“What–?” She couldn’t see anything, could barely focus through the pain. Something heavy pressed against her chest, something was hitting her face. Althea could make out something; features, lanky hair sticking out over a flat face, chubby cheeks – Teffa?!

“Where’s trilium,” the woman demanded in her reedy voice– Teffa, and Obe. Had they planned this? Pretended to be loners? Was the attack just a–

Teffa pressed the blade harder against her throat.

“Don’t act dumb,” the woman threatened. “I know you’re smarter than that.”

“How do you expect to–” Althea began to subtly adjust her position to reduce the potential damage. Teffa sneered at her, sliding the blade harshly along her skin, cutting, activating sensitive nerves, ninths from the artery pumping blood beneath the skin. She could deal with this, just had to keep the anger, terror under control – focused. NANs would be streaming blood into the vessels and muscles of her neck – to minimize the damage – prepare to repair any wound.

Don’t panic, mustn’t panic. She’s no threat, no threat at all…

“Tell me now!” Teffa commanded. “Where is it?!” Her hot, fetid breath blew into Althea’s face. She adjusted her position under the woman’s weight, felt hands, arms strengthening.

Move a little more, Teffa… Just a little…

“Give it to me, or I’ll spill your blood all over this snow,” Teffa threatened, impatience increasing.”

“Kill me and you’ll never get it,” Althea breathed. “Your making a mistake. Don’t you remember what I did in the hall?”

“Who’s a hairsbreadth from becoming a fountain? Do you want to die?!” the woman shot back, pressed the knife into her throat. “The trilium or your life!”

The pressure, the sudden burning pain made her gasp.

It’ll only hurt for a moment. Althea closed her eyes. Ignore the pain. The NANs will take care of you. Fountains…

Columns of pure thought, shimmering with experience, flooding, bursting, flowing over her, through her, filling her with the life of a world, carrying away all fear…

No, too much, too much. Use it, don’t let it overwhelm you. Not yet…

“I like fountains,” she whispered, then kneed the woman over her head, adding the power of her arms as leverage. The knife cut her, cut deep; the pain was excruciating, a sharp burning, explosion of agony – overwhelming her senses – but only for a moment.

She rolled over, pushed Teffa away, grabbed her throat – felt the hot blood coursing through her fingers – held on tightly, held her breath, fought to stay steady, as her vision grew black.

Then it was gone, the pain, the darkness – replaced by strength, focus and fury.

In all that time, Teffa hadn’t reacted, was still trying to get back on to her feet, boots slipping, stumbling over the blood soaked snow. Confident of her NANs, Althea didn’t even bother to stand, with a free hand flat on the ground; she spun around – kicked hard. The woman fell back, the impact forcing out a choked cry. Althea rose, kicked her again and again.

“Stop it. Stop it!” Teffa screamed.

Realizing what she was doing, Althea stopped, glared down at the woman, whose cream colored coat was now soaked in blood. Her blood.

“You should have listened to what I told you!” she forced out between harsh breaths. “I’m not doing this for myself; I’m trying to help you – help all of us!”

Teffa was curled up in the snow, whimpering in agony, probably not even listening. Althea looked down, at her own hands, red blood over cold white flesh – red and white!

“There, are you satisfied?” she demanded, flinging drops at the woman’s trembling body. “Is this enough for you?”

“Blood – my blood!” she shouted at Teffa. “It’s red! Just like yours!”