guards, different ones than this morning. They must stand guard outside my room regardless of whether or not I was in it. I frowned as I shut the door. But why? Yet another unanswered question.

A peculiar fondness filled me when I entered my room. I’d already begun to think of it as my space. This affection wasn’t enough to drown out the sadness that was growing like a mold inside my ribs, my skull, my stomach. In the silence of the room, the faces of my family, of my friends, of Mochi rose to haunt me. Surely, someone had fed him by now, and was taking care of him. I couldn’t let myself think about the alternative.

I dug the heels of my hands into my eyes. I would not cry, not again. I had already cried so much, though the well of despair seemed only to grow inside me. I grit my teeth, whipped off my robes, and stalked around my room to find my pajamas.

Except they were gone. My heart rate shot up. I searched everywhere. Under the bed, in the closet, atop the vanity, between the sheets. They were nowhere to be found.

In the end I was forced to give up. I’d been forced to give up quite a lot since arriving in Wosurei. I breathed through my gritted teeth, the air hissing in and out of the gaps between my teeth like I was defective tea kettle.

There was a chance they were just cleaning them and would return them to me. For the sake of whoever was involved, I hoped they didn’t do anything foolish like dispose of them. It would be yet another mark against them that Seeker Len would need to answer for.

I stripped down to nothing and got into bed, pulling the sheets over my head. My rage was so hot it formed into a grudge then and there. They would rue the day they stole me from Earth.