The Chosen

Things had always been simple in Ianthe’s world. There were the Royals, the Chosen, the Nobles and from there the lesser folk in the kingdom.

It was a common hope that when a youth turned 20, they would become one of the Chosen. It was uncommon, exceedingly uncommon now, for one of the Chosen to be uncovered. Still, the poor and lowborn prayed for it, families put all they had into an especially gifted child in the hopes that they would be revealed as Chosen when they turned 20.

The numbers dwindled year after year as fewer and fewer Chosen were born and the Elders all spoke of what would happen when the day came that the Chosen were so few that they would no longer be able to benefit the kingdoms.

The Chosen were the only reason the four kingdoms came together. Miovia, Mareshomese, Lucana and Mjennic would be warring nations if they hadn’t had a tentative truce to be able to send their Chosen to the Illarum.

As the number of Chosen dwindled, the truce became more and more tenuous. Were the few Chosen worth the power they were giving up? It was a fine balance that was argued on every side.

The year before, the entire kingdom of Miovia had only 4 Chosen born among its citizens and the king weighed his options on staying in the accord. Once again, he put it off for another year and instead focused on the incoming offers on his daughter’s hand.

She would be twenty in one short month and as soon as she was a week passed her birthday, she could be wed. That was the minimum amount of time a noble or royalty was allowed to wait before they could be married, though most waited longer. There was an actual 20 day leeway from your birthday if you were going to be Chosen, one way or the other depending on the full moon. For royalty and nobility, it was a formality. There had never once been a Chosen born from any class higher than the merchant class. It was some sort of unwritten rule that the gods only chose from the lower ranks.

Ianthe was feeling anxious as she paced, waiting for the Lady Amelia to return. She hadn’t been allowed to the throne room for the past ten days while her father took offers for her hand. Her friends Amelia and Liah had both done their best to glean information for her, to see who was in the running for her hand. So far it was the Lord Santino, even though he was twice her age with a daughter only slightly younger than she was. It was a smart match though, and her father would be smart to take it. It was likely few men would be able to beat his offer, or would try given his resources.

Turning again, Ianthe stopped short, staring at the form in all black stepping into her room from her balcony. Her very high balcony, 11 stories above the ground. Gripping her stomach, fear lanced through her, but she couldn’t scream or cry out. She was frozen in place as the being approached her and took hold of her left hand. It pulled her arm out straight and turned her arm so her wrist was up, then, with a blade of light, it drew a rune into her wrist.

Ianthe was finally able to move again, released from whatever magic had held her, once the form had slid out of sight on the balcony. Running to look, she saw nothing but the darkness and shadows cast below from the full moon.

The full moon. The night the Chosen were marked if it was near enough to their 20th birthday.

Ianthe stared down at the glowing rune, the light already beginning to dim.

With a sick feeling, she sent for her father immediately.

He was upset at first, assuming she had sent for him to find out word of who he was entertaining. He had barred her from the feasting below, knowing that if she were to make a choice among the suitors, he would be unable to say no to her, even if he wasn’t the best match. He’d never been able to say no to her.

After she told him what happened, his face had gone pale, and then angry.

“You have been Chosen, Ianthe,” he grated. “I do not know why! It is unfair for them to take you this way!”

“But isn’t it a good thing? To be Chosen?”

“Perhaps for those below, but for us? We don’t need it!”

“Then I won’t go!”

“You must. You have to go… without training you may die. Your own gift will destroy you if you cannot control it. There is no question of not going, my love. You will go and you will train, then when you will return you will be twice the prize! But this is very important, Ianthe. You can let no one there know who you are and no one here can know you were Chosen. Tell no one, do you understand? You have fallen ill. I am sending you to the healers at the Barathrum. That is what I will tell everyone, that you have fallen to the palsy and I am sending you to be cured. Once you have returned to me, we can announce that you were Chosen. Until then… NO ONE can know you are at the Illarum. If anyone else finds out you are there and unprotected, it would be too large a temptation to try and take you.”

Ianthe nodded, looking down at the rune again. It looked like nothing but a small scar now, almost unnoticeable unless you turned it just right. “When must I go?” she asked, trying to sound brave.

“Now. Tonight. You must bring nothing, my little Ianthe, those are the rules. Wear a simple dress, bring nothing with you and go outside. Find the highest point you can and stand and wait alone. No one may watch, no one may wait with you. That will be the east tower, Ianthe, up where the scorpions are placed. Go now and find a dress, ask Hipatia to use one of her daughters dresses. Tell her you mean to spy on dinner below and she will let you. Change quickly and hurry. I love you, Ianthe. Return to me soon and remember to tell no one who you are. Pick another name for now, for your training. Go.”

Ianthe hugged him quickly, not bothering to hide her tears as he tried hard to hide his own. In less than an hour, she was climbing the ladder and pushing up onto the high tower with the four scorpions pointed out past the city walls.

It was cold, the wind bitter up here and she didn’t know what she must do now. Wait. Should she just stand there? Could she sit? Get out of the wind?

A cloud covered the moon for just a moment and Ianthe looked up at it. When she looked down, a white griffon stood in front of her, it’s eyes the same glowing silver as the moon.

“Oh!” Ianthe yelped, shocked as she stepped back.

Turning, the griffon showed a saddle on it’s back and a small double stirrup so Ianthe could climb up. She was expected to RIDE on this creature?!?

She supposed she was. Stealing herself, she hurried to the animal and climbed up, settling herself quickly and trying no to let fear overwhelm her. Spreading its giant wings, the creature ran towards the edge and hurtled itself off, gliding away from the castle with a graceful ease.

Ianthe looked back in amazement, even as she began feeling dizzy and out of focus.

She woke alone in a bed, a simple cot made of old canvas. It was uncomfortable and her body ached as she moved to sit up, looking around at the stone walls of the tiny room. There were no doors, just openings into the hall and Ianth could hear that she was not alone as she moved to peek out.

“Hello?” a male voice called.

“Where am I?” a girl asked.

Ianthe peeked out and the man was in the hallway, moving down to look in another room. “Where are you from?” the man asked, looking in the further doorway.

“Mareshomese? You too, you sound like.”

“Yes. We’re in the Illarum!” he told her excitedly. “We were Chosen! Weren’t you? Chosen?”

“The shadow? That locked me all up and wrote on me with the light?”

“Yes! The same happened to me, then the eagle came and got me! Come on, let’s go see where we are!”

The man turned and noticed Ianthe peeking out.

“Hello!” he called with a smile.

Ianthe felt panicked. She couldn’t let anyone know who she was and her accent would give her away immediately! Instead, she waved at the man, then the girl as she peeked out.

“Three of us! All at once!” the boy breathed. “Mareshomese had only five all of last year and now 3 all at once! This is exciting!” he laughed. “I’m Toliver, what’s your name?”

“Janine,” the other girl offered, looking Ianthe over.

Ianthe shook her head slightly and turned away, moving down the hall to the door.

“You don’t have a name?” Toliver asked congenially.

“Maybe she can’t talk?” Janine offered.

“Can you talk, little one?” Toliver called, catching up as Ianthe reached the huge wooden door.

Reaching passed her, he pushed it open and they all looked out into a large, circular stone room. There was a fire in the fireplace and a tray with bread, cheese and fruits on it, as well as a pitcher of water. There were no other doors, just the one they came in. There were three couches arranged facing each other and Janine went in and sat on one looking amazed.

“This is so lovely! Feel how soft they are! And look at that! Is that fruit? I’ve heard of fruit, but never thought I might see it! Or taste it!” she breathed, leaning in and picking up a grape. “It’s so sweet!”

“I’ve had apples plenty of times,” Toliver spoke up, also picking up a few grapes. “But never these. What do you suppose they are? I grew up on a farm, how about you?”

“I was in the city, my ma was a washerwoman at the laundry and I am too. What did you do on the farm?”

“Grew apples. Lord Hallowary’s orchards.”

“Hallowary cider? I heard of that! What about you, there? Don’t you want to try these little blue fruits? They’re very sweet!” she called.

Ianthe glanced at Janine, shaking her head slightly as she looked around. As she turned a full circle, she realized the door they came in was gone. Running to where it had been, she pressed on the wall and tried to feel where it was.

“Would you look at that!” Toliver laughed. “Magic! How soon till we learn do you suppose?” he asked Janine.

“Dunno, but I hope I have the healing touch! They do so well in the city, they’re like royalty!”

“We have a Chosen with the growing touch come out to the orchard every year! Hallowary hires him to come out and touch the trees every spring! Wouldn’t mind having a growing touch! What about you, little one?”

Ianthe looked at him again, then looked around the room, wondering how they were supposed to get out.

“Come and sit down,” Janine called. “Dunno where you’re from, but you needn’t be afraid. I know it ain’t Mareshomese, but even if it’s Lucana or Miovia, we won’t care. Once you’re in the Illarum, once you’re Chosen, that’s all there is for you. There’s no more division. It’s the law here. And what do we care for all their politicin’ anyways? Ain’t like their problems mean anything to any of us, that’s why they always Choose our kind. Cause we don’t care about who’s from where.”

“You’re wrong,” a loud female voice announced, making all of them jump and turn to her. “You do not get chosen as you imagine. Your ability to wield magic is born within you.”

Ianthe looked over the tall, handsome woman. She was as large as a man and built like one, but stunning in a way that made you stare.

“So why do nobles never get chosen?” Janine asked.

The woman smiled slightly. “It is uncommon, but not unheard of for a blue blood to be chosen. The problem with… nobility is too much intermingling of the blood lines. Their family trees have too many… shared branches so to speak. Innate magical ability is hereditary and very very few nobles lines have it. Since they stay within their own lines and don’t branch out, they have no gifts surface. There are times, though, when a line comes in contact with another line and they come together after many many generations and create someone who is gifted. Chosen.

“My name is Felina and I am here to answer a few questions and go over the rules before taking you into the Illarum.”

“We aren’t IN the Illarum?” Toliver asked.

“Not quite yet… we are… at the entrance, so to speak. Sit down, all of you. I would have each of you speak your name to me… or the name you wish to adopt if you would like to step away from your old life. Leave it behind as some do.”

“We can pick new names?” Janine asked excitedly.

“A great many do. They associate their old names with the lives they had before coming, many times not very nice lives. They want a new name for their new life. Will you be taking a new name, then, Janine?”

“Yes, I… how did you know my name?”

“I know all of the names you all arrived with.”

“Yes! I’ve always loved the name Evanora! I met a lady once and her name was Evanora and it was just SO lovely to hear it and say it!”

“Evanora then,” Felina smiled.

“I’ll keep Toliver,” Toliver grinned. “It was my fathers name, and his fathers name. Good enough for me or anyone.”

Felina gave him a nod and a smile, then looked at Ianthe.

Ianthe looked at her, blushing, but couldn’t come up with a name she would mind being called for however long this all took. She was still in shock over all of it! The nobility and royalty didn’t obsess over the Chosen like the commoners did.

“We can always come back to it at the end,” Feline told her gently.

“We don’t think she can talk,” Evanora spoke up.

“Perhaps when she feels the time is right, she will have something to say,” Felina told her. “Now, let us go over the rules here first. I am sure you know most of them already. There are no countries here, no allegiances to your old lives. The Illarum is of all and of none. Not a hard lesson for most to learn, but for some this may be a difficult thing to master.”

“How soon do we find out what touch we have?” Evanora asked quickly.

Felina gave her another patient smile. “You will all be sorted into your respective gifts once we are inside. You will live with and train with your fellows.”

“Will we all be together?” Toliver asked, his eyes flickering to Ianthe as his cheeks turned pink.

“You will live and train only with those who you share a touch with. After today, none of you are likely to see each other again until your training is over. Perhaps you may see each other out in the world, or here if you stay after training. Many Chosen live here after training.”

“So you know that none of us have the same touch?” Evanora prompted.

“I know that none of you have the same gift,” Felina agreed, amused. “I know what your touch is, but I will not tell you. That is for another to do and not my place. The next rule is about listening to your instructors and doing as you are told. You are all adults now and not children, so you will be treated accordingly, but you WILL respect your instructors and follow the rules. If you do not, you will be bound from your gift and sent away. Your free time is your own, but you will not try and leave the Illarum or bother any of the other students. You will not leave your level and try to gain entrance to another level. You will not harm another student, an instructor or yourself. You are not required to make friends or even be friendly here, but we do recommend it. There are services here for a great many things, we encourage you to make use of as many of them as you like, especially learning to read and write. If you do not need these services, please refrain from being judgemental of those who do.”

Felina went on, but Ianthe only half listened as she looked around the room again. How had Felina come in? Was it truly magic? What sort of magic? The others had spoken of touches and healing and growing. What else was there? She wished she had been more interested and learned more about it, but it had all seemed like some sort of commoner fairy tale to her. How long was this going to take?

“Are there any questions?” Felina asked, standing.

No one spoke as they all stood as well.

Felina looked at Ianthe, still smiling patiently. “If you like, you may choose your name once you are placed. I know how overwhelming this can all be for some. Come, all of you.”

Turning, Felina walked towards a wall and as she got close, a light appeared in it. As Felina passed through the light, it became a door into a large atrium full of trees, plants, glass windows overhead and sunlight. It was beautiful and majestic, even to Ianthe.

A diminutive young man stepped up, giving them all the same patient smile Felina had. “Welcome, new students! Come this way and we will get you to your new homes! All you need do is step into this door here and you will be sent to your level. You will each have a guide there waiting for you! They will be students as well, but further along than you and used to things, they will help acclimate you and answer the more specific questions you might have about your individual gifts.”

Evanora didn’t hesitate, rushing up into the lighted doorway. There was a small flash and the girl was gone. Toliver was more hesitant, but he stepped up and in slowly, also disappearing in a flash of light.

The boy looked at Ianthe, still smiling. “It won’t hurt, you have my word. There’s no reason to fear anything here. If you’re afraid, I can take you through?”

Ianthe lifted her chin and walked up to the doorway, then blinked.

She was in a pergola outside in a garden, gauzy white curtains shading her from the sun.

“Welcome!” a smiling, bubblingly cheerful girl called.

Ianthe looked her over, then gave her a neutral nod.

“I’ll take you on the tour and take you up to the dormitory for your training group, but I can only do that after you decide on a name? Do you not want to keep Ianthe? It’s a truly lovely name. If you’d rather, we can call you Orchid? As your grandmother used to? It means the same without giving your real name.”

“Orchid is fine,” Ianthe agreed with another nod. How much did they all know about her?

“Come then, Orchid, I will show you around!”

“May I skip the tour?” Ianthe asked softly. “What is this place? I was never trained with any knowledge of the Illarum.”

“Yes, I suppose you would not have been,” the girl smiled sadly. “I am Lavora, by the way. You are in… well… this level is to train those with a mind touch. We are similar to those with healing touch, but we work in the mind. Much of what we do is removing bad memories, altering memories. That sort of thing. Not you, though. This is just as close as we could get you. Your touch deals in the Spirit, Orchid. You will dwell here and spend your time among the Mind touch Chosen, but you will train alone.”

