There was a brief moment upon waking where I had forgotten the things I head the night before. I crept into his room with slippered feet to find it empty. His things packed, the bed made, as if he hadn't been an occupant there at all. The tidy room left me with a heavy heart, sinking me to the bottom of the stairs where I found Lady Tris and James in deep conversation over black coffee. It was a scent unique to the house. The doctor and I were more tea drinkers than anything else.

The three of us took a moment to look each other over as if decided which of us would speak first. In the end, it had to be me, "Where is he?"

Lady Tris' lips formed a hard line as she set her coffee slowly and purposely on the counter, "You're not a little girl, and you certainly aren't clueless. I have no doubt you heard his outburst last night." The way she looked me over made it seem almost like a question. Did I want to know? "Nothing heals the mind quite like fresh air, so we decided he would do best to visit his parents in the country."

James gave me a reassuring nod. I couldn't find words to express my feeling of betrayal, abandonment even. I was his daughter and they didn't even consult me. She said so herself, I wasn't clueless.

I took in a deep breath and refrained from having an outburst. If I wanted to be treated like an adult I needed to act like one. I acknowledged that he needed help. The doctor getting well needed to be the first priority, not my feelings.

"Acknowledging again that you aren't a child. James and I have decided that we will support you whether you decide to stay here or in Fairberg."

My heart leapt at the thought of returning to Fairberg, getting to sleep in my own bed and seeing Capricorn, and Everett. I wanted to polish the glass displays of the shop and eat one of Mrs. Humfrey's pot pies. It would be different without the doctor there but having everything in order would make his transition back home easier.

"I want to go back. I'm sorry that will mean I can't work in your shop any longer, Lady Tris."

An amused smile crept across her face, "It's no matter, I'm certain when the time comes I'll be able to outsource the repair." She turned to James, "You will keep us posted won't you?"

"As soon as he arrives you will be the first to know."

She poured the remainder of her coffee down the drain and shook James' hand, "I'll be back in half an hour with tickets for the ferry." Before she left, Lady Tris, wrapped me in her arms, patting the side of my face. It wasn't necessarily a warm embrace, but she cared, even if the caring was on the doctor's behalf.

Time seemed to hang in the air while I packed my things. I was suddenly feeling exhausted, the weight of my poor night's sleep landing on me all at once. Even the act of loading my clothing into the suitcase took a herculean effort. The stack of stationery on the desk came with its own sadness. There were enough papers here to write Everett for a month at least. The doctor most likely wanted to stay for longer, maybe even until his parents got home. After all, they were my grandparents now.

Lady Tris was already powering up the walkway by the time I had made it downstairs, a small bag at her side. James was kind enough to drive us to the dock. Even in the early hours of the morning, it was teeming with life. I didn't realize just how many people commuted to the bay islands for work.

I was also grateful that Lady Tris came with me. Her presence seemed to anchor us in the crowd as much as I was afraid of being swept away. Everyone was in such a hurry they didn't care who they cut off in line.

"Thank you for coming with me, Lady Tris."

"No need to thank me. Edward always wanted me to visit, it's almost a shame I'm seeing it for the first time without him."

The ferry horn sounded and the engine sputtered to life, sending our shaking craft into the bay, "Take a seat, sealegs," she teased, giving me a gentle push into an open bench, "This is similar to what an airship feels like on a windy day. I'll have to take you and Edward with me someday." She closed her eyes and faced the breeze, a few dark hairs flying wildly around her face.

Fairberg grew wider across the horizon as New Ellington grew smaller. The sky started to open up an even brighter blue. I leaned over the edge, locking my legs under the bench. I wanted to ask Lady Tris if she knew about the glass tunnel under the bay, but there were too many ears here. It wasn't visible from above, at least not in the light of day. A hand gripped my shirt from behind, "If this is making you ill I'm not sure you'll handle an airship."

"I just wanted a closer look at the water."

She shook her head.

The ferry docked on the west end industrial park and many of our fellow passengers dispersed to their places of work. Leaving the two of us to wait for the streetcar.

"The streetcars run in a loop around the island so it's going to be a long ride to my house. There's one that runs down the center from east to west but it only runs twice a day so people can commute from east to west."

"That seems inefficient," she furrowed her brow.

I shrugged, "Fairberg isn't nearly the size of New Ellington. And this is only the industrial district, the housing and shopping districts are really beautiful. And we have a park. We won't be able to see it from the rail car but you can see part of it from my window."

"That sounds wonderful. I look forward to seeing it myself."

I spent our commute narrating for Lady Tris. I pointed out the neighborhoods were most of our clients lived, and the little cart where Everett had bought dinner for us one night. I explained that the library acted as a sort of school for me growing up since the doctor wasn't about to send me off to boarding school. Then there was the shop, with it's closed until further notice signed on the door, and a little while down, my own yellow house.

"Here it is," I presented it with arms outstretched. I tucked my suitcase in the doorway, "I'm sorry to leave in such a hurry but I have someone to visit. If that's okay."

She waved me off, "If you're leaving I'm making myself at home."

"See you later, Lady Tris," I waved, taking to my bake and heading for the greenhouse.

