Calliope hummed lightly as she watched Isran read. The taller woman was barely aware of her surroundings, her head buried in her book, a lightly concentrated look on her face.

  Calliope loved looking at Isran.

  It took her mind off stressful things...hurtful things. Isran was almost always in her own little world. More focused on something only she knew than the rest of the world. When the pale woman got out of her head, she seemed agitated.

  Calliope didn’t like to see Isran agitated. It made her agitated. It made her scared.

  Calliope realized she had stopped humming. She didn’t continue the song she had been humming before. She couldn’t really remember what it had been about. Sometimes she would forget herself when she hummed. The world faded into a buzz and the only thing clear was whatever her eyes were on.

  Isran flipped a page and rubbed her head gently with a sigh.

  Calliope loved the sounds Isran made. They made her feel safe. They helped her think less. Helped her focus on Isran and not the things she would rather forget.

  It wasn’t hard to smile, she had been smiling her whole life. But sometimes she wished it was hard. So she could just sleep and not think, so she could rest forever.

  She didn’t feel that way when she looked at Isran. Isran loved her smile. She seemed confused at times, but she smiled back when Calliope smiled. Calliope would always smile for Isran.

  Isran shut her book a few minutes ter and looked around the room, when her eyes found Calliope they seemed to light up.

  Calliope wouldn’t stop her smile, even if she could. As long as Isran always smiled when she saw it.

  Isran stretched and walked towards her. She leaned down as if standing straight Calliope wouldn’t hear her.

  “Would you like to go on a walk with me?”

  Calliope spoke to Isran the least out of the three women she lived with. But it was for a simple reason, she would never bother Isran. The day Isran seemed upset with her—she was certain—would be the day the world would end.

  With a small nod, she stood up and grabbed the pale woman’s outstretched hand.

  The streets were fairly empty in their side of town. The sun was setting and windows were shining light onto the stone roads.

  Calliope loved how silent Isran was. The woman never forced herself to speak in the presence of others. She was lost in her head again… her eyes stuck in one direction and a small frown on her face.

  Elysi and Phaedra had left much earlier in the morning. Getting their own affairs in order (they had said). Isran liked the sheepfolk very much. Calliope could tell. She always looked more rexed in her presence. She always smiled at her. Kissed her every morning.

  The elf descendant she didn’t kiss. But she liked, of that Calliope was certain. She smiled tenderly at the dark-skinned woman. Always touching her when she was lost in thought. Always following her with her eyes. Never refusing her requests.

  Calliope could never request too much from Isran. She was her savior. The reason she could smell the air outside the dungeons. The reason she was free.

  “Where are you from?”

  Calliope stopped humming as she looked up at Isran, they had stopped for a carriage to turn a corner. She hadn’t even realized she was humming again.

  “I grew up in Eveln-South, in the third greater city.”

  Isran nodded, but Calliope could tell she didn’t know where that was. That was odd. Isran seemed educated enough and spoke with a cadence slightly simir to people who grew up in the higher areas of Evelncarth. But she seemed to never really know things as well.

  “What about you?”

  “Oh… I don’t remember.” Isran rubbed her head slightly, her eyes lowering and her body stiffer.

  Calliope wondered if it was a sensitive topic. Perhaps she was of a fallen noble house. She didn’t press. She hated seeing Isran in distress.

  By the time they were walking towards the house, the moon was up. It had gotten much colder. Calliope drew closer to Isran, and Isran let her.

  Elysi and Phaedra were back, both standing in front of the house, speaking to a human man that could pass as a gnome. He was round and as short as a gnome, but his nose was small, and his eyes narrow. He had a cane and tapped it as they approached. Speaking to the two women and tapping.

  Elysi spotted them first and looked worriedly between Isran and the man.

  “Hey,” Isran said when they got in earshot of the three, still holding Calliope’s hand. Calliope loved that Isran was still holding her hand. She hoped she never let go.

  The man turned and lighted up at the sight of Isran. Calliope understood. How could anyone not be happy to see Isran.

  “You are Isran right?”

  Isran nodded slowly, her hand felt more rigid in Calliope’s own. Her back straighter. Her eyes moved uncertainly to the other two women.

  “Yes I am.”

  The man tapped his cane twice and smiled. “Well, absolutely splendid. You are a tough one to find.” He tapped his can once.

  Isran didn’t like the tapping, Calliope would tell. Her hand twitched every time she heard it. Calliope was staring to dislike the man.

  “My name is Crystal Maines. I am an advisor to the Governor of Kestin. Your presence is required tomorrow evening. At six pm.” He tapped after every sentence, lightly, but loud on the quiet street.

  “Required?” Isran swallowed.

  Crystal nodded. “Required.”

  “Can we know why?” Elysi asked, having moved to stand beside Isran.

  Crystal tapped his cane three times. “Ah… I wish I could, but even I have no idea what matter is so urgent. It is imperative you show up on time. The governor does not like to be kept waiting.”

  Elysi nodded slowly. “And the request is for Isran only?”

  Crystal nodded as he tapped his cane again. “Why yes! It is a summons, not a party.” He chuckled lightly to himself and tapped his cane.

  When no one ughed at his statement or even spoke, he tapped his cane twice and nodded. “Alright, it was a pleasure. Please be on time, the governor is not very patient.”

  And then he was gone, tapping following his small footfalls as he walked away.