Ellian cooks up some hot oats, the savory smell nearly knocking me out. She feeds them to me, mouthful by mouthful. All I can do is nod and smile in response. Isla watches with curious eyes, but she doesn’t come close. The girl asks a question in a mix of our languages, but I understand the words golden city.

Her mother nods. “Yes.”

After helping me out of my armor, Ellian washes my limp limbs with cloths soaked in hot water, doing her best while my body is overwhelmed by the panacea. Did I really take that much? I can’t remember how much there was. That seems like long ago. Everything does.

I fall asleep, and it’s glorious. When I wake up, it’s late afternoon, and my mind is clearer than before. Ellian lifts her eyes from her book when she sees me sit up.

“How are you feeling?” she says, reaching to the table next to her where a hot cup of tea waits. She hands it to me.

“Better. Thank you,” I say, adjusting the blanket around my legs. “Ellian, your name sounded so familiar to me, but I couldn’t remember for certain until now. You’re Bel’s aunt, aren’t you? He’s my friend, and he’s in my cohort. He’s talked about you.”

Her eyes look out at the distance, like she is looking for something she hasn’t needed in years. “Sweet Bel. All of that feels like another life. I arrived in Balmora ten years ago now, on a mission.” Ten years, I think, remembering my father flying away to join the battle.

Ellian goes on. “King Kharo was younger then and still getting used to his power. He didn’t know the costs of sending warriors so deep into the humans’ lands. While the others fought at the Cliffs, we were sent to the mountains and ordered to keep clear of the fighting. We were to find the humans’ king and kill them at any costs. King Kharo thought that would weaken them to the point of submission, despite the scholars believing the humans had no king.”

“Do they?” I ask.

She shakes her head. “Not exactly. Each human casts a vote, and the one with the most votes is declared the victor.” She sighs. “We made it this far, my fellow warriors and me. I was confident in my command, perhaps too much. We infiltrated Ramsgate at night. There were a dozen of us, and we must have killed so many. But there were always more humans, and when they sounded the alarm bells, we were trapped. Their reinforcements arrived and overtook us.”

“How did you survive?” I ask.