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The words don’t make sense. It’s her voice, but I can’t understand her. Icy fear curls in my throat. I can’t lose this now that I’ve just gotten it.
I kiss her forehead to assure her that everything will be all right, and get up to my feet. I tug on my breeches as I walk to the stone in the center of the room, the worms that crawl all over it casting an ethereal glow across Rimi’s beautiful, naked body.
There’s a small sliver of panic growing in my chest, and by the frightened look on her face, I’m not alone. Perhaps this change wasn’t permanent, but temporary—a short boon granted by the strange glowing worms lying at the heart of an ancient ruin.
What will I do if I can’t hear Rimi’s voice again? If I can’t talk to her any longer? I can’t stand the thought.
I peer up at the wall where the hands meet between the troll and human faces. What does it mean? I feel like we were meant to find this place, whatever it is. It’s some sort of puzzle that I just need to figure out.
“Lo’zar?” Rimi says behind me, voice trembling. She’s putting Kugara’s tunic on, getting up to her feet without anything covering her cute little thighs. Already I miss being able to tell her everything I’m thinking. She should always know how lovely she is.
The huge stone is shaped like an egg, riddled with holes that the worms use to move through and around it in a constant stream. I lean closer to study them, their four-inch glowing bodies wriggling in a way that would be disgusting if they didn’t look like liquid glass. I pick one up, and it frantically tries to get away. Then I turn to Rimi and hold out my hand, gesturing to her with the worm.
My clever human, she understands right away. We did this before, so let’s try it again. Rimi eagerly jogs up to the stone and reaches for me. As her palm lands in mine, I wonder what I’ve found in her.
Just let me hear her voice again,I think, and the worm twitches in our hands.
Lo’zar?I hear Rimi’s frantic thoughts.Can you hear me?
I can hear you.
She tightens her grip on me and exhales with relief.Thank goodness. I was so frightened when you didn’t...Her thoughts trail off.I couldn’t stand not being able to talk to you, even for a few moments.
I know what you mean.Again, the worm shrivels, and the glow inside fades. I drop it to the ground, then put an arm around her shoulders and pull her in.It felt like I was alone.
She nods vigorously, wiping at her eyes.And I don’t want to be alone,she says.Not ever again.
What a wonderful creature she is. I want to assure her that she won’t be, but I can’t possibly know that. Her future is a different one than mine.
How do these things work?I ask, gazing down in wonder at the critters leaving bright, glowing tracks across the stone as they weave in and out of their tunnels.Both times now, I wished to talk to you. And then it happened.
Rimi blinks.It... grants wishes?She puzzles over this.But if the wish doesn’t last, then we can’t leave this place, or we won’t be able to hear each other.
I would rather stay here forever. So I reach out and grab another worm and drop it into my pocket. I’ll bring it with me.
Lo’zar!Rimi chides, but she’s laughing.You can’t just kidnap one.
Why not?For good measure, I take a second worm and put it in my other pocket with my fire starter, then a third and a fourth.
Because they’ll die.She approaches carrying my tunic, which now carries the pleasant stain of our mutual fluids, and holds it out to me. I’ll wear that stain with pride, thank you.
We'll just have to touch one every few hours,I say.Then we can keep talking. Right?
Won’t we run out eventually?A strange look comes over her.There might be another way.
* * *
Rimi
There’s a myth in Yusala about an ancient beast called Riggamora, whose great long body traversed the world and tore holes in its flesh as it passed, creating many of the rivers and valleys we call home today. Riggamora had achieved its terrible power by devouring humans and trollkin alike and acquiring their magic, thousands of them. The beast grew and grew, using our power against us, until it was finally felled by a true hero.
My parents were always very strict about my diet, because like most Yusalans, they believe everything we let enter our bodies will be returned to us tenfold. You can trap a thing’s power inside yourself by consuming it.
So I pick one of the worms up off the rock and wish:Please let me hear his voice again.Then I slip it in my mouth.
Lo’zar makes a horriblegyechh!sound as it slides past my lips. His face is aghast. The worm wriggles as I try to get my throat to open for it, and I might throw up—but I manage to swallow the worm all the way down until I can feel it wriggling in my belly.
What... What did you just do?Lo’zar asks with extreme uncertainty.
