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"And now the royal inspector will present the evidence."

The trial had been mercifully swift. Thalia didn't know if she'd ever felt quite so uncomfortable under everyone's stares.

"And in conclusion, I hardly think it was intentional."

"And was it?"

"No, sir."

She tried not to think or feel. Any moment, she feared she might explode again. She wondered if any of the strain was showing.

"…And while I won't argue that point, I feel justified in calling for reparations."

"You say your apprentice was acting belligerently?"

"Yes, milady…"

They set the trial as soon as the blacksmith was able to walk again. His apprentice was still receiving treatment.

"And everyone involved can verify this account?"

"Yes, sir."

Shaina and Elias were there. Thalia was grateful for their support. She also thought she saw Ciaran in the back of the crowd at one point, but she refused to look again.

Hai was ruthlessly efficient. Everyone else seemed intimidated by her.

"And the verdict is…"

Thalia wiped sweat from her forehead, then gathered herself to swing the axe again. Everyone had been convinced that she hadn't meant to do it, but they had sentenced her to do basic work for the blacksmith until his apprentice returned and he could cover the cost of repairs.

She thought it was not only fair, but generous. She would have worked for a hundred years if she thought it would erase the destruction she had caused.

Right now, that meant chopping wood for the forge. When she was done, it would mean working the bellows and being careful not to look too closely at the fire. Shaina had said she had been staring at it, and had moved dangerously close. She didn't want to risk that happening again when she was already doing her penance.

It was all arranged around her studies. As a senior scholar, she often helped the teachers prepare their lectures. Everyone had decided that her help was valuable there as well.

The work was a bit more physically demanding than she was used to, but she didn't complain. She didn't mind the work itself, and she certainly didn't mind that working in the back largely kept her out of public view. Whenever she was in the middle of a crowd, people stared as if she was one of the monsters from the old legends.

She just wished she had the time to properly thank her friends. Her work got her up before sunrise-which she supposed was considered "acceptable"-and kept her busy until after dark. She was left with no time to spend with them. When she did get the chance to talk to them, they always sounded understanding, but it still frustrated her.

With a grunt, she set down the axe and picked up a pile of wood to bring inside. She didn't notice Hai watching from the street.

Ciaran felt Hai's presence as a prickle in his shoulderblades before she walked into the room. He looked up from the wooden board in front of him.

Gavril looked up as well. "Well now. That's two visits in not too much time, and not for events. I wonder what's prompted her to become more social."

Ciaran snorted. "I doubt 'social' has anything to do with it."

"You never know. She does like to dance."

"Well, I get the impression that when she does dance, it's mostly with the Obsidian Guild." He idly pushed a piece around on the board.

"Maybe she wants to try something new. Hey, you going to actually move, or just pretend that piece is dancing too?"

Ciaran gave him a halfhearted glare. "Okay, okay. Just give me a second-hey, wait. There's supposed to be three dice."

"Don't look at me. You'd lose your head if it wasn't attached."

"I wasn't suggesting you had anything to do with it, but since you're so quick to bring it up, now I do suspect you."

Ciaran looked back at Hai. She had crossed the room and was now speaking intently to A'isha.

He stood up slowly. "Eh, save the dice. I'm going to go be nosy instead."

Gavril pouted. "You always find something to obsess over, don't you? And when you do, you never have time for anything else." He rocked back, uncrossed his legs, and prodded at the board with one foot. "Right when we were just starting to get good at this, too…"

"This shouldn't take long."

He casually made his way over to a short distance away, then tucked himself behind a chalkboard on a wheeled frame. It was just close enough that he could hear most of the conversation.

"Of course I'd be glad to, but you think that giving her more access to her magic would cause less accidents?"

"I'm simply suggesting a way to channel it. That would probably give her more control. If not, at least it should burn off some excess energy."

"Well, I guess that makes sense…"

"I assure you, I believe that you are highly qualified to help her." The direction of her voice changed. "And I believe you should come out from behind that board."

He froze. Of course she couldn't have been talking to me…

"Ciaran, was it? You. Board. Out."

His face burned. He stepped out and fixed Hai with his most withering glare. To his chagrin, A'isha was laughing.

"You know you could have just asked later," Hai commented.

"And would that have guaranteed answers? You always give the impression that you don't like anyone questioning your work."

"Then what makes you think I'd appreciate someone listening in on my conversations?"

A defensive instinct began to rise in him, and he clenched a fist as his breath caught in his throat.

Hai noticed and decided to cut him some slack. "Anyway, for all you know, I could have been talking about what I had for breakfast." Her tone was light and teasing. "Ahnmik forbid I should be made to look like such a fool."

He relaxed slightly, but she could still see the suspicion in his eyes. "I doubt you would pay a social call, even though you wouldn't admit to your people that you wouldn't want to spend time around anyone but Nicias and maybe your cousins-"

"Oh, I'll admit it."

