Euphemia watched the boy, fleet of foot, leave the encounter the way he came. Her hand on her chest, and after a deep breath of relief, her eyes followed the direction of his exit. She took a few steps forward to the clump of trees, yet she imagined that this was all the assailant needed to catch her off guard and shoot her. She stopped at an imaginary line drawn by the shrubs and other low plants. A brightness coursed on her fingertips.

  "That boy claims to have seen me. Was he the one I felt back in the capital?" Her lips could not help but speak; the whistling breeze robbed her words of any audibility.

  Nobody was around. Neither the encounter with the armed stranger nor this subtle use of her powers would be seen. She recalled there were abandoned houses beyond the screen of trees that stood in front. She looked back at the church behind her. Was he sent by those behind her father's disappearance? Would there be more of him, or even worse, someone hardened enough to finish the job?

  "Should I tell Mother right away? It's too early. I don't even know if that boy is among them."

  The serenity of the church did little to ease her nerves; with each step back to the estate, she wondered if the boy-or his shadow-still watched. The local sisters waved and greeted her as she entered the parish's perimeter. She knelt near the wooden cross and let her thoughts settle into prayer. The sun was bound to set; a third of the fiery celestial body was retiring when she decided to head back to the estate. Euphemia had been watchful all around her, but the boy, or perhaps his possible cohorts, were not found. Three open-roofed cars were parked on the left side of the estate's gates. While all of them bore the crest of the Albertan Navy, one of them flew a small flag with the crest of a rose surrounded by eight beasts of legend. Euphemia saw the Schild Clan's serpentine emblem, though much smaller, as one of the creatures found on the flag.

  "A delegation from the Capital? Are they the ones Mother told me of?"

  Euphemia entered the guards' station, where Georg was seen with a mix of Albertan Navy men and around four men in red and blue uniforms. All of them looked at her upon stepping in.

  "These are our guests, Georg?"

  "Not entirely, Lady Euphemia. They're a security detail of the actual guest. Your mother informed us of their arrival beforehand."

  The men from the capital were listening. They stood at attention and saluted the cleric. Euphemia put her hand close to her lips and returned the salute promptly. She said:

  "At ease, gentlemen. I apologize for not being accustomed to Blaurosener conduct, but thank you for your courtesy."

  She nodded to Georg, who let her enter the estate through the house guards' entrance.

  ????

  The estate interior was now at its usual business. Most of the servants were new faces who bowed at Euphemia as she passed through the halls. Her venture took longer than expected as she exchanged greetings with half a dozen maids who were in charge of maintaining the foyer. Their light blue uniforms made them visible even as the mansion's lights were yet to come to full life. She passed by the office, where voices escaped in broken, barely audible speech. The melodic, yet restrained, tone was no doubt her mother's, but there was a second voice: that of a mellow-toned male speaker.

  "-good -you... De Melvich. How... -ions... Northwest... doing?"

  "By th-... father..."

  Maybe he was the investigator the Empire assigned to solve her father's disappearance. Euphemia opened a door next to the room: the broom closet was empty. She closed the door while making sure only the click of the knob could be heard. She put her ear close to the wall and found a spot where the air allowed most of the sound to go through.

  "What have- found out so far?"

  "It's a curious case, Madame Agnes. The... Fox has most likely... an underground port. He might have taken... Cecil... the direction of Alberta, but... he- actually... took... Antikwald."

  "Is there... is here?"

  "-ly doubtful... deploy more guards... advisable- look... locations."

  This was enough for her to know. The dark room was starting to smell stuffy, and the last thing Euphemia wanted was to be locked out by an unsuspecting servant doing nightly duties. She opened the closet door and looked to her sides: nobody was working on this part of the hallway.

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  "Father can be somewhere in the Old Woods? Had there been any word from the authorities about an unknown ship? Finally, I know what to do. I can't stay here."

  Her feet picked up speed as she made her way to the main staircase. That boy with a gun, and now with the knowledge that her father's captors could also be in the city, was all she needed to make a move of her own. Maybe this was the sign from the Creator that the cleric needed to put her unease to rest - no matter what lay ahead.

  She entered her bedroom, and the first thing on her mind was to pull out the old metal box from under her bed. The locks clicked: an inviting melody that beckoned the cleric to use what the metal container kept safe for the longest time.

