“It’s an autocab,” Aezhay groused, pulling on her backpack. “It’ll wait forever.”

“Yeah, sure. And keep running up the bill forever, too,” Lezah clucked. “We all set?”

“Yup,” Aisell said, beaming. She was surprised to be going back to Rutger so soon, and thrilled about it. She couldn’t wait to introduce Lezah and Aezhay to Eyrn, couldn’t wait to see Degu and Tapp and Darren again, and was looking forward to seeing Bedra and not getting into a row over human rights, at least for a bit.

She looked over at her big sister. “Don’t worry,” she said, reading Lezah’s face. “We’ll be back soon enough.”

“I know,” Lezah said. “And Tizen’s gonna look in on the place while we’re away. Just….”

Aisell put her arm around Lezah’s shoulder. “Lee, for just this weekend, you need to let go and relax. Okay?”

Lezah laughed out loud. “Look who’s talking! All right, pup, let’s go.”

The autocab lifted off, and headed for the Medzina transit station, along with all three guardians.

A few hours later, two humans approached a mammoth rock overlooking a vast lake. Luke had said that this was the place to do this, and so, with Quendra on lookout, Thurfrit began.

—

“It’s gonna be a long time before I can get back,” Luke had said, the day before. He had made it down to the Great Hall on crutches, and he was determined to make it back up to the healer’s ward, too, but his side felt like it was on fire.

He had noted with a chuckle that it looked a bit like it was on fire as well; the glowberry pulp was doing a good job of holding the wound together, but it was also, well, glowing. Wolan assured him that the effect was temporary, but he took it in stride. After all, it would be pretty cool to have a glowing scar.

“I think that’s an understatement,” Quendra said. “Still can’t believe you want to go back after what you read.”

Luke shook his head. “If you can show me where Aisell or Lezah or Aezhay were cruel to the Tribe, I’ll stay here. But Thurfrit, you said your grandmother even said Aezhay was a kind owner…if, you know, an owner.”

“She never spoke badly of Tall as Tree,” Thurfrit said, dipping his roll in some oil. “She didn’t like being owned, but she said you could have worse masters. Just said she was kinda forgetful.”

“Fine, fine,” Quendra said. “Well, it doesn’t matter, because it’s gonna be a while before you can go back.”

Luke frowned. “Yeah. And…well, I’ve already been gone a while. And I’m gonna be gone more. And I know you said Aisell was happy, Thurfrit, but….”

He shook his head. “Look, I just feel bad that she doesn’t know what happened to me. Maybe she doesn’t care, maybe she does, I don’t know. But I just want her to know I’m safe.”

“And how are we supposed to get that message through? Go knock on her door?” Quendra sniffed.

“No,” Luke said. “I wouldn’t do that to you. And I’m not sending her a note, either. This won’t tell her anything about who you are, or where I am, or anything at all…except I’m safe, and….”

He paused, and smiled. “Well, that I’m safe.”

—

The domestic transit shuttle was on final descent to Rutger. Aisell poked her big sister. “Lee, I told you, no brooding!”

“Wasn’t thinking about the farm. It was…something. I’m not sure. I just feel like I’m missing something. You know? Like it’s staring me right in the face. But…eh, I don’t know. I’ll either think of it or I won’t, right?” she said with a half-smile.

“Right,” Aisell said. “No brooding.”

Lezah nodded, looking out the window as they came in for landing. She looked back over at Aisell and laughed out loud. She wasn’t being overly talkative, but the look on her face said it all.

“Pup,” Lezah said, “I don’t think I’ve seen you this excited about going someplace in years.”

—

Thurfrit finished his work, and nodded. “All right,” he said. “Let’s go.”

Quendra sighed, and began walking. “So…that’s it?” she asked.

“Yes, that’s all. Luke said that would be enough for Eyes Like Ice to know that he is fine.”

“Fine,” Quendra huffed.

They walked along in silence for a long time, before Thurfrit finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Why are you upset, Quendra?” he asked.

“This was pointless,” she muttered, not slowing.

“Maybe, but it made Luke feel better. Don’t we owe him that?”