*

"Greene's Greenhouse, Everett Speaking," he paused, listening intently to the other line, "You're serious? I'll be over right away. I'm sorry miss, I'll be back shortly."

"It's good to see you too, Everett," I couldn't help but smile.

"Ellowyn," His expression dropped for a moment before he scooped me into his arms, swinging me around with total disregard to the small space between us and the plants, "Ellowyn in slacks, you leave for less than a week and you come back a woman of the world."

"I'm back, at least for now anyway," I responded, it was hard not to beam at him, the excitement was contagious.

"How are things? Did you get my letter?"

"Both of them in fact," I smirked, "You seem to be doing well for someone in danger."

"I suppose I can explain on the way," he motioned for me to follow as the two of us took to our bikes, "I do need to fix up the flower beds at the library if you were wondering where exactly I'm leading you."

"Good to know. So about your letters?" I asked, matching his pace.

"Yes, the police were on my doorstep nearly every day since you left. Asking me every question under the sun about the doctor and you and what business you had in New Ellington. I just kept telling them you were there to spend time with his parents. I found that my mail had been sorted through, so I posted the flowers from your apartment."

"Perfect, thank you."

"For goodness sake, I run a flower shop, I'm no common criminal," he threw me a suspicious glance, "You and the doctor, on the other hand, could very easily be into dangerous dealings with your penchant for adventure."

"Doubtful." I gave him a light laugh.

As we approached the library Everett's attention was taken by the Librarian, wrapped in a dust-colored shawl to wave off the ocean chill, scowling over the tire track filled flowerbeds out front.

"Ah," he commented, "the boarding schools are out and the hooligans are back home. You'd think they'd have the common decency not to destroy things." He nodded at the librarian, "I'll have it fixed in no time."

I sprawled out on the grass while he worked and watched the clouds skip lazily across the sky, shifting in shape as they went. The concrete of New Ellington wasn't made for cloud watching. I was home.

"So you made it into the university library?"

"I did. The sun wasn't being eaten up by vines in their version. I suspect it's the original. They use it as a reminder than inventions can have negative consequences. Almost like the sun is beautiful but it can still burn."

"It would seem our friends in the underneath did not share the university's sentiment."

I could tell him more, about the connections I'd made and guesses I had about S.E.B. but at some point, I'd have to tell him the truth about his arm. Maybe it would be easier to swallow one piece at a time.

"Everett, there is something I saw in the underneath that I didn't tell you about." I began.

He paused in his work, resting his hands on his lap, to give me his full attention.

"There was a lab down there," I continued, "I thought maybe it was an infirmary, but I found things there that said otherwise. I found more notes from S.E.B." I paused again, looking for a gentle way to put 'I think you were experimented on,' "It looks like they were carting bombs out and injured people back in. I don't think S.E.B.'s original blueprints worked, I don't think the limbs worked, I think he needed live test subjects. People that probably weren't going to live anyways."

Everett removed a soiled glove and patted my shoulder, "It's alright you can tell me as much or as little as you'd like."

I crossed my arms over my eyes, a precautionary measure in case of tears, "I just don't want the doctor to be involved, I don't want to change how I look at him."

There it was. The real fear I had been holding all along.

"I understand, I haven't lived it, clearly, but I understand."

"You read in my letter that S.E.B. might be three different people?"

"How could I forget?"

"I think the doctor might be 'E' for Edward, and maybe the reason this mission of his is so personal as that he wants to find the other two. I'm also terribly worried," I paused again, "That his desire to help people stems from so bizarre penance for the things that went on in the lab."

"That's tough. But maybe, for your sake, worry about the person he is today. At least until you hear the truth from him. It could be 'E' for Everett for all we know." he smirked.

"I can assure you that is easier said than done and doubtful. Mind if I join you? I need to work with my hands."

He passed me a trowel, "It's all yours."

The pair of us continued in silence, for a time.

"I do have to say I'm glad your back Ellowyn. And if you and the doctor ever need anything you can head my way. Though I will admit my area of expertise is plants."

"Thank you, Everett. It means a lot, especially since I don't know when the doctor will be back."

He rosed his eyebrows at me in question.

"He stayed behind, I believe Lady Tris's exact words were 'Nothing soothes the nerves like fresh air'."

"Is he alright?"

"Hardly. I was eves dropping and overheard him having an absolute meltdown about the things he saw in the war. I'm not alone though Lady Tris is going to stay with me for the night."

"Of the unsinkable airship, doctor kissing variety? Interesting, I suppose I'll be meeting her eventually."

The two of us made quick work of the damaged beds. If I didn't know better I would say he planned them like this.

"What do I owe you, Mr. Greene?" The Librarian leaned out the window as we were cleaning up.

"Not a thing. All repairs are free if the damage occurs during the first twenty-four hours."

She gave us an incredulous look but there was no arguing with Everett's award-worthy, dimpled smile. If it weren't for the fact that I knew him, and the part where his clothing had a semi-permanent layer of dirt, I'd assume he was a model. It almost made me grateful he was here and not in New Ellington. Someone there would've swept him away and made him a star for sure.