He stopped again. Hai smirked. Good. Got to keep him on his toes.

"Now, why are you so interested?"

"Well, it involves one of my friends, and I don't necessarily know if you're looking at everything the right way since you don't really know her, and it probably involves me as well since I was there-"

"What, would you prefer to be her teacher?"

His blush deepened. "N-no. A'isha is the best there is."

"Why, thank you." A shout from across the room caught A'isha's attention, and she began to back away. "I'll leave you two to this fascinating exchange, unless you'd like to discuss scheduling?" She looked at Hai.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's a good time to think about that yet. She's busy paying her debt. Perhaps after?"

"Perhaps after," A'isha agreed, turning her attention to the emerging dispute as she left.

Ciaran and Hai stood awkwardly staring at each other for a few seconds. Then Hai smirked.

"If it's a staring contest you want, you'll get it, but you know what they say about a cobra's eyes…"

"Yeah, whatever."

"So what makes you so interested in what happens to a possibly crazy Avian, anyway?" She crossed her arms.

"Well, I care about what happens to my friends. Wouldn't you? I doubt that even a half-falcon royal who mostly keeps to herself is that different from the rest of us."

"What are 'friends'? Does that require liking people?"

He wanted to either roll his eyes or scream at the catlike smile that never dropped off of her face.

She looked around thoughtfully. "I suppose there's quite a few more Avians here than there were when I arrived." Her eyes paused first on one, then on another, then on Marus.

"And you're…glad?" he asked hopefully.

Her expression turned serious for a second. "Of course. It's progress. Believe it or not, I do want to see everyone getting along, and not just because the sakkri speaks of the pain of war."

Just as quickly as the openness had appeared, it vanished behind the mocking mask. "Of course, even if Avian parents these days still want to disown their children for embracing scandalous Serpiente behavior, they must have realized that letting them become dancers would be better than letting them become criminals in an excess of time and a shortage of support. Gotta keep them off the streets somehow." She lifted one hand slightly and waved it dismissively.

He gave her an odd look. "Okay, ignoring the dig at Uncle Marus for a second. It's actually kind of odd that you should mention 'keeping the children off the streets' in that context…"

"Why, is that what happened to you?" She laughed. "Somehow I can't exactly picture it. Ciaran the problem child, always stirring up trouble and looking for a fight. Or was it because your parents grew frustrated by your opaqueness?"

Teeth gritted, he held up one hand. To his surprise, she stopped talking.

"No, actually. I assume you already know that the dancers' guilds often take in orphans?"

For the first time since he had first seen her, she looked taken aback. "Oh." She looked away, then at the ground. "I…I swear I didn't know. About you, I mean. I know about the service the guilds provide for our society."

"Have you ever heard of Nyshia and Julian Weald?"

She squinted her eyes and put a hand to her chin, racking her memory. "The…the storm. The one that brought the floods, and took so much…"

"And took my parents, too. Uncle Urban found me on a floating log in my snake form. I was old enough to remember them, and certainly to miss them, but young enough that I still consider the other nest children my siblings."

"I'm sorry…"

He sighed, then waved her apology away. "I don't hold it against you. I can tell you didn't mean to dig that deep."

He straightened up. "Besides, it's a point of pride that the Wyvern's Nest will accept anyone, as long as you seek no harm to others. We are all wyverns."

"All, always?"

"All that matter. Those who still cling to hate would be better off ignored. They can't topple a society working toward reconciliation."

"Hm." I can see why A'isha thinks he'd be a good leader-his welcoming attitude is refreshing and almost necessary these days. Still, he might do better to try to understand why some people are too scared to change, so that he might better help them or keep them from harming others.

"And we don't just provide a home for those who need it. Some Avians still see the harja and think we'd all be better off kept behind closed doors, but they forget that during the war, while their culture was disappearing, the dancers kept the Serpiente culture and history alive even when we didn't always have the support of the Cobriana family. In some ways, we are still the Nesera'rsh." This time, it was his turn to throw a slight smirk in her direction.

"Well, I'll give you that the guilds do a good job of it."

"Thanks. I like to think we do, and…well, if you're ever looking for something to do, I'd recommend stopping by. I don't think I saw you at the spring festival, did I?"

She shook her head. "I'm not overly fond of crowds."

He smiled reassuringly. "Not to worry. There's plenty of things to do around here that don't actually require interacting with everyone, even if there is a crowd. You should definitely get out more."

"I'll think about it."

"Besides, it shouldn't be that hard to hide you, if you'd like us to."

She glared. "I don't think that will be necessary."

He made a show of sizing her up. "You're right. My mistake."

"And how are the clouds around that mountaintop? I've heard that the windward side of mountain ranges sure get a lot of rain."

"Nice and stormy, thank you very much."

