Rowena woke with a start, covered in lightly beaded sweat, incredibly groggy and dismayed. Her experiment the night before– her attempt to use Throw Consciousness for the first time– had failed utterly.

Well– perhaps fail was the wrong word, or at least a less precise word than it could be. She’d successfully managed to push her mind and consciousness out of her body, a feeling akin to the rush of jumping off of a tree limb, but although the result had been as jarring as if she’d hit the ground at high speed she instead had felt as if she were floating untethered, liable to drift off into the unknown.

It had been very, very reminiscent of her experience leaving Tunehlan for the wide open rolling hills, and how uncomfortable she’d been with the giant empty space around and above her.

As soon as her mind had floated out of her body, she had been gripped by terror. How would she control where she was going? How could she be certain she could find her way back?

And then, worst of all– a nasty little thought occurred to her. What if Cuth took over her body while her mind was outside of it?

Cuth wouldn’t do that, she thought as she looked down at her own body. It was incredibly eerie seeing herself in this way, her straight blonde hair askew, her slight frame rigid and tense. She winced as she waited for what would surely be Cuth’s offended objection to her line of thinking– but heard nothing.

Interesting, she thought to herself. He can’t hear my thoughts here, and I can’t hear his.

This was both a welcome and strangely frightening observation. She’d grown used to his presence over the last few days, and suddenly the thought of not having such a constant companion felt as empty as she felt floating tetherless above her body.

Still, the twisted thought that she might try to return to her mind only to find the way barred wouldn’t leave her. Combine that with the general feeling of unease she felt leaving the safe confines of her mind at all, what with the vast, terrifying openness of even this smallish room when experienced without a body, and she had fairly quickly returned back to her body, slinking back in like an embarrassed dog that had run from its owner.

Did you find out what was in the room? Cuth had demanded to know.

I– no, Rowena admitted. I couldn’t leave the room.

That doesn’t make any sense! he mused. Throw Consciousness does have some limits, but you should at least be able to get into the next room even on your first use.

It was more that, well… remember how I felt leaving Tunehlan? She hadn’t exactly been aware of Cuth’s presence at that point, but she presumed that he’d felt what she’d felt all the same.

Oh. Cuth’s voice sounded eminently disappointed. I hadn’t thought about that.

Me neither, she replied, a little embarrassed.

We’ll… we can work on it, he said. She was a little touched that he was at least trying to cover his disappointment with a little bit of concern. It’s probably nothing down there, anyway.

We both know that’s not likely, she replied. I’m as disappointed as you are!

I’m glad you’re back, anyway, Cuth said grudgingly. I wasn’t sure if I’d be coming with you or not. I was even excited to see if I could use your body while you were gone– not that I’d do anything untoward, he added hastily.

I should hope not, she snapped.

It was awful, he admitted. I was just trapped in there, no one to talk to and no ability to move. Next time try to maybe at least leave your eyes open!

Well, that answered that question.

Sneaking around isn’t the answer, anyway, she thought brusquely, stomping her disappointment at her failure down as far as it would go. We’ll find real justice at the University.

If Cuth had his doubts, for once he managed to stifle them instead of just brashly sharing his opinion. Rowena was grateful– she already felt stretched to a snapping point.

She took a few deep breaths, then stood up and dressed quickly. Everyone else was already presumably awake and downstairs– a quick peek out of the small window revealed that the sun was higher than she liked. They’d have to hurry to make sure they had time to find their way into the inner city of Arcania and then the University itself.

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As she’d thought, everyone was already downstairs, crowded into a small nook with a single table in it (which again made Rowena suspect that the “Inn” rarely actually accommodated many real guests). Kieran’s mouth was stuffed full of a dark brown bread he was wolfing down with a voracious appetite. Sorel was stretched out, having tipped her chair backward so that she balanced on the back two legs, the back resting against the wall in the cramped space.

It was Mattie, though, that Rowena was happiest to see. Her freckled friend’s face looked fresher, and she smiled brightly at Rowena as she walked over.

“Mattie, you look–” Rowena could hardly express her relief, and instead walked up and squeezed the Healer’s shoulder.

“I feel much better,” Mattie responded, putting her hand on Rowena’s and giving it a squeeze back.

“You were… magnificent,” Rowena said a little awkwardly, and then looked over at Kieran.

Mattie shrugged and looked away, clearly a little embarrassed by the attention. “It wasn’t– I mean, I messed it up. His shoulder–”

“Who cares about the shoulder?” Rowena retorted. “He probably owes you his life.”