“What is the difference between mind and spirit?”

“Mind can alter a memory, Spirit can enter a mind and give a whole new memory, real or not. Spirit can enter dreams and change thought patterns. Make a bad man good. A good man bad. It is very dangerous in many ways. If a Spirit is strong enough, they could enter a mothers mind, make her kill all of her own children and she will wake remembering none of it. Or she will wake remembering it and raging about why it needed to be done. Those with this gift… they must be watched carefully. If they come into their gift and do not have the right temperament for it, they are bound without ever knowing they had the gift. You will be the first to train here as Spirit in over two hundred years.”

“Hello Lavora,” an older man spoke, walking up to the pergola. “I see you are giving our new student entirely too much information. As soon as Marcus told me you were to be the liaison this round, I knew I had to get here right away. I fear I am too late.”

“I’m sorry, Paul?” Lavora asked uncertainly.

“Not your fault, Lavora. I should have been up earlier knowing the new ones came in today. No one imagined a Spirit would be brought in. It’s fine, child, run along. I will see to Ianthe’s inprocessing. Go speak to Marcus.”

“She has decided on Orchid,” Lavora spoke up quickly.

“And yet it has not been changed?” Paul spoke, an eyebrow quirked. “Child… you have to actually want the change for it to work. You need to either convince yourself you want to be called Orchid, or you have to agree to let people hear your real name. I know your reticence, but things aren’t like that here. Anyway, if they know what your name is and what it means, then you cannot hide here. Your purple eyes will give it away. They cannot know one and not the other, do you understand?”

Ianthe looked him over, then gave him a small nod as Lavora disappeared down a long walk.

“Very well. Good. Ianthe then, it is settled in your mind. I will walk you to the first phase dorms. This isn’t like a school, Ianthe, you won’t be moving ahead on a schedule or as a group. Some have been in phase one for a year, some for only a month. Everyone moves at their own pace. As strong as you are, I imagine you will be moving to phase two quickly. Phase three is usually the longest phase, then four the final phase is more about getting you ready to go back out in the world with your gift. Ianthe… you do need to understand this. A princess you may be in that world… but you can never live there again. I can bind you and send you back to live as royalty, let you marry the man your father chooses for you, or you can stay here and train.”

“Other Chosen have families! They get married and go home!”

“So they do. But they are not Spirit and they are not in positions of power where their gifts can be used to take over. As a Spirit touch, you must decide to give your life to the Illarum and remain here. You may still marry and have a family, but it will be of your choosing and for love, not for power.”

“Can I see my father again?”

“Of course. Depending on your decision, he will know as soon as you tell us what your decision is.”

“May I think on it?”

“Of course, Ianthe. Your loyalty to your father is laudable. I must say it is more laudable that you aren’t considering how to gain this power and use it to his advantage. You are only debating the merits of being bound and returning, or staying and remaining here. Once you learn more about yourself, you will be able to close yourself off so you aren’t so easily read, but as a Mind Touch, it is easy for me to see. Had you had different thoughts… you’d already be back home and bound. As it is, I encourage you to stay, Ianthe. You are the sort of person we need here at the Illarum, we’ve been waiting a long time for you. You are how we can send new lines of magic out into the world and start filling the world with magic again.”

“How?” Ianthe asked, shocked.

“Dreams,” Paul smiled.

Ianthe looked around the small dormitory. It was nice, for what it was, comfortable looking. A large, round tower with windows all the way around it and breezy. There were seven insets between each of the huge windows and in each inset was a bed with shelves and a wardrobe. A curtain covered the inset as well if anyone wanted privacy. Five of the insets were taken, clothes and books piled around. Two were empty and Paul had said she could choose either. She would have two days before her own training would start.

Looking around, she wondered how long until the others would show up. Paul said he would assign her another liaison, Lavora wasn’t suitable for her. Lucian would come around for her as soon as his lessons were complete and show her where she could get herself some clothes, her books and other things.

Ianthe moved to one of the windows and looked out, and then down. The tower wasn’t a tower at all, just a large round room suspended in the air. There was nothing beneath it, it seemed to just be floating above the large lake below. Another view showed the cliff next to the lake and the high waterfall. It was beautiful.

“A new one?” A man called, making Ianthe jump and spin from the window.

Five people stood in the middle of the room looking at her. Two girls, three boys.

“You must be Ianthe?” a tall man with a deep voice called. “I am Lucian.”

Ianthe looked the man over, confused. She’d never seen a man like him and she didn’t know his accent. He was dark! So incredibly dark his skin looked like it was made of the night. His eyes were just as dark, but when he smiled, it seemed to light up a joy filled face.

“You have never seen a Macostan, yes?” he asked with a booming laugh. “I always know. My looks are strange to you, yes? But your looks are strange to me too, little Ianthe. Look at you! Such a small thing? Hair so pale it seems like you spun the moonlight and your eyes. I’ve never seen eyes so purple. Like the ianthe flower. Where are you from then, that you look so, Ianthe?”

“Where is Macosta?” Ianthe demanded, confused. She’d never heard of such a place.

“The other side of the world,” he shrugged.

“She’s Miovian,” another boy spoke up with a scowl. His accent said he was Lucanan.

“Hi,” one of the girls smiled, also Miovian. “I’m Allyra! Welcome! The alcove next to mine is open if you want?”

Ianthe gave her a tight smile and a small nod.

“I am to take this one below, yes?” Lucian smiled. “Show her where she can find clothes and get books and all she needs, yes? It is good then, let us go, little Ianthe!”

“I can come too!” Allyrra called excitedly.

“Paul tasked you with his then, little nosy nosy?” Lucian chuckled. “Perhaps another time you may show her the things you girls all like. This time is for me to speak to her as the head of our group, yes?”

“Just because you’ve been here the longest doesn’t make you our leader,” the first boy who had spoken sneered. “Just means you’re the slowest.”

“Ahh, now that is a way to think of it then, yes? Perhaps I stay because I enjoy it and do not wish to move ahead with those who are so sour. This one who cannot smile,” Lucian told Ianthe, pretending to be quiet but speaking in a loud whisper, “he has only been here a month, yes? Already he will be ready to move on to next phase. He thinks this makes him better, but others of us know better, yes? It is to get him out of our hair so we can all smile and breathe easy again!”

“Dissemble all you want,” the man scowled. “Fact remains you’re all idiots and slow as cold molasses. Ianthe. Stupid fucking name, you should have picked a different one. That one makes you sound pretentious. Don’t you know only the stupid royal family in Miovia are named after purple flowers? Even the fucking men. Should’ve kept whatever name you had before, it wouldn’t have sounded nearly as stupid.”

“Why don’t you go ahead and pack, Ellison?” Allyrra asked. “You’re so keen on getting up to phase two, no one here is going to miss you.”

“You’re just upset you won’t be able to come get in bed with me anymore,” Ellison told her, his lip curling. “Upset I told you no, I had no interest in matching with you for after.”

“I only said you should have told me FIRST!” she yelled angrily. “Before… everything. You should have said up front that you didn’t want to match, not after!”

“YOU shouldn’t have assumed grabbing a man’s cock and jumping on it was going to make him want to keep you!”

“Let us not show this ugliness, yes?” Lucian called loudly. “Ianthe, come. I will take you below,” he called, holding a giant hand out to Ianthe.

Ianthe moved closer, but avoided touching the huge man, edging away from touching anyone as she moved to the center circle. Ever since Paul had said they were Mind touch chosen, she had been terrified to touch any of them.

Lucian stepped into the circle with her, then spoke softly. “Emporium.”

Ianthe blinked and looked around at the circular atrium, different from the first she had seen. Lucian quickly led her out of the circle in the center, then stood and let her look around. There were seven doorways in the large circle leading into seven shops, all different. One had clothes, that was obvious from the mannequins displaying dresses. Another had stacks of books, another seemed to have odds and ends of things like stationary, quills, ink, paints, chalks, pencils, paintbrushes. The next one had a variety of games. Cards, boards with pieces, balls and mallets and devices that looked to belong to games she’d never seen or heard of. Another had more fabric and thread along with needles and yarn and hooks. Another had what looked like chunks of wood in every size and small carving tools and knives and gauges.

“Are all of these places filled with things for us to do in our idle time?” Ianthe asked Lucian.

“It is a way to think of it, yes? Things we enjoy, things to ease our minds, relax us? This one? It is for cleanliness, yes? Soaps, oils, tooth scrubs, elixirs. It is good. Come. You must speak to see about your dressing, yes? You speak to her, say what you like, draw what you like, describe. She does it, yes? You may pick any you like! You can be a queen or a servant as you like. Many who try to dress fancy do not do it long. It takes time, yes? Very much time and very much effort. They come to know the reasons of servants and people who dress them, yes? It cannot be done without help.”

“I see,” Ianthe nodded, saying nothing. It was true that there was no way she could dress herself in her normal clothes. It took two servants to stuff her into her dresses and lace them up. She had no want to bring attention to herself anyway. When the woman smiled at her, Ianthe told her she could do whatever she liked, she would trust her judgement.

The woman beamed happily as if that was what she’d been hoping to hear.

“Dolin has a Weave touch. It is not common, but it is not as sought after as some touches for some reason,” a woman piped up from a stack of fabric as ‘Dolin’ disappeared into a back room. “You’d think queens and nobles would all want a gown made from a Chosen, but for whatever reason, they never do. It’s almost like it’s too easy. They’d rather pay someone to work on it for a week than ask for what they want and have it appear in their hands in minutes. While it’s true not every Weave touch has the artistic gift in them, Dolin does. Some can only replicate what they are shown, but she can do real magic with her creativity.”

“That’s nice to know,” Ianthe told the woman, wondering why the woman was looking at her so significantly. “Do you work here as well?”

“Oh, no, child. I am an Ink touch. Also not common and not sought after, but also someone who should be. I can replicate any ink, any page, any drawing, or create my own. Still, I seem to only be wanted to replicate old bound volumes and rare scrolls. Never to make art or do something noteworthy. Any scribe can copy text! I can make ink dance on the page!”

“That is quite amazing, I’m sure it would be lovely to see. Have you thought of perhaps marketing yourself? If you can do as you say, that is. Make yourself a parchment large as the side of a wagon and tell stories with your ink. Make the stories come to life and move.”

“What an… original thought. While it’s true I cannot move ink once it is dry, if I keep moving it and never let it dry, I think I could do as you say.”

“Perhaps keep the parchment damp. Or even saturated,” Ianthe suggested. “Or use fabric and keep it wet.”

“Clever girl! Splendid ideas all. I will try your little trick, Ianthe, and tell you if it works. If it does, I will come to you and have you be my very first audience.”

“I would like that,” Ianthe nodded as the woman hurriedly left.

“That was an odd conversation, yes?” Lucian asked. “You touched her mind enough to know her dreams and had a solution for her. I think you will not be long with us, little Ianthe, you will be in phase two next cycle.”

Ianthe blushed. “You… cannot tell that I’m not like you?” she asked softly.

“Not like me? Not a Mind touch? Aren’t you?”

“No. I mean… umm. I guess I am? But not quite the same. I am a bit different. I thought you could all tell?”

“We are first phase Mind touch, little Ianthe. We cannot know your thoughts yet, we don’t even know how to close our own minds yet. If you are not Mind, what are you?”

Ianthe shrugged. “Paul said he was putting me with others who were like me, but I wasn’t to discuss it with anyone but my own instructors. Just like none of you can discuss your magic with those who don’t share your power?”

“This is true,” he smiled. “Just so, I did think you were one of us. We do not yet know the difference just by being close. It is a thing we will learn, yes? We have time. Here now! Dorin, that is lovely!” Lucian called as Dorin came out with a lovely purple flowing gown the same color as Ianthe’s eyes. It was sleeveless, Ianthe immediately noted, not something she had ever seen, but had noticed another woman wearing earlier. A toile fabric, light and sheer draped across one side and all the way down the floor length gown, all gathered at the waist. It looked comfortable and light, even with the draped, open back.

“I will have half a dozen more sent to you!” Dorin smiled. “All will look just as lovely as this one if not lovelier!”

“This is stunning, thank you! I… have never worn something this… revealing. I have seen others wear clothes a bit like this here… is this normal here and not too… risque?”

Lucian laughed a full belly laugh. “Little Ianthe, this is not revealing, no? This is nice. Comfort and beauty, yes? There is no wrongness to it.”

“It’s fine,” Dorin smiled. “You are Miovian and I know you are all used to covering every square inch of skin, but it’s not as cold here and this is very in fashion. No one will think you are showing too much skin! No one! Well. perhaps Miovian Royalty, but they are not here and we are not there!” she laughed. “It is fine, you are a lovely flower and it will look splendid on you. If when you go back to Miovia and you happen upon royalty and they put a nose in the air for what you wear, you can remember that you are Chosen and Chosen even of the lowest caliber are better than the highest of royalty.”

“I thought Royalty was above the Chosen?”

“They would like to think so! No, child. No, you are above even a king now! They are only human, after all. We are Chosen. We will see nations rise and fall, kings and queens come and go in our lifetimes. Come now and try this on! I would see you wear it!” she laughed musically.

Ianthe tried it on and came out feeling unsure.

“Little Ianthe! If I were not a gentleman, I would ask to take you on a walk in the moonlight, yes?” Lucian laughed, his eyes sparkling. “You do things to my heart and my body in that dress! It is perfect for you!”

“You do look a sight!” Dorin agreed, clasping her hands at her breasts.

Ianthe looked down, still uncertain, then looked back at Dorin. “You are good at this. Looking at a person, seeing what would look good on them, what shape is most flattering. I have little chest to speak of, so you layered there and gathered at my waist to make it look more full. Flared at my hips to give a roundness that is more than I have. You are very clever with your use of fabrics and color. You wish to have a queen show off your gifts? Make you famous. Go to her, look her over from afar, see what would suit her most. Make it and give it as a gift. When she sees what you can do, sees how masterful you are, she’ll never let anyone else dress her. Word will spread and soon royalty will come to you for everything. You will be able to pick and choose who you dress.”

“I… I could see how that might work… but… for free? I should just give her a dress for nothing, not even ask her if she would like to…”

“No. Have it sent to her and she will try it on. When she sees it, sees what you can do and how she looks in it, she will want you to do it again and again. You are a master at your craft and you are wasted here when what you want is to dress queens.”

“Do you really think it will work?!?”

“One way to find out.”

“I will! I will try it! I… I’ll finish your dresses and go tomorrow!”

Ianthe gave her a smile, then blinked in shock as the woman hugged her.

As they left, Lucian looked at Ianthe again. “You did it again, little Ianthe,” he rumbled gently, taking her arm and leading her off to the side as she looked at the books.

“Did what again?” she asked, looking around.

“Saw into what they wanted and gave them the way to see it done.”

Ianthe paused and thought about it. “It was only logic,” she told him with a shrug. “To listen to what they spoke of and think of the best way to do it.”

