Kate,

　　I`ve spent the last couple cycles thinking about this letter and what I wanted to say to you. I thought I pretty much had everything figured out and that the only thing I needed to do was to set aside some time to actually put my thoughts into writing. It turns out that wasn`t true.

　　The fact is, I`m writing this letter from jail. You`re probably not surprised by that, and I suppose leading with that detail isn`t necessarily smart, but trying to be clever or smart isn`t actually being clever or smart, and merely attempting to be truthful with you isn`t actually being honest - there are a lot of important things that end up being left unsaid if the only thing I`m interested in is sticking to some kind of sanitized, bare bones truth. Because of that I`ve decided that I need to be as straightforward with you as I possibly can. If doing that cements how you feel about me, then so be it. I`d rather have you dislike me for that than for something else.

　　The reason I`m writing this from jail is because I murdered someone a couple hours ago, and he wasn`t some random person, either, I`ve known the guy for several years. Back in the guild I took it upon myself to be his mentor, at his request, and I actually did a pretty good job of it. He ended up becoming a person that I trusted enough to consider a friend. We helped each other back when the guild was still getting established, but during these past couple years we drifted apart. I don`t know if it matters to you if I say that he deserved it. I think it should matter, but you, of course, may disagree. He deserved it, that`s the truth of it, that`s what happened, that`s the story I`m sticking with. He may have been my friend before all this happened, but right now I`m not the same person that I was and he tried to take advantage of that.

　　Looking back on it now, our friendship was more us trading favors, I`d help if he had an issue or he`d help me with mine. I never really kept score on who did more for who, but I probably did two for every one he did - which was fine, mine were usually a little more involved. You know what we didn`t consider it? Using each other. That may be exactly what we were doing, but that`s also a very ugly way to describe a friendship. When you accused me of using you I took that very personally. It`s awful accusation because it means that when you look at everything I did, every interaction we had, you`re thinking I was doing all of that to check off some little boxes in my head so that later on I could use what I`d done to try and squeeze what I could out of you. Here`s the fact of the matter: I wasn`t. You know what I saw when I first met you and Evie? Nothing special. Two newbies still stuck in the dorm a couple cycles in and some pairs of hands to carry stuff back. If I had an ulterior motive at the time it was to force you two out of your comfort zones, even if only for a little while. So while I had absolutely no expectations for you two when we first met, you ended up proving yourselves beyond a shadow of a doubt. You aren`t the first people I`ve mentored, but I`m the definitely the proudest of how you rose beyond the challenge.

　　So, you know what, Kate? You need to get over yourself. I didn`t keep my situation from you in order to hurt you - and I definitely didn`t do it to take advantage of you - but I`m tremendously sorry that I retroactively broke your trust by not telling you about it sooner. You need to let me do whatever I can to try and fix it because - and I know this is a selfish reason, I know I`m impossibly selfish - I need your help. I dunno if you`ve heard, but right now I`ve bitten off way more than I can chew. I managed to convince Evie to get on board with my half baked, dumbfuck plan, but she really gave me a piece of her mind the other day because of it.

　　Speaking of which, I can sort of understand why you`re shutting me out, but why are you shutting her out? She mentioned that you haven`t been responding to her emails. I told her that maybe it was because you haven`t been getting them - that`s possible, I guess, they very well may be restricting what info you`re getting on the outside - but I`m not fully convinced that`s why you`re not responding. I don`t know what exactly Evie did to piss off a bunch of the people in your class, but given how she can be I can make a couple guesses. Honestly, though, I don`t really care about the exact reason they`re upset with her - as far as I`m concerned that`s all a million miles away. What I do care about is that you stuck with her in spite of whatever it was, and now, because of me, you`re not.

　　So, you know what, Kate? Screw what I said earlier about getting over yourself. Rather than doing that you should open your mouth every once in awhile and let us know if you`re having an issue, rather than bottling it up until it blows, or totally shutting down and cutting off contact. I`m certainly not going to dismiss you if you bring something up. I guarantee I`ve done things ten times more stupid, ten times more reckless, and ten times less forgivable than you have. If you tell me about something, I`ll do what I can to fix it. I promise you that.

　　If you could I really want to talk with you in person, but even getting a letter back from you is probably more than I deserve. Please at least write me a letter back. I want to fix our relationship if I can. I know I haven`t done anything to you that`s beyond fixing. I don`t think I have, at least. I hope that`s right. I really want to talk with you if you can bring yourself to meet with me.

