This was such a nice offer that Nona was pleased and sleepy immediately.
“Cam,” she said, snuggling up into her back, “can’t you tell me a story instead, like you used to? I’ll rest my eyes while you talk.”
“You haven’t wanted stories in a while. Said you were too sophisticated.”
“That was because Beautiful Ruby made fun of me when I said what I did to get to sleep,” said Nona.
That had been early on. It hadn’t even been that Beautiful Ruby hurt her feelings; it was that the others had shushed him immediately and Honesty had said in a much louder voice than was necessary, “Shut up, lad, Nona can do kiddie things if she wants to,” which was a much better way of letting her know she was being an appalling baby. And Hot Sauce had looked at her in a way she really hadn’t liked.
“Hmm,” was all Camilla said. Then: “What kind of story?”
Nona thought about it.
“Tell me the story about how you met me again. Neither you nor Palamedes have told me that one in ages.”
“Okay.”
Camilla’s curt, sweet, low voice took on the tones of recital: “We met you when the Warden saved you, after you were hurt.”
Nona supplied, “And it was the first time he showed he could do things like that because he didn’t have a body, and you were amazed,” and Camilla said, “Who’s telling this, me or you?”
Nona subsided. Camilla said, “It was the first time. He and I … were trying to talk. He was stuck, not having a body that talked. At the time we knew you were in trouble. You’d disappeared. We’d been trying to get you. We found you and Pyrrha. You were hurt. Pyrrha helped us escape from an attack. We lost people. Ships. Something very important. But we got you away, and we wanted to keep you. Other people said no. But you didn’t know what was happening. You weren’t a threat to anyone. Neither was Pyrrha. But not many people believed me, or the Warden. Many people said you were too dangerous.”
Nona said, “And everyone paid attention to We Suffer, who said, ‘I trust them. They will not betray us.’”
“Yes … back then We Suffer trusted us. We Suffer even let Pyrrha live. Pyrrha talked fast. Then I found a way for the Warden to come back. That was a relief. He wanted to evoke the break clause … which means, he wanted his family away from the Houses. You weren’t awake yet. You only woke up for very short periods and you couldn’t speak properly. We looked after you. The Warden convinced the Oversight Body, convinced the Sixth House to come with us. We showed them the secret of the installation. We helped them find a stele that would anchor such a big thanergy transition … which means, we helped them move. Then the Warden picked sixteen people to talk with Blood of Eden. To discuss the future. You were waking up. You met me for the first time.”
Nona said, “What did you think of me?” knowing the answer.
“I thought I didn’t know you at all. You were new.”
Nona always loved this answer unreasonably; the idea that that was when Camilla met her, that was her birth. She said, “I don’t remember much about back then.”
“Not surprised. We didn’t let you meet many people.”
“And we lived here and I got better and Pyrrha went out to work and you taught me how to speak. And then things went wrong.”
That had been a hideous time.
Camilla said, “Yes. Then things went wrong. The light appeared. We found out Blood of Eden had lied to us … or at least, didn’t have the power to look after us anymore. That’s it.”
Nona stretched her toes out until her ankles burned.
“That was still the kiddie version,” she said, faintly accusatory. “I’m more sophisticated, Cam. I can understand more.”
“Okay. Keep in mind I never had to practise an adult version.”
“Can I ask questions?”
“Go ahead.”
“I don’t understand why We Suffer hates Pyrrha.”
“Pyrrha’s best friend killed We Suffer’s boss.”
That made sense.
“Why did you want to take your families away from the other place?”
“We didn’t feel we could be there anymore … not until we really understood what we were doing, morally. The Warden is our leader, and our families listened to what he had to say. We voted on it … made promises we couldn’t keep.”
Camilla’s voice was bitter. Nona was sorry.
“If I remember who I am, can’t I help to find them?” she said.