“What if I’m not special,” Lift whispered. “Would that be okay too?”

The creature stopped and looked at her. On the wall, Wyndle whimpered.

“What if I’ve been lying all along,” Lift said. “What if I’m not strictly awesome. What if I don’t know what to do?”

“Instinct will guide you, I’m sure.”

I feel lost, like a soldier on a battlefield who can’t remember which banner is hers, the guard captain’s voice said.

Listening. She was listening, wasn’t she?

Half the time, I get the sense that even kings are confused by the world. Ghenna the scribe’s voice.

Nobody listened anymore.

I wish someone would tell us what was happening. The Stump’s voice.

“What if you’re wrong though?” Lift whispered. “What if ‘instinct’ doesn’t guide us? What if everybody is frightened, and nobody has the answers?”

It was the conclusion that had always been too intimidating to consider. It terrified her.

Did it have to, though? She looked up at the wall, at Wyndle surrounded by cremlings that snapped at him. Her own little Voidbringer.

Listen.

Lift hesitated, then patted him. She just … she just had to accept it, didn’t she?

In a moment, she felt relief akin to her terror. She was in darkness, but well, maybe she’d manage anyway.

Lift stood up. “I left Azir because I was afraid. I came to Tashikk because that’s where my starvin’ feet took me. But tonight … tonight I decided to be here.”

“What is this nonsense?” Arclo asked. “How does it help my philosophy?”

She cocked her head as a realization struck her, like a jolt of power. Huh. Fancy that, would you?

“I … didn’t heal that boy,” she whispered.

“What?”

“The Stump trades spheres for ones of lesser value, probably swapping dun ones for infused ones. She launders money because she needs the Stormlight; she probably feeds on it without realizing what she’s doing!” Lift looked down at Arclo, grinning. “Don’t you see? She takes care of the kids who were born sick, lets them stay. It’s because her powers don’t know how to heal those. The rest, though, they get better. They do it so suspiciously often that she’s started to believe that kids must come to her faking to get food. The Stump … is a Radiant.”

The Sleepless creature met her eyes, then sighed. “We will speak again another time. Like Nale, I am not one to leave tasks unfinished.”

He tossed his sphere along the alleyway, and it plinked against stone, rolling back toward the orphanage. Lighting the way for Lift as she jumped down and started running.

Chapter 19

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