Violet was ecstatic.

  She moved about her room with a spring in her step, packing her belongings with barely contained energy. It had been a long time since she’d left Viremont—longer still since her aunt had allowed her to. A situation largely of her own making, admittedly, but she didn’t mind now. She was finally getting out.

  There was nothing left in Viremont she hadn’t seen. Every street, every corner, every familiar rhythm had grown stale. The only things that kept her restlessness at bay were the texts and research logs her aunt—or the other Zephyr branches—sent her. Sometimes she wondered if that, too, was a ritual born specifically for her sake.

  “You won’t be needing all that.”

  Maerith’s voice came from behind her.

  Violet paused mid-pack and turned. Two travel cases sat at her feet, already full. Maerith took one look at them and rolled her eyes before calmly lifting one away from Violet’s grasp, ignoring her immediate protest.

  “You’ll be clearing goods,” her aunt said evenly. “I doubt it’ll take longer than a day. I’ll allow you a week in Gaspinn, but even then, you definitely don’t need all this.”

  Violet finally relented, though the frown on her face remained firmly in place.

  “But Aunt, I’ll need to run experiments,” she insisted. “Aether level tests, wildlife density checks—”

  “You’re not going there for that,” Maerith cut in without missing a beat. “And all of that is already done annually by the city halls themselves. You can simply request their charts—if they’ll give them to you.”

  She smirked at the last part.

  Violet winced.

  She had, over time, become something of a menace to the Viremont city halls. Too many visits. Too many questions. Too many requests for information that was technically classified. When she was told no, she heard none of it. She’d once slipped into restricted storage rooms just to get what she wanted, earning the halls a collective migraine.

  Several officials had requested transfers just to escape her.

  Most people couldn’t fathom why anyone would willingly leave the capital, but those who’d dealt with Violet understood. The sheer terror of her curiosity—her refusal to leave a single stone unturned—was enough to make anyone flee. It wouldn’t have surprised her if a few had transferred to Gaspinn. It also wouldn’t have surprised her if the city halls had quietly installed anti-Violet security systems.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  They had.

  Thankfully for them, Maerith had found out and scolded Violet into stopping. Otherwise, they’d have learned—much to their dismay—that those systems didn’t work either.

  The thought only deepened Violet’s frown.

  “Elowee,” Maerith said gently, “I know you’re excited. This is your first job out of town. But you need to calm down. Gaspinn is right next to Viremont. Its geography, aetheric flow, flora, fauna—it’s all nearly identical. There’s nothing new for you to log there.”

  Violet opened her mouth.

  “And second,” Maerith continued, “you only started logging because you had nothing else to do. So go. Try new food. See new sights. Get used to being somewhere unfamiliar. Just don’t make a mess of things.”

  “I want to test for aether convergence,” Violet muttered, pouting. “And check for relic sites.”

  “And like I said,” Maerith replied calmly, “the Gaspinn city hall has almost certainly already done so, child.”

  “But we have better tools,” Violet pressed, stepping closer, her voice turning soft—clingy. She was trying to coax out Maerith’s usual do as you wish indulgence, the one she reserved for her girls.

  It didn’t work.

  Maerith stood firm. She didn’t want Violet doing Violet things, not without her nearby.

  “Mommy,” Violet tried one last time, nudging herself against her aunt.

  Maerith laughed quietly. “How endearing, Elowee. But no. I need you on your best behavior for this trip. Won’t you do that for your poor mother?”

  That was unfair, and Violet knew it.

  With a defeated harrumph, she returned her tools to their cases. Maerith watched with amused satisfaction before pulling her into a hug.

  “This will be the farthest you’ve ever been from a place I’ve personally made safe for you,” Maerith said softly. “And the truth is… you’ve grown up. Soon, you’ll need to lead your own lives.”

  Violet stilled.

  “I know I have to let you go,” Maerith continued. “This is a test—for you, and for me. If you behave, I’ll know I can trust you without keeping you locked away. So please… do this for both of us.”

  Violet hugged her back, tighter than she meant to.

  She’d never truly considered leaving her aunt’s side before. But now she saw it—this was a step toward the freedom she’d always wanted.

  The realization made her nervous.

  And thrilled.

  She promised herself, right then, that she’d do nothing to jeopardize it.