The door had once appeared merely odd.

Then, an ominous presence seeped from the out-of-place entrance within the Rail. Slowly at first, but now… it felt sinister. Raven, Van, and Valentine stood before the door created by Valius Shrale, listening in silence. Waiting for it to do something, perhaps even speak. For months, they had dwelled on it. The next step to discovering the fate of the Sleeping Devil lay beyond, and they finally gained the power to enter thanks to Fanny. Even so, the trio lingered in apprehension, steeling themselves to the task. Shrale built this door for a purpose, shielded by magic not even Panka could undo. What lay behind it worthy of such protection?

Raven took the metallic seal ring. They held their breath. He placed the insignia against the mirrored image above the doorknob. There was a click. Deafening in the silence.

Van put a hand to the door and gave a soft push. The door slowly opened with a creak. They waited a moment, peering into a dimly lit hall. Raven cautiously reached a hand over the threshold. Nothing happened. He pushed an arm through, and then a leg. Finally, he stepped through the door and turned to look at his companions.

Valentine ventured in next, and then Van. They stood inside the shadowy space, eyes wandering over all that they beheld. What could only be described as a vast, abandoned library stretched a long way. Shelves of books towered dozens of spans high. There were hundreds of rows, if not a thousand. The ceiling of the dusty archive rose cathedral-like into a domed apex. The poor lighting seemed to extend to every nook, but the light available possessed a hidden origin, for there were no windows, and no other doors within view.

They progressed further. Footfalls were silenced on thick, luxurious carpets lining the walkways. They took the left walkway, sticking close to the stone wall. No tapestries or paintings adorned them. Just sheer towering rock. The rows of books drove deep into the hall. Raven noted immediately the uniformity of the books. They all had black bindings with no covers or script.

After what seemed a long time, they came to the opposite corner of the archive. There, a wide space provided relief from the many tall rows of shelves. The shelves were split down the length by a middle corridor. Two bubbling fountains with an unknown source of water lined the entrance to that corridor, with marble sculptures of angels facing the nearest wall, which was decorated by a strange mural of clouds and stars. A marble arch had been built into the wall, forming a faux doorway. In one corner, a long desk sat, littered with papers, books, knick-knacks, test tubes, and writing instruments. There was a feeling of disorder about it, as if the owner of the desk went out one day on a whim but never returned.

“Look at this,” Van said.

He pointed to the ground in front of the arch. At the end of the middle corridor, a wide circled space spanned a huge open area. Within, the adopted sign of Valius Shrale took shape through black steel panels riveted into the floor.

Van stood inside the circle. “Is this for practicing seals?”

Valentine shook her head. “Impossible. Those steel grooves in the floor would upend the seals.”

“Yes, she’s right,” Raven replied. “Lines like that could easily ruin seals.”

“So, it’s just for show?” Van replied. “How did Shrale even build this place on his own?”

“Raven, do you think this was Shrale’s true study?” Valentine asked. She reached to the nearest row of books and withdrew a large volume, flipping through its dusty pages.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” he replied. “He must have drawn on Panka’s power to build it. Perhaps even tapping into the artifact itself.”

“This is a journal,” she said, showing them the pages of the book. “Hand-written notes. And look, there’s Shrale’s mark! On the first page.”

“Surely they can’t all be journals,” Van said. He took another book and flipped it open. But inside were more painstakingly written entries. Shrale’s mark again had been penned into the first page.

They each took another. It was the same. They took examples from other rows. Nothing changed. They were all journals.

“No way,” Van exclaimed. “There’s no way these are all notebooks!”

“We would have to sample other shelves to be sure,” Valentine replied.

Van put a hand to his head, ruffling his hair. “I’m just going to come out and say it. None of this makes any sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, what I mean is… well… it’s kind of hard to say. This place just doesn’t fit. Why is this here? Shrale goes to all the trouble of building this… absolute cathedral, out of Panka’s sight, and it’s just a bunch of journals? And I’m supposed to believe he worked on that little desk over there? Completely out of step compared to the grandeur of this place. I don’t believe it.”

Raven pursed his lips.

“What are you thinking?” Rue asked.

“I’m thinking Van is right. This is not what I was expecting. The size is unreal. Could these all truly be the written notes of Shrale? It would take a lifetime to write it all down. He may have used a pandora, but these look hand-written. Rue, do you recognize anything? Or do you have any ideas?”

“None. I don’t feel or recognize anything.”