"And abundant?"

"Of course. When Kiesha danced for the rain, she brought floods, remember?"

"Alright. So you're a bastion of doom and gloom. Duly noted."

He rolled his eyes. "Think what you want of me. I can't stop you."

"I think you seem like the opportune beneficiary of my impeccable wit and charm. Aren't I generous?"

"As generous as a miser. They tell me that the shm'Ahnmik are renowned artists to the point of embellishing everything in their lives into things of great beauty, but I wonder. How do any of you have the time for that when you spend all your time being wicked to each other and everyone else besides?"

She cackled. "You said it yourself-we embellish everything. Don't you know, child? Wickedness is an art form!"

She had thought that one of his eyebrows, which was already raised above the other, couldn't go up any further, but as she began to turn away she saw that she was wrong. She grinned as she walked away.

She continued to laugh as she heard an exchange behind her. "Hey, Vi? Did you find the dice? …Wait, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I stopped waiting for you. You seemed busy, so I found something else to do. And find the dice yourself."

Thalia flew home in a hurry, grateful that she looked like any other crow while in her second form. The open window of her rooms in the tower was inviting after a long and exhausting day. She shifted back, took off her shoes and kicked them under her bed, and stretched as she walked into the other room. The muscles in her back and shoulders screamed in protest, but she refused to withdraw her wings just yet.

I like having them. Here in private no one will look at me like I'm a fool for wearing them openly like a falcon.

She opened a cabinet, tore a chunk off of what was left of a loaf of bread, then slammed the door noisily, making herself jump. With a sigh, she flopped down into a chair.

She chewed vacantly, barely noticing the food despite her growling stomach. She would have to stop by the baker's stall some time tomorrow, and probably finish off what was left of the current loaf tomorrow as well. Any longer and it would grow mold.

At least I'm not about to grow mold from inactivity.

Small, everyday concerns like that would probably slip her mind by tomorrow. She worried about how she was forgetting things more often now. She wasn't sure whether to attribute it to the increased hours or the constant unrest inside her. Her blood still felt like it was made of liquid fire, which she found very distracting.

She stumbled out of the kitchen and back into her bedroom. This time, her wings withdrew of their own accord. With a petulant thought in their general direction, she collapsed onto the bed and was asleep in seconds.

She came to in the middle of the desert. It was evening, and the shades of yellow, orange, and red staining the clouds mirrored the sand around her. She blinked uncertainly, trying to get her bearings.

In a logical part of her mind she knew she should probably be worried, but something reassured her.

I know this place, somehow. It's a safe place.

She pushed herself up and looked to her right. A small pool of water was almost invisible, reflecting the sunset. A few low trees and bushes grew around it. Beyond that was some sort of construct.

She did a double-take. It looked like the entrance to the Wyvern's nest and the stairs up to an observation platform that had been built recently.

The presence in her mind nudged her in that direction. She stood up, shaking out her wings.

The sand was loose, but not unbearably so, as if people walked on it regularly but it still could be stirred up by the wind. The air was the temperature of early summer-just starting to get hot, but offset by a cool breeze. She leaned on a tree as she passed it.

Feels solid.

She jumped across the water on a few rocks that were sticking out of it. She knew she could have gone around or flown over it just as easily, but the inviting atmosphere of the place made it impossible to resist doing something spontaneous.

As she reached the foot of the platform, the breeze blew strongly into her face, carrying a mixed floral scent and…rosemary?

Now where have I smelled that before? I don't think it's any of the plants around here.

Something compelled her to look up. A man was sitting on the edge of the platform, his long legs threaded through the gaps in the railing and his arms folded on top of it. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his arms. The dim light accentuated the curve of his shoulders and brought out hidden shades in his brown hair, orange like his eyes and silvery like the scales of his snake form.

He looked up and let out a startled squeak when he saw her. "Thalia?"

"Ciaran?"

So that was the presence in her mind. She had sensed him there since the festival, but had not been able to identify the feeling. The change had unnerved her, but since she had felt no ill intent, she had not mentioned it to anyone.

He sat up straighter. "I did not expect to see you here. I thought I was alone."

"Oh!" She pulled back, suddenly unsure. "I didn't mean to bother you, and I'm not entirely sure how I got here. If you'd like me to leave-"

"Oh, no, it's fine. I'm just a little surprised."

They both relaxed. Thalia looked around again.

"If you know this place, then where am I?"

"I think we're inside my mind. I come here sometimes…in dreams…in daydreams…perhaps I've even been here in sakkri and not known about it."

Self-consciousness flashed across her face again. "I promise I didn't mean to intrude."

"Like I said, it's fine." He shrugged. "Maybe it gets lonely here occasionally."

She considered his words. "Have I ever been here before?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Have you ever been inside my mind?"

