Flux

collar, and I want to know that you’ll be safe. I want to see a bit of the world and…and find a place where we can fit.”
    That was very close to what Miner wanted as well. But it was hard to imagine any place where he would fit. Ennek had so many talents even aside from his magic. He was a born leader, a natural diplomat, a man who could step in among others and get things accomplished in a way that satisfied everyone. The fact that he didn’t see these qualities in himself, well, that was a sort of blindness planted there by a father who had never appreciated him. Who had, most likely, never bothered to know him well enough to appreciate him. But Miner—what could he do? He had joined the Guard because that was what the men of his family did, and he’d been singularly undistinguished in his career. He hadn’t even managed to assassinate the Chief successfully. And since Ennek had found him, what had Miner done then? Nothing but repeated bouts as a damsel in distress, and the one time Ennek had been the one needing saving, look where Miner had got them.
    Miner let his head droop and Ennek put an arm around his shoulders.
    The roof had a low wall around it, so sitting like this they could see nothing but blue sky and the top of the hills they’d scaled to get there. Of course, that meant that nobody could see them either; nobody, that was, except for the large bird that circled far overhead. A hawk or an eagle, Miner thought.
    Ennek tugged at Miner until they both lay on their backs. “Just a year ago I never imagined I would travel so far,” Ennek said. “I used to watch the ships and try to imagine what it would be like to be on one, to see the sails full of wind and have nothing around but open water. It was an exciting dream, but that was all.”
    “I’ll wager you didn’t imagine pirates and shipwrecks.”
    “Oh, but I did! I could see myself battling bravely, crossing swords daringly with bandits and impressing everyone with my derring-do. Being a hero. Not being gutted like a fish and thrown overboard. And I pictured great storms and horrible sea monsters that were all slime and grasping tentacles, and distant ports where I would be admired as an exotic and dashing stranger.”
    “Were there beautiful girls waiting for you in those ports?”
    “No. Beautiful boys. I’d try, you know. Try to picture them in flowing dresses with painted lips and…and heaving bosoms.” He laughed. “But no matter how I tried, they ended up in trousers instead, and they were tall and hard and they had flashing eyes and square chins. I told myself I only wanted to impress these men, to have them as my followers, but eventually I had to admit I simply wanted to have them.” He turned his head to look at Miner. “What did you dream of?”
    It had been so very long. Miner closed his eyes. “Nothing so adventurous as you. I dreamt of…family, I expect. Of love. I would imagine a little cottage that was mine, and laughing, and…. I don’t know. It was all foolishness.”
    “There’s nothing foolish about wanting to be happy, Mine.”
    “But they were such simple things.”
    “So? I also used to—I’ve never told anyone this—but I’d create these stories in my head where I’d do something wonderful. Save the polis from some great catastrophe, or make some amazing discovery, that sort of thing. And they’d love me. The Chief and Aelia. My father and mother. They’d tell me how clever I was, how brave, how important.” His laugh was bitter. “Really, I can’t imagine those words ever escaping the Chief’s lips, no matter what I did. And if he saw me now, well, I expect he’d have something quite different to say to me.”
    “You did save the polis, En. You saved it from Thelius.”
    “After I allowed Thelius to bind my powers and use them to murder the heir’s family. To destroy Larkin. And then I absconded with a bond slave with whom I have been committing deviant acts. No, I doubt the Chief would hail me as a hero.”
    Miner had no good response to that, so he said nothing. The bird wheeled and banked above them, and from somewhere on the ground he heard voices calling at one another and insects chirping. The sun was very warm on his face, no doubt busily building that sunburn Ennek had warned him about, but for now it felt pleasant. Ennek was quiet for so long that Miner thought he might have fallen asleep.
    But then quite suddenly, Ennek stood and walked to the edge of the roof. He