"There is no need to goad Meesei into making mistakes just to have the book away from her," Fendros said to Ahnasha. "She is already going to have enough to regret once she understands how this has affected us. Having her unleashed against someone innocent would be cruel on her as well as anyone who is blamed."

Sabine was more receptive to Ahnasha's plan, but not the exact way she envisioned it. She paid attention to everyone and eventually spoke up. "I could write a letter. In place of the book, I could leave a letter saying how this has affected us, why I took the book, and that I will be away for a while. I could come back after a month or two. Hopefully she will have recovered by then and we can talk about it."

"Sabine, you would go out on your own?" Janius looked sympathetic. "You are doing research work here, aren't you? Where would you go?"

"I do not exactly know." Sabine pinched at her fingers. "The propylons can take me around so that I will be hard to track. Anyway, I do not want to risk telling anyone else where I might go."

Fendros fell back in his chair and breathed out through puffed cheeks. "It is safer than challenging her, at least. This just seems so drastic, though."

Sabine clarified. "I want to try speaking to her first. One more time. Before all of this."