We stopped in front of my house, "Ellowyn, not that I like to make decisions for you, but you look absolutely exhausted and nothing soothes exhaustion quite like sleeping in your own bed."

I nodded in agreement, the excitement of seeing him again had been keeping me awake.

"I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow if not later this week," he spread his arms leaving room for me to hug him goodbye before making my way upstairs.

Once inside I found Lady Tris, arguing with Capricorn, her damp hair piled in curls on her head. She must have taken my comment to make herself at home literally. "You small beast, I haven't the slightest clue where your food is kept. Leave me be."

"I've got it," I said tugging off my boots and heading for the pantry, "he figured out he can open cabinets, so I have to hide the food. Huh, boy." I scooped him and let him sniff my face.

"This is a nice little place you have, Ellowyn." She leaned against the countertop, "The view of the park is quite nice. I'm assuming the doctor lives elsewhere?"

"Oh, yes, he lives in the downstairs unit but he usually sleeps on the cot in the shop."

"That sounds like him, he's changed very little," she glanced around the kitchen, "Do you have anything to eat? I could make us up some lunch if you'd like."

"That sounds wonderful."

That was one benefit of returning home early, the food in my pantry and icebox didn't have the time to go bad.

While the two of us ate I couldn't help but notice a silvery scar across Lady Tris's cheek one normally concealed behind a heavy layer of makeup. "Lady Tris?"

"Just Tris is fine, dear," she rose an eyebrow.

"The doctor doesn't talk much about the past. I know who he is in the present but not not the past and I was wondering about how the two of you became friends."

She smiled gently and genuinely, with her eyes even. There had to be something between them once, if not now. And if she really was an old friend maybe she could fill in some gaps for me.

"We met at university, I was studying mechanics and he was studying medicine. He and a friend had this bright idea to combine medicine and mechanics after they found something in the library. Every professor they breached the subject with laughed them out of their office and they thought an upperclassman would reject them; I'd be the next best thing. So there they were a pair of freshman boys with no respect for the volume level of the library and a dream."

"So they found the idea in the library?"

"S.E.B., Ellowyn? The master of all inventions? I'm certain Edward is still obsessed." She took a long sip of her water, eying me.

"Right, sorry." I picked at my sandwich, mulling over what to ask next.

"You look unsatisfied by my answer," she chortled.

"It's nothing I don't know what I was expecting. The war happened next, right? I don't know what happened after that either."

"I won't be much help there," she gazed out the window, the scar on her cheek in full view, "We weren't in contact though most of the war. Not until he was injured. They didn't think he was going to live, but he did." She threw me a side-eyed glance, "I'm not one for tears, Ellowyn but I will disclose that I wept," she added, "frequently."

I nodded in acknowledgment. They had to be close, the doctor didn't run around kissing strangers, as much as Lady Tris wasn't one for tears.

"You look tired, Ellowyn."

I nodded again clearing our plates.

"Go rest," she insisted taking the plates from me and gliding to the kitchen.

"Are you sure?"

She rose her eyebrows and silently motioned towards the hallway.

I scooped up Capricorn and crawled into bed. My room in New Ellington was so dark compared to home. Once up to my ears in covers I was able to gather my thoughts. The doctor was the 'E' or at least I thought so. Lady Tris could easily have been the 'B' for Beatrice. But I still needed the 'S' and a reason for all the secrecy. She didn't seem to mind answering my questions so maybe I could pick her brain for the missing piece.

*

When I awoke the sun was setting over the park casting long shadows across the lawns. Lady Tris bundled herself up on my couch a book in hand.

I climbed into the armchair across from her, cross-legged, mulling over how to ask her more questions.

"Well, go on," she said without looking up from her book, "bombard me with questions."

I inhaled sharply, she was teasing me, she had to be.

"You have a tell. When you're about to ask me a question you sort of crinkle your nose." She laughed lightly, "I admire your directness, Ellowyn, make no mistake."

I swallowed hard, she was teasing me, and enjoying it. "You said you lost contact with the doctor when the war hit."

"Ah yes," She folded the book closed but didn't look up, "He couldn't be drafted, he was a doctor, but the idiot volunteered, much to my dismay. I thought he knew I fancied him. I married someone else almost as soon as he left. In my young brain, he was dead the day they left.

So I allowed myself to be reduced from brilliant inventor to arm candy by a man who loved me about as much as I loved him, which was not at all." She drew her finger along the scar on her face, "He gave me this in an argument. I was lucky Ellowyn, if his gambling debts didn't lead to him being killed in an alleyway, I cannot imagine how much worse things would've gotten."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you relive all that." I didn't think it was possible for a woman like Lady Tris to end up in such a situation. Everything about her was larger than life, she seemed as unsinkable as her airships.

"Consider it a cautionary tale," she opened her book once more.

Knowing this part of her life brought me back to the day the man came into her shop asking about the Kraken. There was something acidic in the way she mentioned men and violence. Now I knew why. "Can I ask you one more thing?"

"Shoot."

"That man came into the shop and asked you about a Kraken. What is it?"

"Ah, The Kraken," she relished the name, "Have you been to the university library?"

I nodded, wondering where she was making the connection.

"The Kraken is my Icarus sun."