They explored the other side, and then roamed the aisles. For over an hour, they searched for clues, doors, or any other signs of something they were missing, but none were found. When they reconvened by the desk, Raven sat at the chair and searched through the papers and instruments, but found nothing of interest.

He opened the nearest book. It was yet another journal.

“Oh, that’s interesting,” Valentine said. She pointed to the first page. “Every other journal we’ve opened has only had Valius Shrale’s mark, but this one is signed by him instead.”

“It might be one of his earlier journals,” Raven replied. “There’s also a pen mark going through the corner of this first page. See here? Looks like an accident. The others were much more pristine.”

He raised a hand over the journal. The pages rapidly turned over, as if blown by the wind.

“What was that?” Van asked.

“I used Moon’s Ark to read it,” Raven replied. He closed his eyes, going over the information rapidly entering his mind. “This journal documents his early observations of the Rail. Interesting insights, but nothing of note in regard to Sheeharu.”

Van picked up the book. “Incredible! You read this entire journal in just a few seconds? Even so…”

“Yes, even with Moon’s Ark, reading all of these journals would take months.” Raven sighed, drumming his fingers on the desk and preparing himself for the monumental task. But it had to be done.

“I’ll do it,” Valentine said.

They looked at her in surprise. Her face filled with steely resolve. “I will need to borrow your pandora,” she continued. “But I’ll do it.”

“I won’t ask if you understand what you are promising to do, because I know that you do,” Raven said. “But are you sure you want to do this? Look at it…”

He gestured to the myriad bookstacks. Together they looked out at the many rows and potentially hundreds of thousands of books. “You must consume all the information stored in this place. Consume it, retain it, understand it, analyze it—”

“Just give me the pandora!” Valentine yelled angrily. She then gasped in shock and put her hands to her mouth in fear. “I’m sorry!” She blushed furiously, looking from Raven to Van and back again. “I-I-I’m still learning to… you know… harmonize my two selves. Since Barkley’s death… it’s been more difficult.”

“We know,” Raven replied. Van gave her a casual thumbs up.

She held out her hand. “I will discover the secret to rescue the Sleeping Devil, if it exists in these journals.”

Raven raised his hand, and Moon’s Ark floated out of his sleeve to slip between her two fingers, which she closed around it. She raised her other hand over the journal Raven just read. The Class Six pandora glowed, and the pages whipped forward rapidly. Valentine stepped back, stunned. She closed her eyes and held a hand to her forehead.

“Yes, it’s quite a rush the first few times,” Raven said.

Van held her arm gently. “Are you okay?”

“Yes. I am fine. Thank you, Van.” She straightened up. “I will get to work immediately. I guess we’ll be spending a lot of time in here.”

Van snapped his fingers. “Oh, that reminds me. Raven and I have to get going!”

“What? Why? Where are you going?”

“Yes, where are we going?” Raven repeated, just as unaware.

“You said you needed more information on that Class Seven pandora Fanny let us borrow. The one that sets itself on fire. I just got word an old friend arrived in town. And she is just the person you want to talk to about this. Knows more about pandora than even the Gold Lecher. Maybe even more than you!” He scratched his cheek. “But I should probably warn you…” He put an arm around his shoulder and leaned in close. “She’s kind of… weird.”

“Don’t touch me.”

Raven let Van lead the way, leaving Valentine to start work. While he was torn between continuing to explore Shrale’s secret room inside the Rail or learning more about Fanny’s mystery pandora, it was an easy decision to go with Van in the end. The appearance of Rue’s soul design on the pandora was simply incomprehensible, and he needed to know more.

They found themselves back at Nine Star’s main courtyard. Deep summer was the only time during the year when snowfall didn’t bombard the mountain. As a result, the ever-present cone of snow sucked into Panka’s well was gone. Raven looked up into the sky, finding it so odd that he could now actually see it. But what interested him even more was the seeming disappearance of the floating tower in which he now secretly resided. From the vantage of the tower, Raven could look down onto the courtyard from any of his windows, but it seemed Panka’s magic hid sight of his tower from all who peered above.

Panka must have also been at work on his pool. With its snow source gone, the once-bottomless pit now brimmed with water like a normal pool. The priest assigned to standard duties stood beside the well no longer. Instead, residents could drink from the pool as they pleased.

