The qanat no longer served the city. Generations ago, Parousia’s growth had spurred massive wooden construction in the newer parts of the city. For timber, the residents chopped down the fir forest at the qanat’s source and soon its water became turbid and foul tasting. The princes chose to expand the city’s water supply to other sources and the qanat tunnel fell into disrepair.

Hollan proved a silent companion, though something about the way he watched the world gave Alize the impression of hearing him thinking. Not his thoughts, just the act of his mind spinning. He tapped his fingers together as they walked, and his gaze kept sweeping over Alize and then back to face forward. And then to her again.

“You’re Hrumi,” he murmured finally.

“Yes.”

“You did not realize the Deku were your enemy, did you?”

Alize tilted her head. “Did you?”

Hollan did now answer.

When they emerged at the end of the qanat, a swarm of faces waited in the stillness. Alize climbed up first and nodded to Benay. She introduced Hollan as an agent of Princess Greer, though after Kell’s description of the Oghuz, she was not certain that was exactly accurate.

Alize had tried to convince her sisters that not all of them needed to come, that the Deku were only five and the Hrumi should prioritize discretion. But the nearly eighty women that had arrived for the attack would not be dissuaded. Arouah had passed forward disturbing news: apparently the Deku were finding Kogaloks allies. The Soul Eaters Omurtak had created had turned to the Deku, who promised them a million souls for their hunger.

“But how does that benefit the Deku?” Alize asked, remembering Viken’s rebuff the night she had escaped. She spoke as she changed into the Hrumi clothes. She handed her dress to Hollan as Benay responded.

“Only Rehsan knows,” Benay sighed.

“Once inside the qanat,” Hollan instructed the Hrumi, “do not shift any rocks, do not tug on any roots, and avoid the wet areas.”

Conscious of a man’s commands ringing in Hrumi ears, Alize watched her sisters for any sign of agitation. Everyone else seemed to be doing the same: as Hollan spoke, eyes darted back and forth, centering on Benay, who held her head up grimly. She had already made her decision. For the Hrumi, Alize sensed with relief, that would be enough.

With the festival in the covered market, Alize had Greer’s assurances that all guards would be relieved from duty. The Hrumi activities would be completely undetected.

She led the way though the qanat. The darkness made the moonlight at the outlet seem so much brighter when she emerged. Her sisters followed her, a crowd of Hrumi trodding the cobblestones of Parousia’s old city. Alize remembered her first time in the city, and wondered at the thoughts flying through her sisters’ minds. But they had nothing if not discipline. They held their formation, daggers brandished.

“Leave now, Hollan,” Alize murmured when the prison came into view. “It’s not safe for you here. Go to the festivities.” She watched him into the doorway of the covered market.

Then she waved her sisters forward to the prison. They crept against the walls, soundless towards the door.

When Benay gave the signal, the Hrumi maneuvered together as one sister opened the door and the others rushed against the darkness inside.

But there were no Deku at the entrance.

Alize pressed forward, past her sisters, to peer into the hallway. Greer’s prison keys thumped in her pocket. Every Hrumi stood alert, but no attack came.

“Where are they?” Sosje whispered.

Alize could only shake her head. The night shed its innocence as they stole further inside, but even when they unlocked the central chamber, no Deku emerged.

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Fergana limped forward first. Her eyes rested on Alize momentarily, but she offered neither praise nor condemnation. Given the circumstances, Alize had feared much worse.

Following Kell’s direction, Alize led the released prisoners to the prison’s back room where Kell’s key unlocked a massive closet. The Hrumi stumbled forward, grabbing their daggers and laughing into the starlight.

“It’s too easy,” Sosje murmured as they approached the exit.

“Let’s not get disheartened about it,” Alize rolled her eyes.

But in doing so, her gaze landed on something disconcerting. The entryway to the covered market, the one Hollan used earlier, rested closed. More than that, two large mill stones were propped at the bottom. Someone meant to keep the doors from opening.

Alize hushed the Hrumi behind her. One by one, they all faced forward. The dead air bore forth the muted sounds of screams. A thousand voices surging, the despair of winter personified.

“Benay, guide the prisoners back,” Alize directed to the woman next to her.