　　Finally, I know this is selfish, but I have a request. I was supposed to meet the guy I went to the gala with, Tim, for dinner this cycle on day four. I`d send him a letter telling him I can`t make it but I don`t remember his last name. So, if you could, I`d really appreciate it if you could tell him I`m in jail. He`s at House Solstice. If you don`t know where that is, ask around, the Blood Mages all know. And please don`t lie to him and say I`m busy, or something, I`d rather have him know the real reason. That`s also something I`m going to try to do from now on, be more upfront and truthful not just with you, but with everyone. I don`t want him to feel like he got stood up - that`s a really shitty feeling - and I don`t want to poison a potential relationship by lying to him. It`s just dinner, by the way, I was trying to have a more normal sort of relationship with a guy after my last ones imploded, and here I can`t even make it to the first date. Maybe a normal anything with me isn`t possible. Maybe that`s just how it is. I`m sorry I am the way I am.

　　Lucy

　　Putting the completed letter aside and taking a few minutes to stare at the wall. Picking up the next piece of paper.

　　Garland,

　　Tonight`s altercation was the result of a personal dispute between myself and one of the members of your House. It is not a reflection of our current arrangement and it should not be construed as an breach of that arrangement. I fully intend to resume my regular duties once my sentence has been served. In the meantime, I`d be more than happy to charge whatever items you wish to send my way.

　　Regards,Macarthy

　　And, the last.

　　Julie,

　　I`m in jail for the cycle so I`m not going to be able to make it to our usual outing on two. I`ll tell you what happened when I see you. Stay well.

　　Lucy

　　***

　　Name: Lucilia Macarthy

　　Profession: Runemage Level: 20

　　Sex: Female

　　Experience: 302,593 (0)

　　Age: 20

　　Until Next: 76,700

　　Health

　　87

　　Mana

　　98

　　Stamina

　　42

　　Spirit

　　9

　　Strength (STR)

　　59 (4)

　　Constitution (CON)

　　66 (8)

　　Dexterity (DEX)

　　71 (15)

　　Agility (AGI)

　　89 (19)

　　Discipline (DIS)

　　79 (14)

　　Aura (AUR)

　　86 (18)

　　Logic (LOG)

　　77 (18)

　　Intuition (INT)

　　80 (20)

　　Wisdom (WIS)

　　50 (0)

　　Influence (INF)

　　79 (14)

　　Name

　　Trainings

　　Bonus

　　Armor Use

　　6

　　29

　　Physical Fitness

　　21

　　71

　　Combat Maneuvers

　　3

　　15

　　Simple Weapons

　　21

　　71

　　Arcane Symbols

　　26

　　76

　　Magic Item Use

　　21

　　71

　　Harness Power

　　21

　　71

　　Mana Control

　　21

　　71

　　Runemancy

　　21

　　71

　　Arance Lore, Decomposition

　　10

　　45

　　Arcane Lore, Shaping

　　21

　　71

　　Arcane Lore, Transference

　　11

　　48

　　Survival

　　15

　　60

　　Perception

　　21

　　71

　　Climbing

　　15

　　60

　　Swimming

　　15

　　60

　　First Aid

　　15

　　60

　　Trading

　　20

　　70

　　Stalking and Hiding

　　10

　　45

　　Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

　　"Alright, you`re free to go."

　　Doing a final stretch and exiting my cell. Usually the worst part of jail is that it`s boring - that, the shit food, and the lack of bathing options - but this stint turned out to be a nice breather. Definitely not lonely or idle. Strutting out the main prison entrance with my feet safely ensconced in my formerly high heeled and now Reshaped, lowtop shoes. My thank you gift for Harper`s care package in hand - a small statue painstakingly sculpted and Reshaped and remolded over and over to best resemble her demon. Only few scattered streetlamps still alight in the empty city square at this witching hour.

　　The empty not-empty square. Enemies. Enemies undoubtedly everywhere. Perhaps some even now sitting still in some patch of shadow watching their target leave prison. Watching their target standing in the small ring of light projected from the city garrison. Watching and waiting and whispering amongst each other as a globe of crackling energy appeared above their target`s head. My challenge. Come and get me.

　　Off to the left something stirring in the otherwise unblinking, unsleeping night, slightly hunched and moving in a direct line toward me. Each of the woman`s steps surefooted on the cobblestones and a multicolored shawl draped over the shoulders of her moleskin coat. The older woman who`d initially directed me to meet with the Council in the first place.

　　"What a lucky coincidence it is, Ms. Macarthy, meeting you here this evening. Do you have a few moments you can spare?"

　　"I`m a little busy."

　　"Aren`t we all? Only a few moments of your time, that`s all I need."

　　"What errand are you trying to foist on me now?"

　　"Foist?" The woman`s fingertips grazing her wounded heart. "I merely told you what you needed to succeed. That you`re the one who chose the very long path isn`t on me, but maybe all of that was for the best. If you do feel personally slighted, for some reason, please allow me to make amends. If you wish, I could direct you out of here safely tonight. Or you could chance the streets."

　　Doing a sweep of the undoubtedly not-so-empty emptiness in the town square.

　　"Fine."