  ??

  "Congratulations, Lady Euphemia. This is your last day under my tutelage." A wrinkled gentleman in neat silver-thread robes gazed sternly at a starry-eyed girl. "You proved to be a remarkable yet challenging student, but it has been truly an honor."

  "Does that mean no more classes by tomorrow? Will you still see us here at home?"

  Said Euphemia's younger self. The frilly dress she wore made her look thinner than she was. Her head was bowed before glancing back at the master magician with eyes that did not wander when faced with the old man's gaze.

  "I'm afraid there is nothing left to teach you, but I can return here if your parents request my presence."

  "You said I was challenging. Why is that, Meister Carolus?"

  "Your potential is beyond being able to use magical energy without a channeling crystal. I will be honest. You are the kind of student no single instructor in the Academy would find easy to teach. However, if you come to Luminberg, we will receive help from even greater minds. There is much we can uncover, but I believe it takes more than the two of us could muster."

  "Do you mean I can find more people who are like me in Luminberg?"

  "Yes and no, My Lady." Though wrinkled, Meister Carolus' eyes bore the glow of curiosity. "No, because your talents are long-believed to no longer exist, and it will be unfair to your would-be classmates to subject them to what you can do. Yes, for you will be with people who have... similar potentials, though theirs will show differently."

  "Does that mean I'm difficult?"

  "Challenging, like what I said before. But you, I, and the peers at Luminberg can open new doors in helping you understand the nature of your power. I'm sure you will be happy to lead the way for us to better help others like you, in the future."

  "I am that... unique, huh?" Euphemia looked away, but returned her mentor's gaze shortly. "Would you be unhappy if I choose not to go?"

  "You are young, and I know such decisions cannot come quickly. I will wait for you, my student."

  ??

  She looked at the armlet; its surface reflected a softly smiling woman. Euphemia shook her head and thought of how her master and tutor would have reacted had he found out where she was now. Maybe the elderly tutor caught wind of her entering the clergy.

  "Meister Carolus once said this artifact amplified something that already lived in me. But even now, I still wonder if this is a gift - or a mistake."

  The armlet glinted before her; its surface did not tarnish even after the years it lay in storage. Her face was reflected by the largest gem, where her wrist would be once the armlet was worn. Right under it was a curved depression that led to recessed lines that formed eight rays around the stone.

  "I have always dreaded activating this. If only there were less painful ways to do it."

  Euphemia took a small pin and pricked her index finger, causing her to wince and quickly close her eyes. A ball of blood formed at the tip. She placed it on the depression; thin, dark red lines traveled around the biggest stone and out into the radiant patterns. Her hand started to feel cold, as if the armlet started feeding on her warmth, taking more blood for itself. The armlet's silver surface glowed with a deep redness, until the bloody lines were consumed by threads of brilliant, blue whiteness. The eight lesser stones that surrounded the main gem lit up; light traveled up her hand and formed a thin blanket of brilliance all over her body. Her hand was numb, wrapped in a tingling sensation by the time she lifted her bled finger away from the armlet.

  What she held now was a brilliant artifact where the light was brightest on the nine stones. Euphemia raised her sleeve to wear it; a click confirmed that it was placed securely on her right arm. The numbness in her hand was wearing off, allowing her to move her fingers and ball her hand into a fist.

  "That went smoothly, I think. Now, let me make a fool of myself with a few tricks."

  She raised her arm and pointed at the horizon. The eight small stones broke away from the armlet, floating closer and farther from her; a set of small satellites on a loose orbit around the wearer. Euphemia willed them to fall in line at eye level; each stone glowed brighter and dimmer. She sent off one of the marble-sized spheres outside the balcony window; a beam of light fired upward and disappeared quickly. Euphemia thought of making all eight emit beams at once, but she did not want to bring attention to herself; none of the servants, nor most of the guards, were aware of the armlet or what she could do with it. All eight of the stones returned to the armlet, resting on the conclave shapes found at the tips of the rays. She looked at the silver artifact again; the lights went off, reverting the armlet to an unassuming piece of heavy jewelry.

  "I need to regain my discipline with this." Euphemia massaged her arms, then held her temples. "It's going to take time before I can be good with this like before."

  She dropped onto her bed on her back, looking at the crystals that illuminated her bedroom.