“Not normal paths, not either path. Not logical to most people. You saw the way. Is that your gift? Your touch? A Path touch? A path to dreams? I’ve never heard of such a thing, yes? But it seems to be what you have. Is that it?”

“No,” she smiled as a man approached quickly.

“Ianthe! Paul spoke to me about your needs,” he smiled. “I will have to find your books, I don’t have them on hand. I will have them before you need them though, I promise! I will send them to your first class.”

“Thank you,” she told the man, nodding her head. “I guess we are done then, Lucian. We should go back?”

“You aren’t going to tell him how to fulfill his dreams?”

“How do you know he isn’t it living his dream?” she asked teasingly.

“You are an adorable little one, aren’t you?” he chuckled. “The moon is still full this night, would you walk with me?”

Ianthe laughed, shaking her head. “If I understand what that means to you and your people, then I must decline. That is not our way, to be so open to one we are not wedded to.”

“I have heard some places do not allow coupling before a union. A strange thing to forbid, but I would not ask you to go against your customs and beliefs. If you change your mind though, the offer is there. I would love to show you the pleasures you are missing out on.”

“I will keep it in mind,” she told him, trying not to blush. Was this really normal conversation for other people?

She looked him over again as they walked, still blushing. He was a handsome man and he cut a very striking figure. He had no way to know who she was, not in the real world, yet he had expressed an interest in her.

Perhaps he expressed an interest in every girl. She knew there were men like that in the world, she had heard stories. Maybe he had only been teasing, or flirting or being nice. Maybe that was how they tried to make women feel welcome. This was all so incredibly strange to her.

“Phase one,” he spoke as they stepped into the circle.

Ianthe looked around the circular room and Allyrra immediately jumped up, smiling. “You’re back! You look adorable, oh my goodness! That dress looks stunning on you! I wish I’d asked for that style now!”

Lucian put a giant hand on Ianthe’s shoulder. “When you need to go somewhere, you need only step in the circle and express intent, yes? The speaking is not required, only the thinking. I spoke for your benefit.”

“Thank you, Lucian, for everything. Thank you Allyrra, Dorin is a true master at her craft. If you will both excuse me, I think I will take that bed there,” she smiled, motioning to the closest empty bed.

“Ianthe, a moment,” Paul called loudly from the center of the room. “Would you come with me please? I apologize to all of you, it seems Ianthe was placed incorrectly and she will be moved to her proper level now. You may say your goodbyes if you wish.”

Ianthe felt a small pang of sadness as she turned. “It was lovely to meet you all,” she told them as Allyrra looked confused.

Lucian smiled at her like he understood. “It is well then, yes?” he asked with his shining smile. “I would have talked you around and then be bound to wed you, yes?”

“You are likely right,” Ianthe agreed, though she wasn’t quite sure what she was agreeing with.

Lucian’s joyful laughter followed her as Paul led her back to the pergola she had begun at.

“I’m sorry, Ianthe,” Paul apologized. “It seems…”

“Are you going to bind me and turn me away?” she asked sadly.

“No. No, child, but… it seems your gift has expressed a wish to be used. We are in unfamiliar territory and we did not know that just being within the walls would awaken your gift so much. Already we are losing two of our valued Chosen to your gift,” he smiled. “Not a bad thing, to be sure, but… I would ask that you try and be… less helpful at the moment. I understand that you don’t fully grasp what it is you are doing. WE don’t fully grasp what you are doing. We only know your gift presents as your spirit seeing to the heart of their spirit. For many, it would not be such an obvious thing, but you are more worldwise than most. You’ve seen many things that most have not, things most would never imagine. So where answers might not come to most, they come to you. You can read people, you were trained at a young age to read facial expressions, mannerisms, tone, everything. Those are things many do not take into account. For you it is a matter of course, so it is not unnatural for you to see how a thing could be done. If, for example, your friend Allyrra had your gift. She might know Dorin had a want to style royalty, but she would have no way to see how to do it. You know royalty, you know how to make them notice. You recently saw a man who had a lovely device that fascinated you, a zoetrope he called it. Ink spinning so quickly it looked like a monkey swinging limb to limb. When Collette spoke of her ink, you thought of the zoetrope and the moving ink and the making of a story with moving ink. These are solutions no one else would know because they’ve not had your life experience. The Illarum, it is drawing your gift from you beautifully. The trouble is, we have not taught you control or how to shut yourself out yet. Still, you cannot be with the phase one’s, your gift is too advanced and they have no way to shield from you as you sleep. Phase two’s have more control and can shut you out. You will have to begin with them, I’m afraid. It is a larger dorm, more people. I have contacted Avery to be your new liason. He is not as personable as Lucian, but he is very practical and knowledgeable. He is waiting to meet you,” he told Ianthe, then reached out and touched her shoulder.

Ianthe stood in the center of a larger circular dorm with three levels, each larger than the last. The bottom level had seven insets, like phase one did, but the row above had nine, and the row above that had eleven. Both the upper levels were open to the common room below with balconies and two curving staircases.

The man who stood waiting for her looked like he’d never smiled in his life, his expression permanently sour. “Ianthe?” he snapped.

“What is she doing here?” the man from earlier in the day demanded. “She just arrived today, she’s not phase two! She’s lost! Send her back!”

“Silence, Ellison! Ianthe?”

“Yes?” She answered softly.

“Your bed is on the second level, this way. Dorin already sent along your wardrobe along with your sleeping gowns and undergarments,” he spoke in a clipped, professional way as he walked to the nearest stairwell. Ianthe had to almost run to keep up.

“She isn’t supposed to be here!” Ellison yelled again from the third level.

“She did just arrive today,” Lavora spoke worriedly as Avery walked by her and her alcove.

“It is no one’s business!” Avery yelled to the entire dorm, everyone watching now. “If the Masters say she is ready for Phase two, then we do not judge! We do not know! What I DO know is you will not speak of your gift with her, she is not Mind touch. You will not ask her of her touch. If she is here, she belongs here! You will make her feel welcome. Lavora, Paul already spoke to you, did he not? He told me to remind you of the price of speaking out of turn.”

“I won’t!” Lavora cried quickly, fearfully. “I promised I wouldn’t!”

“All of you go back to what you were doing and let Ianthe settle in.” Avery swept back a curtain and motioned to a bed in an alcove all done in purple. “Master Paul had it redone to make you feel welcome,” he told her, then stepped back. “Do you have questions?”

“Ianthe?” the girl in the next alcove snorted, coming around the side and leaning to look into Ianthe’s alcove. “Like the Miovian royals? You think that’s clever? Are you that stupid? You won’t ingratiate yourself to anyone picking that name, you should pick another.”

“I told her the same thing,” Ellison called.

“Or are you the one single insipid girl in all of Miovia who looks up at the royal family all doe eyed and wistful?” the woman asked derisively. “You want to be one of them? You want to be the princess Ianthe? Sold off like a whore to the highest bidder so daddy can spend more gold on a military that is already grossly over bloated? Build a few more ships with her royal pussy?”

“I heard she’s a frightful thing,” a man from the first floor called, also Miovian. “I had a cousin said his mum saw her once. She delivered oysters up to the castle’n saw her. They had her chained up in the kitchen, feedin’ her scraps, keepin’ her out of sight of the men who come round to look at her. They was gonna sell her off sight unseen! Princess Ianthe, the creature!” he laughed.

“Oh, I heard she was pretty enough,” the mean girl laughed. “Also heard she was a whore herself. Loved to tie men to her bed and use them up, then torture them for her pleasure. Keeps a jar full of balls next to her bed. Also heard she has her own special throne with a big hole in the seat. She lifts her skirts to sit and hold court and all the whole day she has a man locked down there licking her pussy. She even shits and pisses on him and if he don’t lick it all up, he hangs at the end of the day and his balls go into her collection. Heard a few times she’s even had ladies locked in there, the ones who said bad things about her. One lady did her so right she had a screamin’ orgasm right there in court. Other nobles thought she’d had a fit, but her closest friends knew what was what. They all took turns with that lady, passin’ her around and making her do it for all of’m! I heard she keeps her chained up in her room to this day to please her every night before bed.”

Ianthe was horrified. Spinning away, half dizzy with disbelief, she sat on her bed and clutched the blankets.

“Listen at alla them talkin their nonsense,” a man called softly from the other side of her alcove. “Listen ta none of it, girl. Ianthe is a lovely name, despite who ya share it with. Make it your own. Anyways, it matches your eyes, doesn’t it? That’s why ya picked it then?” he asked with his Mjennic accent.

“I…” she breathed, trying to think. “I… yes.”

“Easy now girl,” the man called soothingly. “Don’t let their course talk get to ya. Ya get used to it. I’m Dominic. Real name, never changed mine. Lovely ta meet ya, Ianthe. Don’t mind Shayna there either. She was the queen bee here till Jallilla came. She don’t like playin’ second fiddle to no one and now she gets defensive when any girl comes round. If she focused half as hard on her lessons as she did on putting other women down, she’d be third phase already. She was an old hand when I was new’n she’s still here. Jallilla’s been gone two whole cycles now and she still has it out for her.”

“Shut up you stupid little ginger,” Shayna snarled.

“She thinks that’s an insult,” the man laughed and Ianthe finally turned to look at him. He was a slender man, and not very tall as men went. He was the sort of man who was going to grow more solid, but still had a smallness to him that made him seem younger than he was. He also had very bright red hair. Ianthe blinked, staring at it. She had heard the Mjennic had red hair, but she hadn’t imagined it as so… bright. She had thought perhaps a brown with reddish hues. No. His hair was very red and his skin as pale as her own with freckles. His brown eyes smiled along with his mouth though, and she could feel the contented joy rolling off of him. “Well now. You are a lovely wee lass then, aren’t ya?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “It isn’t a wonder Shayla’s being so vicious right out the gate. I imagine she felt threatened the moment she laid eyes on ya.”

“As if I could possibly be threatened by a girl shaped like a nine year old boy! She looks like an old doll someone put on a shelf and forgot, not a bit of color to her at all. Not even her hair. She looks like a drawing that was begun and never painted after her eyes. It’s like they saw she wasn’t worth it and tossed her away to work on something better.”

Dominic grinned and gave Ianthe a wink. “Yes, very threatened. Don’t worry over her or Mr Competitive down there. He thinks this is all a race. We’re all fairly nice for the most part. Dunno what happened with you and Lavora, but I’m surprised she’s not here becoming your new best friend already. She loves everyone.”

“I met her this morning… I think perhaps she was told to stay away from me when it became clear she knew more than she should about me.”

“Ahh, that happens from time to time. The Illarum filters the information to the liaisons to greet the new students. If students who are thrown into the most likely matches, like the Seed touch was grouped with the Growing touch, and they get a Growing liaison who is given too much information about someone they aren’t supposed to know about… well. They have to be careful. It doesn’t happen often, but it does happen. In those cases, the liaison in question has to be sworn to silence or bound. Usually they catch them, though. You usually know an ‘Off touch’ as they are referred to, by Master Paul escorting them. He handles all of the ‘Off touches’.”

“Shut up already, Dominic!” Shayla called, having retreated back to her alcove on the other side of the wall. “She isn’t going to fuck you. You can tell by looking at her that she’s a prude. She’s probably some merchant class bitches maid or something, they always have the loftiest goals. Stupid pretend ladies maids the merchants get their daughters. Ridiculous.”

“Well, she could have actually been a whore,” another man called. “Can’t think of much worse than THAT, Shayla. Leave off the new girl or we start telling stories about you and your old life.”

“Like I care!”

“That’s why you were keeping it a secret until I recognized you!” he laughed.

“And what does it say of you that you were my best customer?” she demanded hotly.

“That I was lonely and was too smart to get married! I was gonna pay for it either way and I wanted the cunt but not the nagging! You were cheap!”

There was laughter all around the room then.

“All of you be quiet!” Avery snapped. “It’s 9 PM and that’s quiet time before bed for those of us who actually study!”

Everyone went quiet, but Dominic rolled his eyes and came into her alcove, sitting next to Ianthe on her bed. “It is quiet time, but we can still talk as long as we don’t disturb t’others. So tell me, wee Ianthe, what were you in your old life?”

“I’ve never met anyone from Mjennic,” she told him instead of answering.

His eyebrow shot up again. “You’re the first Miovian I’ve spoken to who knew what Mjennic was, let alone what one’ve us looks like or sounds like. Makes me think perhaps you were a dockworker’s daughter, or shipworkers daughter? Am I close?”

“What were you, Dominic?”

“Just a farm boy,” he shrugged. “No one special.”

“I was no one special either,” she answered, looking down at her coverlet.

“Well now. Not often that phrase turns out to be a lie, is it?” he asked softly, his eyes searching.

Ianthe stood up, blushing. “I wanted to be someone… someday,” she told him, flustered. “Are you trying to read me right now?” she demanded. “Use your touch?”

“Sorry, Lass, it’s almost second nature to practice now and you so open as ya are. My apologies, t’won’t happen again, on my honor.”

“I should get ready for bed and put my things away,” she told him, moving to her curtain and taking hold of it. A clear dismissal.

He stood and gave her a sad smile, but left with a nod.

Ianthe was happy to note that when she closed her curtain, it seemed to somehow adhere to the sides of the alcove seamlessly, not a single gap. It also blocked out all sound completely, and all light. When she closed the curtain, a small glow began on an orb on her headboard. It was all very clever!

She changed into her nightgown quickly, then moved closer to the orb, wondering how it worked. How did she turn it off so she could sleep? Touching it slowly, fearing it might burn her, she found it cool to the touch. She tried pressing on it, then tapping it. When she tried to turn it, her fingers slid on it and it turned blue. Immediately, the alcove got colder and colder until she slid her fingers the other direction in a circular motion. The glow turned red and the room got warmer. Stiflingly warm. Quickly, she spun it back until it was cold again. She preferred the cold. It felt like home. Playing with it more, she found that sliding her finger up brightened the orb and down dimmed it until it turned off. Tapping it turned it on to a middle level. Very convenient and ingenious!

Turning it off, she crept to the curtain and opened it a crack, listening to see if anyone was talking.

Did those people really believe those awful stories about her? Were they making them up to be cruel?

There was no sound at all and Ianthe noted most of the curtains all around the room were closed. A few were open, including Avery’s. She could see him below almost directly across from her, sitting on his bed and reading. Scribbing on a pad every once in a while. Two bays over, a girl was laying on her stomach, also reading. On the third story, a man and woman were standing in one of the bays at the foot of the bed, leaning into each other and smiling as they whispered. The rest were all closed that she could see from where she was.

Quietly, she closed the curtain and got into bed, turning the orb off. As tired as she was, she couldn’t sleep. Her mind wouldn’t stop tormenting her with the awful stories and visions of the common people telling each other horrible things about the royals. Of them believing them. It was horrifying to imagine people actually thought those things! Or even saying them even if they didn’t think them. Why were people so cruel?

