The sixth day came, and Sayana was excited. Today was the day she’d be able to talk to Adjira and the boys. Hannelore intercepted her on her way out of the dining hall after dinner. “You’re to come with me.” She’d already collected Kallam. “It’s time to make that call you’ve been wanting to make since you got here.”

They went to the Head Matron’s office and waited as the link was established to the scholar academy. Then Adjira and the boys had to be retrieved. Finally, Sayana and Kallam were seated with a reminder they only had fifteen minutes.

“Saya, Kal, are you okay?” Adjira asked, hanging on to Ethian and Eon’s hands. They were dressed in grey bodysuits with loose hoods hanging over their shoulders. Their hair had been cut short.

“We’re fine, Addie,” Sayana reassured her. “How are you?”

“We’re okay.” She was positively beaming. “There are so many lessons. They’re mostly focusing on teaching Eon and Ethian how to read and write and their numbers right now, but once they learn those they’ll get into the better classes. I’m taking so many classes right now. There’s one in history, and one in science, and one in math, and one in logic, and one in reading – I’m learning to read faster than I already do and to understand better than I already do what I read – and one in writing. I’m learning to write on actual paper. I mean real paper like they talk about in the history books. It’s weird but fun.”

“We’re in classes too. Nothing as interesting as you’re taking. At least to me.” Kallam grinned at their younger siblings.

“I think the voice lessons are interesting. They’re teaching us how to talk without weird vocal tics and it’s so fascinating. I didn’t even know I had a vocal tic until the teacher pointed it out. I’m now working to fix it because a courtesan with a vocal tic is very annoying, she says,” Sayana told her sister.

“Are you taking lessons in reading and writing too?” Adjira asked.

“No, but we are getting lessons in math and the history of Atania and playing musical instruments and poetry. I think they’re fascinating.” Sayana bounced a little as she spoke.

“You would,” Kallam nudged his sister with a grin. “I will admit to liking the dance class though. At least we get to get up and move.”

Adjira giggled. “You always liked being up and moving. Do you like the dancing, Saya?”

“It’s okay. I think it’s way too stiff and formal. I like to fling myself around and bounce and whirl and that’s not this kind of dance.” Sayana shrugged.

“It sounds kind of boring.” Adjira frowned.

“It is.” Sayana giggled.

“To her. To me it’s fascinating. It’s like a big game. You follow the directions and get from one place to another with a series of moves. It’s great.” Kallam gestured wildly and Sayana ducked so as not to get hit in the head by her brother’s flailing arms.

Adjira giggled again. “It sounds like Saya likes the book work and you like the physical stuff, Kal. Just like before.”

“Yeah, that does fit us really well.” Sayana giggled again as well. “Eon, how do you and Ethian like your lessons?”

“They’re hard.” Eon grinned. “But fun.”

“I like books.” Ethian laughed. “I want to read more.”

“Well, keep at your lessons and you’ll learn to read more like Addie does.” Sayana smiled at her younger brothers.

“Addie reads big books. The teachers yell at her.” Ethian looked at Adjira anxiously.

“Addie? What does he mean?” Sayana looked at her inquisitively.

“I read books that are for older students and then ask lots of questions.” Adjira smiled. “The teachers tell me I should stick to books more age appropriate.” She stumbled a little over the last word. “I tell them those books are boring.”

“Sounds like Saya. Except she doesn’t ask a lot of questions.” Kallam nudged his sister, and she giggled yet again.

“I’m not a fast reader like Addie either. I don’t mind. And if I have questions, they can wait until I’m bigger and can ask the questions at an appropriate time.” Sayana grinned at her younger siblings.

“Maybe I should do that too. Write them down in my journal and ask when I get bigger and am supposed to be reading those books.” Adjira looked thoughtful at that. The children talked for several more minutes about their classes, their teachers, and what life was like at their academies.

A hand settled on Sayana’s shoulder. “We have to go now. We’ll call again in a week.”

“Okay.” Adjira glanced over her shoulder briefly before turning back to the comm. “Love you!” The boys echoed Adjira, and the call ended.

“Sayana, would you mind staying for a moment?” the Head Matron asked as Kallam headed for the door.

