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“I was very young,” he said. “And I was foolish. I was more infatuated with the idea of my own future than I was with my intended bride. I was trying very hard to put together all the pieces I thought were required for an acceptable sort of life. Rank, wife, career. But this life has its merits, too. And I have made my peace with it.”

I understood a bit of what he meant. I’d spent so long, and worked so hard, to get away from Terratribe I. To begin the kind of life I thought I’d always wanted. The fancy new job, the bright office, the clean but ultimately empty apartment…

Those things had always been my goals.

By all metrics I’d valued most, I was successful beyond my wildest dreams.

But sometimes, alone in my cold Elora Station bed, I had to acknowledge how terrifyingly hollow that success felt now that it was actually mine.

In Warden Tenn’s saddle, with the road stretching endlessly ahead of me, I thought about returning to Elora Station when all of this was done. And I felt my whole being contract with unexpected despair.

Rabbit’s crisply clopping hooves were the only sound.

We didn’t speak again until the warden’s station came into view later that afternoon.

13

TASHA

Darcy Dubois Added Tasha Wallace to the Group

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Image file loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:There you go, Tasha. Now you’ve got the picture for your book.

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:Um. Is that what I think it is?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:If you think it’s a very faithfully and lovingly rendered Zabrian dick diagram, then yes.

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:Definitely was not expecting to see that when I opened this chat. Wow.

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:I humbly accept your compliment.

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:Are you sure about the humble part?

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson:Tasha needs it for her research. She’s writing a book about Zabrians, like the one the guys got about us!

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:Very helpful, Darcy. Thank you. And thank you for adding me to the chat!

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Sunglasses emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Cowboy emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Artist emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:Eggplant emoji loading

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson:What the heck is that last one? The purple one?

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:It’s a Terratribe II eggplant. Also known as the vegetable representation of a dick.

Incoming Tablet Communication Cherry Dawson:OH MY GOD.

Incoming Tablet Communication Magnolia Jones:What???

Incoming Tablet Communication Darcy Dubois:AHH CHERRY I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO SAY!!!

Incoming Tablet Communication Tasha Wallace:?