I spend the day sleeping and eating meals at regular intervals. Finally, I am released from the ward. Maguerite comes to retrieve me.

“Come, Aldain. You have lost much time. We return to Earth tomorrow.”

I follow her out of the room, eager to change out of the plain white clothes of the medical ward.

“Your concern for me is touching.”

She lets out a little “hmph.”

“That reminds me. I have a message from our Mistress for you.”

I open the door to our quarters; we walk in; I secure the door.

“Well, what is it?” I ask as I begin changing clothes.

“She wanted me to let you know that your recent indiscretions merit punishment. Whether that punishment is carried out and to what degree will depend on how you deal with Maxwell.”

I’m not surprised by the news. Our Mistress is fond of using pain as a motivator to do better. I have as many scars from not learning one of Poxen’s lessons fast enough as from insubordination. Even Maguerite has felt our Mistress’s lash on occasion, though she has no scars to show for it. Maguerite is allowed to receive magical healing as soon as her punishments end.

“So is that all you have to say to me?” I ask as I button my shirt. Maguerite is silent. I fasten my cloak and am ready to leave the room when she speaks again.

“They wouldn’t let me see you.”

My hand stops just short of the door’s handle. “Excuse me?”

“While you were recovering, the Mistress kept me busy. The whole time. Coming to get you today was the first time I’d seen you since you left to go fight.”

She doesn’t need to say anything more than that. I turn to find her staring at me. Her face is flat and expressionless. Suddenly, a realization hits me, and hard. Over the last six years, I haven’t had a single real, meaningful conversation with Maguerite. Between my research, training, and official position and her duties, we’ve barely seen each other, even sharing the same room. I know what I have to do.

“How long are you free now?” I ask.

“Until we return to Earth. I’ve done everything that needs doing.”

I slip into magesight for a moment to ensure no scrying has penetrated the wards of our room, then to check that Maguerite is running on enough magic for what I have in mind.

“Maguerite, give me your hand. I want to show you what I’ve been working on.”

She reaches out to me and I transport us both into my infant universe.

She gazes wordlessly upon the fruits of my forbidden study. Finally, Maguerite finds her voice.

“Aldain, what have you done?”