“Yes, Head Matron.” Sayana stayed in her seat as Kallam left.

“What did Kallam mean when he said what your sister is doing sounds like you?” the Head Matron asked.

Sayana smiled. “I don’t like books for children. They’re boring. I read books meant for adults. I’m reading a philosophy book right now. I’m very slow at reading it because I have to look up words I don’t understand, and even when I look them up sometimes it doesn’t make sense. I just make notes of questions to ask in a few years when I’m older and won’t get scolded for reading the book and move on.”

“Is this normal for you?” The Head Matron looked at her with some interest.

“Me and Addie both, though we never had anyone to answer our questions because our mother didn’t read like we did. We didn’t have much in the wing and what few toys we did have we gave to Eon and Ethian, so Addie and I would spend hours reading.” Sayana shrugged. “It was what we did to pass the time.”

“And what did Kallam do?” the Head Matron asked.

“Kal was always sneaking out of the courtesan wing and exploring the house and grounds. He’d get caught, punished, brought back, and the very next day he’d be out again.” Sayana shook her head. “He never liked sitting still. Mother taught him to read and write and to do some basic math, but he never focused on his lessons the way me and Addie did.”

“I take it Kallam was the one who acquired the lock pick and the jammer that he had on him when Pen found you five?” the Head Matron asked.

Sayana nodded. “He knew where everything was and knew who he could sneak past to steal things. While it was my idea to steal food from the kitchen before we left, it was Kal who chose what we took. It was Kal who picked the shops to steal from, and we only ever took what we needed and never much from any one shop.”

“How did Kallam know anything about the city if you’d never been outside the courtesan wing?” The Head Matron seemed genuinely curious, and Sayana didn’t mind answering her questions.

“Mother talked father into letting Kallam go into the city with the servants.” Sayana grinned. “It was a way to get him to settle down when nothing else worked. He went out all the time when the servants went to buy supplies for the house, so he learned all about the city. That’s how he knew where we could hide. One of the kitchen helpers used to steal from the house and hide it there. She got caught and was sent to prison though, so she stopped using it.”

“Your brother was the mastermind behind your escape?” The Head Matron was watching Sayana closely.

“He was. I helped where I could, but mostly I took care of Addie and the boys. And I helped him when we went out to steal.” Sayana hated talking about the stealing. It still bothered her that they’d had to resort to that.

“How did that work? I assume you didn’t leave Adjira and the other two completely unguarded.” The Head Matron frowned.

“Kallam rigged latches for the hatch to our hiding place. Addie had to stay awake to let us back in, but she locked the panel behind us when we went out so no one could get in while we were away. It worked out very well.” Sayana frowned. “I don’t know how Pen got into our hiding place though. I know we locked the latches.”

“Pen uses psychics. He probably had a psychic fuzz you and made you think you secured the latches when you didn’t.” The Head Matron didn’t seem particularly bothered by this.

Sayana felt herself grow cold. If she’d done more than a quick burst to scan those men, she’d have been discovered. Better not to use her powers here at all if she could avoid it. It was far safer. “Sayana, he truly meant no harm. I know everyone is taught to fear psychics, but they were only working to better protect all of you,” Hannelore had noticed her distress.

“Okay.” Sayana wasn’t going to tell them the real reason she’d gone pale.

“Why don’t you go to your room now? Hannelore, show the child the way just in case she gets lost. I know this place is like a maze if you’re not used to it.” The Head Matron smiled at Sayana.

“Yes, Head Matron.” Hannelore led Sayana out and down to her room. “There you are, Sayana. Good night.”

“Good night.” Sayana went into her room and changed into her sleeping outfit. She curled up with her book for a little while before putting it aside. She switched off the light and was soon asleep.

Sayana moved through the next several months with more grace and ease than Kallam did. Kallam struggled with the academic classes because he hated having to sit still for so long. Sayana enjoyed the academic classes but found her dance class to be a trial because of the formal mode of dance that she was required to learn. The bright spot of her weeks was talking to Adjira and her brothers, seeing how they were growing and changing and hearing about their studies.

