Aire sat with her back against the wall of the cell, with her knees drawn loosely toward her chest.
Mud coated the floor, the butt of her dress, and the hem of her dress.
The cell remained silent. She had been seated in that position for hours now, or even days.
She had lost track of time since she left the garden.
Aire slowly wrapped a silver lock of hair around her index finger. She unwound it, and then wrapped it again around her finger.
The repetitive motion occupied her hands while her thoughts wandered somewhere far away.
She hummed softly. The silence felt too large that she had to start humming. The sound bounced off stone walls and returned to her.
For a moment it almost sounded like somebody else was humming with her.
Aire immediately stopped.
The illusion vanished, and she began again. Her voice sounded rusty.
She stared at the opposite wall, and the wall stared back. She had been abducted across realms by a woman who had spent years pretending to be a child.
