I woke up on a thin cotton futon. Sunlight was streaming in from a small open window onto my face. I went to push myself up, but I couldn’t.

“Oww! Ow ow ow!” I greeted the morning angrily. Nora was already up and dressed in a gray cotton robe. I carefully looked at myself without risking elevating my head and saw I was wearing similar attire.

“Don’t worry, I was the one that helped you change,” Nora advised. “They didn’t see anything.”

“Thanks,” I said in relief, vaguely recalling Nora dragging me back into the house last night after my mandatory midnight calisthenics with Raeonna. Who knew fighting your own body weight could be so exhausting? Sure, she had varied the intensity throughout, but for not even lifting a light load, it had taken a lot out of me. I moaned again as I eventually forced myself to sit up.

“What hurts?”

“My everything,” I replied sourly. “I swear even my hair hurts.”

“Maybe that’s all the lingering sickness coming out.”

“Sore muscles from breaking down the connective tissues between them,” I corrected with a sigh. “I’m definitely out of shape.”

“Too bad you can’t just do a simple training montage!” She started making some ridiculously dramatic fighting poses while dropping a catchy beat and repeating the word ‘Montage!’

I laughed, which was a big mistake. “Oh, my abs! I can’t see them, but I feel them!” I tried to stretch out my cramping core.

“When you can sit up, I’m supposed to have you drink this.” She held up a dark amber glass bottle.

“Okay. I’ll get there, eventually.”

“Take your time,” Nora said as she sat on the floor. “I think they’re going to be out for a while.”

“Good. Let’s review the plan then.” I rolled onto my stomach and tried to execute a cobra stretch.

“You have one?” she asked in an astonished voice.

“Hey now, sometimes I have good ideas. Just not… this time.” I lowered myself down to the floor again. “All I know is we’re not supposed to be here, and someone’s making a big mistake.”

“Are you open to a suggestion?”

“I’ll listen, I suppose.” I wasn’t committing to anything yet.

“Let’s go along with them. At least until we make it to the holy city.”

“You think that’s what they’re going to do? Take us to Chairo?”

“Definitely. I heard them talking last night after you passed out. They’re all for getting the band back together and confronting his evil majesty.”

“You’re not suggesting we follow the plot line we concocted, are you? We won’t be able to pull it off ourselves!”

“How about we meet with Relias like they want, tell him what happened, and negotiate with him?”

“What do you mean negotiate?”

“We tell him Euphridia is trying to reach him, and if he can figure out how to send us back, we’ll pass on any messages he wants.”

“But… what if he doesn’t know how to send us back?”

“Let’s not worry about that for now,” Nora said nervously.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Lots of things. Trust me, let’s do it this way first. Plan B is a lot more dangerous.”

“Plan B?”

“It’s not ready for discussion yet.” I took her at her word and let the subject drop, being both slightly terrified and curious simultaneously. An annoying Charley horse settled into my left leg, and I switched my concentration to eliminating it. It was late morning before I could stand up without cramping terribly, and I risked it only because I had to answer the call of nature again. Never mind the trouble I had trying to use the chamberpot! At some point, I drank the bottle she gave me, which contained salty, bitter water with some powdered, grassy herbs that foamed at the top. She gestured to the corner of the room, where more bottles awaited me. Blech!

“Where did they go that’s taking so long?” I asked Nora as she set out some leftovers from last night.

“They’re washing our clothes. We’re supposed to stay inside until they come back.”

“I don’t think I could make it outside if I wanted to.”

I focused on eating breakfast. It wasn’t long before I saw Tetora and Aleph heading back to the house from the nearby window. Before stepping inside, they hung our clothes on the line.

“Good day, little one,” Aleph greeted me first, though Tetora practically danced to get in front of him.

“Time to train!” Tetora declared. “Let’s go now!”

“No way! I can’t move!”

“Nonsense!” He grabbed my arm to get me to stand, and I yowled.