Sayana wasn’t happy with how pale Ethian looked. He was struggling to gain weight too, Adjira told her, and the scholar masters were quite worried about him. He was thriving in his classes, but his strength wasn’t up where they wanted it to be. They’d had a doctor in to look at him, and the doctor diagnosed him as a failure to thrive. Adjira knew this much about it but couldn’t tell Sayana what that meant. It made the adults around them very worried though, so Adjira was worried.

Sayana went to the doctor servicing the courtesans. “Excuse me, what does it mean when a doctor diagnoses a child with failure to thrive?”

“Failure to thrive? That’s a peculiar diagnosis, and one that we don’t often give.” The doctor scratched his chin. “It means that their bodies aren’t performing up to the standards to allow them to live long and productive lives and that it’s quite possible the child in question will die before too long no matter how hard we try to keep them going.”

“Oh.” Sayana’s eyes filled with tears.

“Did someone say that about you?” the doctor asked.

“No, my youngest brother over with the scholars. He isn’t gaining weight and is really pale and isn’t doing well, and they had the doctors check him out. My sister Adjira told me that she found out that the doctors diagnosed him with failure to thrive.” She felt sick thinking that Ethian could die.

“I’m very sorry, little one.” The doctor stroked her hair with a sympathetic hand. “It’s going to be hard for you, but your younger brother is not going to survive much longer. It’s quite possible he won’t make it through the winter. Failures to thrive often contract diseases in the winter that healthy bodies could fight off easily and it kills them.”

“Thank you for explaining.” Sayana rubbed her eyes. She left the doctor and walked quickly back to her room.

Kallam was waiting for her. “What’s wrong, Saya?”

“I asked our doctor what failure to thrive meant. He says it means Ethian’s going to die soon. Maybe even this winter.” Sayana felt the tears start again.

“The doctor couldn’t know what he was talking about. He hasn’t examined Ethian. He doesn’t know.” Kallam glared at her.

“He does know what failure to thrive means. I asked him what that diagnosis meant, and he told me. He’s probably right, Kal. Ethian could die by this winter because his body just isn’t performing up to the normal standards.” Sayana wrapped her arms around her chest.

“I don’t believe it. Ethian’s just skinny. That’s it. You’re still skinny and they’re not saying you’ve got failure to thrive.” Kallam was getting louder.

“I’m not underweight anymore, but Ethian is.” Sayana began to tremble.

“Don’t go borrowing trouble, Saya,” Kallam snapped.

“You should prepare yourself for it. Because if he does die it’s going to hurt bad.” Sayana’s voice broke as she spoke.

“He’s not going to die,” Kallam shouted and stormed away.

“Is something wrong, Sayana?” one of the Matrons asked.

“Nothing that can be helped. Kal doesn’t want to believe something bad might happen, and I do because I trust the doctor. I just have to prepare myself for it happening so I’m ready when it does, even though it’s going to hurt a lot.” Sayana wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

“Are you sick, Sayana?” the Matron asked with some concern.

“I’m not, but my youngest brother is. The doctor said he could die this winter. I don’t want him to die but I can see why the doctor says he will. If he does, I have to be ready for it.” Sayana looked up at the woman.

“I’m sorry, Sayana.” The woman came over, knelt down, and gave her a hug.

Sayana buried her face in the woman’s shoulder for a moment before stepping back. She retreated to her room. She tried to read but tears blurred the words as she thought of losing Ethian.

She couldn’t explain it to Adjira without upsetting Ethian and she didn’t want to do that. She would have to carry the burden on her own, as she had for so long before. She’d known their mother was dying longer than Kallam and the other children had known. Their mother had realized what was happening but had kept it to herself. Sayana had picked it up with her psychic powers. Now she would have to carry this knowledge too and not tell anyone.

A few more months passed and soon Ethian was no longer joining the conversations. Adjira said he was in the med lab, sick with some kind of fever that the doctors couldn’t fix. Kallam glared at Sayana every time they had a conversation with Adjira and Eon because he felt she was still wrong.

