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Kusi Graile-Rerem didn't like the way her world was changing. She missed her dad. She missed her mom. And she hated her aunts. They were so mean! Why were they so mean? It was like they just enjoyed being horrible to her for no reason. What was their problem?
She couldn't understand why she had to stay with stupid Lallek and Korrek. It was nearly the Day of Ascension, and they had ordered a magnificent feast prepared for their dinner to celebrate, but she hadn't been allowed to touch it. They made her eat lumpy porridge in the other room. And then they told her to clean up the table after! She was Orange, same as them, but they treated her like an Underfolk servant!
I wish my brothers were here, she thought as she scrubbed the floor. Gref would have stolen food from the table and brought it back for them to share, and he probably would have gotten in trouble for it later, but he would just laugh and say it was worth it. And Tal would know the right thing to say and do to make Lallek and Korrek be less horrible. Her aunts would still be horrible, because they were always horrible, but Tal would be able to convince them to be horrible to someone else.
At least she was almost done scrubbing the floor. Her knees hurt, though her shadowguard was doing its best to cushion them, and her favorite orange dress was stained with blackberry syrup from the dessert she had been forbidden to even taste a bite of. She reached for the bucket of water to rehydrate the spongeweed mop—and accidentally knocked it over, spilling suds everywhere.
A sob escaped her throat. It was too much. She hated it here, hated it! She covered her face with her hands, feeling hot tears running from her eyes, and stumbled to the privy where no one would see her cry.
She would be punished for her mistake, she knew. Even though she wasn't supposed to be cleaning at all. She was a Chosen! "Why are they allowed to treat me this way?" she sobbed, resting her head against the water pipes.
Something moved inside the pipes.
She scrambled back and saw a strange, silvery something emerge from the well. It was a big crystal tablet that flowed and changed its size, slithering out into the room. Her shadowguard sprang into action, placing itself in between her and the mysterious intruder, taking the form of a growling juvenile Vengenarl. And then, letters flashed across the tablet.
They are allowed to treat you this way because the leaders of your order who should be protecting you are either derelict in their duty or complicit in your abuse. Were they properly enforced, the laws of the Castle would forbid a child of your age and station from being used as a servant by her guardians.
Kusi stared, open-mouthed. She didn't know what all of those words meant, but the talking rock sounded very confident, so she believed it. "What…what are you?" she stammered. "Why are you here?"
More symbols appeared on the strange tablet's surface. I am the Codex of the Chosen. I am a repository of knowledge. I answer questions. You asked a question.
"Aren't there Chosen asking questions all over the Castle? Why me?"
Your brother Tal did me a great service. I have taken an interest in his family.
"Tal sent a cool magic rock to be my friend?" Kusi whispered, awestruck. Her shadowguard flowed back down into the shape of a lizard, which it often did when it was curious or excited.
Tal did not send me. I have taken an interest.
Kusi beamed. "Yes! We're going to be best friends!" And she dashed forward to hug the Codex.
The Codex had not expected this reaction. It considered shrinking down again to escape into the pipes, then decided against it. This small child was…exuberant, but she did need a friend. And it was in the nature of the Codex to go where it was needed.