[Mia POV] Year 5, Day 108 (evening)

  The day with her brother had been wonderful. Overwhelming. Too much to process.

  Tours of the compound. His factory where he made something called coca-cola. The maid house where he lived with his harem. Pink trees throughout. Everything he'd written about in his letters—real. Actually real.

  And now evening had come. Time to meet the master.

  Maids led her through corridors. Professional. Silent. Her heart pounding with each step.

  [Please let me stay. Please accept me. Whatever he asks, whatever he wants, I'll do it. Just let me stay here. With my brother.]

  She was led to an office. Large. Professional. Well-appointed.

  Two figures waited.

  A male elf. Tall. Elegant. Kind-looking face.

  A tigerkin maid. Professional. Powerful presence.

  "Welcome, Mia. I'm Void." The elf's voice was gentle. Warm. "And this is Kira, our head maid. Please, sit. We're glad you arrived safely."

  Mia sat. Nervous. Uncertain. [The master. The one her brother serves. And the head maid who runs everything.]

  "How do you like it here so far?" Kira asked. Professional but not unkind.

  "It's... nice. Beautiful. My brother seems happy. I'm grateful he found such a good home."

  They asked more questions. About her journey. Her impressions. Her feelings.

  And then Void asked: "Would you like to stay? To live here? With your brother?"

  Mia's heart jumped. "Yes. But... I don't have anything to offer. I can't be a maid here. Dwarves aren't... I've never heard of dwarf maids. Most people can't even tell male and female dwarves apart. Same clothing. Same beards. All look the same to outsiders. I don't know what I could do. What value I could provide."

  Kira leaned forward. "Mia, you should think more of yourself. You're very welcome here. From what we've heard, your family provided you proper education. It's such a waste how you spent decades in that inn doing laundry and serving tables. You could do so much more."

  "I..." Mia didn't know how to respond. Nobody had said things like that to her in... ever. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

  A knock interrupted.

  Two maids entered. One elf. One human.

  The elf had covered ears—the kind slaves used to hide ear mutilations. Slave marking.

  Both had black tattoos around their throats. Elven loyalty rings. But exceptionally high on the neck. Much higher than usual.

  Mia had seen a few other maids with those tattoos here. During the tour. On Nora during travel. But those were hidden by maid dress collars.

  These weren't. These were visible. Impossible to hide.

  Kira introduced them. "This is Alpha and Beta. Beta is our best healer. She's here to give you a quick health check. You're advanced age and we understand you've never taken elixirs."

  The human maid—Beta—pulled out a long diagnostic stick. The kind some mages used for medical evaluation.

  She touched it to Mia's forehead.

  Her expression shifted immediately. Concern. "Health is quite poor. Clear signs of aging degradation starting. Without intervention..." She looked at Void. "I'd suggest immediately offering the gift."

  Everyone in the room looked at Void. Waiting.

  Void met Mia's eyes. Serious. Careful. "Mia. We have something here that everyone uses. You've probably noticed—the black hair and eyes. Your brother has them too. It provides significant benefits. Lifespan measured in thousands of years. Better health. Regeneration. Many things."

  He paused. "But it also binds you to this place. Forever. Mind control of a sort. Loyalty enforced. You'd be unable to leave. Unable to betray. Unable to choose differently."

  His expression was earnest. Concerned. "You should decide for yourself. This is permanent. Irrevocable. Take time. Think carefully."

  Mia didn't need time.

  "Yes."

  "I... you should consider—"

  "Yes. I accept. Whatever the cost. Whatever the binding." Her voice was firm. Certain. "I was never the clever one in my family. Never the successful one. My only happy years were when my brother ran his business. Before his fall. Before everything collapsed. I'd take any cost to get that back. To be close to him again. To help him. To be useful."

  Void looked uncertain. "Mia, this is serious. The mind control—"

  "I understand. I accept. Please. I want this."

  Kira spoke. Calm. Informative. "You can help your brother. Actually, he may need you more than you think. There's one big issue with him that—"

  "What issue?" Mia's focus sharpened. Concern immediate.

  "We can't explain now. Not before you receive the gift. But once you have it, once you're connected... you'll understand. You'll be able to help in ways others can't."

  Void tried again. "Mia, please understand. This gift will bind your loyalty forever. You'll be unable to—"

  "I understand. I accept." Her voice was firm.

