Upstairs, Sarrah stops at the hallway closet and hands Allia a set of towels, toothbrush and flannel pyjamas, all new.

  “Mom and Dad occasionally host colleagues from the league,” Sarrah explains. “They often stay later than they meant, usually getting drunk – study teams especially – and have to stay the night. So, Dad just bought a bunch in different sizes. You can keep them, or just leave them for next time you stay. Adventurers tend to be paranoid about their clothes and stuff since they can be used for tracking spells or an attack vector, so we always replace them rather than washing.”

  “Sounds nice…but expensive,” Allia says, examining the words printed on the paper packaging.

  Sarrah shrugs. “Not really. It’s not like they’re high quality, so no more than the food and drink at least, and we don’t do it that often. Come on, the shower’s over here. Unless you want to take a bath.”

  Allia shakes her head. “I’d probably just fall asleep in it.”

  “Heh, yeah, same.”

  “You sure you don’t want to take a shower first? You look more tired than me, and I can eat this lovely looking Tiramisu while I wait.”

  “Um…Yeah, okay. Sounds good.”

  Allia bites into the Tiramisu and rolls her eyes back in delight. So rich and creamy with a perfect balance of bitter coffee and sweetness. She takes large bites, forcing the mascarpone mixture to coat her entire tongue at once and maximizing the flavour. She finishes too quickly, but extends it by – after looking around to make sure no one is watching – licking the plate clean. Fortunately, Sarrah doesn’t take a long shower, so she isn’t left waiting long after eating the last bite.

  When Allia leaves the shower, she sees Sarrah’s door is open. She peeks in, about to say something, but pauses as she sees her friend sitting on the floor against her bed and staring out the window at the twinkling lights of the houses below them – their house being midway up a hill.

  “Hey,” Allia says as she sits next to her and looks out the window together.

  “Hey,” Sarrah says back, nudging her shoulder into her.

  “You doing all right?” Allia asks, nudging her back.

  “…Yeah… I don’t know. Maybe. It’s just a lot, you know? I guess I was going to bed, but then I just didn’t want to get in it. So, I guess I just settled here.”

  “Hm. Well, it’s certainly peaceful,” Allia comments lamely.

  “Heh, yeah. There’s usually more traffic about. I turned on the chatterbox for some music, but there were just military announcements. Said there was a curfew in place. Didn’t want to listen to that, so I turned it off.”

  “Right…” Allia says, trailing off and just silently sits there, letting her friend lead.

  “…You know, I tried to kill someone tonight,” she says after a while. “That ice mage. Everyone else, I just shot at to pin down or wear out their shields. But her? I just aimed calmly and repeatedly shot burst after burst of high-powered bullets at her torso with the intent to kill. I had to. It was the only chance I had to help Alex overcome her defences.”

  “We all did what we had to,” Allia says softly.

  Sarrah responds much harder. “Yeah, but, you did more than the rest of us, and you’re hardly affected by it at all.”

  “…Yeah, I don’t know,” Allia shrugs, “I guess because I tried so hard not to kill anyone, except the guy at the end, that I’m not affected by it as much? I don’t know if I succeeded every time, but I know I at least tried for most of them. It’s not like I’m not affected by it all, just less. I don’t know, maybe it’s because I have so much power that I find the thought of using it less stressful. That it’s harder to imagine the same violence affecting me.”

  “A scary thought. I guess I always hoped that those most capable of violence would be the most hesitant to use it for fear of losing control.”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “…Sorry, I guess I just know my control’s pretty good… Do you resent me for it?”

  “What!? No!” Sarrah sits forward and turns around to look Allia in the eyes. “I… I mean, at least you tried to hold back, even against those who did so much harm. I even admire you a little for it. To constrain yourself while confidently going forward.”

  “A little too confidently. I nearly died before Alex stepped in.” Allia chuckles.

  “Speaking of, how’s your soul? You did a lot out there, but you don’t seem to have any discreteness symptoms. You aren’t just pushing through so we don’t worry, are you?”

  “Haha, no, don’t worry. I did have a mild headache, but your dad’s cooking helped with that,” Allia understates with an irksome smile.

  Sarrah stares into her eyes, assessing before sighing and leaning back against the bed with a thump. “I don’t know if that worries me less or more.”

  “I know. I’m growing too fast. I risk going too far.” Allia alludes to their earlier conversation.

