The next morning I was exhausted. My whole body ached, my head pounded and my stomach felt queasy. As consciousness crept into my mind, pulling me from slumber, I wanted nothing more than to lay back into the pillows and never awake. But of course, that was not an option. I climbed from my bed blinking back the black dots of sleep that threatened to cloud my vision as my head rose too quickly.

    The girl was still asleep, Rachel's light breath moving the sheets softly up and down, her eyes closed, face relaxed in peaceful repose. I chose to leave her that way a moment longer as I went about preparing for the day ahead.

I had no time to take a bath as I wished, but I went to the bathroom and scoured my hands and arms in the hottest water I could tolerate, still desperate to remove as much remnants of dirt and blood as I could.

    Once I had washed and readied myself, I woke the girl, chiding her until she moved through her stupor to awaken fully and dress. I was afraid to let her go anywhere alone and so she had to remain with me. I could not be late to the kitchens. I vowed to let her sleep once we were safely indoors again. I could see her exhaustion. Then again, even my kitchen felt unsafe now. Tainted with Olivia's innocent blood. With her corpse.

    Rachel was slow in moving and I could not help but snap at her, though my conscience pained me to see her jump with each sharp word. But I was still on edge. After what Torvald had put me through, it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. And then there was the conversation I had overheard. How long would it really be before my new master decided that Magnus would not recover? That he would sell the estate to recoup his brother's assets...

    I thought of Magnus, lying in that bed unmoving, the iv drip in his arm, entirely dead to the world. Was there anything left of the man who had saved me? The man who had been my true friend for so long? The one sibla I truly believed would never break a promise to me? I'd begged him to come back to us with all my heart, but I knew the truth, if he could, he would have already. With his unresponsive form, I had my answer, even if I did not wish to accept it. Even if I wanted to believe that he would save me and every one of his slaves one last time.

    "Alice!"

    We'd nearly reached the slave's entrance when I heard my name called from behind me. My body stiffened. The hand I had on Rachel's arm clenched. Torvald.

    "Alice, I would speak with you."

    I wanted to deny him. Hadn't he done enough? Could he not give me even one morning to recover?

    "Send the girl to the kitchens and come with me," Torvald said.

    Rachel looked at me with terror in her eyes. I too felt distinct unease in allowing him to separate us, but from Torvald's tone I could tell there would be no argument. I met his gaze, pleading wordlessly. He wouldn't be so cruel as to hurt Rachel would he? Not after I had done everything he'd asked, obeyed every command without complaint. It was then I saw his expression soften slightly, though not enough that another might have taken notice.

    "This is my order, Alice," he said. "The girl will be perfectly safe while you are gone, as is your other assistant. I give you my word as a man of honor."

    A man of honor. I did know Torvald to be that. Hadn't his discussion with his guest been proof enough? It was honor that was keeping Torvald for selling the estate. Honor that had kept him with us preserve Magnus's holdings through his illness. I nodded my head.

    "Go on, Rachel," I said to the girl, keeping my eyes on Torvald. "I'm certain I will be with you soon enough."

    The girl was clearly still frightened, but there was nothing to be done for that. Torvald had given his word that Kathryn and Rachel would be safe while we spoke, but that did not mean that I would be...

    "Now!" Torvald barked at the terrified girl. I watched as Rachel quickly disappeared around the corner, leaving me alone with a clearly agitated sibla man. I refused to let him see me shake. As I turned back to my Master's brother, I took a deep breath, forcing my tired body to stand tall, my gaze meeting his without fear.

    "Come with me," he said, turning to the house and talking up the main steps, clearly expecting me to follow.

    Inside I saw two sibla men talking. One held a Doctor's bag. My heart sunk. Something must have happened. Was this the moment I'd so feared since the moment Magnus's fell? Since he had left the world of the waking, his shallow breath the only sign life.

    "Wait here," Torvald ordered.

I stood as still as stone, my eyes transfixed as he went to the sibla doctors and spoke to them, too quietly for me to make out what they might be saying from a distance. Their face's seemed devoid of any helpful clues. Had the end come? Was my Master already dead? The man I had rescued. The man I had devoted my life to serving. The man who had become my true friend... I felt entirely numb as the possibility cemented itself in my mind.

    "Thank you, gentlemen," I heard Torvald say, "I will see you both soon."

    The two sibla men nodded as my temporary Master turned back to me.

    "Come," he commanded. I followed without a word, trailing after him like a specter as he continued own the hall and up the stairs and into Magnus's office.

    "Close the door."

    I obeyed, my heart pounding in my chest. I remembered the first years of my life with Magnus. How convinced I'd been every time he told me of a planned slaughter, that I would find my name of the list of those condemned, that he would break his vow of protection in favor of profits. He never had. Year after year, girl after girl, I had learned the fate of all those under my care. Learned the date of their death. And now, I might finally learn my own.

    As Torvald took his seat behind the desk I wanted desperately to ask him the question I feared asking. Had something changed? What were the doctors doing here? They hadn't been frequent visitors to the estate since they had stabilized Magnus's condition.

    "Sit," he ordered, nodding to the chair opposite him.