  [Luxury. My brother. Care. Safety. Everything I've never had. Everything I've wanted. Mind control? Binding? Don't care. Worth it. Absolutely worth it.]

  "Please. I want this."

  The elf maid—Alpha—who'd been silent until now, spoke. Her voice carrying strange weight. Authority mixed with devotion.

  "Master. They're ready. We can proceed today. Together with Black Wings. They've accepted the offer."

  Void looked genuinely surprised. "They accepted? The full party?"

  "Of course, Master. It was a very good offer. They're not fools. And one of them is already hitting elixir limits—maybe fifty years before aging degradation starts despite using archmage-level elixirs. Due to... unhealthy life practices. Entire party's earnings go into keeping that one member alive. Deep in red despite being high-level S-rank. This extends that. Gives them centuries more without the financial drain. Gives purpose. Gives security. They accept."

  Void processed this. "Well. Then. I suppose... we proceed tonight."

  Alpha took Mia away. Led her to a private room. Comfortable. Intimate. Tea and cookies already prepared.

  "Sit. We have time before the ceremony. Let me explain things properly."

  Over the next three hours, Alpha talked.

  About Master Void. About his kindness. His care. His rules.

  How he'd built this place. How he'd created family from broken people. How he'd given purpose to those who had none.

  The rules were amazing. Fair. Protective. Everything designed to ensure safety, happiness, dignity. Master Void cared. Actually cared. Not just about profit. Not just about function. About people. About lives. About making existence meaningful.

  Alpha spoke with devotion clear in every word. With certainty. With absolute conviction.

  And Mia absorbed it. Believed it. Wanted to believe it.

  [This is what I want. This is what I've needed. A master who actually cares. A place where I matter. Where I can help my brother. Where I can belong.]

  Alpha explained the maid house. The structure. The support. The family dynamic.

  How maids took care of each other. How they worked together. How Master Void had created this impossible paradise where service was purpose and purpose was everything.

  "In the gift-giving ceremony," Alpha said, her voice dropping. Serious. "You'll see something. Both near-divine and horrible. At the same time. It's... difficult to explain. Difficult to process."

  Mia listened. Tense.

  "But remember: Master Void controls it. Master Void commands it. The monster only listens to him. His benevolence gives you this gift. He is the only thing that stands between you and what's behind it."

  "What... what monster?"

  "You'll see. Soon. And when you do—when the terror hits—remember: Master Void protects you. Master Void controls it. Your loyalty to Master Void is safety. Is survival. Is everything."

  She repeated it. Again. And again. Different phrasings. Same message.

  Master Void is protection. Master Void is safety. Master Void controls the horror. Loyalty to Master Void is life.

  Mia absorbed it. Internalized it. By the end of the session, it felt true. Felt obvious. Felt like the only reasonable conclusion.

  [Master Void gives this gift. Master Void protects. I serve Master Void. Therefore: I'm safe. I belong. I have purpose.]

  "Usually," Alpha admitted, "candidates learn this gradually. Over time. Through observation. But we're hurried. Accelerated process. Necessary for proper seeding."

  "I understand. Thank you. For preparing me."

  Alpha smiled. "You're welcome. Now. Let's go. Everyone's waiting."

  Alpha led her down. Deep. Underground.

  Through corridors. Past security. Into areas clearly restricted.

  They reached a massive door. Enchanted. Warded. Serious magic radiating from it.

  It opened.

  And Mia entered a doom.

  Massive. Easily a hundred meters diameter. Twenty meters high. A perfect hemisphere carved into the earth.

  The moment she crossed the threshold, she felt something. A field. Magic. Distorting. "What is that?"

  "Small spatial shifting field," Alpha explained. "Everything happening in this room can't be detected outside. Before, we used the desert for ceremonies. Now we have this. More secure. More controlled."

  [They're hiding this. Whatever happens here. They don't want it known.]

  People waited inside. The Black Wings. All six of them. Standing in a line. Ready but uncertain. A few maids stood around them. Support. Observation.

  In the distance: her brother. LOVER. His face worried. Scared. The catkin and Nora beside him.

  Alpha noticed her looking. "You'll have time later. All the time in the world. Just get past this first."

  Three more figures entered. Master Void. Head maid Kira. And another maid. Black dress. Black hair. Black eyes. Unremarkable. Quiet.

  Kira introduced her. "This is Null. She helps with the gift."