“Where are you going?” Benay asked.

“Inside.”

“Why - ?”

“Listen!”

The screaming emanated from the length of the market. Alize felt her muscles twitching. She arrived at the door and evaluated the millstone. It was massive, and though she strained, she could not shift it at all.

But Sosje and Benay arrived beside her. Together they moved first one stone and then the other. The Hrumi prisoners disappeared down the street towards the tunnels, but nearly all the free Hrumi lingered to watch Alize.

When the doors open, several people spilled out, many of them bloody.

“What happened?” Alize demanded, catching a woman by her elbow.

“The Deku have brought Prince Nadar to take Parousia!” the woman cried, “They’ve gathered all the Sargons in the main hall with Tamer’s family. They will kill them all – wait!“ the woman’s eyes traced over Alize. “You’re Hrumi! Is it true that you’re immune to Deku soultrussing?”

“Benay,“ Alize gasped, “I have to go in there. I can’t abandon everyone who helped me.”

“I do recall,” Benay yelled loud enough for the remaining Hrumi to hear, “that Greer promised our sisters’ freedom in exchange for our aid against the Deku. The Hrumi keep their word!”

To Alize’s amazement, her sisters surged forward. They had to push their way into the market. As news spread that one door had opened, the masses inside flooded the passageway. Though the word “Hrumi” rang often in the corridor, the people passing seemed much more concerned with their own safety.

Ahead, Alize caught sight of a bobbing head of black hair also trying to push through the crowd. “Hollan!”

He turned back to Alize, smiling grimly. “You’re coming? Good. Rumor says they still have not managed to seal the main hall.”

“Lead us.”

“My pleasure.”

They pushed against the crowd, and Alize stopped seeing the faces until one appeared right in front of her,

“Nocturne,” Qaaru said, “The Hrumi too are attacking!”

Alize tried to push forward. She had no words for Qaaru.

“Wait!” Qaaru cried, “You – I know your twin sister! She is seeking you in this very city, her name is Alize-”

Alize clasped the woman’s shoulder. “It’s me Qaaru - I’m Alize! I’ve been Hrumi all along!”

Qaaru’s eyes clouded with dismay. “You?” she wrenched away, “How could you?”

“I meant what I said,” Alize told her, “I want to help you! Get to safety, and I’ll find you when this is over!”

Some of the people fleeing assisted the injured, others left trails of blood as they limped alone.

Alize fell into step beside Hollan once more. Up ahead she caught a whirl of white fabric.

“That’s the banquet hall.” Hollan yelled, “They’re still trying to seal the entrance.”

“No, they’re not,” Alize yelled back, for she recognized what Hollan did not. They had not closed the doors, they had lined them with guards. Guards with yellow eyes and disfigured faces.

“Those are Soul Eat-“ but before Alize could finish her sentence, Hollan rushed forward, sword brandished.

The Kogalok he targeted turned, swiftly, and met his sword grinning. Kogaloks and Deku needed a physical connection separate a soul from its body.

That connection could be through steel.

Hollan sank to his knees screaming as the Kogalok began ripping his soul from him, its light emerging from his chest.

Until Alize struck down the Kogalok. Next to her, Benay executed his partner guard.

Alize extended her hand to Hollan. “They’re Kogaloks Soul Eaters,” she told him, “None but the Hrumi can stand against them.”

Hollan took her hand, gasping. His eyes swam. His other hand grasped the hilt of the dead Kogalok’s sword. As Alize pulled him up, he held it out to her.

“Then you’re going to need this.”

Alize took it, suddenly unsettled. She had seen this blade before. She turned her eyes anew to the dying Soul Eater, his eyes rolled into his head, Alize staggered with recognition. His neck swarmed with red welts that matched those on his hands. She had seen him the night she escaped the citadel. Viken had soultrussed him.

Then Viken must have restored him. Until this instant, Alize had never imagined that such a thing could be possible.

Her mind spinning, Alize could only recall Davram’s words. No one escapes the citadel. Any departure would surely be only with the Deku consent. An idea sank like ice in Alize’s stomach. Had Viken staged that fight? Why would he have wanted her to escape when he could have simply let her go?

All around Alize, the Hrumi surged forward.