SUBJECT // gideon fate // citizen accountant //

THEORY POTENTIAL // dull //

I open my eyes and I'm not dead. I can't feel anything below my waist but I'm not dead. There was that girl killing that other girl and then running from lizardmen and then the stream, the cold stream, sitting in the cold stream and then looking up and seeing that stone giant—

"Drink."

To my shame I shriek. Then I see her face and I shriek again. Her eyes are blank, just white, nothing but white, almost glowing from within a ragged cowl—

"Witch," I whisper, I can't help it, but she shakes her head and bares her teeth. She's scarred, how did I not notice that, deep ragged scars across her face like something tore it open-

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"Drink," she repeats, and I see the steaming cup she's holding up for me to take but I can't make my hand move, all I can think about is how I know her accent, I know it, I do—but stupid because of course she's Stoxan, she's a monster hunter, nobody is scarred like that who isn't a monster hunter.

"Oh," I murmur, and I take the drink, too quickly, it spills and scalds my hand and then my tongue and throat. It's hard to care. I'm grateful to feel anything, even pain.

She takes back her cup, not quite a snatch but she doesn't seem happy. Points down at a few thick worms on the ground.

"These roots," she says. Oh. Not worms. "Roll them between your hands, then rub your hands on your legs."

She stands and straightens her dull red robe and walks away—

"Oh, no, wait, what—" I can't get up, my legs aren't working, I can't even feel them "—what's going on, do you know? Why did you help me?"

She stops and glances back. I have to look away from those white eyes.

"You want to live," she says. "Rub quickly or the little dragons will eat you."

I watch her disappear between the trees.

Then I pick up a handful of roots and rub like my life depends on it.