"I don't think so." He paused, then gave her a teasing smile. "Not that I'd have to. For an Avian, you're awfully easy to read at times-" she blushed, "and right now you look as if you'd walked in on me bathing."

"Well, someone's mind seems like an intimate place."

"I suppose, but this-" he waved a hand at the surroundings "-doesn't really seem like an issue."

"Well, if you say so."

Thalia looked around again, her breathing steadying again. Ciaran sat watching her without a word. They took a moment to just enjoy the evening air.

It occurred to her that this was the first time since the festival that she had actually relaxed.

Ciaran eventually broke the silence. "I haven't gotten a chance to ask yet-actually, I probably should have just stopped by-but are you alright? I mean, with everything that happened, and with everything you've been doing after that…" He trailed off awkwardly, then held out his hands for emphasis.

"Ah. I, uh…I'm surprisingly okay, considering? It's tiring, and I don't like the way people look at me now, but it could have been worse." She sighed. "A lot worse."

"I see what you mean, but don't let them get you down. You know yourself better than they ever will."

"Well, that's nice of you to say…"

"Come on." He smiled encouragingly. "I know you better than they do, and I know you're not a bad person."

"Well, ah, thanks…" She hoped she wasn't blushing again. The attention and kind words were appreciated, but they inevitably made her self-conscious again. Still, she was grateful to have friends who understood her.

His expression turned serious again. "But really. If it's stressing you out…"

She kicked at a rock. "It's just so frustrating! I can't control it. I can't, and I don't know how. It's been all I can do to try not to think or feel since it happened. It almost seems like that's the only way I can avoid doing it again, and I don't like it. You know how they used to say Avians can't feel? Well, it's not true. We feel things just as strongly as everyone else, we just hide them better." She kicked at the sand where the rock had been. "Or everyone can but me. I'm the one who's somehow a failure because I sometimes let something through, and then I'm not 'proper'. And now if I even get nervous I might hurt someone. I don't even know if I can tell someone I disagree with them anymore."

Wow, Thalia, just let it all out. You want control, but then you throw it away at the first opportunity.

Ciaran looked thoughtful. "I don't think that should qualify you as a failure."

"Of course you don't." She crossed her arms. "You're a Serpiente. They let you say you're happy or mad. They let you deal with it instead of just pretending you're not to avoid offending someone."

"Well, I wouldn't say it's all good in the southern hills either. What if you don't want someone to know how you feel? There are some advantages to being allowed to not put everything out there." He looked at his hands. "Do you know what they call me for wanting to hold some things back?"

"What do they call you?"

"A liar." He crossed his arms again and grimaced. "For the record, I don't make that many false statements-probably less than the average person." He sighed. "Some people resent A'isha for thinking I should lead the Wyvern's Nest. They don't entirely trust me, and they never think to question why."

"Oh. Uh…I'm sorry to hear that." She shifted her weight, looking at the ground. "It seems a shame they'd say that. I've never known you to be anything but honorable and considerate. Why would they think that?"

"Upbringing, I guess. And because, well…" He stared off at the horizon. Thalia looked behind her, but saw nothing but a flicker of lightning between the clouds.

He gave her a dark smile. "I don't suppose I have to describe the feeling of Anhamirak's magic to you, do I?"

She hesitated, not entirely sure what she was hearing. "No. You really don't."

"They always called it 'high spiritual awareness' as a child. I could never actually use the magic like the Dasi or the falcons, or you, I suppose, but it was just enough to sometimes strain relations. It probably didn't help to be a ward of the nest."

"I'm sorry-"

"No need to be. You had nothing to do with it, and by this point it usually doesn't bother me."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not about to judge you for just being you."

"Thanks. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not judging you either."

"Thanks." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away again.

They both paused, letting the silence flow around them like the breeze.

Ciaran spoke first again. "If you ever just want to come over to Wyvern's Nest again just to get away from it all, feel free to. Gavril and I picked up this new game from a merchant recently, and we're still figuring out how it works." He flashed her a small smile while rolling his eyes. "Of course, it would probably be easier if he stopped stealing the dice."

She laughed. His smile grew a little bigger.

"There. It's…it's good to see you happy, especially now."

"I'll take you up on that as soon as I work off my debt. As it is now I don't have much time left in a day."

"We're not going anywhere."

She was about to say something when she had the sudden sense of being dragged away. A loud noise filled her ears.

She was back on her bed, in exactly the position she had fallen. Her neck was sore from being bent at an awkward angle. One of the other residents of the tower was knocking on her door to wake her up.

Too early, it was morning, and time to start her chores again.

She sighed as she sat up. She was still tired. As restful as her dream had been-and she actually felt better than the previous mornings-it was not enough.

Still, one comforting thought drifted through her mind. She could still almost hear Ciaran's voice.

"We're not going anywhere. We'll be waiting for you."

Description
"And now the royal inspector will present the evidence."