Then came the day when Adjira and Eon were very subdued when they spoke with Sayana and Kallam. Winter was well under way, and it was bitterly cold outside. Snow, something the children had only seen in books and holos, piled high around both academies and kept the children trapped inside.

“Saya, Ethian’s dead.” Adjira’s voice was soft and broke in a small, choked sob. “He didn’t get better. The doctors say the fever killed him.”

“No, that’s not possible.” Kallam stared at his sister. “Doctors can cure anything.”

“Not necessarily, Kallam,” the Head Matron interjected. “There are things out there that the doctors can’t cure, and it’s well known that there are diseases that stump even the best doctors.”

“But it was a simple fever,” Kallam protested. “Doctors can cure a simple fever.”

“It wasn’t a simple fever, Kal,” Adjira told him. “It was something worse. The doctors tried to explain it to me, but I’m not a doctor and I don’t know medicine, so I didn’t understand them. What they told me was the fever attacked all of Ethian’s organs and shut them down. They couldn’t stop it. There was more, but that’s all I can remember.”

“I don’t believe it,” Kallam growled. “The doctors must not have tried. They could have saved him.”

“Kallam, the scholar academy did not kill your brother without cause,” the Head Matron told him sternly. “If their doctors say they couldn’t cure him, they must have tried their hardest to do so and failed.”

“He had doctors with him every day, Kal. I was with him in the afternoons and there were always doctors with him, running tests, giving him medicine, making sure he got the right nutrients.” Adjira was crying. “He was never alone, not once. The doctors really tried hard to save him. They just couldn’t do it.”

“How are you and Eon holding up, Addie?” Sayana asked as Kallam subsided into sullen silence.

“We’re being given three days to mourn him, and then we have to get back to our classes. Adjira wiped her eyes. “The body’s already been sealed and, because I told them we didn’t have family we wanted the body returned to, they’ve sent him for cremation and interment here.”

“Good. I don’t want father to have Ethian’s body.” Sayana’s voice broke and she struggled not to burst into tears.

“He won’t get it back because Pen told the scholar academy that we were outside our father’s care. He didn’t have custody of us anymore so we couldn’t be sent back to him.” Adjira sniffed and wiped her nose on a handkerchief she was holding in one of her hands.

“I wish I could give both of you a hug.” Sayana wanted to reach through the comm and hold her brother and sister.

“I wish you were here to give us hugs too, but you’re not and we have to go on without you and Ethian.” Adjira’s lips trembled. “But it’s so hard, Saya.” Eon dissolved into tears beside her.

Sayana felt tears streaming down her cheeks. “I know it’s hard, Addie.” Her voice was broken, and she choked the words out. “It’s hard for us too. We want to be there to hold you, but we can’t be. We have to be strong. I don’t know about Kal, but I know I don’t want to be strong. We love you and it hurts to be like this.”

“Will you call us next week?” Adjira asked.

“Of course we will,” Sayana promised.

“It’ll be better next week. We’ll be back in classes, and we’ll be able to work and not have to think about Ethian as much. It’ll be better. Won’t it?” Adjira looked pleadingly at her older sister.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Having something to do had helped when it came to processing their mother’s death. Perhaps it would help them now with Ethian’s death.

“I hope that’s what will happen. I think I want to go back to my room now, Saya.” Adjira wiped her nose on the handkerchief again.

“Okay, Addie. I love you. Love you too, Eon.” Sayana reached out and touched the comm screen. Addie did the same.

“Love you, Addie. You too, Eon.” Kallam’s voice was rough and there was a hint of anger in it as well.

“Love you, Saya and Kal,” Adjira choked out. Eon echoed his sister’s response, and the call ended.

“Kallam, your outburst is very unreasonable and injured your brother and sisters more than it needed to. I understand you don’t want to believe your younger brother was too ill to survive, but if the doctors can’t save someone it’s not reasonable to say they didn’t try,” the Head Matron told him coldly.

“No one cares about a kid, Head Matron. Why would they go out of their way to save one?” Kallam asked belligerently.

“Sayana, why don’t you return to your room?” the Head Matron suggested. “I need to have a word with your brother.” “Yes, Head Matron.” Sayana left the office and made her way back to her room. She curled up on her bed and cried.