“Wait! Wait. You can’t go inside,” I said. I chased after her. She did not answer. Instead, she continued marching towards the dorm. A total stranger headed onto homestead grounds was already bad enough, let alone someone like this. Someone with abilities. Gifted. The family didn’t call it that. They just called it ‘being a Werner’. No, they wouldn’t like this, not one bit. She was heading towards my dorm too.

I strode in front of her and spread my arms, despite the protesting from beneath my bandages.

“You can’t go any further.”

“I have a job to do,” she said.

“What would that be?” I asked.

No answer.

“Because if you’re from the big city…” The Werners would freak out. Hating the city folk was a third of their personality. “Just- just tell me what you’re here for. Maybe I can help you.”

And maybe get her out of their sight. Her chin tilted. She was considering.

“You won’t be of much help,” she said. “You’re weak and pathetic.”

This girl…

“Listen, lady. If you’re strong enough to take on the Werner’s, even us ‘steadhands would have heard of you. I’m not saying I’ll help you fight. Just tell me why you’re here.”

“You work for the Werner’s.”

“Everyone in those dorms over there do.” I pointed. “The only loyalty we have is whatever the Werner’s can enforce. You can trust me. I- I hate them. I hate every single one of them.”

She was staring at me. I couldn’t see her eyes but I could tell that she was.

“You’re lying.”

“No I’m not!” I said. I glanced around. Quieter, “I’m not lying.”

“You don’t hate all of them.”

“…What do y-”

“Get me inside the estate.” She pointed at my clothes.

I saw what she meant.

“Come with me,” I said. I led her to the storerooms. The big sliding doors were usually locked by the lead ‘steadhand before and after hours. A few of us know that there’s a loose part of the wall out back hidden behind an enormous thistle bush. I held it open for her. There was a rush of wind. The cold dug into my bones and for a moment I was a hundred percent sure we were going to get caught.

“Hurry,” I said. But she had vanished. “Hello?”

There was a noise inside the storeroom. She had bumped into one of the old combines we used for spare parts. I didn’t bother questioning what just happened.

“Careful!” I hissed. “You can’t see!” She didn’t know this place like I did. I grabbed her hand and nearly recoiled. It was like grabbing hot stone. My heart did recoil when I saw the light. A curved tongue of flame extended from her other index finger. The whole room was bathed in orange light and deep black shadow.

“Put that out!” I whispered at the top of my lungs. She listened.

“I can’t see,” she said.

“Well you can’t use that. It’s too bright. There are windows near the roof. See?”

Another light flickered on. It was a pale fire wavering in her palm. Somehow it didn’t feel warm, but it blew air everywhere.

“Is this fine?”

“No!”

“Hm.” She put that out too.

“Just stay here.”

Three times I nearly had a heart attack today. I hurried to the lockers where the spare uniforms were kept. The hinges were rusty. I opened them quickly, making the least amount of noise possible. It was still as loud as sin. I felt around for one of the smaller ones. There. I grabbed it and turned around, bumping straight into her. I fell onto my rear, again. She didn’t budge.

“How did you…?”

“Give me that,” she said. I heard something retract, like shuffling rhinestones. Then the sound of clothes rustling against skin. “Take me to the dorms.”

“Okay,” I said. I was exasperated.

On our way out she didn’t make any more racket. She could see in the dark all of a sudden. Or not. I just heard her bump into a stack of tires. The wrenches and toolboxes and chains littered about, she weaved around like a native. Out of all the people I’ve ever met she was easily the weirdest. Then again, I haven’t met all the Werner’s.

Stolen novel; please report.

I took her to the dorms. There were a few spare beds. I doubted the family would notice an extra worker. The other ‘steadhands? I wasn’t sure how that would go.

“For the record, we don’t know each other,” I said. “Don’t talk to me unless it’s at night.”

“Good night.” She went straight to sleep.

So I crawled back to bed as well. At least I was properly exhausted now. I didn’t remember when I winked out.

I was on a boat. High waters slammed into the sides. Winds buffeted the sails, singing through the gaps. We rocked back and forth as the crew shouted words I didn’t understand at each other, frantically working the ropes. The only one who was calm was the captain. The captain looked familiar. I left my post and walked closer. The captain was me. The first mate was me. The boatswain, me. Everyone was me.

I sat upright just as a rooster crowed. The crack of dawn. I was in my bed. I felt the old fabric between my fingers. My bed sheets. I was in the dorms. Yes, this was true. Another morning on the Werner estate. Another morning in paradise. I had woken so early even the lead ‘steadhand wasn’t even finished getting dressed. He looked at me in surprise.

“A good change,” he said. “But take it easy today, alright?”

“Right, sir,” I said.

We all got ready to work and filed out as usual. Maybe what happened last night was all a dream. Apparently they had given me something called an oh-pee-it. Maybe I had been high. Whatever. I fixed fence posts, refurbished tractors, and sharpened tools. I usually did more strenuous jobs. The other ‘steadhands had moved quicker than me to take those. My heart swelled with a brief warmth. I felt oddly happy, despite everything that had happened.

Then I saw her, and realized it hadn’t been a dream at all. A pale face with dark hair. She stuck out like a sore thumb. She was on fence duty, and swinging a hammer like she had never held a tool in her life. I rushed over as naturally as I could.