  The maid looked... normal. Plain even. Nothing special. Nothing threatening.

  [This is the monster Alpha talked about? This quiet maid?]

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  "Is everyone ready?" Kira asked. Addressing the room. "Once we start, there's no turning back. If you want to leave, the door is there. Speak now."

  Mia spoke immediately. "I'm ready."

  The Black Wings hesitated. Looking at each other. Final doubts showing.

  Bearkin mage Reis spoke. Voice rough. Questioning. "Do we really do this? All of us? The offer is good but the cost is high. Forever bound. I know I'm hitting limits but... you all don't have to follow me into this."

  Archer Azra answered quietly. Firm. "We're not burying you, Reis. Not after everything. We stay together."

  Oni Lucio rumbled agreement. "And you're not the only one who enjoyed life bit too much." Small smile. Sad. "Only Zilu managed to keep all temptations away. Rest of us aren't far behind you."

  Scout Zilu said nothing. Just watched. Waiting.

  Swordsman Cassian spoke. Leader voice. Final assessment. "We're getting old. Retirement was always the question. This answers it. Good elf master. Good life. Security. And we stay together. That matters most."

  Priestess Valencina added softly. "Forever bound is better than losing each other. Watching friends die one by one."

  They looked at each other. Party of centuries. Friends. Family. Deciding together.

  Finally, Cassian nodded. "We accept. All of us. Together."

  Mia watched them. Understanding settling.

  [They all liked to eat nice things. Live well. Enjoy luxuries. The bearkin especially—I've seen how he eats. Nonstop. Mountains of food. Never had money before to ruin myself like that. But heard stories. The thousand-year limit can be taken quite a bit lower if gold is plentiful and life is nice. If you enjoy too much. If you don't restrain.]

  [And now here they are. S-rank party. Powerful. Successful. With issues they caused themselves through good living. Through enjoying what they earned. Through not saying no to pleasures. Self-inflicted problems. But problems nonetheless.]

  "Good," Kira said. "Then we start. From this point forward: if anyone wants to pull out, death will follow. The seed doesn't allow rejection once begun. Understand?"

  She let that sink in. Then walked back. Away from the center. Giving space.

  Null approached Mia first.

  Her expression was neutral. Professional. "Don't resist. Accept it. Let it connect."

  She pulled something from somewhere. A black sphere. Seed. Ball. Mia couldn't quite process what she was seeing.

  Null pushed it into Mia's belly. Gentle but firm.

  The sensation was immediate. Something trying to connect. To integrate. To become part of her.

  "Accept it," Null said quietly. "Or you will die. Even I can't help if you don't. But only good things will follow if you do. Accept it with everything you have."

  Mia accepted. With her whole heart. Wanting this. Wanting to stay. Wanting to help her brother. Wanting purpose.

  The seed integrated. Painless. Natural. Like it had always been there.

  She looked at the Black Wings. They watched with different expressions.

  The bearkin mage: fascinated. Clinical interest.

  The priestess: almost horror. Fear barely controlled.

  The others: somewhere in between. Uncertain. Tense.

  Null moved to them. One by one. Same process. Same gentle pushing. Same quiet command to accept.

  The priestess was last. She looked like she wanted to run. Wanted to flee.

  But her party encouraged her. Supported her. Until finally she nodded. "Ready."

  Null gave her the seed. "Accept it. Don't resist."

  The priestess did. Shaking. Terrified. But accepting.

  Now everyone had seeds. Everyone connected. Everyone bound.

  Mia felt it asking for something. Loyalty. But to what? To whom?

  Master Void looked great from what Alpha had explained. Kind. Caring. Good rules. Nice words.

  But just words. Not enough to really lock loyalty. Not enough to bind forever.

  Then Alpha started speaking. Again. Repeating.

  "Remember: Master Void controls the one who gives you this gift. His benevolence provides it. He is the only thing that stands between you and what's behind the gift. The monster only listens to Master Void. Only serves Master Void. Your loyalty to Master Void is protection. Is safety. Is survival."

  Mia felt confused. What monster? Null was just a quiet maid.

  Alpha repeated it. Again. Different words. Same message.

  Mia looked at Master Void. He looked... uncomfortable. Almost like he didn't want to be here. Like he hated this.

  [Why does he look so sad? So reluctant?]

  And then Null transformed.

  Mia couldn't describe what she saw.