A sound made her stiffen. The curtain had stopped all sound, so what had she heard? A brush of fabric, movement? A step?

A hand on her mouth made her cry out into it in panic.

“Shut up,” a low voice hissed in her ear as a heavy body climbed into her. “I know who you are, princess,” the male voice rasped angrily. “Scream all you like, no one can hear you with the curtain closed. If I told everyone who you were, they would hate you. Despise you. Make your life here hell. Do you know how much we hate your kind here, princess? Not named for the princess, you didn’t choose the name when you came here. You kept it. Stupid, prideful bitch. Did you think no one would know who you were? Do you know the reward I would get for ending your life? It would be worth more than being bound! I could have whatever I wanted if I brought your head home,” he laughed darkly into her ear. “So you will be very quiet for me and you will keep your entitled mouth shut about all of this, do you understand?” he hissed, yanking the blankets back and groping her breasts through the blankets. “Answer me!”

“Yes!” she answered, sobbing and gripping his wrists, trying to pull his hands away as he squeezed roughly.

“Don’t fight me,” he growled, reaching down and yanking her gown up.

“Please! Please don’t! I’m begging you! I cannot do this! You musn’t do this!”

“Shut up! I’m gonna have me some prime princess cunt,” he snarled. His fingers groped at her mound through her underclothes and she let out another choked sob. His fingers pinched her pussy lips roughly as he licked her face, tasting her tears.

“Get off of her,” another male voice demanded loudly, his accent Miovian. “Get off her and do not bother her again.”

“Fuck you! Get out.”

“Go or I summon Paul and the other Masters.”

The man on top of Ianthe rolled off of her and she let out a relieved cry as she pushed her gown down and yanked her blankets up, shaking. There was movement, then silence as the curtain was closed again.

“I will stand watch,” the Miovian man whispered, sitting next to her on her bed.

Ianthe jerked and whimpered reflexively, but went still at his words.

“No harm will come to you, Princess,” he promised softly, laying next to her on top of her blankets.

“Who are you?” she asked, trying to quell her tears.

“I am no one,” he answered. “Sleep. I will stay close, they will not bother you again.”

“They?”

“There are two who know who you are. Try and sleep.”

“Why do they hate me?”

“Envy.”

“Why are you protecting me? Do you think the things they think?”

“No. Sleep, Princess.”

“I cannot. I want to go home! I will let them bind me!”

“It will get better, princess. Stay at least until the next cycle. They haze all newcomers, it isn’t personal for most of them. You were not raised as they were, they don’t see it as cruel as you do. You are used to a genteel life, they are not. This is common for them, they are used to giving and getting the same. Stay clear of the Mjennic. He has a way with girls, but only once. They fear him after the one time and he never pursue’s past the first time. It is a sport to him, to change his act for each new face. Lure her into his bed. I do not know what happens behind his curtain, but no girl has ever been happy about it. He is not as nice as he seems.”

“This place is horrible.”

“There are those who make up for the bad. More good than bad. We are just not as vocal. You will see.”

“Are you certain he won’t come back?”

“Yes, not so long as I am here.”

“What’s your name?”

“Sleep, princess. I must sleep as well, I have class in the morning. Not so long for me and I have been up, watching for them to see if they came to you this first night. I thought they might wait a night or two to get their nerve up. I am glad I did not go to sleep right away.”

“Thank you for coming. I… do not think I could sleep with you in my bed? It is inappropriate.”

“Is it better than the alternative? I must sleep and if I sleep in my own bed, they will have access to you.”

“Can I not lock the curtain somehow?”

“No. Try and sleep, please.”

“How did you know who I was? I’ve never known anyone who was Chosen?”

“More people know jack fool than jack fool knows people.”

“Am I a fool?”

“No, princess, it is only a saying. It means you are well known to everyone, but you know only those close to you. Goodnight.”

“Who were you? In Miovia?”

“You assume I am Miovian?” he asked. “I am perhaps from another place, yes?” he asked, his accent changing completely. “Or you might imagine I am from a place unknown?” he asked, his accent changing again. “It is certain I am everyone and no one,” he spoke, his accent taking on a lilt she had never heard. “Or I am unknown to all, no?” he whispered, speaking like Lucian had spoke.

“That is a very clever trick. Are you a spy?”

“Perhaps I am an actor? A stage fool to take on a new face every hour?” he spoke again in another accent.

“I get the point. You will not say. Why do you want to hide who you are from me?”

“I will keep you from harm, princess, but I will not be your friend. Do not look to me for protection of a day. I will deny all knowledge of you and never protect you again if you try,” he spoke almost angrily.

“I understand,” she whispered, feeling wounded.

“Sleep now,” he demanded.

Ianthe did not speak again, but she did not sleep either. She was still awake hours later when he got up and slipped out of her bed and her bay as silently as he had come. Moments later, the orb light came on above her, flickering as a chime sounded.

Jumping up, she quickly pulled her curtain wide open and went to the balcony looking around in the bright sunrise. Every curtain was closed that she could see, none of them moving. Not one opened for several long minutes, then they all started opening a few seconds from each other.

Avery was first, coming out of his bay shrugging a long jacket on before tying a sash on it. He sat at one of the two larger tables without looking around, fixing himself a plate of the food that was on the tables.

Ianthe watched as everyone came out and sat down, but no one looked at her but Shayla who gave her a sneer in her nightgown.

“There’s a lovely sight ta wake up to,” Dominic called with a grin. “Most of us dress before coming out, lass,” he chuckled, headed down to the tables.

Ianthe darted back to her room and yanked the curtains, hurriedly dressing before rushing down to one of the three empty chairs. Still, no one looked her way hardly at all and the ones who did only looked curious. None looked angry.

It was frustrating!

“Ianthe,” Avery snapped in his clipped, no nonsense way. “You have no class today. You may look around at the Emporium and find a few things to do, walk the gardens or go to the atrium to learn the histories of the Illarum. There are other amenities to learn here as well. Reading, writing, that sort of thing. I suggest reading first, it helps with lessons if you can read the books.”

“Thank you, I will look around,” she told him softly.

“Don’t try and go anywhere you shouldn’t. You can go here, the emporium, the gardens or the atrium for now. When your classes start, you can go there. I suggest you spend all the free time you have learning to read as quickly as you can, it really does help.”

“Thank you, it will be my top priority,” she told him, hoping that the others believed that she couldn’t read. Most commoners didn’t read, it wasn’t a widely known practice unless you were nobility or one of the higher merchant classes. Reading, schooling was something frivolous. Not important. Working was important. She had to remember the differences and act accordingly if she didn’t want people to know who she was. If those who knew didn’t tell everyone just to make her miserable.

Why weren’t they?

If they knew, why weren’t they telling everyone? Had Paul told them not to? He had to know everyone who knew, he’d known everything about her after all. He had to know who would recognize her. Had he told them not to tell, but they planned on trying to make her think they would tell if she told on them? Who was her secret guardian? It was someone large, she knew that, but that was most of the men here. There were only three men it couldn’t be. Avery, Dominic and an unknown man with mousy brown hair and spectacles, his book open in front of him even as he ate.

A few at a time, they all went to the circle in the middle of the dorm and left until Ianthe was left alone. She took the time to tour the dorm and look into the bays, trying to find something incriminating without actually looking inside of anything. They all looked very much the same. Beds, clothes, books, a few other things like art or wood carvings. One bed had sewing set aside on it, a lovely embroidery done in a delicate hand.

Shayla’s room was untidy and there were stacks of papers with crude writing like she had been practicing.

Sighing, Ianthe went down and went to the Emporium to look around.

Paul caught up to her in the book shop, looking at the love stories. “Hello Ianthe. I heard you had some troubles last night. Have no fears, I spoke to Ellison about his competitive spirit and to Shayla about her crude behavior. It will not happen again, they both assured me. You are free to take as many books as you want from here, just return them when you are done. If you wish to cook, I have made the kitchen open to you on the Path. They are aware of your hobby now and would welcome you, if you wish it.”

“How many people here know who I am?” she asked him as soon as he stopped speaking.

“A great many I suppose, most anyone from Miovia, some from other places. You are a somewhat known personage. Most don’t know you’re here and you will never run into them unless you spend a great deal of time here or the atrium.”

“You gave me to understand people would not recognize me. That if they knew my name it would be no more of a giveaway than my eyes.”

“And so it is not, but how many get close enough to see your eyes? A name is said aloud, your eyes are noticed up close. Ianthe is a well known name across many kingdoms, not just the kingdoms known to you. Miovia is one of the power nations, you are the princess. Your name is on the lips of people who do not believe you to be real. A white haired, white skinned girl with bright purple eyes, named for the purple Ianthe flower. It sounds made up. A girl whose skin cannot be touched by the sun for more than a quarter hour, else she grows gravely ill.”

“It is a condition,” Ianthe blushed. “It is not the way of all my family.”

“No, you were born that way, white as snow from hair to toe with haunting purple eyes. A feast was raised in your honor, you were considered an omen from the gods. For an entire week, the kingdom celebrated for the bounty of Ianthe. If you read it in a book, would you not imagine it were just a story? And if she appeared in front of you one day, the girl from the stories, with the very same name, the right age, would you know it was her? The Ianthe. Born with the gift of Spirit touch, the only touch considered the pure touch? The white touch? It was no accident you were born as you were, Ianthe, or that you were allowed to keep your gift when none else were. My suggestion to you would be to keep yourself close to your dorm when not in class. Make friends who would not mind bringing you things from the Emporium. Do not make yourself overly known. Do you understand?”

“I do, thank you. Must I tell someone I have these books?”

“No, child, just take them and return them when you are done. Send another with them if you can. Go on now,” he smiled.

Ianthe turned, then paused. “The other beds, they are all browns and tans and neutral colors. Why is mine purple? Why did you single me out that way?”

“To make you feel more at home. Do you not like it?”

“It’s fine… I just felt like it drew attention.”

“The others may choose a color to their taste, but they never do. They feel it makes it more permanent. Third phase usually does it right away though. Your first lesson will be closing yourself off. You project your thoughts more than most.”

Ianthe left quickly, wondering what it was others felt from her. She spent her day curled up in the common room near a window shere she could see the waterfall. All day she hoped someone would pop in, eat lunch perhaps. None did. No one returned until afternoon and she watched them as they all appeared a few at a time, one right after another. As they came in, food appeared on the tables and they all went right to the tables to eat.

Hiding her book under a cushion, Ianthe got up and sat at the closest table, looking around again.

“I’m Mina,” a tall girl smiled, looking over at her.

“Ianthe.”

“I heard. Sorry I was closed off last night and didn’t say high, never knew you showed up till the others said something today. Miovia, huh? Lucana myself, but I don’t hold it against you. I saw a man who looked like you once. All white with white hair. Completely blind though, with light blue eyes.”

“Oh…” Ianthe stammered, though she wanted to ask questions. Her doctor had told her it was a condition afflicting very few people, but she’d never heard of anyone else with it. A commoner wouldn’t have had a doctor though, or seen one. Maybe a midwife if they had coin enough.

“Don’t get me wrong, you look stunning,” Mina went on. “Anyway, what did you pick as a hobby?”

“I… umm… I haven’t yet. Avery suggested I learn to read first.”

“Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Most people do that phase one. Well, I’ve been learning to sew and I guess I have a knack for it. Kinda like it. I’ve made all the girls here handkerchiefs, you want one? I can make one with an Ianthe flower? Do you know what they look like or did you just pick the name because of the stories?”

“Umm… I know what they look like. I would love to have one, if you would like, that sounds lovely. Thank you. No one’s ever made me anything before,” she told the girl honestly.

“Well, I like doing it and what good does it do me to have a pile of handkerchiefs for myself?”

“Still, it’s a lovely gesture, thank you. I’ll have to find a way to return the gesture.”

She talked to Mina the rest of the meal, trying to look around to see if anyone was paying attention. Most people weren’t, only Lavora who was watching wide eyed like she wanted to join them but was too afraid. Ianthe gave the girl a smile and Lavora smiled back quickly, then joined them, still looking spooked. In an hour, Lavora was smiling as well and talking with them as they sat on one of the couches.

Ianthe noticed several people sitting close enough to hear and listen, but half were in their own rooms. No one was sitting in the opposite sitting space, they were all sitting close enough to listen if they were out there.

Ianthe began asking names and smiling, talking to everyone. Dominic she knew, and she only gave him blank smiles, not wanting to encourage him. The other two men sitting with them seemed more interested in the girls they were sitting with than being near Ianthe. She kept glancing around to see if anyone was watching from the balconies or their rooms. She noticed no one.

As the evening wore on, the group seemed to rotate, some going to run errands, some returning from them, some studying, some taking a break from studying.

Men looked at her as she introduced herself and talked, but none of them seemed angry or overly interested. The three men who never came around were Avery, who was sitting fifteen feet back on his bed reading. Ellison who was up on his bed, probably also reading, and the mousy haired boy with spectacles who looked like he was drawing something. Even Shayla came down and sat aloofly, but spoke up when addressed.

Ianthe was usually good at reading people, but she couldn’t tell who was being false with her and who wasn’t. It was maddening. There were 24 people there besides her and she felt as though she should have been able to glean enough information by talking to them to know who hated her and who her protector was.

Night came and she went up to her bed, sneaking her book up with her. She didn’t read, though, she sat there thinking about what would happen when the lights went out and trying to comb over faces and conversations in her mind. She’d been nervous enough that she’d only flitted over faces, glancing quickly, then looking away. She didn’t want any of them to know she was looking for them, though they had to know. Why else would she make it a point to speak to everyone and include everyone after one of them had obviously tried to rape her the night before?

Sighing, she set her book aside and lay down when the lights went out. As exhausted as she was, she couldn’t sleep as she lay there tensely, waiting.

She didn’t have to wait long, she heard the soft whisper of fabric and she went stiff, ready to bolt.

“Sleep, Princess,” the man whispered, laying down on her bed next to her. “And stop trying to find out who I am.”

“I was looking for them!” she cried defensively.

“Stop. No good would come of it. Sleep, you are safe.”

Ianthe sighed, but was asleep in moments.

She woke alone when the lights flickered and this time she got dressed before opening her curtain.

Dominic was waiting on her. “G’mornin then lovely lass. Sit with me for breakfast?”

“Oh, no thank you Dominic. I have no wish to encourage you.”

“Is that the way of it then?” he asked sadly. “Then I’ll just hafta settle for friendship I s’pose and hope you come ’round.”

“I won’t,” she told him, almost coldly. “If one girl warned me off of you, I might think it jealousy. Two and I might think you were a tease. Three, a womanizer. All of them, though? I won’t come around, Dominic, move on.”

“I see then,” he chuckled. “They just don’t like the same sorts of fun I do. Perhaps you do. Never know till ya try, eh?”

Ianthe didn’t answer, passing him and going down to the tables. There were three empty seats, two together, so she sat between two men she hadn’t really talked to much the day before. “I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name,” she smiled at the one on her right.

“Grastad,” he told her, turning to look down at her as he finger combed his long black hair out of his face.