  Sarrah shrugs. “Yeah, maybe. I don’t know anymore… I think you’re wrong, though. It’s not about the powerful finding it innately easier to do violence. Or maybe there’s some of that too, but I think if I had your power, I’d still feel just as drained right now. I mean, I always wanted to do research. Lab stuff. Maybe join a study team in the league. Not even an exciting one either, just places where I know it’s already safely cleared for miles around. But you, I think you’d be just as confident even with a different manifestation.”

  “Maybe… but then again, you didn’t know me before I blossomed. Maybe I’m not even me without my power.” She has a wry, wistful look.

  Sarrah looks surprised at the suggestion. “Really? You’re saying you were that different before your blossoming?”

  Allia assesses the look, then chuckles annoyingly, with a trace of smug superiority not aimed at her friend. “No, you’re right. I am exactly who I was before.”

  Allia's words are weighted with import that Sarrah clearly cannot understand, and so looks away, baffled.

  “Hey,” Allia says, nudging into her, “don’t worry. I am who I am right now. That’s all that matters, right?”

  Sarrah looks at her friend wearily, then relaxes and nudges her back. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “Yeah… So, what are you going to tell your parents tomorrow?"

  “Ugh! Don’t remind me!” Sarrah throws her hands up in exasperation, then whispers. “Just the ‘what’ of tonight is stressful enough without remembering that I know the ‘why’ too. I mean, what am I even supposed to say? That I know restricted information that’s worth starting a war over? I believe her when she said they have experience processing violence, but I doubt they’ve been in this particular situation.”

  Allia whispers back. “Who knows, your parents might surprise you. But it’s your call. Personally, I don’t see a reason to not tell them about the orb. I mean, they’re part of the league, which is the group that brought J the orb in the first place. So, it’s not like it’ll be spreading the knowledge to another group.”

  “Yeah, but… you still have it, right? Shouldn’t that make it your call?”

  “Um… I don’t know. Maybe? It’s not like I’ll be keeping it for much longer anyways.”

  “Well, until you actually get it out of you, then I don’t want to spread it around.”

  “Or maybe we should.” Allia counters. “Right now, J’s the only person who knows about it being in me. I trust her, but I trust your parents more. It might help to have a fallback if she decides my value as a research specimen exceeds her scruples.”

  “Alex knows too. I doubt he’d stand idly by if you disappeared, and he has a noble house backing him.”

  “I thought you didn’t like him?” Allia asks, eyebrow raised.

  “I don’t,” Sarrah says without hesitation. “But I believe he will at least help you if you need it.”

  “Hmm…” Allia says, looking at her friend’s oddly serious look. “You’re probably right. But he did make that oath, remember?”

  “An oath of secrecy, not inaction,” Sarrah says.

  “Right…you really don’t want to tell your parents, do you?” Allia gives her a frank look.

  Sarrah shrinks back, pulling her legs up against her chest and mutters. “I don’t know… Part of me wants to just let them handle everything. They’re so capable, and I’m sure they’ll figure out the best thing to do. But like… you saw them tonight, right? They prepare for everything. They make big deals out of things just on the off chance that it is a big deal. Then they’ll make all these arrangements just in case they’re needed when 99% of the time they’re not.”

  “Sounds like they care about you… sounds nice.” Allia says the last part under her breath, glancing away.

  “I know. I’m not complaining about the effort they put in for me. I just don’t want to cause them trouble. I mean, if even ordinary things cause them to make extraordinary preparations, then what do you think they’ll do when the extraordinary happens? I just don’t want them to go through so much trouble when you’re going to be giving the orb back in a little while anyways.”

  “…Right.” Allia looks away again, not wanting Sarrah to see her face.

  “…Allia,” Sarrah says sternly, pivoting her body so that she’s looking down on her friend and sees her expression. “You are going to give the orb back, right?”

  “…Yeah… Of course. Why wouldn’t I? It’s nothing but trouble, and it’s not like I can figure out how to use it on my own. Right?” Allia says, forcing herself to look at her friend and speak with increasing conviction.

  “Right. But why does it sound like you’re asking me?”

  “Um… I’m not. No, you’re right. We’re returning the orb the first chance we have.”

  “…Good.” Sarrah has a confused look.

  “Good.” Allia repeats as if convincing herself.

  “Well, I um… I think I want to go to bed now after all. Thanks. You helped a lot… I think.”

  “Happy to,” Allia says, getting up off the floor to go to the guest room. “Well, good night.”

  Sarrah smiles warmly. “Good night, Allia. Rest well.”