  Couldn't process. Couldn't comprehend. Couldn't hold the details in her mind.

  Horror. True horror. The kind that mortal minds weren't meant to perceive.

  She should have run. Should have fainted. Should have screamed.

  But something with the seed kept her conscious. Kept her aware. Kept her present for the horror.

  And Alpha's voice. Still talking. Still repeating.

  "Master Void controls this. Master Void protects you. Master Void is safety. Loyalty to Master Void is survival. Everything good comes through Master Void. Everything terrible is held back by Master Void. He is protection. He is purpose. He is everything."

  And it clicked.

  Mia pushed all her hopes. All her fears. All her desperate need for safety and purpose and belonging.

  Into Master Void.

  [He controls this. He protects from this. He gives good things. He prevents terrible things. I serve him. I'm safe. I belong. I have purpose.]

  The loyalty locked.

  Complete. Permanent. Absolute.

  She felt it settle. Like a weight. Like chains. Like home.

  And then something else happened.

  The monster—Null in her true form—did something. Mental attack. Fear attack. Pure overwhelming terror projected directly into their minds.

  Mia's body froze. Collapsed. Hit the floor hard.

  Couldn't move. Couldn't think. Couldn't process. Just: terror. Overwhelming. Consuming. Absolute.

  She fell to her side. Saw the Black Wings. All six of them. Collapsed too. Frozen. Paralyzed by fear beyond anything they'd ever experienced.

  In the distance, her brother's voice. Screaming. "NO! STOP! WHY?! MIA!"

  Then the catkin. Calm. Firm. "Let's go. Better to leave. It's better for you. This part... you don't need to see."

  More voices. Sounds of struggle. Her brother being moved. Forced out. Removed.

  "LET ME GO! MIA! STOP THIS! PLEASE!"

  His voice fading. Door closing. Gone.

  And Alpha's voice. Still talking. Steady. Constant. Background to the terror.

  "Master Void protects. Master Void controls this. Master Void is safety. Loyalty to Master Void is survival. He cares. He provides. He makes everything worth enduring. This is his gift. This is his benevolence. This is his love."

  Over and over. While Mia lay frozen. While the terror consumed her. While her mind tried to break and couldn't because the seed wouldn't let it.

  [Master Void. Master Void controls this. Master Void protects. I serve Master Void. Therefore: I'm safe. This ends. This passes. Master Void makes it end.]

  Time passed. Mia didn't know how much. Could have been minutes. Could have been hours. Just: terror and Alpha's voice and the desperate clinging to the loyalty that promised survival.

  Finally, Void's voice. Distant. Unhappy. "Alpha. Stop it already. They've all passed. They're integrated."

  The terror had lessened. Didn't disappear. But reduced. Bearable.

  Alpha stopped talking. "Master, it was a great success. All candidates seem fully integrated. Loyalty locks are perfect."

  "I know. But this new method is so horrible. I hate this." Void's voice carried pain. Genuine distress. "You're worse than 22 in many areas."

  "Master, it's better. Before, half the candidates died during seeding. And there were sometimes issues with loyalty locks afterward. Problems. Doubt. Now? They all have perfect locks. No deaths. No failures."

  "Because we broke them." Void sounded... defeated. Sad.

  "Master, we didn't. They won't remember this tomorrow. Their minds can't store it. Can't retain the trauma. It's blocked. Protective measure." Alpha's voice was patient. Explaining. "And as additional bonus, they all have stronger willpower now. Much stronger. After surviving this. They're better. Improved."

  "As I said, you're worse than 22. The one you call Teacher so proudly. Even she didn't think of something this inhuman. But you did. You designed this." Void sounded tired. Sad. Like this wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation.

  "But Master—" Alpha's voice carried pride mixed with patience. The same explanation again. "Even Teacher was impressed by the plan I worked out. She said I may actually be worth taking as a disciple. Versus all those worms she left behind in the tower. And Mistress Null complimented me on it as well. Said it was efficient. Practical. The results speak for themselves. Perfect loyalty locks. No deaths. Stronger candidates. It works, Master."

  She continued. "It's not even secret what we do. Mind control. Training deaths. People still come. What we offer is good enough they accept the risks."

  Pause.

  "'Black Wings' main worry was that the ceremony might kill one of them. Took most of my preparation time calming them down. Finally told them—if anyone dies during ceremony, they can take my life. Full permission. No questions. My life as guarantee the new method is safe."

