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It did what it felt was necessary, I told myself Phaedra rarely left anyone with many choices…

[And now,] the creature’s voice echoed in my head, [youme "What will you do?" I asked

[I will remain here,] it replied [Return to lyph,] it said, as it rolled its eyeball upward toward the now-fa [I must never be freed]

"But that means you’ll be trapped!" I cried

[Yes, my physical form will re, I stared up at the glyph The thought of taking away the creature’s only for

"I don’t know," I said "What if you survive an apocalypse, and we’re all toast, and it’s just you and the cockroaches, and you could be free again? But the sigil’s gone? I would feel awful"

[First of all, you’d be dead and would feel nothing Second, we all must iven up soits eons trapped under the earth and ocean…

[I aas I long as I have And that life is ive or to take Besides, it’s really not so bad I live a far more in theircreatures]

"That’s kind of you to say, but still…"

[Jane, trust uards to keepmyself, I do not want to have to be awake and alert all the tilyph in place, you’re also trapping me? I will always have to be awake and watchful I would rather dream and play]

I remembered then the creature’s memories that I’d experienced while in my coma They’d been so vivid, and so peaceful, for themind

"I think I understand," I said

[So will you help me?] it asked

"Yes," I replied "How should I do it?"

[Directphysical otaround, I tried to find soht Water does erode…

I carefully laid il lurking above it "A little help, please?"

One of the creature’s larger tentacles slid across the floor toward ods After an aard few atteed to slide myself onto the sucker pad of the tentacle, and then the creature loftedto the sucker, which helpfully clung back When I was at eye level with the sigil, I called to the water floating on the cavern floor

It snaked up the tentacle like a living thing, till the tip of the thick cord of water rested in the palil, increasing its force until it was successfully drilling at the stone

It took a long tiil had been orn down to smooth, bare rock

"It’s done," I said, sad for the creature even if this had been its choice

[Thank you,] it intoned [I may sleep, now]

When the creature set me down on the floor, I swayed wearily onin the air, but it barely took the edge off ht

[And it’s tiht back at ht, muzzily Real war?

[Yes My child knohat to do Trust her Her thoughts for you are strong She will take care of you]

War? was my only, disjointed, response as I bent, wearily, to pick up my new ax

[I will send you home now, Jane And I want to thank you]

"Wait," I asked, finally able to getI wanted to ask "What about Anyan? Can you turn hi?"

The voice chuckled [Already done, child He did not need to be out of the way anynoh of relief Anyan! I thought, thrilled to know he’d be waiting forhis own mouth to his junk

As that is nored it