“Tetora!” Aleph barked. Tetora’s ears flattened, and he let go of me quickly. “Sorry…” He sank to the floor, his tail curling under him. I reached out slowly and patted his ears a few times before I realized that might have been an incredibly rude gesture. Tetora, however, seemed content and chuffed happily.

I grinned. “Nora wants to fluff your ears, too. Is that okay?” Although she had never said it aloud, it was written all over her face.

“Fine, but don’t tell anyone,” Tetora grunted sullenly.

I never saw Nora move so fast in my life. “Happiness!” she squealed as she joined me.

Aleph turned away with an awkward look on his face.

After a few minutes, I told Nora, “Okay, we should stop now.” Nora frowned but pulled her hand back.

Aleph cleared his throat. “There is much we should discuss.”

“Yes,” I agreed. “First off, please believe me when I say I am not Raelynn.” There was a long pause.

“We… We believe you believe you are not Raelynn,” Aleph countered. “But you should believe us when we say you have the same features and voice as Raelynn.”

“I… can accept that much,” I lied. “However, I have memories that go back to my childhood, and none involve living in this storybook world.” Just reading about it. 

“Storybook?” Aleph asked, his eyes cloudy with confusion. 

Oops.

“Where we came from, all of this is a work of fiction,” Nora explained tersely, gesturing with wide arms as I inwardly panicked. 

I had thought letting them know they exist as a web novel in my world would be opening a huge can of worms, not to mention explaining what a web novel is in the first place. I tried to subtly glare at Nora to say she was on the verge of saying too much, but I didn’t have enough skill points in subterfuge to pull it off.

Aleph and Tetora glanced thoughtfully at each other. While Aleph just shrugged slightly with pursed lips, Tetora responded with a scowl before narrowing his eyes at me. “Raeonna mentioned you had many wounds that were not properly treated. Is this true?”

I crossed my arms defensively. “I have some scars. Who doesn’t?”

“Where are they?” Tetora demanded. “I see some peeking out on your right wrist. How about your abdomen? Right shoulder? Above your left ear?”

I went rigid as he pinpointed each one aloud. “Nora! You said they didn’t see anything!”

“They didn’t,” Nora reaffirmed. “They weren’t even in the house then!”

Aleph gestured curtly to Tetora to keep quiet. “Are you willing to share with us what caused such scars?”

Usually, I’d never tell them, as it was none of their business, but the situation was anything but normal. “Someone… attacked me with a knife when I was younger.” I mentally braced myself for the forthcoming barrage of accusatory questions I had come to expect.

Aleph nodded. “I’m sorry such a thing happened to you.” He sat indirectly across from me. “We will not force you to talk about it.”

“Oh… I appreciate that.” What a good man! I mentally gave him respect +5.

True to his word, he moved on. “Raeonna asked me to teach you how to meditate. Are you willing to learn this skill?”

I took a moment to consider it. “I know… a little about it already. It’s not a bad habit to get back to now. "

Aleph nodded. “It will help draw out the solidified animus. It will take practice, however, so consistency will be key. If you agree, we will practice meditation twice daily for about ten minutes. Once when you rise and once before you retire for the night.”

“Alright,” I agreed.

“Would it be alright if I joined you, too?” Nora asked a bit cautiously, throwing me off for a moment. Oh, probably because of reiterating my childhood trauma. It was a long time ago, and I’m over it, see?

“I don’t mind,” I said with a shrug.

“I will train you,” Tetora declared yet again. “We’ll go over the basics once more. When you can move properly again, of course,” he added quickly after Aleph gave him another look.

“Those were just the basics?”

“The most basic of basics!” Tetora laughed. “Do not worry, though. You can practice while we travel to Chairo.”

“Travel to Chairo?” Nora and I asked, pretending we didn’t know what to expect next.

“Will you allow us to introduce you to Holy Sage Relias?” Aleph inquired. “I believe his counsel will help you with your current situation.”

I glanced at Nora, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Alright, but only because you asked so nicely.”