The knock came at breakfast. Someone pounded on the door as if ready to break it down. Miriam's parents exchanged a confused glance, and her father went to answer. His co-worker stood on their doorstep, out of breath.
"Indiro, what is it?" Her father glanced quickly at her mother who watched from the kitchen.
"The king's men," the young woman said, "They're coming to arrest you. They were just looking for you at the university. I came as fast as I could."
Miriam's parents moved more quickly than ever before. Her father ushered Indiro inside as her mother hurried Miriam into her coat. "How long do we have?"
Indiro looked over her shoulder at the closed door. "A few minutes, maybe? The university is trying to keep them out, of course, but it's harder to keep out the king's men than other noble's armies."
Miriam's father put on his own coat. "We'll go to the Danos temple. They'll give us sanctuary." Even though the family was Xurugwi, everyone knew he meant the Danos temple that ruled the Harthang province.
Miriam's mother handed her a pair of gloves. "Miriam, honey, we're going to go on a trip, okay?"
Before Miriam could respond, another knock came at the door, even louder than the first. Then a loud voice. "In the name of the King of Alaj, open the door!"
"Take Miriam." Miriam's mother pushed the girl toward Indiro. "Go out the back."
"Come on, Miriam." Indiro took her hand and they hurried out the back door and down the street.
"Where are we going?" Miriam asked. She heard shouts coming from the house.
"We're going to my office, in the university." Indiro said it in a hushed, excited voice, as if she was sharing a secret with Miriam.
"Why aren't mommy and daddy coming?" Miriam wanted to pull away from Indiro, but she knew her mother had sent her with Indiro, and she didn't want to disobey.
Indiro took a deep breath and glanced back at the house just before they turned a corner. "They'll come when they can."
But they didn't come. After several days of staying with Indiro, her uncle arrived and told her they were taking a trip to his home in the mountains. Miriam had only been there once before, for her grandmother's funeral, as traveling between Alajan provinces wasn't always safe. She barely recognized her uncle when he arrived. But she went with him on the ferry up the Weeping River. He was as tight lipped as Indiro had been about her parents, but she knew something was wrong. She had heard the things her father said in his classes, and what her mother wrote in her newspaper, and she knew what happened to people who angered the king.
The ferry stopped in the capital city. The river was clogged from numerous other boats going in and out, evidence that something important was happening. Miriam heard her parents' names in a snippet of conversation. She jumped off the ferry and ran toward the crown, trying to find out more. Her uncle chased after her.
When he caught up with Miriam, he shook her by the shoulders. "Don't ever do that again!"
"Uncle, you won't tell me anything. I want to know. I deserve to know."
His eyes grew dark and it was a long time before he spoke again. People jostled past them on the street, but she waited. "Very well. But you must stay close to me. Agreed?"
"Agreed." She took his hand he led her to the central square, where a stage had been erected. At first, there were too many people in the way. But some of the adults parted to let them through, and soon they were close enough for her to see the king's men lead her parents up the stage and put nooses on their necks. Her uncle tried to steer her away, but she stopped him again. She knew that if she didn't see it, she wouldn't believe it. So she forced herself to watch their bodies swing.
Miriam's eyes snapped open. She checked the clock on her bedside table, next to the picture of her and her parents standing in front of the copper gate at Harthang University. It was about six o'clock. She had become used to waking early in her uncle's house, where she usually had Nikih practice before breakfast. Her uncle criticized her parents' focus on the mental, insisting that one should train both body and mind and teaching her the same martial art that he and her father had learned growing up. After Miriam had discovered her magical gift, he also insisted the training would keep that better honed as well. Coming to Faraday hadn't changed her schedule, though running into Jo the day before had apparently flooded her mind with bad memories.
Miriam rubbed her face. If she was awake, she might as well find a place to practice. It was different without a sparring partner, but she knew what her uncle would say if she didn't at least practice holds and rolling. She dressed in her usual practice clothes--black sweatpants and a yellow sweater. She tried to move as quickly and quietly as possible, as the previous morning she had awoken Ayan, who apparently slept lightly. Today, her roommate rolled over and opened her eyes as Miriam tugged on her shoes. Then she rolled back. Miriam grabbed her room key, slid out the door, and closed it gently behind her.
The sun had not yet risen, but a faint line could be seen on the horizon. Miriam loved the mornings, when she felt like she had the world to herself. There were no other people. And the landscape didn't lie. As she reached the common, she saw Mat's crutch leaning against one of the couches. At first, she assumed he had left it behind the the night before, until she realized it was a different couch. As she drew closer, she could see Mat sitting, his eyes distant.
When Miriam drew close to him, he didn't turn around. This didn't surprise her, and she knew he must be lost in a memory. Afraid to scare him, she tried to make the couch move as little as possible as she sat down. After a minute or two, he turned and blinked at her, as if confused as to how she got there.
"How old were you?" Miriam asked quietly.
"What?"
Miriam fidgeted. Some part of her was aware that she was supposed to pat him on the shoulder or do something else to comfort him, but Miriam wasn't sure what would comfort him, and she didn't know Mat well enough for physical contact yet. Instead, she said, "I was ten when my parents died." She paused, in case he wanted to say something, but he didn't, so she went on. "The king of Alaj doesn't want people to know that the country isn't unified, but the rulers of the provinces have been fighting for decades. My parents called for revolution and a new government. So he had them executed." Miriam didn't often talk about her parents, but telling Mat was different. "So... I think I know how you feel."
A weak smile flickered across Mat's face. Then he turned away from her and his eyes grew distant again. "Last year. There was a fire. They sacrificed themselves to get me..." his voice caught in his throat. "...to get me out."
"And Key's parents adopted you?"
Mat nodded. "They're old friends."
"That's nice. My uncle took me in, but I barely knew him."
Mat looked at her. "Does it get better?" he asked.
Miriam remembered the dream she'd had that morning. "A little," she said. The same voice in her head told her she should apologize to Mat, but that didn't really make sense, as she hadn't done anything to hurt him. So instead she said, "do you want me to sit with you?"
Mat nodded. "That would be nice."
And so they sat.
