There is a hush that falls over everyone, and the tension rose drastically.

/Why do I get the feeling that was a bad question to ask?/

"All of our parents are dead," Monna snaps, "none of us have any."

/Open mouth, insert foot./

It's not uncommon to find orphans living in the wild to survive. Against the odds, they've managed to survive without being forced into slavery. While it's illegal, people that nobody will miss or wandering alone get taken, especially children. After all, there is little point to follow a law nobody enforces. They're dressed in shabby clothes and malnourished, but I didn't link it to being orphans. I grope for the words that will break the tension.

"That sucks," I say woefully understating the whole thing.

"Yep," Ivo eager to move on. He goes to work creating a place for me to rest my head. Gathering a few of the rags that lay around the room. Nobody speaks, probably a combination of they don't know me and general exhaustion from the day. Ivo chants under his breath. The glow from the gems dim to near darkness. I don't bother questioning how he knows what to chant. I lay on the warm stone ground. I get comfortable, but sleep evades me. Hearing Zain's snoring, I turn my thoughts to how these children have long ago lost their innocence. Still, they put on a brave face and survive.

____________________

Monna stares as Emma gets comfortable, barely containing her anger at the sight.

/We know nothing about who she is or where she came from. What if she turns on us? People are untrustworthy creatures. Willing to turn on those closest to them. Just as I lost everything on that day so many years ago./

The room rapidly chills, a man's chuckle sounds right next to Monna's ear. She jumps in surprise. Squinting into the darkness trying to figure out where the voice came from. It comes again behind her. She turns to see no one there. Suspicious, Monna looks at Emma, but it seems she has already fallen asleep.

[No need to look child. You will not find me.]

Monna keeps her voice low as she nervously asks, "what do you want?"

[I want to help.]

She snorts, /does this guy think I'm stupid?/

She rolls her eyes, "right, I'm sure you also want peace on Asteria."

His dark laughter makes her blood run cold, she shivers. The voice has yet to speak a harsh word, but she fears him on a primal level. Her instincts tell her she needs to run as far away as her feet can carry her.

[Jaded little thing aren't you?]

"What can I say, when the world keeps breaking my legs every time I stand. I stop getting up," she quips. Nervous fear causes her to mouth off.

Rather than get angry he says, [Then, how would you like to have some protection against the world?]

"Really?" she asks heavy with suspicion.

[Why of course. You want your friends safe. I can help make that happen.]

She hesitates, gradually she loses her fear. The more he spoke, the less she fears and the more she believes him. Drawn to his hypnotic voice.

"Safe?"

[That's right. No one will ever harm them.]

"No one?"

[All you have to do is agree to a few things.]

"Yes..." she agrees as she feels her conscious muddle.

The room heats back up. The sounds of Zain's snoring and everyone's deep breathing reaches her ears. She looks around in confusion for a few moments. Carrying the uncomfortable feeling of forgetting something she forces herself to fall asleep.

____________________

Sharp pain jolts me awake. Rubbing my aching side, I open my eyes to see a foot is shoved way to close to my face. I cringe, shoving it away. I focus on trying to hold onto my rapidly fading dream, but it slips from my memory like an oiled snake. The dream left me with the weird impression of...purity? Almost holiness or a large presence of...something. I try harder but only get the feeling of meeting something bigger than myself. Staring at the stone ground, it takes a moment to figure out where I am. I sigh deeply. I had hoped the next time I woke I'd be in my actual bed. I'm still in Asteria and unsure how to feel about it. Monna is moving around. It occurs to me she probably kicked me awake. She glares at me, going back to waking up the others.

/If you strike now, you can take her out before the others are fully awake./

/No! Bad thoughts. Control yourself./

When everyone is at least attempting to wake up. Monna leans against the opposite wall from me, scowling, which is quite the feat. I thought only old librarians could pull that off.

I smile sweetly at her, "you know, I heard if you keep making faces long enough your face will be stuck like that. Then you will grow up to be a bitter old woman nobody likes."

Which, of course, makes her scowl harder. In return, I smiled brighter. And that's how Ivo found us. He wisely chooses not to say anything, sighing and shaking his head. Sounding older than his age.