Will cringed at the retching sounds from the kitchen. Rushing in, he found Terra at the sink, bent over a metal pot with face paled. He helped her sit down in a chair, but she kept a white-knuckled grip on the pot handles. A bit of his stomach contents refluxed as she heaved again.

Terra grumbled. "You did this to me."

"As I recall, it was a joint effort. You..." Will paused as Terra shot him a menacing, narrow-eyed look. "I should stop talking now."

Terra glared at him. "Yes, you should."

She retched yet again.

Will put his hand gently on her back. "Perhaps we should pay Liz a visit today."

That afternoon, Will guided Terra into an examination room at the clinic. The nausea had eased since morning, but not entirely. She plopped herself on the padded table. Zoe came in to read Terra's vital signs and take a blood sample.

On the way out, Zoe smirked as she elbowed Will. "You stud."

Liz walked in shortly later. "Not so good?"

Terra answered, "What I told you yesterday about my morning sickness not being too bad? I take it back now. And why do they call it morning sickness if it lasts into the afternoon?"

"Ah, yes. A joy of pregnancy."

"Did you have this wonderful experience with your children?"

Liz sighed. "I did. It was terrible with Paul, but not so bad with Bree. Every woman and every pregnancy is different. I can give you some medicine that will help ease the nausea if you need it. Also, we have information on more natural remedies that sometimes work." Liz's viewer beeped, and she pulled it out of a pocket. "Hmm. Your blood test results look good, other than being a bit anemic. The pregnancy test came back positive, but you already knew that."

Liz looked back at Terra. "Have you looked in through the aura?"

Terra smiled. "Yes. Yesterday afternoon and again last night. She is so small now."

"A girl, huh?" Liz glowed as she reached out and grasped Terra's hands. "You have begun a journey that is as much wonderful as it is terrifying. There is nothing like motherhood."

Over the next week, Terra tested several natural remedies suggested to relieve the morning sickness, trying these first before risking the potential side effects of prescription medicine. She settled on a ginger-spiced herbal tea. For Will's part, he swore off ever cooking bacon again, at least until after birth. Together, they consulted the nutrition guide Liz gave them and found some blander foods that sat better on Terra's stomach.

*****

The next Sunday morning, Will and Terra attended the church gathering. Terra still was not sure what to believe of this God, but the welcoming atmosphere warmed her heart.

After the service, Pastor Joseph pulled her aside. "Terra, are you still interested in learning more about the Library?"

"My ties to the Uprising are completely severed now. So, yes."

"Very good. Tomorrow evening at your cottage, then?" he asked with an upturned eyebrow.

The knock on the door came at the expected time. Will greeted and ushered in three to the living room, two or which were known: Ginny and Joseph.

Ginny introduced the third, an older man with short graying hair, dark skin, and intense brown eyes. "Will, Terra, this is Avin Morse. He is the Chairman of the Library Council."

Will shook hands with Avin. "We are honored that you would come all the way here to meet with us."

Avin dipped his head and softened his expression. "The honor is mine. You two have made quite the impact."

Terra poured mugs of hot tea for everyone and then settled into a chair beside Will in the living room.

Avin took a sip and shifted to the edge of his seat. "The purpose of this meeting, Terra, is to tell you more about the Library and to invite you to join us. I am not sure how much Ginny and Joseph have told you, so I will start off with the basics. The Library began over a century ago as, well, a library. The original mission was to provide educational materials to both individuals and schools, especially in poor and rural areas. Over the years, its mission expanded to be much more. We provide public health care, as you have seen firsthand, disaster relief, basic utilities, anti-poverty programs, and more."

Terra asked, "How is all this funded?"

"We have a very large foundation that we draw from. The donors went to great lengths to remain anonymous. An important part of the council's task is to use this resource wisely."

"How does the Library survive in the Dynasty? They rarely tolerate organizations outside of their control."

"Short answer — they need us, as does the Blue Uprising. Despite their disgusting degree of entitlement, they realize that the so-called lower classes would only take so much impoverishment before there is full-scale revolt. Not that they care about the common man, but a revolution would be inconvenient and might disrupt their lavish lifestyles." Avin took another sip and continued. "The Dynasty bureaucracy is woefully inept. It would take them ten times the resources to do a tenth of what we can do. And our foundation is structured such that not even the Dynasty can touch it. So, we have agreements with the Dynasty and Blue Uprising to leave us alone as long as we maintain neutrality. It is tenuous at times, I admit, and sometimes requires a bit of covert activity to maintain."