As they crossed the courtyard, Raven noted the Funny Tower’s gong seemed especially keen to delight its listeners today. The heavy chime played wordless ditties that invited children to dance in the court, and left something to be desired from the gongs of the other eight towers. More so than usual, anyway. Despite the gray skies and still-cold air, it felt like a true summer day. Flower and fruit vendors camped at the entrance to the school, enthusiastically hocking their wares. One cart stood out among them, displaying buckets full of large, black and purple blooms. Raven knew them to be rare Lightflare Lilies. They only grew on the mountain, and only during this time of the year. He found himself wishing he could buy some for Noelle.

But Van was all business, swift in foot as he led Raven to the Ilias Drome. He pulled open one of the giant doors and carefully peered inside, before swinging the door wider and entering. Raven followed and shut the door behind them.

They paused in the chilling quiet of the place. Raven had not been here since the day he had been enrolled, when he challenged the seven masters of the school. The seven podiums stood quiet in a soft shaft of light. And all throughout the arena-like space, parchment pages were scattered on the ground. As they traversed the hall, the unusual nature of the aged paper revealed itself yet again. They flitted to and fro on some unfelt current, never allowing themselves to be touched, even as Raven and Van hurried across the Drome. The paper moved with such tempered wildness, the words written on the leaflets could not be effectively read. Raven had wondered why they were never cleaned up, but it seemed some magic enchanted the torn pages, demanding their permanence.

They exited the building and stepped outside into the forest beyond the city walls.

“Where are we going?” Raven asked.

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“A secret place,” he said, leading him off the path and into the forest. “Pipes is wanted by the Titan. She never stays in one place for too long.”

“Pipes?”

“Short for Piper. Piper Redtune. I’ve known her for a while. She’s rarely in town, but we’ve traded a lot of information over the last few years.”

“An enemy of the Titan? Color me intrigued.”

The forest trek proved challenging, as the descent was quite steep. They made their way down as quickly as possible, but they were forced to zig and zag through the woodland in order to find sure footing.

“So why haven’t you mentioned this person before?” Raven asked after a while of silent hiking.

“She’s constantly on the move, all over Fallowreyk. No family that I know of. Seems a sad sort of life, but she says it’s her calling from the Holy One. Not sure what she means, but she says it a lot.”

“Well, we’re clearly headed for Flapenheil. I assume she is staying there.”

Van hopped off a large rock as they continued their descent within the forest. “So, you know about Flapenheil as well?”

“I’ve visited all three of Roespeye’s satellite townships at one point or another.”

“We are heading toward the village, but she’s not staying there.” He paused suddenly, hiding behind a tree.

Raven copied his actions. Together, they looked further down the hillside. Tucked among large trees, a stone cottage stood along a river embankment. Smoke drifted from a humble chimney. All was quiet. Further down the hill, Raven could just make out the edge of Flapenheil, a modest town, but much more well off than Supenheil.

“There it is, just as she said,” Van finally whispered.

“You’ve never been here?”

“Pipes never stays in the same place twice. C’mon.”

They scurried down the hill, as quiet as possible. But when they came near the cottage, they were surprised to see the door open. A familiar figure stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind her. It was the woman Raven met at the lair of the Gold Lecher. She still held the green mask to her face by way of a long stick, and was heavily cloaked.

When their eyes met, they paused, eyeing each other warily. She looked at Van briefly, and then back at Raven. Raven’s gaze immediately flashed to the signet ring on her finger.

“Whitesong, we meet again,” she finally said. “Still asleep?”

Raven smirked. “Just to bide the time. Are you this person named Piper?”

Van shook his head. “That’s not her.”

“I see. Well, it seems my name is known, but what is yours?” Raven asked her.

“My name I shall keep to myself for now,” she replied.

“Her name is Sarratica Lively,” Van said, putting his hands into his pockets.

“How do you know my name?” she asked in shock.

“It’s my job to know things.”

Though he couldn’t really see it, Raven was sure she frowned deeply. “Why are you here?”

“Pipes called for me. Raven is my guest.”

“Does Piper know about your… guest?”

Van swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh, swiping his hair back against his head. “Not yet.”

Sarratica tilted her head and then shook it disapprovingly. She walked down the short stairway and passed them on her way back to Roespeye. “Good luck,” she finally said.

They climbed the stairs. Van looked around warily before knocking on the door.

“Enter,” a strange voice answered.

