Raven sighs. For a long moment I think he’s going to leave it at that, but he gives a slow shake of his head.

“You never asked how Mira and I became estranged,” he says.

“I didn’t even know the two of you were close—not until Chloë told me yesterday. Mira never spoke of you.”

“We had a . . . disagreement about my responsibilities.”

I wait.

He sighs again. “She said if I brought this world into being, then it was my responsibility to see that it remained a fair and just place for everyone to live.”

“That seems like a reasonable notion,” I say. “If you are, in fact, that Raven.”

“I am. But I’m also Lucius Portsmouth. Just like the crow girls, I don’t usually remember my origins. I don’t like to be reminded of them.”

“Why not?”

“Because while I do see the wrongs and injustices that pervade this world, there’s nothing I can do about them without causing more harm than good.”

“But you made this world.”

He shakes his head. “All I did was pull it out of a pot. Anybody could have done it—as Cody never tires of reminding me. The act didn’t invest me with some great power.”

“I’ve seen you . . . “ I’m not quite sure how to phrase it and settle on: “become more.”

“I didn’t say I was helpless.”

“Then why don’t you do more?”

“Where would I begin?” he asks. “There’s disharmony wherever one turns. I’m surprised that the Grace is even remembered anymore, this world has grown so distant to her gifts and teachings.”

“Then just do what you can. Every little thing can make a difference.” “I see why you and Mira were together,” he says. “That’s exactly what she said. And I’ll tell you now what I told her then: the only way to truly effect a change is to change what’s inside a being. How they see the world. How they connect to it. But who am I to make decisions such as that? Who is anyone?”

“But surely—”

“Take Cody. How many disasters has he brought into the world? But he always means well and he has also done great good. Should I go into his mind and change who he is?” He pauses. “That’s not the best example. I doubt anyone could make Cody be anything other than what he is. But do you understand what I mean?”

I nod. “I think so. Everyone needs to make their own choices or those choices don’t mean anything.”