Somehow, in the warped laws of this dream world, she finally understood me. She stopped rocking and her hands stopped digging. She released her arms and rested them in her lap.

Her mouth, however, was still moving, even more urgently than before. It moved in the same motion, I realized, as I watched. The same motion, over and over. She was not mewling, but speaking.

“What are you saying?” I asked. I leaned in to peer at her lips. Over and over, the same thing. She was trying to tell me something. “What are you saying?”

I still heard the crowd outside, humming William’s song. And, suddenly, I sensed the truth. She was not speaking, but singing. My eyes narrowed on her mouth. “Are you singing William’s song? Do you know the words?”

I peered into her eyes, and saw that she did. She knew. I gasped—I knew—deep down inside. I knew William’s song. And, deep down, I’d known it all along. He sang it back to me for weeks, but I sung it in the womb; I sprang forth with one song on my breath. How did it go? How did it go? I gazed in her eyes and, bit by bit, it came to me. Finally, we would sing as one. I took her hand and she took my waist and we rose up in song. Like ivy climbing the gibbet, we rose, and I remembered:

I am Arika of House Cobane.

Do not swaddle me.

I dare you

I dare you.

* * *

I awoke to the sting of Jones’ hand connecting with my cheek.

“Good,” she said, seeing I was awake. “Now I’ll ask you again. Where is your essay?”

Ignoring her, I took stock. We were still in the testing suite. I was trapped against the wall. She’d tied my hands and feet as if she’d known, somehow, I would awaken ready to fight.

“Your paper!” she shouted. Her hand came down like a viper.

I heaved myself aright but, with my hands bound, her next three blows struck unmitigated, splitting my cheek, knocking a tooth out, filling my mouth with blood.

I surged with fury, twice as strong as the fear I’d cast aside. Coward! I thought, railing at her. You coward!

“Did you cheat?” she asked, breathing hard. “Did you give your essay away? Answer me, girl. Did you cheat?” Slap slap slap!

My temple hit the paneled wall, knocking me senseless for moment. She had a nerve, I’d give her that. Chastising me for cheating.

She shoved her face close to mine.

I bucked and butted her with my head, once, twice. I drew back and fired the filth in my mouth. Blood and spit landed with a splash across her hateful face.

She reeled back.

I spat again, hitting her feet. I sounded my battle cry—hurrah. “For Robin! For Kiwi, Sky, Fount! For William! For William!”