Page 98 of The Amber Sunburst

Arete’s laughter is unadulterated joy. Her sobs are unending despair. It’s so black and white for her, for kids in general. So, would growing up be finding the in-between, then? Or are we all children in the end, and we just get better at hiding it?

Her musings are interrupted when Eudoxia calls, “Ophelia,” from the newly opened door. “Alexander and Zeno have already left for the Library. Let’s go so we don’t fall behind.”

Arete goes silent and wiggles out of Ophelia’s embrace. She picks up one of the books they brought her from the Library and curls up on the bed, guiltily avoiding eye contact with her sister.

Eudoxia walks back out of the room to wait for her so Ophelia rushes to collect all of the books she needs and to pull on her robes and shoes.

On her way to the door, she strokes the hair out of Arete’s face. “Things will get better, honey. She loves you so much. She just needs time.”

“Promise?” Arete asks, tears pooling in her eyes.

“Promise,” she responds before kissing Arete’s forehead and running out.

Two weeks of researching in the Library as a group have yielded very few tangible results, but a couple of minor discoveries.

Kallias revealed an interestingly expansive knowledge of star navigation in case the compasses on their rings stop working once they get out of the Republic.

Zeno officially counted up Ophelia’s money and proclaimed that she was harboring a small fortune, and Alexander started a budget for everyone which she can tell Kallias thinks is adorable. Don’t ask her how she knows. He’s weirdly easy to read for her.

She and Eudoxia have been analyzing and compiling information from every map of the Republic and the Academy that they can find to decide the quickest route off whatever island this is.

They’re still missing two vital pieces of information that they cannot possibly leave without, as Eudoxia not-so-elegantly points out hours into their meeting today.

“This is all well and good,” Eudoxia sighs, looking over what Alexander’s done with their finances so far, “but anyone can see this is busywork, Alexander. We just don’t want to admit that we can’t get anywhere without, one, an opportunity to leave and, two, the Republic’s actual location.”

Alexander ducks his head in a rare display of sheepish embarrassment before admitting, “You’re right. But what do you suggest we do?”

Eudoxia grimaces and shrugs.

“Let’s make this a day for the unsolvable problems, then,” Zeno says. “We’re not going to get any closer to leaving if we keep avoiding them.”

Ophelia’s not sure why Zeno doesn’t think he’d make a good Educator. He’s universally adored and well-respected. He just has that special, unnamable quality that screams leader.

Ophelia nods. “Good idea. We might as well talk about it instead of stressing in silence.”

Everyone gestures in agreement and then, ironically, they ‘stress in silence’ for a few more painful seconds before Ophelia rolls her eyes and says, “Let’s start with opportunity. Obviously we can’t just go. Without a brand, no one is letting any of us leave the Academy. We’ll set off the alarms and then we’re all screwed.”

Alexander’s brows furrow and he says, “Well, let’s just get a grant, then. Is it like a permission slip?”

“Not a grant, Alex.” Zeno winces. “A brand.”

“Oh. Why are they branding people?”

Ophelia’s mind drifts to her girls and she responds with more heat than she means to. “It’s what they do to exiles. They take a burning hot iron and push it into your forehead. Some people die from the pain. Most people live with a constant reminder of their fall from grace plastered onto their face. You go right to the Eighth Arc if you have one of those. No one will help us if we do.”

She doesn’t apologize for the tone even though she probably should. The reminder that most people don’t even know what happened to them makes her want to scream.

“Got it,” Alexander says, sharing a look with Kallias, who seems more curious than concerned. “So exile isn’t an option. Then when are we somewhere no one will notice us leaving?”

When no one responds, Zeno takes a piece of paper from Eudoxia’s notebook and starts writing. “Alright. Now we know exactly what we’re looking for. A time when we’ll be off Academy grounds with an opportunity to escape into town.”

Ophelia looks at his paper to see he’s written just that in loopy handwriting with a big, unchecked box next to it.

“What about our other problem? The map?” he continues.

“I think I have an idea for that,” Kallias says, and everyone else immediately stops moving and focuses on him completely. Two weeks of meeting, and she’s only heard Kallias give more than monosyllabic answers to anyone who isn’t Alexander one time.

His tone is calm, seemingly indifferent to whatever he’s going to share, but given that he’s sharing it, she knows it’s important to him. “I’ve been working on it for a while. Before you all joined. It’s just… well, I need a very specific window for it, but I know that I’ll have it within the next few weeks.”