She could make out a fully armored knight among the nearing group, with wounded soldiers limping along. They didn’t carry the rough air of bandits, so she had probably been right in guessing that they were on her side.
She pressed herself against the damp cave wall, smearing more mud across her face and clutching her side. The wound wasn’t deep, but it had bled enough to serve her purpose. As the rescue party neared, she slumped down, eyes closed, listening intently.
“I found her! She’s injured”, a woman’s voice said. “You lot, stand guard. Anthony, you’re with me. Go take a look at that cut”.
Heavy footsteps approached. Rough hands lifted her arm, tearing fabric. A thick finger pried open her eyelid, momentarily blinding her.
As her eyes adjusted to the light, she was greeted by the sight of a bald giant towering over her, his expression showing a mix of concern and alleviation.
“The kid’ll live,” a man’s gruff voice rumbled. “Lost blood, but she’ll pull through. Be gentle, Mira. She’s in shock.”
Strong arms lifted Devina. She allowed her eyes to flutter open. “M-Mira?” she whispered, her voice deliberately hoarse.
The fully armored knight carrying her snorted. “Oh yes, Mira. Don’t act innocent, young lady.” Despite the harsh words, concern laced her tone. “You’re lucky I followed you. Leaving our territory without your guard? Of all the reckless—” Mira deposited Devina onto a carriage seat, climbing in after her. “Wait till your father hears about this one.”
With no better options, Devina feigned unconsciousness. She didn’t yet understand her relationship with this knight. Best to play it safe until she had more information.
The carriage creaked as someone else—likely the man called Anthony—climbed aboard. They set off, the rhythmic clop of hooves filling the air. Devina kept her eyes closed, body relaxed against the carriage wall.
Nearly an hour passed before she felt Mira’s posture soften. The knight’s voice, when it came, was heavy with worry. “I’m concerned, Anthony. This can’t continue. Last week she struck one of the maids. I barely recognize the girl anymore.”
A deep, affirming grunt sounded from across the carriage. “She’s just bein’ young,” Anthony’s gruff voice replied. “Give the kid time, it’ll pass. I believe in her. Her father was the same way, and he turned out just fine.”
“You’re right,” Mira sighed. “It’s just… frustrating sometimes.”
Silence fell once more. Devina’s mind whirled, grappling with the implications of their words. The fragmented memories of her body’s previous owner seemed to war with this new information. In her inherited recollections, Devina was practically a saint—kind, obedient, and beloved by all. Yet Mira’s words painted a starkly different picture: a girl who struck servants and frustrated her caretakers.
As the questions multiplied in her mind, Devina found herself lulled by the carriage’s motion and her own exhaustion. Despite her best efforts to stay alert, she drifted into a fitful sleep.
A sudden jolt snapped Devina back to consciousness. The sound of rushing water reached her ears as the carriage rumbled over what must have been a bridge. She risked cracking her eyes open, wincing at the pain in her side.
As she turned her head, the stone walls of a huge castle towered over her, imposing yet somehow less majestic than one would expect. Patches of moss clung to the weathered stones, hinting at years of neglect.
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A commotion erupted as they neared the gates. A young man with auburn hair, dressed in fine but rumpled clothing, burst out to meet them. Even from a distance, Devina recognized her brother George. His presence in her memories was clearer than most.
“Gods, Devina!” George panted as the carriage door opened. “Are you alright? Mira, get her to the doctor, now!”
She maintained her pretense of weakness as Mira lifted her and followed George. The next few moments passed in a blur, and at some point, she lost consciousness again from the pain as a doctor stitched her wound.
Devina awoke in a dimly lit room, stars twinkling beyond a nearby window. Her side ached, but the pain was duller now. She took stock: chamber pot by the bed, food tray on the nightstand. Finally, a moment alone to think.
Her deception had worked so far, and she hadn’t seen any mages or even anything resembling novices. Still, that didn’t mean she could let her guard down. There were still ways to get caught if she wasn’t careful. It would just be more likely to happen due to slip-ups in her behavior rather than someone detecting changes in Devina’s soul aura.
As she considered this, she noticed a worrying development. The original memories seemed to be fading, becoming less tangible. She had trouble remembering details that had been clear just yesterday. This demanded immediate action. “Bridge, start recording those memories immediately! We can’t let them fade”
“Task not feasible. Memories in question are stored in host’s brain, access is limited to host’s soul and consciousness.”
Devina frowned. “Is this thing broken? But it worked just now, during the transfer. What the hell?”
The AI was supposed to have control over biological processes, which was a requirement for many of her plans prior to the soul modification. Without it the artificial rift that she had created between her body and soul had a greatly increased risk of causing her all sorts of unpredictable troubles down the line. She would have to investigate it, but right now she had another urgent issue to deal with.
At this pace, the memories would lose detail and fade completely within a day or two. “Fine, can you read them from my consciousness if I recall each of them myself?”
“Affirmative. Starting to record superficial state of consciousness.”
Suppressing a groan, Devina dove into the work, sifting through every scrap of memory she could grasp. Family members, castle layout, favorite foods—anything that might prove useful. She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice the door opening.
“Woah, you must really be out of it.”
Devina startled as Mira’s hand landed on her shoulder. The knight’s face was etched with concern. “I didn’t realize the shock was so bad,” Mira continued, settling at the foot of the bed. “Don’t worry, I’m here for you.”
Devina fought to control her rising frustration. The memory she’d been chasing—something about a grandparent?—slipped away. “Good morning, Mira,” she managed. “I’m fine, really. You don’t have to trouble yourself.”
“Nonsense!” Mira’s voice was forcefully cheery. “I’ve nothing else to do. We’ll spend the day together, just in case you want to talk.”
What followed were hours of maddening interruption. Every time Devina tried to retreat into her mind, Mira would drag her back to the present with well-meaning chatter or insistence on walks around the castle.
It wasn’t until nightfall that Mira finally excused herself. Devina threw herself into the work, knowing time was running short.
Dawn found her bleary-eyed but satisfied. She’d lost some memories, true, but she’d saved enough to work with. As sunlight crept across her bed, the door creaked open once more.
“Hey, sis.” It was George this time, balancing a breakfast tray. “Thought you might be hungry.”
Devina blinked, caught off-guard. She hadn’t prepared for this encounter, but she was certain their relationship was a warm one. “Hey, George,” she replied, mustering a smile. “Yeah, feels like I haven’t eaten in days.”
George set the tray down, studying her face. “You look better. Those days of rest must have helped.” He paused, then added, “You know, you’re always welcome to keep me company while I work. Might give you a break from Mira’s… attentiveness.”
“Thanks,” Devina said, seeing an opportunity. “I’d like that. It’s been too long since we spent time together.”
After dressing, Devina followed George through the castle corridors. With each step, her unease grew. Empty, dusty rooms, cobwebs draped corners where tapestries should have hung. This was not the grand seat of power she remembered. In fact, the castle seemed eerily deserted.
Devina squared her shoulders as George ushered her inside. She had to learn more about where she’d ended up.