The trial had been mercifully swift. Thalia didn't know if she'd ever felt quite so uncomfortable under everyone's stares.

"And in conclusion, I hardly think it was intentional."

"And was it?"

"No, sir."

She tried not to think or feel. Any moment, she feared she might explode again. She wondered if any of the strain was showing.

"…And while I won't argue that point, I feel justified in calling for reparations."

"You say your apprentice was acting belligerently?"

"Yes, milady…"

They set the trial as soon as the blacksmith was able to walk again. His apprentice was still receiving treatment.

"And everyone involved can verify this account?"

"Yes, sir."

Shaina and Elias were there. Thalia was grateful for their support. She also thought she saw Ciaran in the back of the crowd at one point, but she refused to look again.

Hai was ruthlessly efficient. Everyone else seemed intimidated by her.

"And the verdict is…"

Thalia wiped sweat from her forehead, then gathered herself to swing the axe again. Everyone had been convinced that she hadn't meant to do it, but they had sentenced her to do basic work for the blacksmith until his apprentice returned and he could cover the cost of repairs.

She thought it was not only fair, but generous. She would have worked for a hundred years if she thought it would erase the destruction she had caused.

Right now, that meant chopping wood for the forge. When she was done, it would mean working the bellows and being careful not to look too closely at the fire. Shaina had said she had been staring at it, and had moved dangerously close. She didn't want to risk that happening again when she was already doing her penance.

It was all arranged around her studies. As a senior scholar, she often helped the teachers prepare their lectures. Everyone had decided that her help was valuable there as well.

The work was a bit more physically demanding than she was used to, but she didn't complain. She didn't mind the work itself, and she certainly didn't mind that working in the back largely kept her out of public view. Whenever she was in the middle of a crowd, people stared as if she was one of the monsters from the old legends.

She just wished she had the time to properly thank her friends. Her work got her up before sunrise-which she supposed was considered "acceptable"-and kept her busy until after dark. She was left with no time to spend with them. When she did get the chance to talk to them, they always sounded understanding, but it still frustrated her.

With a grunt, she set down the axe and picked up a pile of wood to bring inside. She didn't notice Hai watching from the street.

Ciaran felt Hai's presence as a prickle in his shoulderblades before she walked into the room. He looked up from the wooden board in front of him.

Gavril looked up as well. "Well now. That's two visits in not too much time, and not for events. I wonder what's prompted her to become more social."

Ciaran snorted. "I doubt 'social' has anything to do with it."

"You never know. She does like to dance."

"Well, I get the impression that when she does dance, it's mostly with the Obsidian Guild." He idly pushed a piece around on the board.

"Maybe she wants to try something new. Hey, you going to actually move, or just pretend that piece is dancing too?"

Ciaran gave him a halfhearted glare. "Okay, okay. Just give me a second-hey, wait. There's supposed to be three dice."

"Don't look at me. You'd lose your head if it wasn't attached."

"I wasn't suggesting you had anything to do with it, but since you're so quick to bring it up, now I do suspect you."

Ciaran looked back at Hai. She had crossed the room and was now speaking intently to A'isha.

He stood up slowly. "Eh, save the dice. I'm going to go be nosy instead."

Gavril pouted. "You always find something to obsess over, don't you? And when you do, you never have time for anything else." He rocked back, uncrossed his legs, and prodded at the board with one foot. "Right when we were just starting to get good at this, too…"

"This shouldn't take long."

He casually made his way over to a short distance away, then tucked himself behind a chalkboard on a wheeled frame. It was just close enough that he could hear most of the conversation.

"Of course I'd be glad to, but you think that giving her more access to her magic would cause less accidents?"

"I'm simply suggesting a way to channel it. That would probably give her more control. If not, at least it should burn off some excess energy."

"Well, I guess that makes sense…"

"I assure you, I believe that you are highly qualified to help her." The direction of her voice changed. "And I believe you should come out from behind that board."

He froze. Of course she couldn't have been talking to me…

"Ciaran, was it? You. Board. Out."

His face burned. He stepped out and fixed Hai with his most withering glare. To his chagrin, A'isha was laughing.

"You know you could have just asked later," Hai commented.

"And would that have guaranteed answers? You always give the impression that you don't like anyone questioning your work."

"Then what makes you think I'd appreciate someone listening in on my conversations?"

A defensive instinct began to rise in him, and he clenched a fist as his breath caught in his throat.

Hai noticed and decided to cut him some slack. "Anyway, for all you know, I could have been talking about what I had for breakfast." Her tone was light and teasing. "Ahnmik forbid I should be made to look like such a fool."

He relaxed slightly, but she could still see the suspicion in his eyes. "I doubt you would pay a social call, even though you wouldn't admit to your people that you wouldn't want to spend time around anyone but Nicias and maybe your cousins-"

"Oh, I'll admit it."

