The two hiked up the mountain trail. It was steep and rocky, and it took both grace and endurance to make progress. Thyssa’s old body – aching and uneven – would have had no chance getting up this place. Probably few malforms could. Another stark reminder that the healing water wasn’t for people like her.

She was still curious about the Path of the Mind’s Eye.

“Which path was the right one?” asked Thyssa.

“Left,” said Merryway.

“That’s what you saw in your mind’s eye?”

Merryway laughed, distant and wistful. “That’s what I knew from mom’s stories.”

“Your mother went up the mountain herself?”

“No. She heard the stories from her mother.” Merryway looked at Thyssa, suddenly concerned. “Is the poison acting up?”

“No worse than usual,” said Thyssa. “Why?”

“You looked hurt. Sad.

“I am strong.”

“I can see that. But you can be strong and sad at the same time.” A gleam in their eye. “But I think you already knew that.”

Thyssa looked down. “Don’t worry about me.”

“I want to worry about other people. That’s what makes me human.”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Thyssa’s face felt hot. “I…it’s just…it’s such a long, unbroken line.”

“And your family isn’t.”

Thyssa shook her head.

“Malforms?”

Thyssa tensed up. “What?”

“Malforms got them?”

Thyssa sighed. “Some died to malforms. Some died of hunger.”

“You’re from out of the Walled Garden, too.”

Thyssa nodded. Then she paused. “Wait. You’re not from the Walled Garden?”

“Only the perfect can enter. Perfect cunts, anyway.”

Thyssa laughed, less because it was funny and more because it was cathartic to revel in hate for the Walled Garden. Then she stopped. “You’re not perfect?”

“No?”

“But you’re so strong and clever and pretty!”

Merryway laughed and scratched the back of their head. “Why, thank you.”

Thyssa narrowed her eyes. “You sound surprised?”

“It’s just…people don’t talk to me like that.”

Thyssa looked down. “Sorry. I’m bad at talking.”

“No, I…” They laughed. “I like it! I just…don’t get to hear it a lot.”

“Because you’re not perfect?”

“Well, none of us are.”

“A clan of outcasts.”

Merryway laughed. “The real outcasts are in the Walled Garden. They just…cast out themselves from us poors. Don’t know what they did to themselves to be the specialest ever humans.”

Thyssa sighed. “You envy them.”

“No way. I mean, they’re right fit, but they’re a bunch of creeps. I don’t know if they even know how to live outside of their city anymore.”

“You’re nicer and prettier than any of them I’ve met.”

“And that’s the kind of thing I never hear from my clan.”

“Why?”

“Well, they’re, uh, intimidated. I’m the Matriarch’s eldest and all.”

“You’re important.”

Merryway’s face looked grim. “I’d be a lousy replacement for mom.”

“That can’t be true!”

Merryway shook their head. “You don’t know her.”

“No. I don’t. But…why send someone as important as you for such a dangerous task?”

Merryway looked at Thyssa, then suddenly perked up. “Well. Because I’m so strong and clever.”

Thyssa nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Still,” said Merryway. “I’m glad I don’t have to do this alone.”

Thyssa grinned. “You would have, if you hadn’t been there at just the right time.”

“I’m lucky like that.”

“I would have thought I was the lucky one.”

Merryway smiled and shrugged. “My good luck’s contagious.”