Van opened the door, and they stepped inside. Raven was immediately struck by the smells of sweet incense. Smoke swirls clouded the space, hazy and calm. Two people looked back at them warily. The first sat on a large red pillow on the floor, cross legged and holding a very long pipe. She possessed all the trappings of a cat somehow confined in a small human body. She wore no shoes, and her feet and hands were sleek with orangish-brown fur. But her face appeared rather normal… except that it wasn’t quite normal when examined more closely. She didn’t quite have fangs, but as she opened her mouth to puff from her pipe, Raven noticed abnormally long incisors. And she didn’t quite have cat ears, but tufts of her unruly brown hair resembled them. Even her bright green eyes suggested a feline nature, as her pupils weren’t necessarily slits, but almond-shaped.

She was young, perhaps no older than they. Petite in stature, but possessing the refined presence of an adult. A much more imposing figure stood beside her. A wide face and square jaw were scattered with deep scars, and his mouth turned into a deep grimace. He possessed the deep purple eyes of the men of the Riverren Clan of Saphioc, a luminant glow penetrated only by intense black irises. His fists clenched as Van closed the door behind them.

“Who is this-nanana?” the cat-like person asked, nodding toward Raven. Her voice was high and scratchy, but pleasant, like a little girl’s.

“Hey Pipes,” Van replied. “I know this is against the rules, but you’re really gonna like this guy.”

A deep silence permeated the room as Van’s acquaintances stared daggers at Raven.

Van elbowed Raven hard. “Right?”

“I have no idea,” Raven replied calmly, rubbing his arm. “I know these people as much as they know me.”

He groaned, leering at him. “Look, just hear me out before you say anything.”

Piper raised her hand. Raven was surprised she didn’t have claws. “Say no more,” she said. “I am already intrigued-nanana.”

“Oh,” Van said in surprise. “Good.”

“Please, sit down.”

Before her, a low table stretched for several spans. An ash tray, a large bowl of fruit, and some old books were scattered before her. Raven and Van sat on two pillows opposite Piper. Her companion chose to remain standing, watching Raven warily but saying nothing.

The cottage was quite strange. It seemed wholly personal, with hangings on the wall, and curious decorations and pillows scattered all around. It did not resemble a temporary place to stay whatsoever. In fact, Raven was reminded very much of the domicile of an elderly woman, one who had made herself at home long ago.

Piper never took her eyes off Raven. She puffed at her pipe in quick bursts, tapping her finger lightly on the table. “You wear the Earrings of Yearning,” she finally said after a long pause.

Raven’s eyebrows rose. Not many people understood the significance of his green orb earrings. “You know of the pledge rite?”

“Quite well. Who is your betrothed?”

“The Princess of Zaliance.”

“Oh my.” She smiled, revealing her curious little fangs. “I heard rumor she was betrothed, but didn’t believe it. That is… quite a burden-nanana.”

“She is worth it.”

“Wait, what is this about a princess?” Van asked.

Piper laughed, a cackle mixed with a song. “Van, you sly dog. What have you brought me?”

“Wait, wait, wait. I’m not going to let that comment go,” Van said quickly, looking at Raven. “The girl you’re betrothed to is a princess? What the hell? How come you never told us?”

“You never asked.”

Van muttered a quiet expletive. “Pipes, this is Raven Whitesong,” he grumbled comically.

At the utterance of his name, Piper and her companion looked at each other.

“Is my name cause for concern?” Raven asked.

Piper took a deep puff of her pipe as she contemplated him. “Not necessarily-nanana. Raven, this is my guardian consort, Tellius of Riverren.” The man standing beside her nodded curtly. “Do you know who we are?” she asked.

“No. And that is saying something.”

She hummed. “Where do you come from-nanana?”

“Surlance.”

“Oh.” She seemed visibly disappointed.

“But I wasn’t born there.”

“Oh? Then where is your pool-nanana?”

“I do not have one.”

She perked at this, looking at Tellius once again. Excitement came over her as she pulled down her shirt over her shoulder. A tattoo of a rectangle with a line running diagonally through it had been etched into her skin, just above her collarbone.

Raven turned his head, showing them the scar on the back of his head with the same design. Now Tellius appeared interested, and he stepped closer to the table.

“Yeah, see that’s why I knew you would be happy,” Van said.

“I’m curious,” Raven said. “Why did my name indicate to you that I was a Rogue?”

“Just a hunch,” Piper replied. “Whitesong. It is similar to my name, no? Redtune.”

“I suppose they are similar. But I know very little of my family’s origins or history.”