He stopped again. Hai smirked. Good. Got to keep him on his toes.

"Now, why are you so interested?"

"Well, it involves one of my friends, and I don't necessarily know if you're looking at everything the right way since you don't really know her, and it probably involves me as well since I was there-"

"What, would you prefer to be her teacher?"

His blush deepened. "N-no. A'isha is the best there is."

"Why, thank you." A shout from across the room caught A'isha's attention, and she began to back away. "I'll leave you two to this fascinating exchange, unless you'd like to discuss scheduling?" She looked at Hai.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's a good time to think about that yet. She's busy paying her debt. Perhaps after?"

"Perhaps after," A'isha agreed, turning her attention to the emerging dispute as she left.

Ciaran and Hai stood awkwardly staring at each other for a few seconds. Then Hai smirked.

"If it's a staring contest you want, you'll get it, but you know what they say about a cobra's eyes…"

"Yeah, whatever."

"So what makes you so interested in what happens to a possibly crazy Avian, anyway?" She crossed her arms.

"Well, I care about what happens to my friends. Wouldn't you? I doubt that even a half-falcon royal who mostly keeps to herself is that different from the rest of us."

"What are 'friends'? Does that require liking people?"

He wanted to either roll his eyes or scream at the catlike smile that never dropped off of her face.

She looked around thoughtfully. "I suppose there's quite a few more Avians here than there were when I arrived." Her eyes paused first on one, then on another, then on Marus.

"And you're…glad?" he asked hopefully.

Her expression turned serious for a second. "Of course. It's progress. Believe it or not, I do want to see everyone getting along, and not just because the sakkri speaks of the pain of war."

Just as quickly as the openness had appeared, it vanished behind the mocking mask. "Of course, even if Avian parents these days still want to disown their children for embracing scandalous Serpiente behavior, they must have realized that letting them become dancers would be better than letting them become criminals in an excess of time and a shortage of support. Gotta keep them off the streets somehow." She lifted one hand slightly and waved it dismissively.

He gave her an odd look. "Okay, ignoring the dig at Uncle Marus for a second. It's actually kind of odd that you should mention 'keeping the children off the streets' in that context…"

"Why, is that what happened to you?" She laughed. "Somehow I can't exactly picture it. Ciaran the problem child, always stirring up trouble and looking for a fight. Or was it because your parents grew frustrated by your opaqueness?"

Teeth gritted, he held up one hand. To his surprise, she stopped talking.

"No, actually. I assume you already know that the dancers' guilds often take in orphans?"

For the first time since he had first seen her, she looked taken aback. "Oh." She looked away, then at the ground. "I…I swear I didn't know. About you, I mean. I know about the service the guilds provide for our society."

"Have you ever heard of Nyshia and Julian Weald?"

She squinted her eyes and put a hand to her chin, racking her memory. "The…the storm. The one that brought the floods, and took so much…"

"And took my parents, too. Uncle Urban found me on a floating log in my snake form. I was old enough to remember them, and certainly to miss them, but young enough that I still consider the other nest children my siblings."

"I'm sorry…"

He sighed, then waved her apology away. "I don't hold it against you. I can tell you didn't mean to dig that deep."

He straightened up. "Besides, it's a point of pride that the Wyvern's Nest will accept anyone, as long as you seek no harm to others. We are all wyverns."

"All, always?"

"All that matter. Those who still cling to hate would be better off ignored. They can't topple a society working toward reconciliation."

"Hm." I can see why A'isha thinks he'd be a good leader-his welcoming attitude is refreshing and almost necessary these days. Still, he might do better to try to understand why some people are too scared to change, so that he might better help them or keep them from harming others.

"And we don't just provide a home for those who need it. Some Avians still see the harja and think we'd all be better off kept behind closed doors, but they forget that during the war, while their culture was disappearing, the dancers kept the Serpiente culture and history alive even when we didn't always have the support of the Cobriana family. In some ways, we are still the Nesera'rsh." This time, it was his turn to throw a slight smirk in her direction.

"Well, I'll give you that the guilds do a good job of it."

"Thanks. I like to think we do, and…well, if you're ever looking for something to do, I'd recommend stopping by. I don't think I saw you at the spring festival, did I?"

She shook her head. "I'm not overly fond of crowds."

He smiled reassuringly. "Not to worry. There's plenty of things to do around here that don't actually require interacting with everyone, even if there is a crowd. You should definitely get out more."

"I'll think about it."

"Besides, it shouldn't be that hard to hide you, if you'd like us to."

She glared. "I don't think that will be necessary."

He made a show of sizing her up. "You're right. My mistake."

"And how are the clouds around that mountaintop? I've heard that the windward side of mountain ranges sure get a lot of rain."

"Nice and stormy, thank you very much."

"And abundant?"