Hot anger rose within Terra as she listened, reflected in her voice. "How can you remain neutral to the atrocities? I've seen the results myself!"

Avin bowed his head. "Yes. Norhold. It is a distasteful balance we do, abiding evil on one side and our own destruction on the other. We have some influence to wield, but all too often, it is not enough."

Will interjected. "While traveling, we passed through an area to the west that seemed particularly impoverished. People were suffering. Is there something the Library can do?"

"I know of this," Avin replied. "It is an area where we lost our balance. The Library leadership became enmeshed in local politics, and we were shut down. I am hoping we can re-establish our presence in the future. Speaking of your visit to the Blue Uprising, I want to thank you. Your escapades likely delayed the upcoming war by more than a year. I understand Joseph spoke to you both about this?"

Terra nodded. "What would you want from me?"

"We would like you to take a leadership role in our disaster recovery planning, particularly with medical relief. I hear you have already demonstrated some remarkable skills."

Terra glanced over at Will beside her, who nodded an agreement. "I would do that."

"There is something else that I hesitate to ask. It is for you too, Will. Sometimes a covert operation is required to nudge events in our favor. We may ask that of you sometime."

Terra raised her eyebrows. "You realize that we are enemies now of both the Dynasty and the Blue Uprising?"

Avin grinned. "Yes, in spectacular fashion. The two of you together are powerful. Just a vague, implied threat of your deployment may on its own be enough to influence their behavior."

Will spoke. "There is something else you must know. Ginny may have already told you this?" Ginny shook her head at Will's glance. "Terra carries our child."

Joseph let out a gleeful chortle as he clapped his massive hands. "Wonderful! There is nothing like new life to remind us of hope."

Avin nodded. "We would ask nothing of you that would put your child in danger."

Although Terra took assurance from Avin's words, an uncomfortable dread swept through her. We are enemies of both the Dynasty and the Blue Uprising. Our daughter is already in danger, regardless.

*****

Far away in the Dynasty Capital City, a messenger burst into the Emperor's conference hall within the Palace. Fine art adorned the walls, while silver trays on carved marble stands offered expensive drinks and rare treats. Twelve men and women sat around a polished white granite table, silenced by the intrusion. Except for the Emperor, their faces would normally be hidden behind silver mesh masks, but here they dispensed with such public symbols of status and Talent. One chair stood empty, that of the recently killed Chief Enforcer Minister, Necros. The young man dropped his jaw in shocked silence as all eyes turned to him.

Emperor Sage, sitting at the head of the table in a leather high-backed chair, looked up with an irritated scowl. "What is it?" he growled.

The messenger composed himself, clearing his throat. "A message, your Reverence, from the president of the Blue Uprising."

After placing a tablet viewer on the table before the Emperor, the messenger bowed and backed out of the room.

The Emperor motioned to the advisor to his left, who picked up the tablet and activated it. She scanned through the document as all eyes gazed at her.

The Emperor put a hand to his chin. "This is unusual for Senn. What does it say?"

"It seems, sir, that the Blue Uprising is providing us with information on the location of their Agent Terra Lorr and the Hooded Man, who may be with her. He refers to them as a common threat."

The advisor handed the viewer to the Emperor, who took it with a furrowed brow.

A minister spoke up. "We have been hunting this Agent Lorr for some time. We believe she killed the Chief Enforcer. This may be an opportunity to avenge him."

The Emperor scrolled through the viewer. "Strange that he would betray one of his own agents. What is he up to?"

"Perhaps a trap, sir?"

The Emperor shook his head. "There are better ways to dangle the bait. And this Hooded Man, what do we know of him?"

"Most likely a legend, sir. A folktale among the lower classes," the minister stated.

"Legends usually have some basis." The Emperor glared at his minister. "Why do we not know more about him?"

The minister gulped. Everyone jerked as the Emperor tossed the viewer on the table with a clunk.

The Emperor turned to another minister. "What do we know of the Uprising's activities now?"

"Sir, there are rumors of an upheaval in the governance council. Troop movements have mostly stopped."

The Emperor frowned in thought before his nervous advisors and ministers. "This is all connected somehow. Senn wants us to eliminate one of his own agents, and I want to know why. I want a complete report on this Hooded Man, and send a spy to confirm this Agent Lorr. Now go!"