　　"Hold on." A gnarled hand catching mine. "Not that way. I think this way would be more wise." The woman leading me by the hand away from the direction of House Haven at a very quick pace. Taking some turns through the deserted streets, east and then a long stretch south. Entering a narrow alley, clean and well maintained, a few blocks from the outer wall. The woman producing a key for a solid wooden door.

　　The interior filled with a light spritz of incense and flowers, and the walls covered in tapestries. The heavens overhead charted, a rendition of the gods` personified conflict, with weapons in hand, and one of the known world with Lumeer all the way off to one side.

　　"I`m sorry I hurried us here so fast," she says. "I didn`t want to let the team oversteep. Sugar?"

　　"Maybe some lemon if you have any."

　　The woman pausing before rooting around in her kitchen. Setting down the cup after creating some space on her coffee table.

　　"Do you believe in fate, Ms. Macarthy?"

　　"Not really."

　　"I suppose you wouldn`t. All of you seem to be less bound by it, but I suppose that`s what makes you all so interesting."

　　"So what`s the errand you want me to run? I seem to be getting all sorts of requests lately."

　　"Errand? I have nothing of the sort." The woman taking a sip of tea. "Five days ago I`d retired for the evening after a late dinner and was meditating in that twilight on the edge of sleep. I find it`s a useful practice for cataloging the days events. That`s when I saw it, a vision of an iron heel smashing the town flat, and then rodents scurrying out of the ruins."

　　"So what do you want me to do about it?"

　　"I don`t know that you can do anything. Besides, dreams may contain many truths, but they`re also filled with all sorts of supposition - very much overclouded by emotion." The woman staring at me while her lips gummed at the cup. "Earlier today when I was bird watching a certain flock took my interest and their pattern brought them over the jail. It was a most curious flight path they chose. That`s why I showed up this evening, only to find you. So, if you`d be a dear, I`d like to perform a reading in order to better feel out the situation."

　　"Sure, provided you can tell me something useful about one of my ongoing issues."

　　"Useful." The woman starting to shuffle the cards. "You don`t know how much I loathe that word. The future is, as always, unknown, but the ripples of today`s actions serve to make it somewhat perceivable - imperfectly perceivable, certainly, but perceivable nonetheless. Both the good and the bad on the horizon." Loudly clacking the deck of cards against the table. "Suffice it to say there`s a reason I ended up getting assigned to this particular locale." The woman laying out the cards. The Devil. Death. The Hanged Man. The woman staring at the cards. Not explaining their meaning, not making a sound at all.

　　"There`s your reading. Anything that`ll help me?"

　　"You." The word sounding a lot like how she`d said `useful`. Slowly shaking her head. "Maybe there is, but I think need to delve a little deeper, if you`ll indulge me." Not waiting for my answer, bounding to her feet instead and going into her kitchen. Drinking the tea as her banging around continued, and then the woman coming back with a large plate filled with bones. Some chicken, maybe dog, but that one`s definitely a finger, and that other one`s a rib, no question.

　　"I quite like the tea, it`s better than the usual stuff they have around here."

　　"The tea?" The woman not even looking up, engrossed in her task of picking through the bones. "I get it specially imported, I quite enjoy it." Selecting six or seven out of the pile, not at random, but whatever criteria she used not apparent. "So, I was saying earlier that dreams are often colored by emotions, making what they show questionable, but birds also suffer similar limitations. There`s always too many outside forces at play to make everything birds reveal to be the absolute truth. Personally, I`m a fan of cards - they`re easy to carry and versatile - but I`ll acknowledge they also have their own shortcomings." The woman casting the bones she`d gathered onto the table. Spinning and clacking. "Bones, on the other hand, may have certain limitations in their scope, but when they speak they always speak the truth. There`s truth in bones, remember that." The woman staring at the bones she`d thrown. "Entrails, too. My master always swore by entrails to ascertain minor details, but she always made it clear that bones are the foundation."

　　"Huh."

　　This tea`s not poisoned, right? Doesn`t taste like it is. Putting my cup down. That`s more than enough tea. The previously warm atmosphere gradually degrading as the woman sat muttering to herself while reading the bones.

　　"...it was right. It was the right thing to do, at the time, and yet this is the result? Them. They have to be the cause. Their very presence is disrupting the natural flow with their otherworldly schemes. This one here, what should be done with this one? A better result did occur the last time, so maybe letting everything play out this time would also be the best course, as bad as that may seem. Maybe a nudge here or-"

　　"Hey, old woman." Her head snapping up. "I know there`s a lot of problems following me around. Any useful advice?"

　　"Nothing you don`t already know, so I`d say stick to your instincts, don`t second guess yourself." The woman scooping the tossed bones back onto the plate. "Hurry along and stay near the southern wall if you wish to make back to Haven without incident this evening."