“You’re with Shayla?”

“I was sitting next to her,” he nodded, his accent deeply Lucanan.

Ianthe turned to the other man. “And remind me of your name?”

“We never actually met,” he smiled. “Baron.”

“Lovely to meet you then,” she smiled back. “Is that a Mareshian accent?”

“It is,” he grinned.

“I’ve not met many from Mareshomese.”

“Mason there too,” he nodded, pointing to the man with the spectacles. “We had four show up in my cycle, but none came here. Seems like most Mind touch are Miovian and Lucanan.”

“We do have larger nations,” Ellison spoke up. He looked at Ianthe then, still scowling. “Sorry I was rude to you yesterday… you didn’t have to tell on me though. Or Shayla.”

“I didn’t?” Ianthe told him, confused.

“I did,” Avery snapped. “You’ll not act that way here and it be allowed to slide. You don’t have to be friends, but you will be civil.”

Ellison gave Avery a glower, then looked back to Ianthe, blushing. “Sorry,” he shrugged. “I didn’t know you were put here because the phase ones messed with your gift by not walling off.”

“Avery!” Lavora hissed urgently.

“What? I didn’t say what her gift was, I don’t even know what it is! He just told me she’s here because they can’t close their minds to her yet like we can!”

“All of you be quiet and eat,” Avery scolded. “Ianthe, do I need to come back here for dinner break and help teach you to read?”

“Thank you for the offer, but I think I can manage it,” she told him quickly, horrified by the thought of the terse little man with the angry expression trying to teach her anything.

“Good. If there’s anything you need, make a list. Paul told me he’d rather you stay here until you had control of your gift. Have it ready by this afternoon and I will retrieve it immediately.”

“Thank you. Are there… baths here anywhere?”

“No one told you where the bathing chambers were?” Avery demanded.

“No.”

“They are only open between 7 and 9 of an evening. You can go with Olivia tonight, she goes every night. Most use the washbasins in their rooms.”

“I have been, but… sometimes a bath is relaxing. Thank you.”

Ianthe was restless and bored when everyone left, wandering the dorm again. This time she stepped into the rooms and peeked into wardrobes and perused the papers on the desks. She wanted some definitive proof.

By evening she had found none and she was back in her chair near the window when they all came back. Avery went to her and snapped up the list next to her without a word and strode militantly back to the circle.

“Odious fellow,” she giggled as Mina and Lavora sat with her.

“He’s very… single minded and rule oriented,” Mina agreed. “You can sit out on the patios if you like? You don’t have to stay inside,” she told her as more people sat down.

“Oh, I can’t be in the sun for very long,” Ianthe told her. “My skin burns easily and I get very sick when it does.”

Lavora laughed then as if Ianthe had made a joke.

“Didn’t you listen when you were in-processed?” a tall man she remembered as Finniel asked, his accent Lucanan. “There is no sun… You’re inside the Illarum. Everything you see out there is illusion. There’s no water, or sky and we aren’t floating. That’s just how it looks. The places we transport to and from are in what are called Arca’s. Places where they can make us see whatever they want. Even this is an Arca. You didn’t listen at all?”

“I… I was preoccupied a bit,” Ianthe blushed.

Mina chuckled. “Don’t worry over it at all. Most of us can’t remember half of our first day either, it was overwhelming.”

Ianthe still felt embarrassed and a bit in shock. She had loved the thought of being suspended in the air! Knowing she was in a big stone building seemed to lessen the beauty of it now.

At dinner she sat near Mina, but also near another man she hadn’t really talked to yet. She tried to be more thorough that evening, but she still came up with nothing.

That night when the man came in, he grabbed her by the face and hovered over her. “I told you to stop trying to find out who I was!” he snarled angrily. “I am NOT your friend and I am NOT going to help you of a day or cater to you or talk to you! Let it go or I will allow them access to you! Do you understand?”

Ianthe nodded quickly and he let her go. She spun away quickly, trembling as he lay next to her.

“Why do you keep it so fucking cold in here?” he growled, getting under her blankets for the first time.

Right up until that point, she had assumed he was Miovian. A Miovian would not have considered this cold. He was one of the others and that narrowed her list considerably.

Again, he was gone come morning.

At breakfast she spoke only to the girls and the few men who struck up conversation with her. She didn’t look around or try and read anyone.

Her first class was listening to an older man going on and on about learning to close herself off and how important it was, but he never actually tried to teach her anything. Not that day. Her afternoon was free, Paul told her she could learn nothing else until she could wall herself off, but her teacher couldn’t spend the entire day with her, he had other phase ones to teach.

A routine began for her, her morning in class learning to close herself off, her afternoon alone with a book, her evenings with her new friends and trying hard not to be too conspicuous about looking at people as she was spoken to. Her silent guard came every night, but she had stopped trying to speak to him. When she needed anything, she left a list on Avery’s bed and he put it all on her bed without ever speaking to her.

He did finally come to her in the third week, stepping into her bay and closing her curtain. “You did well pretending not to be able to read at first,” he told her tersely. “But you dropped the act completely, especially when you made me the list. I gave you the opportunity there to say you couldn’t write, instead you simply made the list. It is too late now to pick the act back up, I just thought you should know that you can continue to read your books when we are all back of an evening. You have a fine hand, elegant even. I would ask of you a favor in return for retrieving things for you.”

“Alright,” Ianthe nodded nervously. Why had he told her that? How had he known she was pretending? Despite the obvious blunder she had made with making the list.

“I… wish to write a letter to a girl, but it cannot be in my hand. It is too well known. I will write it, give it to you to copy in your hand and ask that you deliver it while you are here alone. Would you do that?”

“Of course!” Ianthe smiled. “A love letter?”

“If you must know,” he nodded, blushing.

“To who?”

“You will find out soon enough, but please use discretion. It is Mina.”

“Oh! She is so lovely and sweet! So pretty! I would love to give her a letter from you!”

“You must never tell her it’s from me!” he told Ianthe quickly.

“A secret admirer,” Ianthe smiled, nodding. “This is so beautiful! Like a real love story right here! Should I ask her about you? Ask her her thoughts on you? Casually bring you up in conversation and say a few favorable things about you?” Ianthe asked dreamily. She adored love!

“What sorts of favorable things?” he asked dubiously.

“How handsome you are and how diligent. How you watch out for all of your charges and make sure we are all taken care of and comfortable. How studious you are and how, if ever you found a love, you would direct all of that attention on her and it would be an overwhelming passion burning brightly!”

Avery looked stunned. “You… would say those things?”

“Of course I would! You go write your letter and I will go feel her out!” Ianthe giggled, jumping up and rushing to Mina’s bay.

Mina was curled up on her bed, leaning on the headboard sewing when Ianthe bounced into the bed next to her with a huge smile.

“What is this then?” Mina asked with a laugh. “You look like you are up to something!”

I’m just in a good mood,” Ianthe smiled with a shrug. “I was told I am mastering closing myself off beautifully and I will truly be phase two next cycle!”

“Wonderful! That’s good news! I do fear though, that I might be raised to phase three next cycle…”

“Oh,” Ianthe sighed sadly. “Anyone else that you know of?”

“A couple of us are up for it, the only one who is certain is Avery though.”

“Avery? I’ll be sorry to see him go.”

“You will?” Mina asked with a laugh.

“I will,” Ianthe smiled. “He seems terse and clipped, but look at how he takes care of everyone? He’s good, just focused. And he’s handsome too!”

“A bit short, but I suppose you’re short,” Mina smiled.

“Oh, not for me. No, he isn’t my type. And he’s not too short? He’s taller than you isn’t he?”

“We’re about the same height,” Mina shrugged.

“Can you imagine, the way he focuses ALL of his attention on a single goal the way he does… if he focused that attention on you? It would be wondrous, wouldn’t it?”

“You sound like you have a crush,” Mina smiled.

“Like I said, he isn’t my type. And you brought him up anyway. I was thinking of all of the boys and what they might be like, it’s a game I play. I imagine Avery, once he finds his love, his passion will be all consuming! A raging inferno of love and sublime delights!”

Mina laughed a full belly laugh. “I think you’re wrong! I think he MIGHT hold her hand, maybe kiss her hand to say goodnight. If he married, he’d climb on her and do his duty, then kiss her hand again to say goodnight. I see no passion in him at all, or romance. Just duty.”

“No! No, a man like that is reserved in public, but alone! His whole mind and body focused on you, he would be a tempest!”

“You read too many of your stories,” Mina giggled. “So if not him, who do you have a crush on? I’ve seen a few men looking at you, but you never seem to pay them much attention.”

“A few of them are handsome enough,” Ianthe blushed. “But for now I am focused on making it to phase two. What about you?”

“Grastad is handsome, and so sexy with his hooded smile,” she giggled. “Cannan is an absolute DREAM with his brooding looks and sulky stares. He never smiles, but he has that look about him, the one that says he left his love behind and he misses her so much he’ll never find another. When he does move on, he’s going to be an absolute animal in bed, taking out all of his aggressions and heartache. Those nights, however long they last for him, are going to be a hell of a ride for the girl,” she laughed.

Ianthe blushed, still not used to the casual way the other girls spoke of bedding men. “You talk like you’d like to be that girl,” Ianthe smiled, trying to hide her prudeness.

“Oh, I would love it! I’d volunteer in an instant if he ever looked twice at me. He never does though. He never looked at any of the girls at all, actually, not until you came. Since you came, he has watched you a few times.”

“Oh?” Ianthe asked casually, trying to remember which one Cannan was. “Is he the tallest one, slender?”

“No, he’s tall, but not slender. He has shoulders and muscles. I think he was a soldier of some sort once. I heard someone say that, that’s why he was so long in phase one. He’d been trained a certain way and he had to be untrained and retrained or something like that. He’s gorgeous with his green eyes and lips that want a kiss. I’d like to take a razor to his face, but he’s still handsome enough even with the scruff.”

“Try and sit next to him at breakfast in the morning so I know who he is,” Ianthe smiled. “And perhaps take a second look at Avery. He’s handsome as well, don’t you think?”

“His ice blue eyes have a prettiness to thim, but he always looks like he is looking down on everyone with them. His black hair does look pettable though… perhaps he might be a night of fun if I could get him to loosen up!”

Ianthe smiled, then excused herself, going back to her own bed before lights out.

When the man climbed into her bed that night, rolling with his back to her, she turned to face him instead of going to sleep. “Do you miss home?” she asked him softly.

“No. I’m not your friend, Princess, and I am not going to help you reminisce and remember your home. Go to sleep.”

“You don’t miss it at all?”

“No. Another word and I leave.”

Ianthe sighed and rolled over. Who was he?

In the morning, Ianthe was actually a bit grumpy as she got dressed and went down to breakfast. She spotted Mina and rounded the table to sit across from her. Looking across at Mina, her eyes went to the man next to her and locked onto his.

He was… familiar.

He stared back with his bright green eyes, his hair down in his eyes a bit. Mina was right, he was incredibly handsome and he looked… very formidable with his cold expression. The scruff looked wrong on him… so did his hair.

Where had she seen him?

Probably here, she’d seen all the men here every day, passing over their faces hastily.

She realized she was staring at him and he was staring right back, his expression passive, if a bit cool. It wasn’t a look of interest, it was more of a look of wondering why she was staring.

Focusing on her breakfast, she tried to place him. She was sure she had seen him before!

That afternoon, she went up to his bay and looked around, but there was nothing to see. Textbooks on the desk stacked neatly. Clothes folded and hung precisely. Nothing out of place at all, even the bed was made.

Going back down to her favorite chair, she closed her eyes and tried to imagine him as he was, picturing him in different places she had been to. Places she had seen. His face was familiar… but from a more distant time. He’d looked different. Younger, shorter hair, clean shaven.

It hit her suddenly.

She’d looked into his face a hundred times when she was younger as she passed through the halls and into her rooms. He was one of the guards on her doors overnight. It was a habit she had been taught, look at their faces, recognize them and never go into her rooms if she didn’t know both of them.

How long ago had that been? He’d been so new and young and nervous!

So that was why he protected her at night. Some sort of misguided duty carried over from his old life. He hated her like everyone else, but he would protect her because it was ingrained in him to do it.

She didn’t look around that evening as she ate, feeling bad. When Avery brought her the letter, she copied it in her handwriting… and added a few embellishments to his clipped and boring words, then put it away for the next day.

She didn’t speak to Cannan that night when he came to bed, or the next. She pretended he wasn’t there, though every night she felt worse and worse about it.

When the next cycle arrived, things changed a bit. Avery left, but Mina stayed. Lucian arrived and so did Allyrra. When Allyrra and Lavora started talking happily, Ianthe was sure she’d never keep their names straight ever again, they were so alike they could be sisters.

“Little Ianthe!” Lucian boomed, smiling happily. “I had a hope to see you again, yes? How lovely you are looking, settling in so well! Soon you will be ready for a moonlight walk, yes?” he asked with his teasing smile and sparking eyes.

Ianthe smiled at him and welcomed him, but made no comment on the other.

In total, three people went on to phase three and two people came up from phase one.

Ellison was livid when Lucian was named the new head of the bay, but Ianthe knew why. Lucian was easy going and nice and nothing ever bothered him. He was quick and smart as well.

The next day, her new classes started, after finally mastering blocking herself from others. She was going to learn to read others, touch them with her mind in their sleep, look in on dreams but not to enter them. The entire first cycle would be learning about her easier abilities and not actually doing anything at all. Just learning about them. Once she learned the easy ones, she would learn the harder ones, then the hardest. Once she knew them backwards and forwards, she would move up to phase three and actually practicing her powers.

That seemed like an eternity away to her!

That night when Cannan came to bed, she rolled to face him. “So they are still here?” she asked softly.

“They are.”

“If you know who they are, why don’t you tell me? Why don’t you tell Paul?”

“Paul will admonish them, but do nothing. They will be angry and come after your head and not just using you. Sleep, Princess.”

“Thank you for coming every night to protect me. I hope… I hope they move up before you do,” she whispered softly, reaching out and touching his arm.

He jerked away quickly. “Don’t.”

“Sorry! I just meant to thank you?”

“I’m not your friend,” he grated.

“So you said. Still, thank you for doing this. And for not telling anyone who I am even though you hate me as much as they do.”

“I don’t hate you, but I won’t be your friend either.”

“Do… you think you’ll be moving up next cycle?”

“No.”

“Good,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “How do you know?”

“I have a block.”

“A block?”

“I was trained before coming here from a young age. I have to clear myself of all of the training and start as a clean surface. I’ve blocked myself until I can start over again.”

“Is that like binding?”

“No. I can practice my gift, but… I have to touch. That shouldn’t be required, but I can’t use my ability unless I am touching the person I am trying to read.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty four. Go to sleep, Princess.”

“Could you please call me Ianthe? You sound so formal when you say princess.”

“Go to sleep, Ianthe,” he spoke, his voice sounding less harsh. If anything, he sounded upset. Anguish in his voice.