She sighed. “The same is true for me-nanana. I remember nothing. Of course, I am one hundred and twenty-one years old, so my memory of early things is quite brittle.”

“Holy Wild,” Van exclaimed. “I didn’t know you were that old.”

She leered at him. “Watch it.”

“Pipes, you haven’t seen anything yet. Remember when we last met, and you showed me your special talent? Well, believe it or not, but Raven can do it, too!”

“Do what?” Raven asked.

“Talk to pandora!”

Now it was Raven’s turn to be shocked. He looked at Piper, and she returned his excitement in kind. “You can speak to pandora?” Raven asked. “Truly?”

“Yes! Well, only high-class pandora, but yes-nanana!”

Raven produced Rue and set her card on the table. “Rue, can you say hello?”

“Hello,” she said meekly.

“Hello, dear one,” Piper replied joyfully, picking up the pandora. She handled it lovingly, bringing it up to look at the design of her card. “Are you well-nanana?”

“I am just fine. I did not expect this. What a treat!”

“A treat indeed!” Piper exclaimed.

“I’ve never talked to another girl before. I only have Raven to talk to.”

She laughed. “I can only imagine the horror-nanana.”

“I do my best to compensate,” Raven said.

“You big liar! You’re a boy through and through!” She laughed, and Raven and Piper laughed with her.

Van and Tellius looked at each other, clueless. Van shrugged, and he did likewise.

“Well, I must say, this is something!” Piper exclaimed, setting Rue down. “Raven, do you know what this means?”

“I am starting to.”

“We are alike! We have similar gifts. I think we share the same pool-nanana!”

“But I don’t have a pool.”

“Neither do I. And yet I can use Hydra. Why?”

“Holy Wild!” Van suddenly said. He looked at Tellius. “Does Pipes suck up your Hydra, too?”

“Damn straight,” he replied. His voice was gruff in disapproval, but there was a hint of amusement behind it.

“Raven calls me his ‘pantry,’” Van complained.

Piper, Tellius, and Rue burst into laughter. Van was shocked, so certain that Tellius would sympathize. He folded his arms and harrumphed. “I guess I’m just a piece of meat.”

They laughed again, and Raven joined them with a chuckle, but his mind was racing. Could this all be true?

He allowed the laughter to die down before he asked, “So… do you think we hail from some unknown city?”

Piper nodded. “A reyk lost to time. I now firmly believe it. You and I must be kin! I lost hope so long ago that I would meet another like myself, but seeing you, hope is rekindled-nanana.”

“When I spoke to the guardian Panka, he did say there used to be nine wells. I thought it was curious, but didn’t take enough time to consider all the implications. Could it be he also meant those two lost pools dwelled within two lost cities? Civilizations waiting to be rediscovered? It would explain why there are nine holy runes identified within the Holy Texts. Shal and Ken have no corresponding Reyks.”

“These questions must be answered!” Piper replied. “I will search for the rest of our brethren, no matter the cost-nanana.”

“I wish you luck on your quest. But for now, it cannot be my mantle.”

“Why?” Tellius asked.

“I have another mission. My life’s work and end.”

“What mission is this-nanana?”

He looked her in the eyes. “I am the one who will kill the Titan.”

A silence permeated the room. Piper considered him for a moment, tapping her fingers on the table. Then she looked at Van. When she noted he wasn’t the least perturbed by Raven’s statement, she looked up at Tellius. He nodded.

“My death is desired by that devil,” she said, tapping her fingers on the table again. “His pursuits have caused me great pains. How I detest him.”

“Then help me,” Raven said. “I will never rest until he is dead.”

“What do you need?”

Raven held up his arm, and the mystery pandora floated out to lay beside Rue.

Piper leaned in, amazed. “The designs of these pandora…”

“They are one and the same. And I don’t know why.”

“I told Raven you knew everything about pandora,” Van said.

She frowned. “Not everything, but I do know much-nanana.” She picked up the card. “What is he saying? I can barely make it out. My hearing is not what it used to be.”

“The person within says nothing but ‘I’m sorry’ over and over,” Raven replied. “Even now, he laments. It is both chilling and saddening to listen to.”

“Ah yes, I hear it now. Fascinating.”

She placed the pandora next to Rue. They sat side-by-side, nearly identical in every way. The only way to tell them apart was by their Class markers. Rue possessed eight marking lines in each corner, while the other pandora featured only seven.

