Jin must have fallen asleep at some point after trying for hours to figure out a way to escape. Nothing in the empty cell had triggered that same holographic display that the magic lock did, and nobody had come to check on her.

  Until now.

  Cold water nearly drowned her in her sleep as she sputtered awake to see an old woman point a crystalline wand at her. At least, she assumed it was a magic wand based on how she was holding it out and the water spewing forth from it.

  “Put this on once you’re dry,” the elder ordered, dropping a bundle of cloth on the floor through the metal bars. “The Representative for the Lovers will be here soon.”

  Jin tried to call out to the woman, who was clothed in a simple gray dress, but the elder had quickly retreated from the prison. She was left to drip dry alone but only waited a few minutes before slipping on the odd white tunic.

  It wasn’t much longer after that when a new person arrived, this time a man who appeared in his late twenties and dressed in sheer red silks that made Jin think of a belly dancer. He was probably the most beautiful man she had ever seen before, and she almost lamented she couldn’t fully appreciate the sight.

  “Hello, Wayfarer,” the stranger greeted her with a bright smile. “Apologies for the delay, but you’ve unexpectedly arrived on a very busy day for us.”

  “Does the prince’s birthday party usually tax the Lovers? I’m surprised you can still stand with the way he was talking about the cook,” she muttered, giving him a pointed look.

  He gave a sad chuckle as he shook his head and replied, “Unfortunately, I’m not to his tastes. Otherwise, I may have done better to safeguard the lady he chose for tonight.”

  Jin was surprised by the sentiment and asked, “Why allow him to do that then? Surely everyone can see how much of a prick that guy—”

  “It is not our place to question the Speakers,” he replied, still smiling, though it seemed strained as he spoke. “Least of all, the prince who could easily order our deaths for stepping out of line. Do you not have a hierarchy or caste system where you come from?”

  She shrugged. “Not like this, where nobody is willing to dethrone an insane prince… at least not the country I lived in.”

  “Ah,” he replied simply. “Well, here, we have our Sects, Caste, and Ranks that place people within a social hierarchy.”

  “I figured out the Sects part,” she replied. “Lovers, Speakers, Fighters, Servants, Workers, and Whispers. That guard guy wouldn’t explain any of them, though.”

  “Captain Gerrik is a Fighter, which is what we call those who belong to the Pain Sect,” the beautiful man explained as he pulled a short stool over from near the entrance to sit in front of her cell door.

  “I’m a Lover with the Pleasure Sect, though. We’re very much opposites, and I’m here to answer your questions.” Then, he lifted a small stone slab she hadn’t noticed him holding before, and he added, “And to learn about your Natural Talents. Wayfarers are said to have very unique ones granted to them when they are remade in this world.”

  She frowned at the idea that she had been “remade,” but considering how healthy she felt, it made sense.

  “But where are my manners? First off, my name is Petal. What’s yours?”

  Jin couldn’t help the snort of laughter at the feminine-sounding name the man had and asked, “Please tell me your parents weren’t that cruel.”

  That fake-looking, too-cheerful smile was plastered on his face as he replied gently, “No, it was the name I chose the day I was transferred into the Pleasure Sect. You get to pick a new name whenever you’re transferred, and I wanted something that matched my softer nature and would hopefully remind others to be soft with me in turn.”

  She sobered at the answer. The idea of picking a name to match one’s nature reminded her of her best friend’s struggles with being trans, and she said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you. I just didn’t think a parent should be so… presumptuous.”

  Petal’s smile softened, and she decided to ask, “So, is everyone in the, um, Pleasure Sect expected to sleep with everyone else?”

  He shook his head and chuckled. “No, though I can understand how an outsider might look at it that way. The Pleasure Sect consists of artists, entertainers, socialites, healers, and, yes, many concubines and night companions, but we all share a love for life and the beauty of it. It’s not all terrible torment at the hands of a prince.”

  “Oh, that does seem to make a bit more sense for an entire sixth of the population to fall into,” she admitted, rubbing a hand over her bald head.

  “Indeed. Though, the population isn’t evenly divided like that,” he replied, then gestured for her to come closer. “Now, come here… you never did say your name.”

  Her eyes narrowed, unsure if she should share something like that in a world of magic that she hadn’t figured out the rules for yet. She wasn’t sure what information was safe to share, and she had no idea if they had some weird name magic that could let others control her or some nonsense.

  “You can pick a new one if you wish,” he said in response to her silence. “Most of us do at eight years old, when we’re first transferred. You’ll be transferring soon, one way or another, so it’s up to you. Or you can touch this Sight Slab, and we can get a better idea of where you might get placed if that’ll help you think of an appropriate name.”

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  She looked at the stone tablet he held up again and hesitantly asked, “What’s a Natural Talent?”

  It was his turn to look surprised by her ignorance as he asked, “You don’t know?”

  “That Captain said I must have a translation Talent, but I don’t know exactly what that means here in this world.”

  “Well, everyone is born with five Natural Talents. Sometimes they match what your parents had but not always, and not all of them are useful without an Aspect or Class to unlock them.”

  “What are those?” she asked, hating the fact that she was revealing how little she knew of this world, but it should be expected, right?

  Petal sighed. “I was hoping you knew more about the Caste system already since many Wayfarers are reported to, but basically, it’s the tier levels of magic people can gain. It’s also why trying to dethrone the prince like you suggested earlier is a terrible idea if your goal is to stay alive.”

