Elurra didn’t think she’d need to sleep in stasis, but she found herself on a dark, snow-covered street in Lur Alava, the shadowy edges of a vision giving away her slumber. Snowflakes drifted down from the gray sky, blanketing the white kingdom in unearthly silence. She could see the curling spires of the castle against the twilight sky and realized the dark shabby buildings surrounding her must be a part of the lower city of Tor’ac Roh.

Why am I here?

Her question was answered moments later when a slim female swathed in a cloak appeared around the corner. She drew closer, and a curly red lock of hair slipped out from her hood. Elurra bit her lip.

Please do not be who I think you are.

The woman reached the corner and looked up, confirming Elurra’s suspicions. It was Nitiri’s face, young and beautiful. Her full, red lips were pulled into a frown. She wiped her eyes, sniffled, and glanced down each dark alley uncertainly.

Elurra unexpectedly pitied her. She could sense Nitiri was trying to escape from something. There wasn’t darkness or deception in her gaze, as Elurra was accustomed to seeing—only desperation. A dark figure approached from behind, his footsteps silent on the snow-covered ground. Nitiri sensed his presence and spun around, her arms crossing over her chest protectively.

“Do not come any closer!”

The figure froze in surprise, as he clearly hadn’t been paying much attention before she spoke. He tilted his head curiously.

“What’s a beautiful girl like you doing out at night?”

She backed away from him, clearly afraid.

“None of your business.”

He pulled the hood of his cloak back to reveal his young face. If Elurra had to guess, she’d estimate he was a teenager around Nitiri's age. He had three black studs in his right ear, and a scar curved across his chin. His rich green eyes studied her carefully.

“I normally only see bandits and thugs at this hour, but you don’t appear to be either. It isn’t safe for you here, you know.”

An air of mystery surrounded him like a shroud. His eyes danced, and his smile was friendly. Nitiri was clearly wary of his presence.

“I can take care of myself. Which are you: bandit or thug?”

“Neither. I’m simply a concerned citizen trying to help a pretty girl in a bad part of town,” he said with a shrug.

“I do not need any assistance,” she said crossly.

“You’re lucky you bumped into me instead of someone unsavory. Where are you going? I can help you get there.”

Elurra searched for something sinister in his expression, but she could only detect honest curiosity and a hint of amusement. Despite the questionable circumstances, the handsome boy seemed legitimately concerned for Nitiri’s welfare.

“I am on a walk. I have no destination in mind.”

“What a coincidence; so am I. I find the crisp evening air is good for clearing the mind. It looks like you’re lost, though, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“What if I am?”

He casually leaned against the wall, clearly not planning to go anywhere.

“I know every road in this city like the back of my hand. Would you like a guide?”

“I am not sure where I want to go,” Nitiri finally admitted as tears appeared in her eyes.

His posture straightened, and concern spread across his face.

“What’s wrong, miss?”

“Nothing! Just leave me alone!”

She took a step backward to get away from the stranger, but her heel caught on the edge of a cobblestone. She shrieked as she fell. The young man bolted forward and caught her in his arms.

“Careful! Are you alright?”

She yanked herself away from his grasp, clearly distressed. He immediately raised his heads above his head as he took a step back. Nitiri hugged herself and tried to hide her face.

“Calm down. If I wanted to hurt you, I would’ve done it already,” he pointed out softly as he gently brushed a tear off her cheek. She recoiled from his touch at first, but after a second, she relaxed and gave him a thin smile.

“Forgive me. I should not have screamed at you,” she said. “Thank you for catching me. I do not know where I am, and I must admit I am frightened of you.”

The boy laughed.

“You’re refreshingly honest. Forgive me. I don’t blame you for fearing anyone you meet at this time of night. In fact, I would think less of you if you weren’t cautious around me. Allow me to introduce myself. My name’s Cade. I’m guessing you’re someone from the castle by the way you speak?”

Nitiri hesitated.

“There is no sense in hiding it, but I wish it were not obvious,” she mumbled.

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“You don’t use contractions. Everyone knows people from the castle grow accustomed to speaking without them. Would you like me to escort you back?”

“No, I want to be anywhere but inside those walls.”

Cade raised an eyebrow.

“Running away? I can assist if escape is what you desire.”

“Where would we go?” she asked, still cautious.

“Depends. What do you like? Music? Company? Parties? Adventure?” Cade asked, walking around her and examining her closely. “You appear to be the sort who acts the way you ought, but you’re a rebel at heart.”

She appraised him carefully, her guard up again.

“Why do you say that?”

“I bet your job is stifling if it drove you to the streets at this hour. They don’t understand you. You want to be accepted, but those posh pricks look down on everyone.”

Nitiri’s eyes widened. “What would you suggest for someone who feels trapped?”

Cade smiled, his green eyes glowing in the moonlight.

“Depends on how rebellious you want to be. There are always parties and entertainment at this hour, as long as you know where to look.”

Nitiri tilted her head and studied him.

“Those options do not seem too rebellious. Everyone has attended a party before. This time of night only guarantees everyone is going to be drunk. Surely you can offer me something better.”

Cade studied her carefully for a few moments before saying, “Well, there is magic, of course.”

Nitiri recoiled in surprise.

“Magic? There is no magic here,” she contradicted. “The king outlawed it.”

“Do you really think there’s no magic in the kingdom because the king said there shouldn’t be? That’s like saying the moons will stop coming out at night because the king said they would vanish,” Cade said disdainfully.