That slowed Quendra up, just for a moment. “I suppose. I just…once again, he’s more worried about them than he is us, or the Tribe. I’m getting sick of it.”

Thurfrit nodded. He would have to keep pushing. Unfortunately.

“Well, Eyes Like Ice saved his life; it’s understandable that he’d want her to know it hadn’t been in vain.”

“If she was a human, maybe,” Quendra spat. “But she isn’t. She’s a monster. You know it, I know it – we all do.”

“Do we?”

That brought Quendra to a full stop. She turned to face her friend. “Yes, Thurfrit. We do. Or did you forget you gave Luke the history of the Great Disaster just two sunrises ago?”

“I know what the chronicles say,” Thurfrit said. “I also know that they say very little about what the guardians are actually like. Oh, they are powerful. Possessed of abilities we can only dream of. But are they that different from us? I don’t know.”

“Your grandmother welcomed the chance to come to the tribe,” Quendra said.

“Yes, she did,” Thurfrit said. “But I know better than you what she said of Tall as Tree, Hair Like Fire, Eyes Like Ice. They were children when she was there, and she always said that they were kind, as were their parents.”

“Then why did she jump at the chance to come with us?”

“To be free!” Thurfrit said. “To have the chance to live the life she chose. She said the guardians could not give her that – but she never said they were cruel, or neglectful, or harmed her in any way. Now, I know the chronicles; I know what they say. And I always assumed she was trying to sweeten the story, so that we children wouldn’t be frightened. I always assumed she told my parents the real story of the horrors she endured – but of course, all of them died at the same time, so I never could ask them.

“But Quendra…what if she was right? What if Luke’s right? What if they’re just people, like us – stronger, more powerful, to be sure, but…what if they have among them kind and decent people, just like we do?”

“Then why did they slaughter us?”

“Kumn is a part of our Tribe,” Thurfrit said. “I would not want to be a guardian if She was their size, and they ours.”

Quendra turned away.

“Look, Quendra, I’m just saying….”

“I know what you’re saying,” she said. “And Thurfrit…if it’s true…why would Luke ever want to stay with me?”

She turned back to Thurfrit, and her eyes were swimming with tears. “Eyes Like Ice would never let a shaar hurt Luke. It would run away at her sight. If he did got hurt, as he said he did with the insect, she could go get medicines we don’t have. Life with her would be easy, Thurfrit. It would be safe. And…and if he ever hopes to go home, go back to Earth…we can’t get him there.”

She looked down. “And it’s not just that. She…she’s…well…if she…if Luke….Thurfrit, how could I ever expect him to stay with us when he could go back to her? And how…how can I just let him leave us?”

“Quendra…you know how I feel about you.”

Quendra’s eyes went wide. “Wha…Thurfrit, what?”

He smiled. “Don’t worry. I’m making a point. You know how I feel about you…but I know you do not feel the same way. It’s okay,” he said, softly. “Quite honestly, huntress, you deserve someone…well…not like me.”

“Oh, Thurfrit,” she said. “I….”

“No, no! I’m not looking for pity. I am proud and honored to call you my friend, Quendra. If that is all you ever are to me…well, there are precious few people alive who have the fortune to call you their friend. I get to be one of them. It is enough.

“But let’s say that tomorrow, I found a way to force you to be by my side, to be my partner. Would I do that? Not a chance,” he said. “Not a chance. Because you are my friend. And whatever would come of that…you would not be my friend anymore.”

“That is an understatement,” Quendra said, allowing a smile to tug at her lips. “I get it. You’re saying he doesn’t care for me that way, and I should accept him as a friend.”

“I’m not saying that at all, Quendra,” Thurfrit said. “I don’t know if he cares for you in that way or not, and I don’t know if he means to stay with us or go back to them. What I do know is that it is his choice. Not yours, and not mine. If you are his friend – and I know you are, Quendra – then you have to let him make the choice, and honor it.”

Quendra pulled Thurfrit close, into a bear hug. “Thanks,” she said. “For everything.”

She let him go, and sighed. “All right,” she said. “I still think he goes back to her. But you’re right…if he does…I have to let him.”

Thurfrit chuckled. “Quendra…I think you underestimate yourself.”