  She frowned and wanted to ask more, but he redirected back to the slab in his hands. “Before we get into all that and how to become a Caster, let’s see what you’re starting with first, shall we?”

  Jin hesitated a moment but finally moved forward to find out what he was talking about and learn more about what else she might be capable of.

  Petal frowned a moment later after she placed her palm on the stone. “Well, that’s odd,” he murmured. “It can’t read you.”

  He looked back up at her. “You must have some kind of Talent that blocks analyzing you, which is not good news for you.”

  “Why is that?”

  “Because that means we have to test you in a much more… invasive way.”

  Jin did not like the sound of that.

  “Pathetic,” the Fighter Representative, named Buster, said as Jin tried to catch her breath.

  “I guess that means ‘no’ to whether she has a combat Talent or not,” Petal said from outside of the cell where he was taking notes on a scroll of parchment.

  Jin was currently on her hands and knees, wishing she could breathe better after the crazy fighter woman had walked in and started attacking her without warning. She had been blindsided by it but was pissed at herself for not expecting it. These people were all insane and seemed to want her dead but were trying to follow some weird procedures for handling her.

  Buster was probably the largest woman Jin had ever met in person before and apparently didn’t like talking the way Petal did. There were no questions, just punches.

  Jin had no idea what the Fighter might have been testing her for until the woman turned to leave and said, “Nothing to boost Attributes, at least. It seems there’s no previous training, either. Her stance was non-existent. If there’s a Disposition, I don’t have a way to test that, and I ain’t risking an Aspect on an unknown outsider to try and find out.”

  “I figured as much,” Petal said with a frown. “I didn’t sense any kind of Attunement at first either with my own aura senses, but now I just wonder if it’s hidden. Perhaps the Whispers will want her?”

  Buster shrugged. “It’s not like her presence is hidden at all, and she doesn’t scream genius to me like some of their scholars.”

  “What are the Whispers?” she groaned after regaining her breath and trying to sit up to watch them.

  “Mostly researchers, but they also have some sneaks and assassins. Those who gain information and silently dispose of those who… well, let’s just say the ones who displease the current order of things,” Petal explained.

  “Traitorous scum is what you mean,” Buster spat. “Think they know better than the system that's worked for hundreds of years. Arrogant pricks that don't deserve a public spectacle to their deaths.”

  Petal said nothing in response to that and instead asked, “Am I marking the Fighters down as a decline?”

  Buster looked Jin up and down one last time before saying with a sneer, “I doubt she could handle the pain. The Fighters decline to take the Wayfarer.”

  With that, the large woman left to be on her way, and Petal gave a heavy sigh as he softly said, “Well, that’s unfortunate.”

  “Hey, if I don’t have to be one of the royal’s lackeys, I consider that a win,” she replied, rubbing her stomach.

  “They’re not all physically-based soldiers like Buster,” Petal replied. “That Sect also includes our offensive mages, and a few become athletes that go on to challenge the Tower as Champions after years of training.”

  “Tower?”

  Petal shook his head. “Best not to worry about that right now if the Pain Sect is off the table. It would have been your best chance at survival there.” He made a few more notes on the scroll before saying, “Let’s hope the other Sects will be a safer fit for you.”

  Jin wasn’t sure what to make of all that. So many questions flitted through her mind. “Can you explain more about Attunements, Dispositions, auras, and Attributes?” she quietly asked.

  Petal gave her a look of pity that made her feel even worse about her ignorance, but he answered, “Attunements are Talents that imbue one of the magic types to a person. Dispositions are one of those that mostly rely on becoming a Caster as they influence the types of Abilities one might unlock.”

  She wasn’t entirely sure what unlocking abilities entailed, but she simply nodded as he continued explaining, “An aura is an external expression of one’s soul that everyone has, but only Casters can learn to sense and control it without a Talent, and by unlocking a suitable Aura ability. Lastly, Attributes refer to your physicality and are what Aspects bond to. Are you familiar with any of those concepts?”

  Jin nodded. “I used to play Dungeons and Dragons with my best friend and our moms. That game had attributes, but I’m not sure they’re exactly the same. What’re they called here?”

  “Strength, Agility, Fortitude, Mind, and Magic,” he answered. “Are those similar?”

  “Yeah,” she replied. “Not the same, but I get the gist.”

  Jin thought over the information, assuming that becoming a Caster and unlocking abilities meant gaining actual magic powers. Petal had seemed to think she wouldn’t get that chance without joining the Pain Sect, though. She had never thought hard about choosing between pleasure or pain before since she rarely got a choice about either.

  She thought that pleasure would have been the obvious answer there, but she was beginning to wonder if, no matter what reality she ended up in or whatever Sect chose her, pain would be inevitable.

  Every option seemed to have a downside so far. Being a Lover risked her getting assaulted every night. The Whispers sounded like a pain to her because she had always been terrible at studying. Sports were the only thing she enjoyed about school. Being a Fighter sounded like a torturous slog of training, but at least that was pain she had chosen in the past to be a competitive athlete.

  Hopefully, the other three Sects wouldn’t be as bad, but she knew better than to actually believe in that hope. If life had taught her anything so far, it was that there was little good in it, and this world didn’t seem any different in that regard.