Fed and watered, and with my strength returning, I sit on the small sofa in our hotel room and cast my mind out to Attou. After a moment, he turns his attention towards me, and his excitement at my return is so strong that it knocks me backwards.
“It’s good to hear you too,” I say, “but please can you calm down a bit? My strength hasn’t fully retuned yet, and you practically knocked me off the sofa.”
“Sorry, Emily Renzi. We were all worried about you. The First didn’t say a word to us the whole time you were away. We had no idea if you were alright,” he replies.
“Well, I’m fine now. There were a few hiccups that I’ll explain later, but I managed to break all the bonds. Speaking of the First, is it there with you?”
“No, we thought it would return with you. After all, it wasn’t just its