“I’ve seen this once before-nanana,” she said. “A long time ago.” She sighed, frowning, and for the first time, Raven witnessed a glimpse of her age within her countenance. “Tellius, could you be a dear and prepare some tea?”

As he set about the task, Piper placed an elbow on the table and propped her head against her hand. She picked up the Class Seven pandora, pondering the design with a worried and frustrated look.

“What’s wrong?” Van asked.

“When I was your age, I was a servant girl in the Titan’s court-nanana. I kept my head down and did as I was told. Anything to avoid a beating or time in the pit. But over the course of my forced service, I made friends here and there-nanana. Other servant girls, some of the kinder soldiers. None of them lasted long, and I’ve forgotten most of them. But there were two that stuck in my memory. Natalia. I don’t remember her last name-nanana. She served in the kitchens, a pathetic little thing. Very pretty, but very gloomy. The Titan had killed her family and taken her away from her home. She possessed nothing but her work.

“But then she met Jean-nanana. A young sentry in the Titan’s guard. An invisible nobody. They took notice of each other and eventually fell in love. Oh, how they fell in love. Of course, such a thing was forbidden by the Titan.”

Tellius handed her a cup of tea on a dish. She took them. The dishes rattled as she did so, because her hands were shaking. She quickly set the cup down and held her hands together.

“I remember them… so vividly,” she continued.

“What happened?” Van asked.

“They…died.” Her look was faraway now.

“The Titan?”

She shook her head. “No. Another guard discovered their secret-nanana. Turned them in, like a good little soldier.” A tear fell down her cheek. “Executed them both on the spot. I still remember… how they held each other in those last moments. I’d never seen such love.”

“I understand now,” Rue said, sobbing. “They were turned into pandora, weren’t they?”

“Yes. Their souls were taken-nanana. Both Class One souls. Worthless in the eyes of the Titan. So, they were sold off immediately. No one else even bothered to notice the amazing thing I had just witnessed.”

Raven nodded, tapping Rue’s card. “They shared the same pandora design.”

“Yes-nanana.”

“What could that mean?” Van asked. “There have been loads of loved ones who died together in the past. But I’ve never heard of two people sharing the same picture on their cards.”

Piper picked up Rue’s pandora again. “Little one, do you remember anything from your life-nanana?”

“No, nothing. My only memories are as a pandora. If Raven hadn’t convinced me that I once existed in your world, I’d have believed this was all I ever was.”

“What do you think, Piper?” Raven asked.

“It’s unfortunate she does not have her memories, although it might be a blessing in disguise,” she replied. “Most high level pandora keep their memories. I do not believe this match of pandora pictures is a coincidence.” She picked up the mystery pandora. “This person knew your Rue in their former lives. They knew each other and they affected each other.”

“But Rue’s pandora is nearly a hundred years old.”

“Then, whoever this is must also be a hundred years old-nanana. There is no other explanation. The Holy One does not impress the soul by mistake. He is purposeful, and his creation is wonderous.”

“So does that mean they were both destined for this design?” Tellius asked.

“No. The Holy Frame is separate from the pandora-nanana. One is righteous and one is evil. But I believe that strong feeling can change a pandora design.”

“So, strong love caused one pandora to change the design of the other,” Van concluded.

Piper frowned. “Strong feeling,” she corrected. “I cannot say only love could do this-nanana. This is only the second time I have seen such a thing.”

“So the question becomes,” Raven said. “Did Rue affect this person in the pandora and change his pandora design? Or did this person change Rue’s?”

Piper picked up the Class Seven, lifting it up for them to see. “I believe the soul within might be trying to tell you the answer.”

They listened to the voice, ever-present in their hearing.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” It was a wallowing anguish, growing more pitiful with time.

“This was… very helpful, Piper,” Raven finally said. “I am glad to have met you. I can only hope we meet again one day under better circumstances.”

“Oh, Raven, can’t we stay a while longer?” Rue said suddenly. “I want to talk to Piper more.”

“Yes, that’s not a problem at all-nanana!” Piper replied. “Please, stay for dinner. I insist. Tellius is cooking a marvelous roast, and we have plenty to drink.”

Raven looked at Van. “I guess I can stay. Can you?”

“Fine by me,” Van said, plucking a banana from the bowl on the table. He was about to peel it when an impish grin suddenly came over his face. “Hey Pipes… say ‘banana.’”

Her smile turned into loathing. “You’re uninvited now.”

“C’mon. Just say it.”

She groaned. “Banana-nanana.”