The room around Eluvie was an exact replica of the one she had just left, but she knew that it was not the same one. Not only had the occupants suddenly disappeared, but the atmosphere had an invisible but substantial difference in atmosphere.

  She stepped through the doorway that separated her from the rest of the house and found it similarly unchanged. There was a sitting area, item shelves, and the same walled-off bedroom. And, alarmingly, there was no sign of the things Amu had described. Only one doorway led out of the house, and there was nothing resembling either a library or a hallway full of doors.

  She made two circuits around the house, her desperation growing with each step, before accepting that she was in trouble. The situation was not remotely surprising, but it was depressing. Even if she found the information she needed now, she could not tell if she could return to reality.

  Well, she thought, one problem at a time.

  She headed toward the house’s sole door and stepped through it. Outside, the world was an expanse of grass, rocks, and the occasional tree. The nearest house was so far away that she could cover it by holding a hand in front of her face. She had nowhere to go, but even if she found a destination, reaching it would take a ridiculous amount of time. With Amu’s warning buzzing in her mind, her life seemed like a tangled web of problems, running all over each other.

  If only she could fly.

  Wait, she wondered, can’t I fly?

  Technically, this was similar to a dream. In dreams, one could exert some measure of control over the surroundings.

  She prayed for help, for something to go right, and imagined herself with wings.

  They appeared immediately, with a slight rush of air and a flutter. Delight and wonder filled her. Without a moment’s thought, she was in the air. A lot had happened in a small amount of time. She felt like she lived under a permanent cloud, heavy with rain and always threatening a downpour. But once she was in the air, she felt lighter than she had in a long time. It was as if she had left most of her problems on the ground. Not all of them, but enough to feel relieved.

  From the air, she inspected the world around her. She couldn’t remain where she was, paralyzed by indecision. Yet, she didn’t know what to do. Then, she saw the Grand Hall. The memory she needed had occurred there. She did not know if she could learn anything by visiting it, but she had no other ideas.

  The flight took less time than she had expected. She was tempted to fly past the building, just to enjoy some more time in the air, but she disciplined herself and landed in front of its doorway. The interior looked dark from that vantage point. What she could see was a cold, empty hall, with no hint of help. It was disappointing. Still, she stepped through the doorway.

  Once the last bit of her body was through the opening, the room changed.

  The interior was suddenly bright and full of people. Colored ivy decorated the walls. The occupants were clearly Illrum, but they had abandoned their usual colorless outfits for a riot of colored clothing. Every face was turned toward her, bright with smiles and filling the room with cheering.

  Something odd had happened to her as well. The true her was stunned by the change, but her body had not stopped moving. She was moving forward sedately with her eyes pointed forward and only a slight smile to acknowledge the cheers. Ahead of her was a straight walkway leading to a platform, with Illrum to either side of it.

  She tried to force herself to stop, but her body would not obey her commands. She moved as if possessed. Or, more accurately, as if she was a guest in her body. She could sense some of its feelings and understand its intent. But she felt more like a stranger watching the proceedings than a participant.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  After a little more struggling, she accepted the situation. Assuming that it was a memory, it would eventually end. Rather, she spent her energy inspecting herself and the scene around her.

  She was the only person in white clothing. The strip of color on her sleeves was lilac, a color she had not seen in the community. From somewhere, the knowledge came to her that the color was reserved for Isei, her new rank, and that this was her first time wearing it.

  She reached the platform at the end of the path, climbed up a short flight of stairs, and found herself standing before a table with a thin cushion placed where a chair would be.

  She knelt onto the cushion. When she did so, the top of the table came up to her neck. The table’s contents proved practically invisible. She spared a glare for Zaniba. He was in the front row of Illrum, chuckling at the prank. Every time, he arranged for a table that was too tall for her. How old did he have to be to outgrow practical jokes?

  From her kneeling position, she felt around on the table until she found what she sought: a glass cup filled to the brim with bright yellow liquid. She pulled the cup off the table and drank every drop from it. At her first ceremony, the drink had tasted sickly sweet. Every time after that, it had seemed less and less sweet. Now, in this cup, only a hint of the original sweetness remained. She had drunk better-tasting water.

  She placed the empty cup back on the table, but remained kneeling. Something was supposed to happen. In the past, the cup had given her visions and abilities. And it had always done so before it was empty. Now, several seconds had already passed, yet nothing had happened.

  She waited until murmurs began to rise from the crowd. Then, it was too awkward to wait anymore. With a resigned sigh, she rose to her feet.

  The crowd broke into a new round of cheers. As she began walking off the platform, the invisible bonds that had held them in place broke. Many people rushed toward her, eager for a chance to meet. None of them succeeded. The higher ranking Illrum broke from their positions at the front of the room and formed an impenetrable wall around her. Someone announced that dinner was ready in the dining hall and that she would be addressing them. The others pointedly redirected any persistent well-wishers, letting only Amu and Zaniba through.

  Zaniba was the first to greet her. He pressed her into a long hug. After so many years, she could read every ounce of pride and relief in his posture.

  She let him hold on for a while, but she eventually had to pull away. She’d had barely any sleep between her 18-year-long trial and this ceremony. After so long in the human world, familiar people seemed like strangers, and old expressions of affection felt strangely threatening.

  Zaniba understood. He squeezed her shoulder for a brief moment and then dropped his arm to his side. Since the front doorway was still obstructed by the crowd, he led her toward one of the back walls and made a door through it. Amu followed them. He wore a relieved but tired smile and gave a brief statement of congratulation.

  “What did you learn?” Zaniba asked. “Did you gain any powers?”

  Eluvie did not know what to say. She had not heard of an Illrum failing to receive a revelation before. Perhaps she had received one and failed to understand it.

  “I don’t know,” she frowned. “I’ll have to think about it.”

  Zaniba slapped her back playfully. “Well, whatever it was, I’m sure it’s no call for such anxiety. It’s a happy day. You outrank me now. What would you have me do first, Isei?”

  “That’s true,” Eluvie said, a smile in her voice. “How do you feel now that your student has surpassed you?”

  “Relieved!” Zaniba said. “I’ll have all of my documents sent to you by tonight. Enjoy running this circus!”

  Eluvie laughed at that. “I’ll have to apologize to you,” she said. “I won’t be taking on your duties immediately.”

  Zaniba frowned. “Why not? You outrank me now. A snake can’t live with two heads. It’s unmanageable.”

  “That won’t be a problem,” Eluvie said. “I will be leaving for my next trial as soon as the preparations are complete.”

  Zaniba stumbled to a halt. “What nonsense is that? You haven’t even recovered. You’ve spent the last half-day jumping at sounds.”

  “Nonetheless, it will be happening,” Eluvie said.

  She attempted to keep walking, but Zaniba held on to her arm, keeping her with him.

  “Give us a moment,” he said.

  Amu nodded and walked off, leaving the two behind.