Elurra looked at Nitiri, wondering how she’d react to his mockery of her father. For a moment, Nitiri looked like she was going to argue, but she paused, and her demeanor shifted. She no longer looked afraid.

“Can you use magic, then? Not everyone can.”

He grinned and looked around mysteriously. When he was sure they were alone, he whispered a command as he raised his hand. His palm started to glow, lighting up the dark alley. Nitiri gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. He waved his hand through the air, the light following behind like a comet trail. Then, he murmured another command, and the corner went dark once again. Nitiri stared at him for a few moments, her mouth hanging open.

“You’re wrong, actually. Everyone can use magic if they live through the transfusion process.”

“Transfusion?”

Cade looked like he was about to answer but reconsidered.

“I shouldn’t tell you any of this. I don’t even know who you are. You drew me in like a moth to a flame. I can’t believe I said so much.” He took a step away from her. “You could be one of the king’s spies, sent to find someone stupid enough to talk about the Rhai Cudd.”

“I am not a spy! If I was, why would I be crying in the middle of the street?”

“To lure me in. No one suspects a girl in tears,” Cade countered, his face stony. “What is your name?”

She hesitated. “Yasmine.”

Cade glared at her. “You’re lying.”

Nitiri glared at him. “You are not going to accept anything I say now. You have convinced yourself I am a spy!” she exploded. “As soon as someone assumes your character, they refuse to see anything but their presumptions. I thought I could spend a few hours with someone who would judge my character, but I guess that is impossible. Sorry for taking up your time, sir. If you will excuse me, I will be returning to the castle now. Apparently, there is no one on this blasted continent who sees past societal facades.”

She stomped past angrily.

“Wait, Yasmine!” he called, grabbing her arm.

She ripped her arm away and spun around, fire in her eyes. “Do not touch me!”

“Fair enough. I didn’t mean to offend you, but surely you can understand my point of view. You could be anyone, and I revealed a sensitive secret to you. I’ll make you a deal, alright?”

Nitiri crossed her arms and leaned against the dirty sod wall lining the dilapidated street.

“I am listening.”

“If you will promise to not mention my name or magic to anyone, I will take you somewhere exciting. We can have an adventure, and I promise I won’t judge you by any preconceptions I might have. Just you, me, and a late-night party. How does that sound?”

Nitiri studied his face carefully, looking for any signs of deception.

“I do not know anything about you. Why should I trust you?”

“I don’t know anything about you either, but I’m willing to get to know you. We’re simply two wandering insomniacs with the entire night ahead of us. It’ll be fun. What do you say?”

Elurra couldn’t help but trust Cade, even though every instinct told her she shouldn’t. Common sense stipulated trusting a stranger was a bad idea, but she didn’t sense even a hint of deception, and apparently Nitiri couldn’t either. She sighed, squared her shoulders, and smiled reluctantly. Elurra noticed something new in Nitiri’s demeanor. She had a reckless glint in her eyes, and excitement practically radiated off her.

“Let’s go on an adventure.”

Cade grinned and offered her his arm. She accepted it, and he escorted her down one of the dark alleys, heading into the heart of Tor’ac Roh. His excited voice echoed off the walls as he came up with entertainment options for Nitiri to choose from. The scene faded, and darkness took over. It took Elurra a few minutes to realize she was conscious again.

I need to get out of stasis. How long have I been like this? Is it day or night?

She forced herself to calm down and listen. She heard crickets. It wasn’t a noise she was used to hearing in the North, but in Amora and Tipet they were prolific. She detected snoring as well. She thought the command to bring herself out of stasis. Regaining control of her faculties after being shut down for so long felt strange. Feeling slowly crept back into her limbs, and she could see again. She took in a deep breath, filling her lungs, grateful she could control her breathing.

Elurra waited while her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She was lying under a tree, her kidnapper only a few feet away. Her hands and feet were bound. Stars littered the sky above, providing meager light with the crescent moons hanging in the sky. The landscape was flat, and there were only a few trees dotting the terrain. Unfortunately, her surroundings didn’t give her much information. The land between Amora and Tipet to the south of Unérith was all flat and grassy. The only thing dividing the two nations was a wide river marking the border, and she had no way of knowing if they’d crossed it, considering the man traveled using teleportation commands. Elurra touched her stomach to check if her weapon was still hidden. She sighed in relief when her fingers brushed metal.

She felt ravenous, but she knew she could only eat a little at a time to keep her food rationed. She found the stash of snacks in her pocket and ate some of the dried fruit. She had no way to know how long it had been since she was taken. It could’ve been a few days, or a full week. Her main goal was to study her captor when she could and glean information from him. It was the perfect time to learn what he knew. She closed her eyes and focused on listening to the man’s mind. As she’d expected, he was broadcasting a jumble of thoughts. Images of Nitiri and different scenes from his travels floated through her mind. Phrases like, “inn in Amora” and “should have woken by now” floated through her mind.

“I need more about Nitiri.”

She decided she would take it one step further and coax his thoughts along. She whispered Nitiri’s name in his mind. His expression changed, and she filled his thoughts.

“No unnecessary force.”

“Keep her alive.”

Nitiri’s commands echoed through Elurra’s mind. She wanted to know more, but her kidnapper was stirring, suddenly restless with Nitiri in his dreams. She crawled back to her spot and lay down. She stared up at the night sky though the tree branches, her thoughts as far off as the stars above. She laid there for a long time before reluctantly going back into stasis.