“Pack your things,” Roquewei said, looking down at Sofia. “We leave tomorrow.”

Faliona cut in to speak to him.

“Sofia has herself only just recovered from the attack. Where do you mean to take her so soon?”

“I’ve been tasked with finding a gate to send her back to her home on Talamh while searching for the Living Tree. With the increased rate and ferocity of these attacks, I don’t want to waste any time. Every moment she spends here increases our risk.”

Faliona stood wide-eyed, mouth agape for a moment before she placed a hand on Roquewei’s arm with a twinkle in her eyes. 

“Your mother has asked you to find the Living Tree? Roquewei, you’ve dreamed of this for years!”

Mother? thought Sofia. 

Roquewei seemed to soften slightly at Faliona’s touch, but quickly hardened again. “Exactly, which is why we must leave as quickly as possible. I cannot fail our people and Lyfay.”

A look passed between the two that Sofia could not comprehend. Then, stepping away from Faliona, Roquewei turned to leave the tent. “We leave at dawn.”

“At least make it mid-morning so the poor woman can have a decent breakfast,” Erae chimed in. “A hearty breakfast is important for a long day of traveling.”

“She can eat on the way,” Roquewei countered. 

“Oh, but one should eat before traveling, not during. To do that would mean two breakfasts and… well, that’s not the way of our people, Roquewei.”

Roquewei looked at Erae’s stupidly smiling face with annoyance.

“And she’s actually waiting on a pair of shoes from the cobbler,” Faliona added. “We should wait until those are finished.”

“I’m sure Harton would like to see her before she goes back to Talamh,” Ujalam continued. “He will surely wake up some time tomorrow and would be very disappointed to not have said a proper farewell.”

“I’m sure by that time Harton wakes it will be almost lunch, which is a proper time to have a second meal.” Erae threw his arm around Roquewei’s shoulders. “That way we can all leave with full bellies and high spirits.”

What is happening right now? Sofia thought to herself.

“The only people leaving tomorrow are me and that woman,” Roquewei said firmly as he broke from Erae. Looking toward Faliona, he sighed deeply and covered his face with his hand. “W-we’ll wait for the cobbler and then be off. If the Dlam isn’t awake by then, I’m sorry. He’s better off without her, anyway.”

With one last frustrated glance towards Sofia, Roquewei swung back the tent flap and exited. 

“Well,” said Erae once Roquewei was gone, “now that Mr. Sunshine has left, we can all just…relax.” He took in a deep breath and released it dramatically. 

Itah, who had been silent during the entire confrontation, started giggling. Encouraged, Erae smiled and bowed. 

“I think that our new friend Sofia has been through quite a lot in one day,” he commented as he approached the women. “Don’t you think we ought to show her a good time before rushing her home?” Erae directed the question to Itah, who was blushing and averting her gaze, but nodded in agreement. 

Erae turned to Sofia and kindly held out his hand. “Come, I’m sure you must be famished.” 

Sofia took it, and rose stiffly. She looked back at Harton, hoping he would wake up.

Erae looked at her earnestly and asked softly, “Are you sure you want to go home?”

Sofia turned sharply. “What? Of course I do! I have a job, and responsibilities to get back to. There are things that need to be done - that I need to do! Besides, why would I want to stay here?”

She suddenly realized that Erae was still holding her hand and quickly retracted it, glancing awkwardly around at the other women and blushing. “I mean… everyone in this room has been so kind to me, but… others have made it clear I’m not welcome. I-I don’t belong here.”

After a short silence, Sofia continued. “Thank you for trying to cheer me up,” she said to Erae and turning to Faliona, “and for standing up for me. I’m not excited about having to travel alone with that guy but… I guess it would be best to find a gate home as soon as possible.”

“Roquewei is not as bad as he seems,” Faliona assured her. “He can actually be quite fun to be around once you get to know him.”

“But does she want to, though?” interrupted Erae. 

“Not really,” Sofia scoffed. “What I do want to know is what are these gates exactly? I was sort of unconscious when I came through the last one…”

“The gates are passageways between our worlds,” replied Ujalam. A small purple and pink rabbit-like creature had appeared, delivering a batch of herbs and flowers that the Master Healer was placing into the tub of healing water with Harton. She resumed her massage of the Dlam as she continued.

“They are like tears in the fabric that contains our worlds. Lyfay may seem dramatically different to you than Talamh, but many things are the same. For centuries, the fabric between our worlds was sheer, almost non-existent. As the imbalance in Talamh became more drastic and Ymplerim more powerful, the fabric was made thicker, stronger - but even the best fabric tears. And when fabric tears, whatever it covers becomes accessible.

“Lyfay and its people are not used to being accessible. Tears are infrequent and often mean there is something on the other side that needs our help and attention. Afterwards, they are quickly shut. They will only remain permanently shut, however, if sealed with the leaves of the Living Tree.”

“So, that means that there is no way of knowing when a gate will appear or where exactly it will lead to?” Sofia asked. 

“Precisely,” said the Master Healer. Turning to the rabbit, she asked, “Reppoh, would you mind gathering a few more of these flowers?” 

The creature nodded, and hopped out the back of the tent. Ujalam watched Sofia’s gaze follow the animal as it left and then return to Harton.

“Go rest now, child. Enjoy your evening. You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow.”

Turning to her apprentice, Ujalam continued. “Go along, Itah. Have the rest of the day off. Help Faliona and this silly man show Sofia our best Lyfayan hospitality.”

The girls each grabbed one of Sofia’s arms and walked off giggling, calling síocháin to the Master Healer, as Erae trailed behind. 

Reppoh soon returned with the requested flowers and laid them by Ujalam. 

“Thank you, my chompánach.”

Lifting Harton out of the tub, she laid him on a mat by the fire and dried him off. Taking the flowers, some oils, and a couple of herbs, the Master Healer slowly ground everything together with a mortar and pestle to create a paste.

Ujalam smiled gently as she placed the poultice on Harton’s wounds. “How in the world did you find her?”