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herself to completing her training, secluding herself for large periods each day to finish reading the remaining volumes in her mother’s library. Determined, she pushed through the long nights without sleep, turning more and more to the virtues of copious amounts of food to console her. And while Asil never chastised her on gaining weight, she became more and more irritated at the absence of any and all kind words about her appearance.
    In a month and a half, with no fanfare, Melissa turned fifteen. Only after the sun set did she even remember the occasion, a few hours before midnight. She paused from her studies to think on the lavish parties her father threw for her when she turned twelve and thirteen, before he began to grow infirm and distant. There was a parade down the Aisle of Ghent, with fifty Archsussa hailing from every Levitating City, creating dazzling displays in the heavens for all to see. Toby would give her a chaste kiss on the cheek, after which she always blushed. Yet in the midst of all that celebration, when she searched for her mother, she was nowhere to be found. At the end of the festivities, she would eventually find her, sitting in the shadows, watching with wary eyes.
    But . . . it wasn’t the real me then, was it? Which memories are mine, and which are of the girl who once was me -- who wore such an evil aspect? And what did they think of the change?
    When she lay down to sleep that night -- her own personal birthday gift, she was haunted by terrible dreams; echoes of nightmares that had been growing in intensity for the past several months.   
    Melissa bolted awake, and Asil ran in to hold her.
    “What is it dear Lissa?”
    “I . . . I had a dream; a bad omen.”
    Asil tried to comfort her, putting his arm around her shoulders, but Melissa pushed him away, disgusted by his sentimental softness.
    “What was it?” he asked, resigning to sit beside her with his hands in his lap.
    “I . . . I dreamt of a time in the future when I was extremely powerful. When I could move the whole of Iqui with my sussa. I moved the planet through the sparkling darkness, closer to the light of life, so the whole world would be warm. I watched as the snow turned into water and that water stretched as far as the eye could see. I brought down all the Levitating Cities, and they sat on that water, unified.”
    Asil nodded, absorbed in the dream. “That sounds wonderful.”
    “It was, until I landed on one of those cities, and looked at my reflection in the mirror. I was so fat! I was old, and wrinkled, and there was hatred in my eyes. I accomplished all that good, yet all I felt was hate. I had made a contract with every living person, and after I moved that world, it was on them to pay it off.”
    “How?”
    “I don’t know, but it was something vile and disgusting.” Melissa sighed. “I have gotten so fat and so powerful, and even with you and the hlenna, I feel this anger building inside me.” She opened her fist, disbursing the tendrils of sussa. “I know I can obliterate whole mountainsides, Asil, without a trace of fatigue. I could even defeat the Freilux, break his body and burn it for all to see!”
    “Is that what you really want?”
    She sighed. “When I see myself doing that, I also see my brother looking back.” She grit her teeth, stifling a cry. “I can’t be like him, like that,” she said bitterly, “killing without remorse, having some pompous title and making people bow down before me -- he kills without thinking. He attaches so little value to life.”
    Asil grabbed and held her hand tightly, giving her some space, and she moaned over and over again, her eyes like bags filled with tears she refused to release. “You will never become like him,” he said softly, “because you see that path and work to avoid it. Tell me, why do you never sleep? I mean I know it’s supposed to enhance your power, but don’t you think it’s time for you to have a real rest?”
    “I . . . I