A week later, Ianthe was in her bed studying when Mina came in.

“So… I got this love letter,” she smiled, sitting down on the bed. “I’ve asked and asked and asked… I think it was from Avery? I think you’re right! I think he is more passionate than I first imagined. That Lucian… he is something, isn’t he? Have you taken a moonlight walk with him yet?” she asked, giggling.

It had become somewhat of a joke, Lucian always asking her if she was ready for their moonlight walk yet, always smiling teasingly. Everyone knew what it meant and the more Lucian asked, the more people had begun thinking Lucian had it bad for her.

Ianthe had seen through it right away, though. The other girls left him alone and that was how he wanted it. He was a prize for some, a conquest for others, but he wasn’t interested in either. He was a man who loved and wanted to be loved. He wanted a life partner and not a fun night. Ianthe understood that more than most people did.

A few nights later, an hour before quiet time, Grastad sat down next to Ianthe and leaned close, smiling. “Hello, Ianthe. You look like you need to escape this place for a while. Would you like to come take a walk in the gardens with me? They are lit up at night with lights that glow like fireflies.”

Ianthe saw Cannan sit up from her peripheral as she turned to look up at Grastad. She knew immediately, he was one of them. “Thank you for the offer, Grastad, that sounds lovely. Another time perhaps, I’d like to finish this before class tomorrow,”

“Another time then,” he smiled his smoky smile, then toyed with one of her curls before stroking her cheek with the back of his knuckles. “I look forward to it, little beauty.”

Ianthe smiled, then stood and took her book to her bed, trying hard not to shake. Grastad wanted her dead. He’d tried to rape her. Him, or whoever he was with… it had to be Finniel. They were both Lucanan and always together. Always talking. She felt sick as she sat there, imagining both of them coming at once and overpowering Cannan.

When lights out came, she was still shaking and worried sick. When Cannan slipped into bed, she rolled to him and took hold of his solid arm. “It’s Grastad and Finniel, isn’t it?” she asked fearfully.

“Try not to think about it, Ianthe,” he spoke gently. “If they know you know, they might act on it. Pretend ignorance.”

“What if they both come at once? Overpower you?”

“They won’t. They can’t.”

“You’re so certain?”

“Yes, and they know it too.”

“They know it’s you who protects me?”

“They do. Try to sleep now, Ianthe.”

“I’m afraid! They are both… large men!”

“So am I. Move back to your side and try to sleep.”

Ianthe let go of his arm and moved back a bit, but she was terrified. What if they slipped in while Cannan was asleep and tried to carry her off? Grabbed her and took her? Put something in her food to make her sleep so she wouldn’t raise an alarm?

A million scenarios raced through her head as she lay there until she inched her way back over to the middle of the bed. When her back was against Cannan’s she felt more calm. He would know if she were snatched away if he were in contact with her. He would feel it if someone came for her.

“No one is going to hurt you, Ianthe,” he promised, not admonishing her for touching him. She remembered then what he’d said about reading people while touching them. He knew she was terrified and he didn’t like to be touched because it opened them to being read.

“Do you have powers to make me less afraid?” she asked softly.

“No, and if I did, I wouldn’t learn them until next phase.”

“You’re certain they wouldn’t try and overpower you?”

“To what end, Ianthe? We are in a dorm full of people. If they could sneak in alone and scare you into staying quiet, that’s one thing. Coming at you with me here and every chance that the entire bay would be alerted? Not likely. More than half the people sleep with a crack in their curtains because the quiet is too absolute. They would be heard. They will not come so long as I am here. Sleep now, Ianthe. Think of something else. Remember to treat them the same as always and not let on that you know.”

“I’ll try,” she whispered, huddling even closer than before.

He said nothing as he sighed and finally fell asleep.

Ianthe wasn’t asleep, but her mind fogged. She felt like she was dreaming… or watching a dream.

Cannan. He was at her door at the castle, standing guard and Ianthe was coming up the hall in a dark blue winter dress, smiling with a plate in her hands.

“Here!” she smiled up at Cannan, offering up the plate with some sort of hand pie on it. She offered the other to the other guard, his face indistinct.

“Thanks,” Cannan told her, blushing as he looked down at her, his eyes full of adoration that she did not see as she watched the other guard eating the hand pie. He took a bite of his own and she turned her eyes up to his to watch him expectantly.

The dream shifted and she came up the hall again in a green dress and a new plate with flaky rolls.

Again, Cannan took one and looked down at her in adoration and love, but she didn’t see it as she watched them eat the rolls.

Again. Again. Again. A dozen nights played through, Ianthe never noticing his lovesick looks or confusion over her feeding them every single night.

Finally, he asked. “Why does she always bring us food?” he asked the older guard.

The older man chuckled. “She’s learning to cook, she makes all of it. She brings it up to us to see if we like it, see if it’s good. You get used to it, just don’t eat a big meal before you come on shift. We’re lucky, actually, it could be worse. She could be a bad cook and we’d have to suffer through pretending to like it instead of getting real treats every night.”

Cannan looked thoughtfully at the door Ianthe had gone in, pleased she was bringing him things she had made herself.

After that night, he always took them eagerly and told her how much he enjoyed them, but still. She never noticed him more than to see if he liked her treats.

The dream faded and left and Ianthe lay there breathing heavily, disoriented. Trying to blink away the visions, she understood now. He had pined from afar once, and now he didn’t want to get hurt. He’d gotten over her, only to have her show up here to torment him with indifference again. He wasn’t going to let her in.

The fog rolled her again and he was at her door in the castle again. Ianthe opened her door from the inside and looked up at him. “Could you help me a moment, please, David?” she asked him.

“Of course, princess,” he answered, coming into her room with her.

Turning, she moved her hair and looked down, displaying a row of small buttons to him. He blushed, but moved closer and began undoing them one at a time. His eyes on her skin as he revealed a tiny half inch of her back at a time, he looked mesmerized. When he reached the last button, he slid his fingers up her bare back.

“Princess,” he breathed, his fingertips teaching her bare shoulders.

“Call me Ianthe, please,” she smiled, turning to look up at him as the dress fell away to puddle at her feet.

He sucked in a breath looking her over and Ianthe posed for him, arching her back and turning her leg, watching him look with pride in her eyes.

“Won’t you join me?” she asked huskily, moving to her bed and climbing in, moving with a feline grace as she rolled and writhed wantonly.

The dream snapped away sharply and Ianthe sucked in a breath, her heart hammering in her chest.

Cannan was awake, his own heart thumping as he tried to stay still and not wake her. Ianthe could feel the stiffness in him, the awkwardness in the way he held himself.

Those were his dreams. She could see his dreams! It must be because they were touching… his bare back against her bare arm.

The thought made her blush.

“Try and sleep, Ianthe,” he called, his voice harsh.

He hated that he still had dreams of her like that. That he still wanted her so badly and he dreamed of her in ways he knew she wasn’t. That she would never be, especially not with him. The ones like that last one always woke him, because they were too unreal. She would never act that way. Even in his fantasies and dreams it didn’t fit her and it couldn’t be forced. It woke him.

Ianthe was still awake when he fell back to sleep and this time, he pulled her in with him. It wasn’t a fog, she was there, in herself, also asleep now.

“Sleep well, Princess,” Cannan called as she passed through the hall to her door.

“Thank you David!” she smiled sweetly. A moment later, her clothes different now, she opened the door to look up at him. “David? I can’t sleep, my arms hurt so after kneading all day. My shoulders are tight and they ache!”

“I can help,” he told her quickly, coming in and laying her on the bed. His fingers began working into her muscles, rubbing and working the aches out.

Ianthe could FEEL it, his fingers working magic on her. “That’s wonderful, David,” she told him with a sigh of contentment.

“I could do a better job of it with oils?” he prompted.

“On my gown?” Ianthe asked, confused.

“You’d have to take it off, but I would be a gentleman,” he promised quickly.

Ianthe didn’t hesitate, taking her gown off and laying down as Cannan drizzled oil onto her back. It made Ianthe shiver and sigh. She couldn’t control what dream her did, but she could feel everything. His warm, strong hands on her back, sliding through the oil made her moan in pleasure.

“This is heavenly!” she sighed. “You must teach me how to do this! Please, will you show me?” she asked, turning to look up at him, her gown completely gone now. “Take off your shirt and lay down!”

Cannan lay on the bed on his back, his clothes gone as he looked up at her. Ianthe climbed on him, straddling him with no clothes and she could feel the heat of him between her legs as they pressed skin to skin. Dribbling oil all over his chest, she moved back and back until she was pouring it over his hard, thick cock.

“That’s beautiful, David!” she told him, her hand playing over his heavily oiled cock. “I’ve never seen one so close! May I look closer? Feel it?”

“Of course Ianthe,” he breathed, his eyes hooded as he watched her.

Ianthe used both hands to stroke his fat cock, watching in fascination as it thickened and twitched. “I’ve never been with a man,” Ianthe told him. “I’d like to try it just once… would you tell on me?”

“No, Ianthe, never!” he panted as she stroked.

Ianthe smiled beautifully and quickly moved up, lifting up to take his huge cock into her waiting and well oiled pussy.

Cannan groaned, grabbing her hips to pull her down the length of him and Ianthe gasped, the feeling of being filled so incredibly full making her lose herself. “David! David, it’s so beautiful! Oh, I love this! Promise me, David! You will come to me every night and teach me to please a man this way! I want you to teach me everything! Oh… I love you David! I love you and I will tell my father I will give up the throne to be with you! I love you so much, I only want you David! Run away with me?” she begged, riding him harder and harder as he pulled her close, sitting up to kiss her.

“I love you Ianthe! I love you and I will take you away from here! I’ll marry you and we’ll be happy, we’ll …. Ianthe!” he cried out, shoving up with his hips and holding her there.

The dream was yanked away again, but it was less disorienting this time as Ianthe opened her eyes and stared wide eyed at nothing.

Cannan was panting and he eased away from touching her, then slipped out of bed. She heard water from her washbasin slosh quietly as he tried to catch his breath.

When he eased back into bed, Ianthe closed her eyes quickly, a bit horrified at the feelings the dream had brought up. She was aching… a need gripping her that she was unfamiliar with. He lay on the edge of the bed, not touching her at all as he trembled.

Ianthe moved as if in her sleep and rolled further away so he had more room.

“Ianthe? Are you awake?” he called softly.

“Nnn?” she mumbled, then curled into her pillow more and let out a sleepy sigh.

He turned back over and eased back, finally falling asleep again.

Ianthe wondered if he dreamed like that every night, or if it was only because she’d been touching him. Was there a way to find out? Should she tell her instructor that she had seen his dreams?

No, that would invite uncomfortable questions.

She was curious though, so the next night, she moved to the middle again and reached out to touch him softly. Checking to see that he was close and she was safe, a talisman, there and gone again.

“I am here, Ianthe,” he promised. “Sleep.”

“Was I too obvious today, in not looking at them?” she asked him softly.

“You’re obvious every day in not looking at any man. Today was not different. Sleep.”

“What if you have to leave and they stay? What if…”

“No more what if’s, Ianthe. Sleep.”

“Tell me about where you grew up?” she asked pleadingly.

“I am not your friend, Ianthe,” he told her harshly. “Sleep or I’m going back to my own bed.”

“I will follow you,” she whispered with a shrug. “Stop being grumpy. I know you don’t want a friend or anything else, but… I just need someone to talk to who understands.”

“I don’t. I don’t understand you, Princess. No one here does. We aren’t on your level at all and the only reason you deign to notice us is because you have nothing and no one else.”

“That’s not true. I noticed.”

“Did you? Do you? No, Ianthe, you’re still a Princess locked away in your tower, cold and aloof and uncaring.”

Ianthe sighed dismally.

Staying quiet, she waited until he was asleep, then reached back slowly and softly to touch her pinky to his bare back.

Immediately, the dream sucked her in.

“That was fun,” Cannan laughed, sitting next to her in the grass.

“It was,” Ianthe agreed, laughing. “It’s such a beautiful day, what will we do next, my love?”

“You have no ideas?” he asked, moving closer to her and pressing in close, forcing her to lay back in the grass.

“Oh, I think I have a few ideas,” Ianthe smirked, pulling him closer by his shirt and kissing him.

The dream shifted and changed.

She was walking up the hall with another plate and Cannan was at her door alone.

“Hello David! I missed you yesterday!”

“You did? It was my day off. What’s today’s treat?” he asked, moving the towel off the plate. It was empty.

“I was hoping you might want to eat something a bit better today,” she smiled, then pulled him into her room. Laying back on her bed, she pulled her skirts up and opened her legs for him, displaying her round, pale pink pussy with the tuft of white down. “Do you think you’d like to have a taste, David?”

In answer, Cannan went to his knees next to the bed and grabbed her hips, pulling her close before wrapping his mouth around her mound.

“Oh GODS David!” she cried out, his hot mouth sucking, his tongue flicking. Ianthe screamed out in pleasure, then suddenly sat up and pulled him to stand, “My turn!” she panted, yanking his pants down and looking over his beautiful cock with adoration. “Mmm, my David, I do adore you so!” she whispered, before licking the long shaft and taking his thick member into her mouth.

The dream snapped and Ianthe opened her eyes as Cannan sat up quickly, trembling.

“Are you alright?” she asked him quickly.

“Fine, go back to sleep. It was just a dream. A… a bad dream. Go back to sleep.”

Ianthe turned, but could not go to sleep. Her body was awake and so full of need! She needed a way to satiate herself!

The next night was the same, more dreams of her, some innocent, most not. The week passed that way and some nights he woke up before it was over and some nights after. Those nights he slipped out of bed to wash himself.

The following week, Grastad sat with her again and leaned in close, putting an arm across the couch behind her. “Hello little lovely. Are you ready to take a walk with me?”

“Not tonight,” she smiled, trying not to show her fear and disgust. “I have a lot to catch up on.”

“Are you brushing me off, Ianthe?” he asked teasingly, stroking her jaw and leaning close to her, his lips on her earlobe. “Walk with me, little lovely. I will show you sights you have never seen,” he rumbled, closing his arm around her shoulder and pulling her close.

“No, no thank you,” she whispered, trying to get up.

“Don’t run off,” he murmured, holding her against him.

Ianthe saw Cannan stand and take a step closer, but it was Lucian who spoke up. “Little flower, come and sit with me a moment,” he called loudly. “I need to speak with you.”

Grastad let her go and Ianthe fled to Lucians bay, shaking.

“Are you well, Ianthe?” he asked worriedly.

“Fine, thank you Lucian. I appreciate you doing that.”

“Of course, always. If you have more issues, come to me, yes?”

“I will, thank you,” she told him, then turned and hurried up to her own bed.

That night when Cannan slipped into her bed, she rolled to him, sobbing and clung to his arm as he pulled her close. “Calm down, Ianthe,” he told her. “You’re fine. I wouldn’t have let him go further, I promise.”

“I know, David, I’m just so afraid of him! He’s going to do something, I know it!”