  Pause. Weight in her voice.

  "That convinced them. My willingness to stake my own life proved it. The improved method isn't just words. It's tested. It's safe. That's why they finally agreed.""

  "I know the logic. I know it works." Void sounded resigned. Defeated. "I still don't like it."

  His footsteps moved away. Leaving. Again.

  "Master." Alpha's voice stopped him. Hesitant. Uncertain. Not her usual confidence. "Wait. Please. I... I know you don't want this conversation. But I need to say something."

  The footsteps paused. Silence. Then: "What?"

  "I know you don't want to talk about your two hundred years. Your time as a slave." Alpha's voice was careful. Gentle. "It's not a secret you were born noble class before that. And during those two hundred years of slavery, you probably only saw horrible masters. Cruel ones. Controlling ones. So you don't want to be like them. I understand that, Master. I do."

  "Alpha—"

  "Please. Let me finish." She took a breath. "Like you, I'm also an outsider to this continent. From the lands ruled by the elves. But I never had the honor of being born into wealth. My parents were servants. And their parents. And their parents. So many generations, it was all anyone remembered. When I was given my first doll as a small child, I was told it came from the charity of our master. That I should be grateful. That service was everything."

  Void said nothing. Listening. Conflicted. Knowing this was painful for her. But unable to stop her.

  "As soon as I came of age, I ran. Didn't want to end up like my siblings. Like my parents. Like every generation before. I came here. Far from elven influence. Found work. Found freedom."

  Her voice hardened. "And found out freedom is poison. Didn't take long before I was deep in debt. Desperate. I was rare—elf, young, educated. They didn't make me a regular slave. Too valuable. Instead, the Adventurer Guild leadership owned me. For years. Many years. As a... tool. An asset. Not quite slave. Not quite free. Just owned."

  The silence stretched. Heavy.

  "You saved me, Master. You saved my sisters. The letter girls. Gave us purpose. Gave us lives. Gave us choice—real choice, not the lie of freedom that's just slower slavery. And I know you hate methods like this. Hate the fear. Hate the breaking. But Master..."

  "Look at the girls. Even the most devoted ones. They have their own lives. Bunny shamelessly gets her ears combed by dwarves in public. Pebble drinks in the evening with craftsmen. They laugh. They choose. They live. Not because you took everything away and gave small pieces back to make it look valuable. But because you actually care. Actually provide. Actually make existence meaningful."

  "This method—" her voice steadied "—it's not about control. It's about survival. Half the candidates died before. Half. Now? Zero. They all live. They all get purpose. They all find family. Is it horrible? Yes. Do they suffer temporarily? Yes. But the alternative is death. Is failure. Is losing people who could have belonged."

  Void was quiet for a long moment.

  "You're still worse than 22."

  "I know, Master. But I learned from the best." Pride again. Mixed with something gentler. "Please, Master. Never change. Never stop being the good master you are. The one who agonizes over methods. Who hates the brutality. Who cares so much it hurts. That's what makes you different. That's what makes this place home instead of just another cage with prettier bars."

  She paused. "Let this be my sin to bear. I designed it. I implemented it. I convinced you it was necessary. The weight of it—the horror, the brutality—that's mine. Not yours. You just... allow it. Because the alternative is worse. But the choice? The method? That's all me, Master. Let me carry that."

  Another long silence.

  "Better doesn't mean I have to like it," Void said finally. Tired. But... accepting. Understanding maybe.

  "I know, Master. That's why it works. Because you don't like it. Because you hate it. That keeps us honest. Keeps us from going too far."

  His footsteps resumed. Fading. Leaving.

  But different this time. Less defeated. More... accepting.

  Mia, still frozen on the floor, listened to it all. Understood.

  [Master Void is kind. Truly kind. He hates what's necessary. Hates the methods. But allows them because the alternative is death. And Alpha... Alpha serves him by carrying the weight he can't bear. By doing what's necessary so he doesn't have to. By being the monster so he can stay kind.]

  [I want that. Want to be useful like Alpha. Want to serve. Want to help others find purpose like she does. Want to make Master Void's kindness functional through methods he'd hate. That's what service means here. That's what love looks like.]

  [Someday. If I'm strong enough. If I'm worthy. I'll serve like Alpha does. Help others. Carry weights that need carrying.]