“What are you doing?” I whispered. “Here, let me show you before you get caught.”

She was liable to get all the nails in crooked. Sebastian Werner taught us carpentry so we could do ‘tolerably adequate work’. And he hated to see his time wasted. I grabbed the hammer and studied her handiwork, ready to fix what she had messed up. All the nails were struck in perfectly. There wasn’t even the telltale indentation of the hammerhead against the wood, as if she had delivered the exact amount of force needed to drive the nail home.

“Huh…”

“You should rest,” she said. She smiled. I couldn’t have guessed there was someone so pretty behind that black mask. But she was nothing like Doris. Doris was like a mouse. This girl was more catlike. She gave me the chills. I almost didn’t notice that the strange effect in her voice was gone.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“I’m Lyssa,” she said. “Now, at least.”

My eyes pinched. “What the hell does that mean?” I asked.

“Don’t use that name when I seem different.”

“What’s different?”

“Unsociable. I wouldn’t like it.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle, uncertainly, nervously. She didn’t like that.

“I’m not joking,” she said.

“Right. Sure. I believe you.” Hopefully, she believed me too. I couldn’t predict how she would behave. She was a black box. I didn’t even know what her ability was. I had thought you were only supposed to have one. Two if you were lucky. Any more and it quickly became something far worse than a gift. But what did I know?

There was a puff of dust on the ground as a hammer fell.

Lyssa was coughing. They were little sputters at first. Then they quickly escalated into full body cries of the throat. She was practically seizing. I grabbed onto her just as she began to fall.

“Medic!” I shouted. “Hello? I need a medic!” I saw nothing but confused faces all around. Some ‘steadhands knew what was happening, but ducked their heads. They were not good with attention. Neither was I. Don’t pull their eyes was rule number one and two here. By the time I remembered that it was too late.

The gate was smashed open.

“What in Sam Hill is going on?” Sebastian Werner said through closed teeth.

Now that I had said attention, silence was suicide. I had to commit now.

“She needs help,” I said. I was barely restraining Lyssa from her own jolts. She sounded like she was breathing gravel.

“The fuck is wrong with her?”

“I don’t know, sir. I think she needs a doctor.”

Sebastian looked like he was deep in thought. “That’s funny… Think I’d remember a face like that.”

“She- she’s gone pale!”

“You reckon it’s some kinda bug?”

Lord gave me strength. “I don’t know. She needs a diagnostician.”

“A what now?”

“Sir, please. The yard needs all of its hands. Especially hers. I mean, look.” I gestured. “She’s taken to your teaching better than anyone I’ve seen.”

Sebastian perused her work. “That is not bad actually,” he said, hand on chin, one eye wider than the other. “In fact, I’d say she’s indis… uh….”

“Indispensable?” I suggested.

“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “We ought to have our family doctor look at her.”

I exhaled.

“But you’re taking her,” Sebastian said. “I think it’s for the best. Comfort of your peers and all. Just say Seb sent ya.”

The worst had passed for Lyssa; she had stopped hacking up a lung, but she did not look better. I hoisted her over my back and began the trek to the main house. Fresh pain spread like creeping frost through my back. I grit my teeth. There must be something wrong with me. It felt like an hour before I made it to the front stairs. I was sweating. My back recalled the whippings anew. Only ten steps to go, then I would at least have the reprieve of air conditioning. I looked up.

The house was huge. I never could appreciate its vastness until I was staring up its walls. Every column, brick, and window looked new. The house had been restored a number of times, perfectly conserved in an amber of modern construction. Like a tree it had sprouted too, spawning new wings, new rooms, new facilities. New Werner’s.

I pushed through one of a dozen double doors into the main hall. Stairs spiraled up, depositing people on any one of several floors. Red carpets, marble floors, dark woods, and vases. Gold framed portraits were hung on the walls. They were all subtitled. All were Werner’s.

“Ah, young Cassidy,” the majordomo appeared from one of countless doors. “I do not believe it is your allotted library hour. You cannot-”

“I was told by Sebastian to take her to the infirmary,” I said quickly.

“I see. Take the shortest path there then.”

Another door opened, loudly. Someone was stomping down the stairs. Suddenly I wished it wasn’t so chilly in this house.

“What are you doing ‘steadhand?” Nathan Bronson Werner’s voice carried like a gale over a prairie. “It is not break time, and yet you are here? Through our front doors? Who is that with you?”

“I was ordered to take her to the infirmary,” I explained again. Not that I could without his leave. I hoped my knees could take all this idling.

“By whose authority?”

“Sebastian’s.”

Nathan was in front of me. He reached for my neck and squeezed. Silver energy crackled like spinning thread. Nathan pulled back, rubbing his fingers.

“So it is,” he said, calmed. His mood would change again. With a finger he reached over my shoulder, brushing aside Lyssa’s hair. His eyes swept slowly over her face. “What a wan fairness.”

“…Sir?” I said.

“Well?”

I didn’t know what to answer with.

“Get on with it!” He said, loud again. “Get her to the doctor, now!”

“Right away!”

I hurried.

“Do not drop her, young man. I will not have mistreatment of personnel on Werner…” His voice chased me even around the hall’s bend. I went as quickly as I could. It wasn’t everyday one was given permission to leave a Werner while they were still talking.