Liris stared at three pairs of legs. In hindsight, it made sense as to why. If she were being honest, that should have been the least surprising thing. A jolt of panic ran through her as she realized something else she should have expected. But no, a chair was not lodged through her torso. It sat off to the right with a hand resting upon the back. Anrsa's hand.

Cheeks red, Liris stood up awkwardly. One set of eyes was judgmental, the others curious or sympathetic in turn. Without breaking her scathing stare, Anrsa relinquished control of the empty chair.

"Welcome back."

The flat tone fanned the heat on Liris’ face. Sliding the chair back to the unoccupied side, she ignored the squeaking of wood on wood. The stares didn't falter as she sat back down.

"I needed a moment."

"That was quite clear, dear. I know we're asking a lot of you, but we wouldn't be asking if you weren't able to handle this task."

Sure they weren't. The thought of the city relying on her was the only thing keeping her from sprinting out of the room. If she knew how to open the door, that was.

"What else can you take with you?"

The seemingly random question broke Liris from her musing. Was that some sort of strange joke? Was Anrsa even capable of making a joke?

"Well?"

Serious then, but why? Liris' befuddlement clearly struck a nerve. Disappointment was painfully evident on all three of the faces looking back at her. Clothes! It was so obvious that overlooking it had been only natural. A relief as well. Searching around for clothing every time she traveled to and from that place would be a nightmare…and horribly embarrassing.

"I haven't tried."

"I shouldn't be surprised any longer...such a pity. Nevertheless, your training will rectify these lapses in awareness. If not, then nothing can save you from such absentmindedness."

The urge to simply disappear again was all-consuming. Instead, Liris clenched her hands under the table. Tension, from her fingers and up her arm, was enough of a tether to remain here in reality. Why were these revelations always accompanied by scathing remarks? Still, it was a fascinating concept. Perhaps this mission, so charitably offered, wouldn't be impossible after all. Could she not carry an entire stack of documents with her? In fact, could she leave things behind; in that other place? Would they drift off into the emptiness? Why was Hern still staring?

"That is quite the talent you have there. And now it's clear why you're in here."

"So nobody told you about my ability? I assumed everything about me was common knowledge at this point."

"You probably already noticed...but we don't get told much of anything around here. Unique or not."

Liris replied with a rueful smile. Now Anrsa had two targets to glare at. A moment passed; filled with both comfort and tension. Neither of the older two bothered to correct the implication. It wasn't all that surprising; Liris expected a false front at the very least. Perhaps now that they had been inducted into this cabal, many of those pretenses had been cast aside.

"Yes, well...let's get back to the matter at hand. You had a specific plan in mind for their training, Anrsa?"

Feeling the tension squeeze her heart, Liris sat up straighter. This was it; actual specifics and expectations. How quickly would she fail this time? And she wasn't the only one who would suffer. Hern's success, and possibly well-being, hinged on how she carried her half of the burden. Liris took several deep breaths, trying to push the pesky doubts as far away as possible.

"It will be quite simple. Far better to start with an easy challenge to get your footing than throwing you in the deep end. To put it succinctly, you will be required to report back to Cealia and I with the exact quantity of emeralds the mines produce per week. Consequently, you will have one week to do so."

A single week? Like a maelstrom, the doubts buffeted Liris. Where would they even start? Her eyes flicked to Hern. How did he seem so confident? It had to be a facade, surely.

"And what if we fail?"

Anrsa studied them both, clearly searching for something.

"All of the kitchens will be instructed to give you half portions for..."

Liris clung to the silence. This was the worst outcome of all!

"...two weeks should be enough."

Two whole weeks?! In the end, it was only food. After several days of a full stomach, its absence would hit all the harder. Come to think of it, half portions would still be much more than the streets provided. Maybe it wouldn't be completely unbearable when they failed. And fail they would, undoubtedly. Hopefully Anrsa wouldn't make the next challenge even harder...if there was a next time. For all she knew, this whole idea would be dropped after they guessed the number incorrectly. Hern was doing a remarkable job of maintaining his composure. Even his eyes didn't give a hint as to his internal hopelessness.

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"How do we know we can trust you and all of this isn't some elaborate scheme for your own benefit?"

Thankfully, it wasn't on her to say the quiet part out loud. Liris folded her arms and awaited their response. It would be entertaining at the very least.

"Everyone always asks that useless question."

Unexpected, to say the least. Hern leaned back in his chair until it threatened to tip over. He balanced there, eyes searching the room once more.

"Then surely you must have a good response."

