2412, Tull 27, Daleth

There was no new plan.

Xanthy had scoured through the whole library and found nothing that talked remotely on how to change races nor on how to get rid of the Virtakios. Hell, there's not even enough mention of the supposed-to-be special power more than the fact that it was supposed to be from the world beyond them.

Was it possible that she wasn't from Fantasilia at all? Was that why she couldn't remember her life before she was ten?

Ugh. Xanthy plopped on the ground and stared up at the ceiling. The mural painted on it faded years ago, giving Xanthy a blurry view of what it depicted. Dust danced in the air as it was illuminated by the early morning sunlight creeping from the window facing the estate's west.

Why would Vikara even bother having a library if the tomes would just be piled on top of each other like this?

Xanthy muffled her frustrated squeal with both her hands and jabbed her feet against the dark umber floorboards. She needed to find something—anything—to calm her nerves and help her accept herself. Because, apparently, being Disfavored wasn't enough. Now, she got to be a fairy in Cardina and the unique case of the Virtakios in Fantasilia, too.

One thing at a time. Xanthy sighed and turned her head to a pile of tomes she had untangled yesterday. The answer wasn't in this library. So what if it's out there?

Xanthy sat up with her eyes wide. That's it! If she couldn't find the answer in this library, perhaps she would get it from the public libraries in the Commons! Or...buy a new tome, perhaps?

She dug a pouch of versallis she always carried in her person. About twenty, large coins blinked at her along with a dozen, smaller one the color of her dress. Would this be enough to buy a tome?

That's a question she posed to June as they entered the weaving room for their morning session. Xanthy's loom had produced the most roll of textile the past week she has been here while June lagged at the forty-third place in the Warden's log records.

They reached their machines and Xanthy automatically placed her feet upon the treadles. June scratched his head from his loom beside her. "Tomes, huh?" June tested his treadle and yelped when it triggered the loom's mechanisms. "I would say it is a bit expensive in these parts. I am not entirely sure."

"Buying a tome now, are we?" Jarvik's voice tore Xanthy's embarrassment away from June. She whirled to find him starting another project. Hopefully, this one's more colorful than the last. Or made entirely of shades of brown looks nice, too.

Xanthy smiled at the middle-aged man. "Ah, yeah," she nodded as she began weaving for the day. "How much are they?"

Jarvik tapped his chin with his shuttle. "I would say about fifteen versallis?" he shrugged. "Not much into reading, anyway. What topic are you looking into this time? Taboo spells got boring for you?"

"Whoa, taboo spells?" June's voice echoed around the room. It seemed like out of all the weavers here, it's only three of them talking every session. It's amazing how Xanthy was still able to produce such an amount of output. "You are into that level already?"

Xanthy shook her head with enough force to make her pointed ears flop. "No, no," she raked her fingers into her hair to hide her ears. "I did not even get half the stuff it was saying."

June knitted his eyebrows. "Then why are you reading it?"

A lump of emotions formed at the base of Xanthy's throat. She focused without blinking into the strands arranged in her loom. "That is none of your business, yeah?"

"Come on," June goaded as he jerked his shuttle under the strands. "You are not usually like this...mopey. What is bothering you?"

Xanthy sighed. "I just...am dealing with a lot of things right now," she waved her hand and frowned. "I found a solution to one and that turned out to be impossible. Not to mention dangerous and could probably kill me."

"Well...that is a bit of a problem," June jammed his foot on the treadle. "Is this still because of the oh-my-gods-I-am-a-fairy thing?"

Xanthy threw a spool of thread at June. "Zip your mouth!" she hissed.

Jarvik chuckled. "It is not a secret between us, Xanthy," he said.

"What?" her mouth dried up.

"You are not doing a good job at hiding those ears," Jarvik's eyes were on the tapestry he was starting. "It must be because of my observant nature so do not worry. I will not spread it around. It is safe with me."

Xanthy exhaled loudly. "Thank you. But this is not about that, no," she went back to weaving her bland, ecru cloth. "I mean, it is a part of that but there is something else."

"Which is?" June prodded.

"I am apparently this thing they call the Virtakios," Xanthy scratched at a blemish from the cloth's surface. "I do not know how to handle that. So, I need to find more tomes to at least explain to me what is going on."

That wasn't exactly the truth but it's the truth, nonetheless. June was silent. Jarvik was, too. What's going on?

"Guys?" Xanthy called.

"You remember telling me this only now?" June glanced at Xanthy. "You could have been in danger all this time. To us and to yourself."