  Alpha watched him go. Then turned. Looked at Mia. Noticed her eyes were open. Aware.

  "Oh. You're still conscious. You're much stronger than you look. Or weaker. Hard to tell which." She knelt. Stared directly into Mia's eyes.

  "Listen, Mia. I don't know if you'll remember this later. I'll come check on you anyway. Remind you if needed. But your brother needs help. A lot of help. He got his seed in a non-standard situation. His loyalty never locked. So he has all the restrictions of the seed but missed the biggest benefit—the absolute certainty. The purpose. The peace that comes with knowing exactly where you belong."

  "Now he doubts. Cares about things he shouldn't. Worries. Suffers. Many here have tried to help him. Support him. But we're honestly out of ideas how to fix it. Other than making him accept the care. Accept the love. Accept that he belongs here."

  "So once you wake up—once you're integrated—try to support your brother. Help him. Make him happy. Make him understand he's valued. He's loved. He's home. Can you do that?"

  Mia tried to nod. Couldn't move. But managed thought. [Yes. I'll help. I'll help my brother. However I can. Whatever it takes.]

  Then she heard a voice. Somewhere behind her. Where her eyes couldn't see—locked forward, frozen.

  Null's voice. Quiet. "She hears you. She wants to help LOVER. However she can."

  [Is she reading my mind? Right now? Telling Alpha what I'm thinking? She's not normal human. Can give gifts. Make inhuman things happen. Why not read minds too? Makes sense. Terrifying sense.]

  "Good," Alpha said. Satisfied. "You're such a good girl."

  She patted Mia once. Gentle. Then stood and walked away.

  She stood. Walked away.

  Mia lay there frozen. Black Wings next to her. All of them paralyzed.

  [Are they conscious too? Enjoying the loyalty like I am? Or have they already passed out? Can't tell. Can't move. Can't ask. Just: locked in. Forever. And I wouldn't want it any other way. This is gift. This is purpose. This is everything.]

  Null's voice again. Somewhere behind. Still reading. "They're out. This conversation was only between you and Alpha. Just you still conscious."

  Pause.

  "You should rest now. Go to sleep. Your mind looks like soup. All mixed together. Probably shouldn't try to reason that much in this state. Sleep will help."

  [She IS reading me. Everything. And she's right. Can't think straight. Sleep sounds necessary.]

  [Doesn't sound evil though. Just her non-maid form looked horrible. This? This is caring. Wants me to rest. Recover. Monster helping. Strange but real.]

  Consciousness started fading. Mia felt it slipping. Tried to hold onto what really mattered. Last thought before sleep took her:

  [I need to help my brother. Need to support him. Need to make him understand he's valued. That's my purpose. That's why I'm here. That's what matters.]

  Then: nothing. Sleep taking over. Complete.

  Mia woke in a soft bed. Comfortable. Warm. Safe.

  A nice room. The one she'd been shown yesterday in the maid house.

  She tried to remember how she'd gotten here.

  Null. The gift. The seed.

  Null was... something. Some kind of monster loyal to Master Void. Mia was quite sure the monster had shown its true form and helped her. She could almost remember. Almost grasp the details.

  But they slipped away. Like trying to hold smoke. The shape was there. The sense that it existed. But the details? Gone.

  [Strange. Why can't I remember?]

  But she remembered something else. Something more important.

  Her brother needs help. A lot of help.

  She felt the seed inside. The connection. The purpose to serve Void. It was there. Present. True. Like it should be. Like it had always been meant to be.

  But her brother didn't have that. No clear purpose. No locked loyalty. No certainty.

  [Why do I know that? How do I know that?]

  She didn't have an answer. Just knew. Absolute certainty without source.

  Her brother needed help. Needed support. Needed to understand he was valued. Loved. Home.

  And Mia would help him. Whatever it took. That was her purpose now.

  She got out of bed. Dressed.

  There was a collection of new clothes. Nice. Quality. Better than anything Mia had ever owned. Someone had put effort here. Made sure she was cared for. Prepared for.

  On the table: her wooden box of letters. The few personal things she'd brought. All her belongings. Here. Safe. Cared for.

  Time to find her brother. Time to start helping.

  Time to do what she was here for.

  [Hold on. I'm here now. We'll figure this out together. You're not alone anymore.]

  She opened the door. Stepped into the corridor. Ready.

  Her new life had begun.