"Of course. When Kiesha danced for the rain, she brought floods, remember?"

"Alright. So you're a bastion of doom and gloom. Duly noted."

He rolled his eyes. "Think what you want of me. I can't stop you."

"I think you seem like the opportune beneficiary of my impeccable wit and charm. Aren't I generous?"

"As generous as a miser. They tell me that the shm'Ahnmik are renowned artists to the point of embellishing everything in their lives into things of great beauty, but I wonder. How do any of you have the time for that when you spend all your time being wicked to each other and everyone else besides?"

She cackled. "You said it yourself-we embellish everything. Don't you know, child? Wickedness is an art form!"

She had thought that one of his eyebrows, which was already raised above the other, couldn't go up any further, but as she began to turn away she saw that she was wrong. She grinned as she walked away.

She continued to laugh as she heard an exchange behind her. "Hey, Vi? Did you find the dice? …Wait, what are you doing?"

"Oh, I stopped waiting for you. You seemed busy, so I found something else to do. And find the dice yourself."

Thalia flew home in a hurry, grateful that she looked like any other crow while in her second form. The open window of her rooms in the tower was inviting after a long and exhausting day. She shifted back, took off her shoes and kicked them under her bed, and stretched as she walked into the other room. The muscles in her back and shoulders screamed in protest, but she refused to withdraw her wings just yet.

I like having them. Here in private no one will look at me like I'm a fool for wearing them openly like a falcon.

She opened a cabinet, tore a chunk off of what was left of a loaf of bread, then slammed the door noisily, making herself jump. With a sigh, she flopped down into a chair.

She chewed vacantly, barely noticing the food despite her growling stomach. She would have to stop by the baker's stall some time tomorrow, and probably finish off what was left of the current loaf tomorrow as well. Any longer and it would grow mold.

At least I'm not about to grow mold from inactivity.

Small, everyday concerns like that would probably slip her mind by tomorrow. She worried about how she was forgetting things more often now. She wasn't sure whether to attribute it to the increased hours or the constant unrest inside her. Her blood still felt like it was made of liquid fire, which she found very distracting.

She stumbled out of the kitchen and back into her bedroom. This time, her wings withdrew of their own accord. With a petulant thought in their general direction, she collapsed onto the bed and was asleep in seconds.

She came to in the middle of the desert. It was evening, and the shades of yellow, orange, and red staining the clouds mirrored the sand around her. She blinked uncertainly, trying to get her bearings.

In a logical part of her mind she knew she should probably be worried, but something reassured her.

I know this place, somehow. It's a safe place.

She pushed herself up and looked to her right. A small pool of water was almost invisible, reflecting the sunset. A few low trees and bushes grew around it. Beyond that was some sort of construct.

She did a double-take. It looked like the entrance to the Wyvern's nest and the stairs up to an observation platform that had been built recently.

The presence in her mind nudged her in that direction. She stood up, shaking out her wings.

The sand was loose, but not unbearably so, as if people walked on it regularly but it still could be stirred up by the wind. The air was the temperature of early summer-just starting to get hot, but offset by a cool breeze. She leaned on a tree as she passed it.

Feels solid.

She jumped across the water on a few rocks that were sticking out of it. She knew she could have gone around or flown over it just as easily, but the inviting atmosphere of the place made it impossible to resist doing something spontaneous.

As she reached the foot of the platform, the breeze blew strongly into her face, carrying a mixed floral scent and…rosemary?

Now where have I smelled that before? I don't think it's any of the plants around here.

Something compelled her to look up. A man was sitting on the edge of the platform, his long legs threaded through the gaps in the railing and his arms folded on top of it. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his arms. The dim light accentuated the curve of his shoulders and brought out hidden shades in his brown hair, orange like his eyes and silvery like the scales of his snake form.

He looked up and let out a startled squeak when he saw her. "Thalia?"

"Ciaran?"

So that was the presence in her mind. She had sensed him there since the festival, but had not been able to identify the feeling. The change had unnerved her, but since she had felt no ill intent, she had not mentioned it to anyone.

He sat up straighter. "I did not expect to see you here. I thought I was alone."

"Oh!" She pulled back, suddenly unsure. "I didn't mean to bother you, and I'm not entirely sure how I got here. If you'd like me to leave-"

"Oh, no, it's fine. I'm just a little surprised."

They both relaxed. Thalia looked around again.

"If you know this place, then where am I?"

"I think we're inside my mind. I come here sometimes…in dreams…in daydreams…perhaps I've even been here in sakkri and not known about it."

Self-consciousness flashed across her face again. "I promise I didn't mean to intrude."

"Like I said, it's fine." He shrugged. "Maybe it gets lonely here occasionally."

She considered his words. "Have I ever been here before?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Have you ever been inside my mind?"

