Nurassyl was speaking. Though his words were as incomprehensible as anybody else’s, Marcus could imagine the gentling effect of them. He spoke as much with his round eyes and with the gentle motions of the tentacles. He seemed to float toward Mollie, propelled by the hundreds of nodules he had instead of feet. For her part, Mollie stopped fighting and started listening. She said something, and after a few exchanges her face relented. She let the nurses guide her to a low stool, and soon Nurassyl was right beside her. Mollie flinched back when he reached for her, but didn’t really pull away. The moment his tentacles caressed her temples, her mouth dropped open, her face softened, and her eyes took on a faraway glaze.

The world snapped back to normal when Babel said, “Remember, only ease her troubles. Not too much.”

Nurassyl turned and looked at her. “She has so much pain,” he said.

“I know. She’s got pains that began before any of this. Just don’t go too far.”

Nurassyl turned back to Mollie. He spoke to her, low enough that Marcus couldn’t hear what he said. Mollie listened. She nodded often. At some point, tears welled in her eyes and cut tracks down her cheeks. Watching, Marcus knew they were the good kind. He glanced at the aces and the watching nurses and soldiers. They were all transfixed, even Babel.

Eventually, Nurassyl plucked the tentacles of one hand away. A moment later, he withdrew the others.

Mollie grabbed him, desperately. “Please, don’t stop!” she gasped. “Take it all away. Please…”

“No!” Babel snapped. “That’s enough, Mollie. I need your mind sharp. I need you to remember. It’s the only way you’ll understand the things you’ll need to do.” There was something close to compassion in her voice as she said this, but it dropped away when she began to give orders. “Take her away. Let her rest. Give her something to eat. And then we go at it again.”

Mollie wailed as the attendants started to lead her away. “Afterward,” she said. “After I’ve done it, then you’ll take it all away. You will, won’t you? Tell me you will.”

“Yes, Mollie,” Nurassyl said, “I will do that for you. After.”

That calmed her enough that she let herself be led away. “Hey,” Bugsy said, slipping his emaciated form into the seat Mollie had just vacated, “I’m up next! Return me to my normal grandeur, please.”

Babel rolled her eyes and started to leave.

“Hey!” Marcus called. “Nurassyl did his part. Now you do yours. Let my jokers in.”

“Your jokers? What are you—Moses?”

“It’s something to aspire to.” For some reason, Marcus didn’t feel as intimidated by her. Maybe it was the look of awe he’d seen on her face as Nurassyl worked, the knowledge that she’d needed a joker and knew it.

“Fine.”

As Babel issued orders for the jokers to be brought inside and located somewhere remote, Marcus bent to be closer to Nurassyl’s level. “When just you two could talk, what did you say to Mollie to make her calm down?”