    I walked to the chair as if in a trance, lowering my body slowly. With Torvald's height, he towered over me despite his own seated position. I felt so small. So vulnerable. I was after all. Still, if this was the end, I was determined to maintain as much of my dignity as I could. I sat with my back straight, trying to affect as much stature as possible.

    "You went to see my brother yesterday, didn't you, Alice?"

    I felt my body tense. Of all the comments I'd expected, this was a complete surprise. How had he known? I had worked so hard to follow his command without running afoul, but I had indeed broken my vow to avoid Magnus's room and keep my distance.

The fact that being away from him when he needed me hurt more and more with every passing moment? The knowledge that my own negligence in looking after his health had caused his illness to advance so far was horrific, but it had been even more painful to be forbidden from helping rectify my mistake? It was horrific. I had finally given into my desperation and taken the risk of going to his side. And yet...I should not have done it. Not when I knew I might be discovered. That Torvald was watching me all the more closely to see if his stunt with Olivia might provoke me to step out of line. To give him the excuse he needed to do away with me for good. A sick feeling welled in my stomach as the potential consequences of my mistake overwhelmed me.

    It was useless to deny. Though he asked the question, it was clear from Torvald's tone he already knew the answer. I forced myself to remain strong as I nodded my head, though my heart pounded painfully awaiting his response. What would he do to me? Some part of my mind did indeed fear the potential suffering he might inflict.

    I thought of the weeks after my daughter's death. Of the daily beatings, the cruelty Dulane had allowed my body to be subjected to. Then I remembered my time in holding at the prison. The feeling of true starvation. All of the horror I had finally come to believe was behind me. How could I have forgotten my true place for a moment? Have dared to believe that I had escaped from the cruelty I knew others of my kind still faced every day...

    Still, I didn't apologize. What good would it do? Torvald had always disapproved of me. Now I had proven to be as rebellious as he'd suspected. It was then I remembered the Doctors. My fear that something had happened to Magnus. Torvald might have no obstacle in the way of doing whatever he wished to make me pay...

    I watched as Torvald sigh and shook his head at my silence.

    "What am I to do with you, Alice?" he asked rhetorically.

    "Master Torvald," I said, trying to imagine what comment might save me now, or at least the girls I loved, but Torvald held up a hand to stop me before I could continue.

    "I am not interested in excuses," he said.

    I closed my lips and waited for the worst. It did not come.

    "Alice," he said after a moment's pause, "I want you to begin visiting my brother on a regular basis."

    I stared at him in shock.

    "Though you may not shirk in any of your other responsibilities," he continued, "you will be expected to attend to him every day, for at least one hour. More if you can manage it. You are to do this until he either succumbs to his illness or is well again. Should you perform this task adequately I will refrain from harvesting any more of your flock until the fall."

    The words were impossible. I could not believe they had come from his lips. I had disobeyed him. I had been accused of visiting Magnus's bedside after being expressly told not to do so and was indeed guilty of the crime. Why then was he suddenly granting my greatest desire?

    "I..." I began. "I don't understand."

    "Does this assignment not please you?" he asked, staring at me intently.

    For a moment I was speechless. Could he truly wonder?

    "I would do anything to make him well again," I answered truthfully.

    "As would I," Torvald replied, holding my gaze. "He spoke, Alice. Early this morning. One word. Your name. He needs you."

    "Then the doctors?" I asked, so incredulous at the news I temporarily forgot my place. That I should not ask him more. Magnus had spoken. He had shown signs of waking. I could not help the excitement barely contained. Luckily Torvald seemed not take notice of my lack of decorum as he nodded his head, a small ghost of a smile visible on his face.

    "I called them as soon as I heard. By the time they arrived he had even opened his eyes for a brief moment. They say the speech and eye movements are signs that he may be coming out of his slumber. That the correct stimulus could indeed bring him around. I want to bring my brother back to the world of the waking. I have worked tirelessly to achieve that aim. You are the one he has called for, and if it is you that he wants, that is what he shall have."

    I continued to stare at Torvald in awe, seeing him in a new light. I knew he loved his brother, but I also knew how much it had taken to come to me as he did now. He was a man of tradition. I could hardly fault him for the distrust he felt towards me. I was threatening. He'd never accepted his brother's faith in me and truly resented that I was the one who had, to his mind, led the man astray. The one who has kept his brother so obsessed with human rights. But he cared about Magnus enough to set aside his own personal feelings. Enough to put his faith in my ability to bring him back. I was grateful.

    "I swear to you that I will do any and everything in my power to bring him back to you," I said solemnly. "You will find no sign of my shirking responsibility but I will remain by his side in every free moment I have. Even if I can take no sleep to do it, I vow I will not rest until he is revived. You will not regret putting faith in me."

    Torvald nodded once. "I do not doubt it, Alice," he said.

    It was not an apology exactly, but it was an admission of trust. I promised myself that I would make certain to be deserving.

So there you have it. A glimpse into Alice's mind and a hint of how the story might look different from her pov. Thoughts? From people's positive reactions I take it a story with her perspective might be something people have interest in? I'm working on it. Most recently I have been exploring her earlier life as well as events that happened for her in the timeline covered in After Humanity. Thanks so much for reading! <3