Page 108 of The Amber Sunburst

so where does that leave you?

She feels the mystery man’s eyes on her, and turns to meet his gaze. When she does, she has to stifle a gasp.

The Educator.

“Hello, young lady,” he says, and Ophelia nods respectfully, but doesn’t move away.

“You can speak, don’t worry. I won’t tell the Mothers.” The man smiles conspiratorially. It’s a charming smile, but it makes a shiver crawl up her spine anyway. Everything about him is put together correctly, but the seams are still in view, like he crafted himself into existence.

“Hello, sir,” she replies, turning back to the screen.

“Do you know these boys?” the Educator asks.

“No, sir. But I’ve served them in the dining hall, of course. And the other Priestesses are rather enamored with the two of them.”

The Educator chuckles. “I suppose I can see why,” he responds, facing the screen now, too. “Though I’m partial to the golden-haired one.”

Ophelia’s not sure how to respond. “His beauty is quite uncanny,” she finally says.

“Much like your own,” the Educator replies. When she looks back at him, he’s squinting like he’s trying to place her. “What’s your name, young one?” he asks, but before she can reply, Alexander’s voice comes loudly through the speakers.

“I am a loser,” he shouts, sounding overjoyed. “I’m a loser!”

Ping! Kallias stops in the air, and then, shockingly, he starts laughing. The girls at the Temple will find that in the recording and replay it for months. She can practically hear them going on about his dimples and his smile already.

“You are a loser,” Kallias responds.

“Oh, don’t sound so pleased.”

“At least they thought you’d solve it. It would be wasted on someone who didn’t.”

“Har, har,” Alexander deadpans. Then his eyes go wide when he visibly remembers that the box he’s trapped in is slowly filling with water. It’s as if Kallias distracted him from the fact that it was there at all. “Okay, the water is at my waist right now, which probably means we’re halfway. Let’s get to yours.”

“Right.”

Because I watch, you cast no shadow. I

rightly listen, you make no noise. I leave, out

of your line of sight, but the buzz of silence cloys.

Keeping is not to have, but I do both in every way.

Eternity will seal your lid, so you can’t die, but stay. Go

not roaming in your jar, but shine through cracks at fraying ends. A glow you’ll really try to hide, but everything must bend. Too hard, you doth protest at this literary stew? I do want you to find it out so, fine, I’ll leave a clu.

“Plato and his prophecies,” Ophelia swears under her breath.

The Priestesses were given very specific instructions on the structure of the riddles. This one does not follow the outline at all. It has a strange rhyme scheme and no patterns. They’re meant to be straightforward and conceptual. So then what is this?

“Crap,” Kallias says.

Alexander’s face is ashen when he asks, “What do we do with this?”

“I don’t know,” Kallias admits, like he’s surprised with himself.

“Well, let’s think, okay? What is it trying to say?”