—

“Gae, I don’t know why you put up with him.”

Gae lay on her bed, letting Yamanu massage her neck. She sighed. She had been grateful to find Yamanu after breaking up with Lylil. Well…that wasn’t exactly right; she’d known Yamanu for quite some time before she broke up with Lylil. Still…he supported her in a way Lylil had never managed to.

“Yamma, Lesis is my boss.”

“He’s demanding the impossible,” Yamanu said, feeling the tension in her muscles. “You’ve been here, what, two weeks? You can’t make members appear by magic.”

“I know,” Gae sighed. She was frustrated. Lesis Teronidia was a bright and energetic guy, a great salesperson for TETH. He was an excellent organizer, and he’d done some great work expanding membership in Idilidi. But he had a tendency to expect the impossible from his underlings – like creating a chapter in a town with 50,000 people as quickly as he could in a town with twenty times that number.

“At least he seemed intrigued by your idea. But how are you going to tell Lezah? From what you’ve told me, I don’t think she wants people prying into that bit of her family’s history.”

“Yeah, didn’t think that through,” Gae said. “But it was all I had! I mean…maybe if I find some of their artifacts, I can talk to Lezah about sharing them. Showing how advanced they were. I mean, she’s pretty pro-human rights now.”

“Right. But you and I both know if the folks in Tuaut get wind of this and start promoting it, they’ll want you to use Lezah as a bad guy. Or at least her family.”

“I know,” Gae said. “I’m hoping if we can get her on board, that I can convince them it’s more powerful if we use her as a farmer who gets it. Who understands that humans can be impacted by her work. You have to admit, it shows how vulnerable wild humans are.”

Yamanu paused, and Gae groaned. “Oh, Yamma…you know I don’t mean it like that….”

“No, it’s true,” he said, sitting down on the nape of her neck, cross-legged. “Without a Titan protector, humans on Archavia are in trouble. But with them….”

“With them, you can’t be free. Yamma….”

“I know, Gae,” Yamanu said, rappelling down the side of her neck, using her thick black hair to steady himself. He slid along her cheek, and kissed it softly. “I know.”

She looked at him, and blinked tears away. “I feel like a hypocrite. TETH organizer who owns a human. What does that make me?”

“Well,” Yamanu said, with a gentle smile, “it makes you a very good owner.”

“I don’t want to be a good owner,” she said, closing her eyes. “I want to be your girlfriend. I want you to want to be with me because…because I’m a good person who you can choose to be with. Not because I happen to be the person who is the least awful to you.”

“Gae, you’re too hard on yourself,” Yamanu said. Then, a bit directly, “Look at me.”

Gae pushed up, just a bit, and opened her eyes to gaze down on her tiny friend and lover and…and pet. Yamanu sat on her pillow and looked up at her, with brown eyes that were nearly a match for hers.

“Gae, neither one of us chose to live in this world. We’re both muddling through as best we can. You worry that I’m too dependent on you to have a true choice in whether to stay with you…and I do too. But what are we supposed to do about it? You’re doing everything you can think of to find a way to make me your equal. That’s all you can do. I’m trying to help you…and I know, I’m not much help.”

“You are more help than anyone I’ve worked with, Yamma. You keep me focused on what’s important. I couldn’t do this without you. I mean it.”

“Well, it’s not much,” Yamanu said. “But it’s something. And that’s my point – we’re stuck in the society we’re stuck in. We can’t make it better by wishing. All we can do, you and I, is do our best. And because I know you’re doing your best…well, I’m still gonna worry. You are too. But I know you’re trying, Gae. That’s enough for me.”

Gae smiled shyly, and leaned in for a quick kiss. “I mean it, Yamma,” she said, softly. “You are not my possession. If you ever want to go….”

“If I ever want to go,” Yamanu said, looking up at his girlfriend-slash-owner, “I will tell you. Just like you can let me go if you ever tire of me. But for now, I can’t imagine being happier with anyone else. I just hope that’s true for you, too.”

She leaned back in, and kissed him a bit more slowly. There was time to go exploring in the woods by the Maris Farm, and they’d go out before the end of the day. But there were more important things to tend to first. Far, far more important things.