Xanthy's hand shook at June's reaction. The treadle didn't quite reach the floor as she stepped on it. "Is it really that bad?" she asked. "Vikara said I could destroy the world. But... how could I when I do not even know what it is?"

"Well, it is going to be bad for you," Jarvik muttered. His fingers pricked and pulled between the strands of thread with his needle. "The Virtakios is not an easy magic to have. There are known groups especially waiting for your appearance."

"Vikara said that, too," Xanthy whirled to Jarvik with narrowed eyes. "Who are you and how do you know these things?"

Jarvik's eyes were wide as they roamed around. "Um," he scratched the back of his neck. "I just do?"

Xanthy scoffed. "Yeah, that is not totally suspicious," she cranked the roller with enough force to throw her forward as the loom grated. "Everyone around me feels so suspicious now. Yeah."

June chuckled. "Well, that makes two of us. You can trust me, Xanthy. I would not let you be hurt or kidnapped."

"As am I," Jarvik laid a hand to his chest. "You can trust me, too. I would not want to see harm come to a friend."

Xanthy raised an eyebrow. "Are we friends now?"

Jarvik laughed. "What else would we call people chatting in a weaving room?" he cocked in Xanthy's direction. "Of course, we are friends."

Heat rushed to Xanthy's face. The rest of the morning faded away in the silence of sliding shuttles, creaking rollers, and thudding treadles. Sometimes, June would make a comment about the humidity or crack a joke about the Warden and Xanthy would laugh. However, her amusement was short-lived considering that she still hasn't found an alternative to magic all her problems away.

By the time the lunch bell clanged in the whole estate, Xanthy's fingers hurt from weaving the ends of another roll she had finished. Along with Jarvik and June, they headed to the dining hall, following the throng of uniformed people.

As soon as they sat down, Marin and Malin arrived. They were breathless, with sweat beading in their foreheads, as they bent down and kissed their father on both cheeks.

"How were the morning deliveries?" Jarvik asked Malin, prodding his goop with the back of his spoon.

Malin wrinkled his nose. His blond hair stuck up to one side of his head. "Okay," the boy spoke with the spoon already in his mouth. "Marin fancies the baker's son."

Xanthy snorted.

"Shut up," Marin snapped, then shook her head at her father who looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I do not fancy him. Where did you learn that word, hmm? Been reading stuff behind Dad's back?"

The boy's tan face reddened. "Dad, Marin's lying," he shook his head. "I just heard it from the breeders. You know, how dagrine fancies sempervivum rather than pumkess puree."

Jarvik chuckled. "You guys learn a lot without me," he took another bite off his food. "You sure you still need me as your dad?"

Marin rolled her eyes. "Do not be that dramatic, dad," she crossed her legs on her stool. "Besides, Malin would wet his trousers without you."

Xanthy covered her giggle with a hand.

"Cut it off, you two," Jarvik ordered as Malin moved to remove his boots to throw at his sister. "Do you have deliveries left for the afternoon?"

"Yeah, we do," Marin glanced somewhere behind her. "Tons, in fact."

"Can I come?" Xanthy blurted.

June whirled to Xanthy and raised an eyebrow. "You are not weaving?" he asked. "That is an entire afternoon wasted."

Xanthy shrugged. "That is just one afternoon. Besides, I am dying to read."

June rolled his eyes and shrugged. Xanthy turned to Marin. "Well?"

"Sure," Marin nodded. "I know some places that allow Commons."

Xanthy knitted her eyebrows. "Libraries are not open to all?"

Marin looked at Xanthy like she was Malin's age. "Reading is for Nobles. Go figure."

Xanthy pursed her lips. Of course. Why would luxury deeds like reading be available for the Commons when they have to work every day just to feed themselves?

"Well, that is that," Xanthy stood up and gathered her bowl. "Off we go, then."

"Off to where, a walk?" Vikara's voice made Xanthy flinch. How much of their conversation had the woman heard?

Xanthy turned to face Vikara approaching. "I want to buy some tomes," she muttered.

"Tomes?" Vikara raised an eyebrow. "Well, you can do that after this job I have for you."

Xanthy knitted her eyebrows. "Who said I can take jobs outside the estate? I am a weaver and not an errand lady," she stepped back.

Vikara winked at her. "You do want to go out, right?" she turned to go. "Let us have a deal. How about I give you fund to buy at least two more tomes in exchange for your service?"

Xanthy's stomach twisted. Crafty. Devious. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat and nodded. "Alright," she smiled apologetically at the Draswists. "What job?"

"You, too, boy," Vikara called as she started walking away. "Come with me."