The blast shook the floor beneath her feet and a bolt of lightning lit up the window in her room. This world, with its beauty and politics, and its cruelty hidden behind polite words, disturbed her. She didn’t understand the rules and couldn’t possibly defend herself against Esmonda. Such a short time ago she’d thought herself human. For a moment she missed her tiny apartment so much, her breath caught in her throat. Wind whistled against the pane of glass and she tugged the curtains closed with a whisper of crisp linen. Maya walked into the bathroom. She lit a candle and filled the tub with hot water. Her body ached with exhaustion, but her mind was like a holovid, flickering over a series of faces and scenes, irritating her with its incessant search for a way out of the mess she was in. She could imagine standing face-to-face with Esmonda tomorrow, and she frowned. The woman would zap her into the a pile of ash and the witches would sift through her remains. She stifled a shudder and slipped into the silky water.