The redheaded girl’s lips twitched downward in a frown. “Even still. This power, I–”

She stopped talking as a shadow cast over their small table and a gentle cough sounded. Lorimer apparently dressed his best even in the mornings. He was in a crisp, full suit complete with folded silken pocket square.

Rowena looked up at him, cheeks burning with the memory of their awkward interaction the night before. She swallowed. “I’d offer you a seat, but you don’t seem to have much room for guests.”

Kieran glared at her, and Mattie looked away. Sorel was still simply relaxing, seemingly disinterested in the scene unfolding before her.

Aggressive. I like it! Cuth laughed inside her mind.

I guess you’re rubbing off on me… she thought a little shamefully, a touch embarrassed by her poorly concealed anger at Lorimer. Still, in addition to the embarrassment she also felt a little point of pride that she didn’t simply roll over to the enigmatic man’s forceful personality.

Lorimer raised an eyebrow at her, but said nothing, his eyes a stony wall preventing her from reading his thoughts or feelings.

The next person who speaks, loses! Cuth cautioned, but the awkwardness was simply too much for Rowena to bear.

“We’ll be leaving shortly,” Rowena said in the haughtiest tone she could manage.

“I know,” Lorimer replied lightly. In just those two words he somehow conveyed his disdain for her Class and Subclass and his delight that she would finally be out of his establishment.

As though the Broken Quill was respectable! Pocket squares and rude Innkeepers did not an estimable establishment make, Rowena thought, remembering the comfort and kindness of the Wandering Vine.

Rowena opened her mouth to respond, but Lorimer appeared to have already forgotten about her entirely. Instead, his attention was focused on Kieran.

“You, Master Kieran, should reconsider going to those fools at the University,” he said pointedly, but calmly. “You’ll learn nothing there in a year that I could not teach you in a week.”

Kieran laughed a little awkwardly, brushing crumbs off of his mouth. “That’s a bold claim.”

“I’m perfectly serious. Stay here, and I’ll apprentice you,” Lorimer was examining his perfectly manicured nails one by one, reminding Rowena of a cat.

He can’t be serious! Rowena thought fiercely.

Cuthbert just gave a mental shrug. I mean, this guy clearly knows some stuff. It could be good for Kieran.

Whose side are you on? Rowena snapped back.

“Well, I–” Kieran looked around at his friends, clearly noting Rowena’s seething fury. He grinned awkwardly. “I don’t really want to be an Innkeeper, thank you.”

Lorimer let out a short, barking laugh. “Well. Should you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

Without another word, the strange man sauntered off down the hallway back into his study.

“Well, that was strange, wasn’t it?” Kieran said with a forced grin. “Imagine! Me, an Innkeeper.”

“You hesitated,” Rowena said drily, her chest tight.

At that, Kieran’s grin evaporated. “I think he could– it doesn’t matter. Ro, I’ve come this far to help you find justice for Tommy. I’m not going to give up now, not when we’re so close.”

Rowena took a breath and a little bit of the tension in her evaporated. He was right– her friends had risked so much for her to get to this point. Just a little further…

“Hey, are you gonna share some of that bread, or did you need a whole loaf to yourself?” She said as lightly as possible, reaching out to grab the heel end of the loaf he had decimated.

“What can I say, I’m a growing MAGIC USER!” he laughed back, relief apparent in his eyes.

“He should probably eat to keep up his strength,” Mattie said, hands spread wide.

“He’ll need all the help he can get if strength is the aim,” Sorel said lazily. Her eyes were still closed but her mouth twitched with a small smile.

Rowena smiled back at her friends and swallowed a bite of the bread– it was dry without any butter, but well baked and a welcome change from the stale loaves they’d been eating since the Wandering Vine. Her bright mood darkened a little bit as she remembered the disturbing message she’d discovered the night before– the strange connection between Martha Stonemason and Lorimer, the fact that their Selections had been of interest to such a strange and mysterious man.

She thought about telling her friends– she had no reason to keep her knowledge a secret– but looking around at them laughing and happy and relatively comfortable for the first time in many days, she couldn’t bring herself to spoil the mood.

That, and who knows if Kieran’s not… tempted… by Lorimer’s offer, and who knows what he’d do if he knew you were a better ROGUE than he suspects! Cuthbert said.

Rowena didn’t respond to that, not wanting to give credence to Cuth’s theory of Kieran’s loyalties, but she had a sneaking suspicion he might be right. She hated that she was even entertaining the thought, but things had gotten… complicated.

“Alright– let’s get out of here and make our way into the city,” she said, slapping her hand gently on the table and standing up. “It’s time to see Arcania proper– and we have a luncheon to get to.”