He had gone completely stiff, his arms rigid. “What did you call me?” he demanded, his voice hoarse.

Ianthe paused, thinking… then she recalled her words. She’d called him David. His old name. “David?” she answered in a whisper.

“Why did you call me that?” he demanded.

“I… remember you. I tried to pretend I didn’t… but I remember you, David.”

“My name is Cannan! I’m not that stupid boy anymore!” he grated harshly, sitting up.

“I know, and I’m sorry… I was upset and I remember you… you always had a smile for me and you were always so nice. You even came in at night to check on me! None of my other guards did that, only you. I asked Captain Durham where you went, but he just said you weren’t a guard anymore. He never said you’d been Chosen.”

“How long have you known?”

“A while now,” she answered softly. “The day I looked at you and you looked back, I realized it was you, just with longer hair and a bit of facial hair. I knew then that it was you coming to keep me safe at night. Some sort of leftover sense of duty to protect the girl who used to bake you sweets. Don’t worry, I know we’re not friends! I won’t bother you of a day and I’ll keep pretending I don’t know you. Alright? I promise.”

“Try and sleep, Ianthe,” he told her, sounding resigned.

“Are you angry that I know?” she asked him.

“Only at myself for not seeing it. Sleep, Ianthe.”

“Are you going to sleep?”

“Yes,” he sighed, laying down.

Ianthe was stiff and pensive as she lay there waiting for him to go to sleep, but it was a long time coming. When he finally sighed and rolled to his side, it had to have been near morning. As soon as he fell asleep, Ianthe reached over.

She was sucked into her own body in the dream, walking up the hall. Cannan was there, watching her come and she gave him a derisive smirk. “What are YOU looking at, lowborn scum? Eye’s down you dog! Never look me in the eye again! On your knees! Open my door, what are you waiting for? On your belly, dog!”

Ianthe was horrified at his dream and what he thought she must think of him now.

No! No, this wasn’t right!

Angrily, she wrested control away from Cannan and she was herself. She had control.

Going to her knees quickly, she took his shoulders. “Stand up, David, please?” she begged, pulling him up. “Don’t ever see me that way? You know I’m not like that, I’ve never been like that! I would never see you that way, not ever! Please, David? I’ve always seen you as my guardian and my friend, I loved making treats for you because you were so genuine with your praise and always so happy to see me! You were my favorite guard and I was heartbroken when I thought you left! I thought you didn’t want to be my guard anymore and it hurt me to my core! David, please look at me! Please, don’t be angry at me? Don’t hate me? Look at me and smile like you used to? Be my friend?”

The dream snapped and Cannan sat up with a hard jerk, jumping out of bed.

Ianthe hardly thought about it, she reached up and hit the orb, turning to look at Cannan and the wild look of confusion in his eyes. “Are you alright?” she asked him, moving closer and looking his face over.

“I… fine… I just… I had a very vivid dream. It felt… real. I thought it was real until I woke up… I… turn that off, Ianthe and go to sleep.”

“Are you sure? You look upset? Can I help?”

“No, you can’t. Turn it off.”

She turned it off, but sat there waiting until he laid back down. When he did, she moved closer and hugged him. “I know we aren’t friends, but sometimes even not friends need hugs,” she told him, laying on his shoulder.

He said nothing at all, his hand moving to her arm to pat it awkwardly. When she fell asleep where she was, he didn’t wake her or move her, but he didn’t sleep either.

The next day, Ianthe left class, but didn’t go to the dorm. Instead she went to the kitchen and made use of Paul’s offer. When she finished, she returned to the dorm, hiding a covered plate with her books and smiling happily.

“Where’ve you been?” Lucian asked quickly.

“Nowhere Paul told me I couldn’t be,” she promised, hurrying past him and going up the stairs. Circling around without trying to be obvious, she set the plate next to Cannan on his bed and kept walking as she smiled at no one.

When he slipped in that night, she sat up quickly. “Did you like it?” she asked.

“You are still a wonderful cook, Ianthe,” he told her, actually sounding amused. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I wanted to,” she told him, moving over as he laid down.

“Because I’m guarding you?” he asked stiffly.

“No… I just wanted to. I miss your smile.”

He said nothing, but that night, his dreams were all very happy, content dreams. He kissed her once or twice, but never more. Mostly they both just smiled and laughed and talked a lot.

When the lights flickered in the morning, Ianthe was shocked to wake up curled up against him, his arm laying over the top of her.

He sat up as well, looking confused. “I didn’t wake up?” he asked, disoriented.

Ianthe hardly heard him as she stared. He wore nothing to her bed but his undershorts and he looked… very very nice in nothing but his undershorts. He looked so good, in fact, that all she could think of were his dreams and how in his own head, he didn’t do himself justice at all.

“Ianthe?”

“What?” she asked, her eyes snapping up to his as she blushed.

“I said how are we going to do this?”

“I… ummm… I… never realized you wore nothing to sleep in when you came here?”

“What? Ianthe, how am I going to get back to my bay?”

“Umm… Just… hurry over there now? No one is out yet, they are all getting dressed still?”

“No, Lucian is always up before lights on, his curtain open. I have to slip past him in the dark when he looks away.”

“I guess… I will hurry and dress and leave my curtain mostly shut? Slip out and sneak around while everyone is eating? Turn around and shut your eyes,” she whispered, getting up and getting dressed.

She went down to breakfast and talked animatedly at her table to Mina, keeping eyes on her as she ate. She felt ridiculous, but it seemed to work, no one said anything and Cannan came down a few minutes later to eat.

Neither of them spoke of it that night, but when she woke in the morning curled against him, he was there with an arm over her. This time he brought his clothes and waited for her to leave, coming down after everyone else was down.

It became the new routine.

What didn’t get better were the dreams. Ianthe was going crazy with need and no way to do anything about it. She was on the verge of coming back to the dorms during her dinner break and hiding in her room and trying to find relief. She felt absolutely hunted with need!

Ianthe was sitting with Mina and Lavora after dinner, talking about who might be moving up to Phase three now that the cycle was about to end when Allyrra came over.

“I’m going down to the baths,” she called happily. “You guys coming?”

“Sure!” Mina agreed, jumping up. “Ianthe, you wanna come this time?” she asked.

Ianthe looked back and Grastad was on his way to the circle to go down.

“Not this time,” she smiled tightly.

“Oh, come on!” Mina pleaded. “It’s actually fun and nice! Meeting new girls and seeing people you’ve never seen!”

Ianthe hesitated, wishing she could go, but she was afraid of going anywhere Grastad and Finniel were and Cannan wasn’t. Looking over her shoulder, she looked at Cannan. He was giving her a level look. Rolling his eyes, he got up and put his book down, then made his way to the center circle.

“I’ll go!” Ianthe smiled happily, jumping up.

She didn’t know what she was expecting when they arrived, but there were three rooms with deep, inset tubs large enough to swim in. Steam rose off the water and there were smaller tubs and places to sit everywhere. To the left, the room was full of only women, to the right only men. Directly in front of them, there were both men and women and… Ianthe could only stare. The room was full of… sex. Men and women, men and men, women and women… it didn’t matter. Mouths, hands, kissing, actual sex, wild and crazy, yelling and moaning. It was chaos.

“Oh, Ianthe,” Mina laughed, catching Ianthe’s arm as she moved to look in the strange room. “I am going to go ahead and guess this room isn’t for you. I’ve been in there a few times and it’s fun… but it’s not your speed at all.”

“What is it?” Ianthe demanded, still both horrified and fascinated.

“It’s just… a sort of place to cut loose with no expectations. You can do whatever you want with no judgement. Two strangers who will never see each other again, even two bitter enemies who just need to have it out. What happens in there doesn’t leave there. Just strangers letting off steam in a safe and controlled way.”

“Letting off steam?”

“Taking care of pent up needs,” Mina told her. “Sexual needs? That thing which you don’t seem to need, always turning red and changing the subject like it terrifies you? The way you’re watching, I think it terrifies you a bit less now… do you want to go in? Meet some stranger and let him teach you the ropes?”

“I… you can go in with anyone? They don’t have to be a friend?” Ianthe asked.

“Sure, I guess. There’s people in there you will never see again in your life.”

“I… you go ahead to the bath without me a moment, I’m… going to think about it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes,” Ianthe answered, her face red.

Mina went into the women’s baths and as soon as she did, Cannan stepped close and grabbed Ianthe’s arm. “You are NOT going in there!” he hissed. “What are you even thinking, standing here watching this… filth?”

Ianthe turned and looked up at him. “We aren’t friends?”

“No, we aren’t,” he scowled.

“Fine… but you can teach me this,” she demanded, grabbing his arm and pulling him into the large room.

“Ianthe!” he choked out, but he didn’t stop her as she moved to the side where clothes hung on hooks. He also didn’t hesitate to pull his own clothes off when she took her dress off.

Pulling him to one of the smaller tubs, she got in and eased into the hot water with a sigh. “Oh, this is nice,” she breathed as he quickly got in with her.

“She’s with me,” he hissed as a man started to join them.

Ianthe turned to him, her eyes bright. “You… know what they’re all doing? The way of it and making… things happen? In a body?”

Cannan looked her over, his cheeks red with both anger and need. “I do,” he finally answered.

“Will you teach me? Show me? We don’t have to be friends, or even like each other. This place is only for… feeling nice. Giving our bodies the release they need. Will you? Show me?”

“If I don’t?” he asked angrily, his eyes darting around the room. “Will you just go out there and allow yourself to be used?”

“What? No… no, David, if you don’t want to then we can go. I thought you might need this too.”

“You need this?” he asked, cocking his head. “Relief? To rid yourself of… pent up aggression?”

“Pent up something, yes. I don’t know what… but I know I need something and I’m hoping you know how to do it.”

“So I am just supposed to what? Take care of your needs now?”

“I hoped you would teach me how to do it… for myself and for you.”

“You want to see how I take care of my needs?” he demanded.

“No… I want you to show me how to do it for you.”

He stared at her for a long moment, his face bright red, but his cock was rock hard and standing up so straight the tip was out of the water.

Ianthe looked at it, then moved closer, touching it lightly. Cannan didn’t move, standing rigidly still as she touched him and explored him.

“Once I am done… teaching you what you want to know,” he growled, taking a handful of her hair suddenly and pulling her to the side of the tub as he sat down on the edge. “Then what?” he asked, pulling her head down close to his hard cock as he took hold of the base of his dick with his other hand. He forced her mouth close to it, her lips pressed to it, but didn’t move her further as he waited for her to answer.

“Then… we do that? For each other?”

“Today?”

“Today… any day we need it. I… don’t want to be out there with them, David. I want to be in here with you. I want you to teach me, you to show me… I want… to feel what it’s like to have a man inside me in that way… I want to feel you in that way.”

Cannan was breathing raggedly now, his entire body trembling.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything,” she whispered. “I know we aren’t friends… but I trust you. And I want this. My body wants this. Wants… relief.”

“Open your mouth,” he demanded.

Ianthe opened her mouth and he pulled her face down hard on his cock as he let out a shuddering breath.

“Don’t touch my prick with your teeth. Your lips, your tongue, your throat, that’s it. Take more of it, force more into your mouth. Fight to get more in!” he demanded, his hips pushing up as he pulled her head down. Ianthe began struggling, unable to breathe. When she tried to push away, he let her, pulling her up to look down at her. “You don’t stop,” he growled, fury in his eyes. “You keep taking it into your mouth until your lips are against my body, my cock in your throat.”

“You’re too big!” she panted, uncertain.

“No. If you want this, you will learn the right way! You will learn to please me just like you asked. Take it ALL Ianthe! Learn to force it!” he grated, pulling her back down onto his cock again.

Ianthe choked and gagged as he pulled her down and pushed into her mouth, her hands trying to push back as she screamed around this thick member. Her hands beat at his hips and still he forced his cock further down her throat. He kept pushing, forcing more and more until she was fighting weakly and her mouth was pressed to his crotch. Only then did he pull out and let her breathe, sucking in air and coughing, retching as she tried to get her thoughts organized again.

“You aren’t done!” he yelled when she finally lifted her head, her eyes dazed. “Mouth open, now! Take it, Ianthe! Swallow my cock, faster this time!” he demanded, standing up and grabbing her head in both hands. Angrily, he began thrusting hard into her throat, making her scream again and again, but he pulled back enough to let her breathe between thrusts. She was crying, screaming, beating at his hands, but he was relentless. When he was done with her, she would never want to come back here with anyone. Ever. “Take me, Ianthe,” he raged, ramming all the way in again and again. “You want to learn to please me? Please a man? Get a man off? Fucking take it!” he roared, then buried his cock deep in her throat, her nose pressed hard to his crotch as he came. He held himself there until he was completely spent, then pulled back and let her go.

Immediately she dropped under the water and he had to yank her up, sputtering and coughing and sobbing.

“Is that what you wanted, princess?” he hissed. “To be used by a common man? Learn how the lower half lives?”

Ianthe shook her head, shaking and still coughing.

Cannan waited, holding her up, his anger rising with each passing moment as she coughed feebly and hung helplessly. Finally, she managed to get her feet under her and stand on her own, swaying slightly,

“Are you ready to go back?” he asked bitterly.

“D-david,” she whispered, her voice cracked. “No… please. Don’t hurt me? Please? Will you hold me? Be gentle?”

“Hold you? I’m not your lover or your boyfriend, Ianthe, I’m not even your friend! You want what? To get off? To come? Have your own orgasm? I’m supposed to teach you about your own needs? Your own body? Why not have Mina come and show you these things?”

“I wanted you to!” Ianthe cried miserably. “I wanted to share these things with you! I thought… I thought you might want to show me… share it with me!”

“Why would I want to?” he demanded, yanking her up to look into her face, tears of rage in his eyes. “What could possibly make you think I would want this with you?!?”

“Because you loved me once!” she wailed, trying to hide her face.

Cannan let her go, stepping back as she came up out of the water sputtering again. “Why would you assume that?” he demanded, his voice thick with shame.

“I don’t know,” she whispered, cowering against the side of the large tub. “A girl’s foolish dreams and wishful thinking.”

“Do NOT lie to me, Ianthe,” he growled.

“You assume it’s a lie? Why? Because big, handsome David who had all the girls smiling at him was too good to look at the ghost in the tower? Too good to do more than jolly her along and pretend to like her overtures? Beautiful David who was always in the kitchens talking to Greta and Hildy, but never noticed the ghost until she was going to bed and he was working! I imagined your smiles, your looks. I imagined you coming into my room and tucking me into bed on the colder nights, making sure I was warm enough. I imagined you might see more than a ghost when you looked at me as you did!”

“None of this is true,” he croaked, shaking his head. “I remember how you looked at me, Ianthe!”

“And I remember how you looked at Hildy and Greta, especially when you went sneaking off with them! You never once saw how I looked at you then, David!”

“My name is Cannan!”

“You were my David,” she whispered, still trembling. “But you never smiled at me like you did them, or gave me that adorable smirk and wink and steal a kiss. I watched you with both of them and you never saw me or how I looked at you, David. I was the ghost in the kitchen.”

