When I got back to the Low Quadrant, dinner had already been served. I had only had one meal that day was felt near to starving; I was not going to miss a second. I asked a servant to get me something, and he nodded and trotted obediently off. I didn’t envy the lives they led, arguably almost as bad as ours.

I drifted aimlessly after that, feeling Borri’s absence, unable to locate Paathke. Practicing wouldn’t be the same without her. I almost settled down with a book in my room &nda...