Shaking her head, Anrsa's sigh felt like a breeze in the still room. A strange, chilling one that prickled the neck.

"Please, allow me to skip to the end of this drivel of a conversation and answer the question you are actually asking. You want some justification or higher ideal to help push aside your fears? I shall not provide it. Complete this task and then you may judge your actions, if you so wish. It matters not to me. Choose not to follow your instructions and receive the punishment. Truly, the conundrum at hand doesn't get more simple than that."

Frankly, Liris couldn’t bring herself to a state of surprise. Today was just another entry in the long list of examples. Not a soul could be trusted. Nobody actually cared for anything other than their own desires. Hern appeared to be in the process of learning this harsh lesson. But could it really be considered 'harsh' since it was the way the world worked? There were elements of his behavior that implied a history of hardship; always checking his blind spots, tracking every hand movement, muscles tensed in readiness. Perhaps he had forgotten how people acted when the masks were dropped. Spend enough time surrounded by actors on all sides and it was bound to happen. She couldn't let the same happen to her.

"Fine, if that's how it's going to be. Before we are shoved off the cliff, is there anything further you can add? You must admit, the details have been very thin."

Anrsa shoved back her chair, its legs squeaking in protest. She stood there for a moment, silently. What was she wavering between? The room itself leaned into the stillness. Like a string pulled too taught, Anrsa turned away from the other three and stepped to the door...or, wall? Grasping a handle, she pulled it open and stepped out. Two young faces turned to Cealia.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do wonderfully."

That sweet poison stayed behind, drifting on the air, as Cealia also stood and exited. She pulled the wall closed behind her as she left. If the room had been still before, it was frozen now. Liris swore she could hear each beat of her heart.

The two remaining in that secret room stared at each other like a pair of marble statues, sitting in a museum. It was a comfortable awkwardness. Coming to grips with the weighty task placed upon them was one thing. Far more immediate however, was the realization that success or failure relied on practically a stranger. Chewing the inside of her cheek, Liris acclimated to this new responsibility. It appeared not a day could pass in this gilded cage without some crisis being dropped in her lap.

"Good riddance, eh?"

Huh? She hesitated, trying to discern his meaning.

"You know...our overseers?"

"Oh...yeah. Right."

"Anyway, we only have a week before starvation sets in so where should we start?"

Liris placed an elbow on the table and leaned her forehead against her palm. Where should they start indeed. 'The mines' was an obvious answer, but it could not be that simple.

"Surely they keep a record somewhere in the Spire. Maybe all we have to do is locate it and copy down the numbers."

"Or Anrsa has already hidden every scribble relating to emeralds. Seems like something she would do...either out of a desire to enhance our training or out of pure spite."

"That does sound like her. What then, do you suggest?"

Hern took a deep breath and copped her contemplative position. Only, he choose his chin as the support instead.

"Well, seeing as how the emeralds are all mined from the same location...could we not just slip inside and ask? Maybe even count the number being moved about each day and extrapolate the results?"

"She did say exact number though. And how do you propose we make it to the mines, unseen? It's not like we can just walk about the city."

"Fair. But I do know a few ways out."

That was surprising. From his bearing, she wouldn't have guessed he'd so blatantly go against the rules of this place. Although, such rules had never been clearly stated. She repressed an involuntary shiver. They did not need to be said outright, the implied punishment for fleeing was very explicit. Did this count as an exception? Something told her it very much did not. Both Anrsa and Cealia would happily punish someone for an infraction, even if the intent was only to follow the so-called training.

"And what would those be?"

"If I had known you for a year, I might have enough trust to tell you."

Liris smiled. Funny how comforting that statement was. Most people would probably even be offended. That only made it funnier.

"Good."

Hern raised an eyebrow.

"Honestly, didn't expect that. Regardless, with your ability, we might be able to find some new ones."

A lance of fear shot through her. She wasn't ready for that level of pressure or capability. Not even close.

"The stone walls are much too thick for me to step through. Besides, someone must know the information even if Anrsa has burned up all the records." She narrowed her eyes. "How long have you been here?"

"Several months now. Why?"

"Obviously nobody will trust us as we are. I'm not sure how many know about our abilities...actually, I don't even know what yours is. If we were to blend in with the servants or staff, maybe the right person would be happy to just tell us the answer."

"I'm afraid you will have much better luck than I would on that front. It's not often that a new face shows up around here so I'm sure to be recognized. Do you think you’re capable of convincing whoever holds our prize?"

That was a terrifying question. One which rolled in her stomach and pulsed in her head. If they had any other option...but time was already passing. Could she do this?