"I don't think so." He paused, then gave her a teasing smile. "Not that I'd have to. For an Avian, you're awfully easy to read at times-" she blushed, "and right now you look as if you'd walked in on me bathing."

"Well, someone's mind seems like an intimate place."

"I suppose, but this-" he waved a hand at the surroundings "-doesn't really seem like an issue."

"Well, if you say so."

Thalia looked around again, her breathing steadying again. Ciaran sat watching her without a word. They took a moment to just enjoy the evening air.

It occurred to her that this was the first time since the festival that she had actually relaxed.

Ciaran eventually broke the silence. "I haven't gotten a chance to ask yet-actually, I probably should have just stopped by-but are you alright? I mean, with everything that happened, and with everything you've been doing after that…" He trailed off awkwardly, then held out his hands for emphasis.

"Ah. I, uh…I'm surprisingly okay, considering? It's tiring, and I don't like the way people look at me now, but it could have been worse." She sighed. "A lot worse."

"I see what you mean, but don't let them get you down. You know yourself better than they ever will."

"Well, that's nice of you to say…"

"Come on." He smiled encouragingly. "I know you better than they do, and I know you're not a bad person."

"Well, ah, thanks…" She hoped she wasn't blushing again. The attention and kind words were appreciated, but they inevitably made her self-conscious again. Still, she was grateful to have friends who understood her.

His expression turned serious again. "But really. If it's stressing you out…"

She kicked at a rock. "It's just so frustrating! I can't control it. I can't, and I don't know how. It's been all I can do to try not to think or feel since it happened. It almost seems like that's the only way I can avoid doing it again, and I don't like it. You know how they used to say Avians can't feel? Well, it's not true. We feel things just as strongly as everyone else, we just hide them better." She kicked at the sand where the rock had been. "Or everyone can but me. I'm the one who's somehow a failure because I sometimes let something through, and then I'm not 'proper'. And now if I even get nervous I might hurt someone. I don't even know if I can tell someone I disagree with them anymore."

Wow, Thalia, just let it all out. You want control, but then you throw it away at the first opportunity.

Ciaran looked thoughtful. "I don't think that should qualify you as a failure."

"Of course you don't." She crossed her arms. "You're a Serpiente. They let you say you're happy or mad. They let you deal with it instead of just pretending you're not to avoid offending someone."

"Well, I wouldn't say it's all good in the southern hills either. What if you don't want someone to know how you feel? There are some advantages to being allowed to not put everything out there." He looked at his hands. "Do you know what they call me for wanting to hold some things back?"

"What do they call you?"

"A liar." He crossed his arms again and grimaced. "For the record, I don't make that many false statements-probably less than the average person." He sighed. "Some people resent A'isha for thinking I should lead the Wyvern's Nest. They don't entirely trust me, and they never think to question why."

"Oh. Uh…I'm sorry to hear that." She shifted her weight, looking at the ground. "It seems a shame they'd say that. I've never known you to be anything but honorable and considerate. Why would they think that?"

"Upbringing, I guess. And because, well…" He stared off at the horizon. Thalia looked behind her, but saw nothing but a flicker of lightning between the clouds.

He gave her a dark smile. "I don't suppose I have to describe the feeling of Anhamirak's magic to you, do I?"

She hesitated, not entirely sure what she was hearing. "No. You really don't."

"They always called it 'high spiritual awareness' as a child. I could never actually use the magic like the Dasi or the falcons, or you, I suppose, but it was just enough to sometimes strain relations. It probably didn't help to be a ward of the nest."

"I'm sorry-"

"No need to be. You had nothing to do with it, and by this point it usually doesn't bother me."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not about to judge you for just being you."

"Thanks. If it makes you feel any better, I'm not judging you either."

"Thanks." She rubbed the back of her neck and looked away again.

They both paused, letting the silence flow around them like the breeze.

Ciaran spoke first again. "If you ever just want to come over to Wyvern's Nest again just to get away from it all, feel free to. Gavril and I picked up this new game from a merchant recently, and we're still figuring out how it works." He flashed her a small smile while rolling his eyes. "Of course, it would probably be easier if he stopped stealing the dice."

She laughed. His smile grew a little bigger.

"There. It's…it's good to see you happy, especially now."

"I'll take you up on that as soon as I work off my debt. As it is now I don't have much time left in a day."

"We're not going anywhere."

She was about to say something when she had the sudden sense of being dragged away. A loud noise filled her ears.

She was back on her bed, in exactly the position she had fallen. Her neck was sore from being bent at an awkward angle. One of the other residents of the tower was knocking on her door to wake her up.

Too early, it was morning, and time to start her chores again.

She sighed as she sat up. She was still tired. As restful as her dream had been-and she actually felt better than the previous mornings-it was not enough.

Still, one comforting thought drifted through her mind. She could still almost hear Ciaran's voice.

"We're not going anywhere. We'll be waiting for you."