“I didn’t like Greta or Hildy!” he growled.

“Yet you gave them smiles and your time and your kisses! I only got condescending pats on the back like a lovesick child! Then… when I dared hope for a moment! When you looked at me that way… when you checked on me and smiled at me like you never smiled at them… like you wanted more than a kiss… I hoped beyond hope… and then you were gone. You left without a word. I thought you must have asked to be placed elsewhere so the ghost would stop looking at you so hopefully and I tried to forget you. When I saw you and realized… you did feel for me, David. You were taken from me, you didn’t leave! And now… here we are. In this same place at this same time, despite the terrible odds against us. Your block. Holding you here in place until I could catch up. Perhaps I read too many love stories and I read too much into everything, David, but… I never imagined you would hurt me this way… I never imagined you hated me so much!”

“Ianthe,” he breathed miserably, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Do not touch me!” she yelled, jerking away.

She went to the stairs and quickly left the tub, running to grab up a robe and snatch up her dress before running back to the dorm. Instead of going to her own bed, she went to Mina’s room and curled up in her bed, crying on her lap.

Mina didn’t ask questions, only stroked her wet hair and rubbed her arm.

When the quiet hour was almost over and lights out was minutes away, Mina spoke. “What do YOU want?” she asked coldly.

“Is she alright?” Cannan asked.

“Does she look alright? Did you do this to her? I saw you follow her down there. I’ve seen you watching her, was this you?”

“Ianthe,” Cannan called gently. “Can we speak a moment?”

“I don’t think she has anything to say to you,” Mina snapped, hugging Ianthe close. “Close my curtain, she is going to stay here with me tonight.”

Mina asked no questions, just hugged Ianthe until she cried herself to sleep.

In the morning, Cannan cast her baleful looks that Ianthe refused to see, not looking up from her untouched plate. After classes, she went back to the kitchen and stayed there until the quiet hour.

When Lucian looked up at her worriedly as she appeared, Ianthe hurried to him as Cannan stood up to intercept her path to her bed. She stood awkwardly for a moment as Lucian looked at her expectantly, hugging herself and blushing.

“May… I sleep in here tonight? Just sleep, nothing else?”

“Of course, little flower. Who is bothering you? Is it the long haired boy again? He has a wicked way to his looks in your direction, yes?”

Ianthe said nothing, just hugged herself as she looked down at the ground.

When it became clear that she wasn’t going to come out before lights out, Cannan came to the entry. “Ianthe, can we please speak? I need to talk to you. I need to apologize.”

Ianthe turned away, ignoring him.

“Another turning, perhaps, yes?” Lucian told Cannan, standing and pulling his curtain closed. “Rest little flower. He’ll not be bothering you.”

Ianthe curled up above the blankets, but after an hour, she got up.

“Cold?” Lucian asked in his deep bass made deeper with sleep.

“No… I’m going to go to my own bed now. Thank you.”

“Sleep well little flower,” he rumbled.

Ianthe crept to her bed and closed the curtain before slipping her dress off and getting ready for bed. Moving to pull the blankets back and get in, a hand caught her arm from the bed.

Instinctually, Ianthe screamed and jerked back, then dove for the curtain and screamed again, running down the stairs.

Curtains slid open and Lucian called for the lights as everyone appeared on the balcony and in the common room. Ianthe looked back at an incredulous Cannan standing at her curtain looking out of her room.

“Were you waiting in her room for her?” Lucian demanded angrily, the first time Ianthe had seen anger from him. “Leave there! Leave her room and come down! I am taking you to Marcus! The girl was hiding from you and you lay in wait for her like some predator? What is wrong with you, scaring a girl so, yes? No! Go! Go! All of you back to bed. Little flower, go now, stay with your friend Mina. I will take care of this wicked man.”

Ianthe stood frozen and Lucian pulled Cannan to the circle, Cannan looking at her, horrified.

“Wait!” she finally cried. “Wait! It wasn’t him I was afraid of! I thought it was someone else, someone who threatened me. Cannan has been keeping me safe from him, but he and I fought. I thought… I thought he was the bad man and not him.”

“Who threatened you?” Lucian demanded, letting Cannan go.

“I don’t know, it was dark. For all I know he is gone now, Phased up, but… I’m still afraid.”

“Why would he threaten you?” Mason demanded, confused.

“To… rape me. He was going to rape me and Cannan stopped him.”

“What if it was just Cannan the whole time, pretending he saved you from himself?” Mina asked, scowling at Cannan.

“It wasn’t. I heard them speak to each other, then Cannan tell him to never come near me again. The other man spoke too, but… anyway. I know it wasn’t him. He… he wouldn’t hurt me,” she lied, her face going red.

“Everyone, back to your beds!” Lucian called out. “We will sort this in the morning, yes? Go to Paul and Marcus and let them hear this story. Little flower, do you wish to sleep in my bed? I will sleep on the floor at the foot of the bed, no one will come in.”

“No thank you, Lucian. I’m grateful for the offer, but… I need to have a talk with Cannan so I can get some sleep,” she sighed heavily, then went up the stairs to her bed.

Cannan was close behind, closing the curtain as the lights went out.

“I have nothing to say to you,” she told him, curling up on the far side of the bed as far as she could from his side.

“So listen,” he said gently, getting in bed and pulling her across to him. “I’m sorry, Ianthe. Truly. I… had the wrong idea. I thought you wanted me to show you how to perform for all of those men, to teach you how to please them. The way you were watching all of them… I was… so incredibly angry.”

“It didn’t occur to you that sleeping next to you every night and… liking you so much, that I might need… relief in that way? All you would say is you weren’t my friend and you didn’t like me, I thought fine. You didn’t have to be my friend for us to enjoy each other in that way and fill each other’s needs. Instead you… almost kill me and try and make sure I will never want to be touched by anyone again, especially not you. Take your hands off of me or I will let Lucian turn you in.”

Cannan quickly let her go and she rolled away.

“Ianthe,” he whispered softly, pain in his voice.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses. If you must sleep in here, then sleep. We aren’t friends, Cannan. We aren’t anything. Go to sleep.”

He went quiet and still after that and Ianthe lay there feeling angry and lost. She had tried to reach out to him, tried to build a bridge and he had destroyed it. She no longer had a wish to try, she was going to stop focusing on him and his needs and start focusing on learning more quickly.

She pulled away from everyone, closing herself off and doing nothing but studying, holing up in the kitchens to read until lights out. When Cannan slipped into her room and her bed, she got up and went to his room, to his bed. After the first time she did it, he tried to follow her, but she only switched again until he let it stand. She slept in his bed after lights out and they switched before the lights came on. She felt safe that way and she didn’t have to be near him.

The next cycle came and Mina moved up to the next phase, along with half the others, including Grastad and Finniel.

Ianthe went back to sleeping in her own bed, still avoiding everyone.

Another cycle passed, then another was coming up.

Cannan came to her down in the kitchens, sitting down at the table in the corner she had made for herself.

“Ianthe.”

“What do you want, Cannan?”

“I am about to phase up.”

“Good for you.”

“I… didn’t want you to be surprised or upset. Lucian is phasing up as well. I don’t think you will know anyone who will be there now, you haven’t bothered with a single name.”

“I don’t need to know names and I don’t need people. I don’t need friends. Have fun in phase three.”

“When do you phase up?”

“It doesn’t matter, Cannan, we aren’t friends. I am nothing to you and you are nothing to me. Leave it alone.”

“I can ask to be held back.”

“Why would you do that? There’s no reason for it. We are not friends, remember? We are not friends, we aren’t anything. I’m a stupid girl who imagined a man might see her as more than her title. I was wrong. He was never a man, only a monster.”

“Ianthe!” he cried, standing and leaning over the table, pulling her book away.

“Leave me in peace!” she called loudly, making the entire kitchen staff turn to them and stare.

Cannan looked at all of them, then back down at her. “You think I’m afraid of making myself a spectacle, Ianthe?” he snarled, circling the table and jerking her up off the chair to stand on it. “You listen to me! I spent YEARS trying to get over you! The girl who saw through me! I refused to let you back in and hurt me again, Ianthe! I refused to let you toy with me and use me for your entertainment!”

“And in your disdain and hatefulness towards me, you showed me who you were, didn’t you, David? You weren’t my friend. You were my enemy! Worse than the monsters who wanted to rape me, you literally almost killed me! Again and again, taking me to the brink again and again! I have NIGHTMARES, David! Being choked to death over and over again, only to be woken up long enough to know you were going to do it again! And then try and drown me! You are a MONSTER, David! There is NO excuse that will ever make me see you as anything else! You made your choice. Leave me in peace!”

“Ianthe! Be quiet and listen!” he demanded, shaking her and clutching her close.

“What is this?” Paul demanded, hurrying up. “Unhand her, Cannan, right now!”

“This is a misunderstanding,” Cannan growled. “Tell him, Ianthe!”

“I am returning to my room,” Ianthe told him coldly. “You come near me again, David, and you won’t be shown any more grace.”

Ianthe turned and left, not even speaking to Paul as she did.

It was dark when she arrived at the dormitory and she went to her room and tossed her books on the desk before falling into her bed angrily.

Why wouldn’t he leave it alone? She wanted to move on, to forget!

“Be as angry as you want,” Cannan snapped, coming into her bay. “This is my last night with you and I’m sleeping next to you for the final time before we part ways forever.”

“You’re being ridiculously dramatic. Phase three is where everyone mixes for years. Get out.”

“No,” he growled, laying down next to her. “You know what happened that day wasn’t… me, it wasn’t really me.”

“It was you. It was you, David, you did that. You made that choice to make me loathe you. Fear you. Maybe someday I’ll forgive you,” she spat disdainfully, “the day you learn how to cloud my head and pull a memory from me. Until then, get out!”

“No!” he yelled, rolling in and getting in her face, holding her down.

Fury welled up in Ianthe, rage. She knew the way of a thing now, his hands on her skin. She didn’t need to be trained, she knew the doing of it.

“Have you wondered what I am, David?” she asked him calmly, her words skittering over his brain and causing him to break out in a cold sweat. “Have you wondered what I can… do?” she whispered.

Ianthe pulled him into her mind, into a dream and stood circling him as he hung from the ceiling in manacles.

“How… how are you doing this? Where am I? Where are we?”

“Would you like to know how it felt?” Ianthe asked him, then raised the ceiling and pulled him higher into the air. A giant ducked into the huge stone door, it’s massive cock hanging low as it walked across the room to Cannan who was shaking his head in terror.

“Ianthe! Ianthe please! Stop this! Whatever you’re doing, stop it, please!”

The giant grabbed Cannan’s head in a single massive hand and pressed his giant cock to his mouth.

“Open up, David,” Ianthe called. “Or he’ll crush your skull and turn you around. Use you like two men use each other.”

“Ianthe!” Cannan cried out, then choked and gagged as the giant shoved his massive cock into Cannan’s mouth, then further into his throat. He held him there, his long cock choking Cannan, Cannan’s feet kicking and his body thrashing as the giant pushed his cock all the way down his throat.

As Cannan stilled, the giant was suddenly gone and Cannan sucked in air, his eyes wild with terror. He had only a second of reprieve as the giant grabbed his hips from behind and lifted him up to line his ass up with his cock.

Cannan screamed, a high pitched terror filled cry of anguish.

Ianthe released him from the dream and Cannan rolled off of her, falling off the bed and hitting the wall, crying hysterically.

“That was just once,” Ianthe told him coldly. “Imagine it happening as many times as you did it to me.”

“What are you?!?” Cannan wailed, curling up on the floor.

“I am done with you is what I am,” Ianthe told him coldly. “Get up and get out.”

Cannan staggered to his feet, then half fell on the bed as he slapped the light. He was pale and his eyes full of terror as he looked down at her. “What are you? Who are you? What have you done with my sweet flower?” he demanded, shaking her shoulders as he looked into her face.

“You killed her!” Ianthe screamed at him. “You made her hate you, you made her hate everyone! She has nothing anymore but her hate and her fear!”

“Ianthe,” he pleaded, clutching her close. “Don’t give yourself over to this creature! Look at me! I can bring back the light, I swear it. Do not give yourself to this despair and hate, I lived there too long myself. Let me show you? Please?”

“You’ve shown me enough, David,” she told him softly. “You’ve shown me that I can trust no one.”

“You can, Ianthe. Trust me, I will show you. Let me take you out of this darkness and bring back your smile and beautiful heart.”

“I no longer have a heart. It was drowned that day.”

“You want to punish me, Ianthe? Make me go through what I put you through? Do it. Take me back to that place and do it. Do it as many times as you need to to heal yourself and when you are done, I will still be here. I will still be ready to show you how much I adore you and want to see you smile again.”

Ianthe did it, touching his head and pulling him into her memories. Putting him in her place as she looked down at him, at the terror and tears. He was in Ianthe’s body as he watched himself so full of rage and anger, choking her and forcing himself on her. Being dropped into the water with no will or energy to move and sucking it into his lungs. Again and again and again, she made him live through what he’d done to her. She showed him her heart, how betrayed she had felt, how much she had adored him and how badly she had wanted him to show her the pleasures and share them with him.

His keening wail pulled her from her own memories as she pulled him out.

Exhausted and heartbroken, she lay on her back, trying to catch her breath.

Cannan rolled suddenly, pulling her into his arms as he sobbed brokenly, clutching her to his chest.

“Ianthe,” he panted. “I see you! I see you Ianthe! I’ve always seen you! I love you! I love you so much! I’ve loved you so long!”

“Let go,” she managed weakly. “Let go. I need…”

“Shhh, my love, hush. I have you. Sleep. Rest now, I won’t leave your side, not ever again!”

Ianthe felt sleep roll her.

When she opened her eyes, she stared up at a painted ceiling, blue with fluffy pink and purple clouds. She had no idea where she was, but for the first time in a long time, she felt normal.

“Good morning,” Paul called cheerfully. “This is Marcus and this is Lillian. How do you feel, Ianthe?”

“Better. Good, almost.”

“I’d imagine. Ianthe… why did you tell no one that your gift was presenting as it was?”

“The dreams?” she asked, trying to remember.

“Yes. The dreams. You were seeing into Cannan’s dreams, into his mind. You had no block on your own mind when this happened and his dreams filtered into your own head, your own memories. You began sharing his dreams, remembering things wrong. Your feelings altered and changed until you were so fugued you were no longer yourself at all. This is why it is so important that you tell us when these things happen. We had no way to know at all until Cannan came to us for help when you would not wake. You overused yourself and spent yourself completely. Ianthe… what you did to Cannan, that is one of the things we have been trying to avoid. One of the things that can corrupt. As you were not yourself. We are going to work with you on it instead of setting you down.”

“Is Cannan alright?” Ianthe asked quickly, worriedly.

“He is fine now, we worked with him and reset everything that you upset. Ianthe, do you remember what you did to him? How you did it?”