As Avalant realized what she had just done, she was starting panicking. First off, she couldn’t make tea. Second, she didn’t have any water, kettle or tea leaves with which she could make any tea either, even if she had known how to make it. She didn’t even have any cups that could contain any liquid for a longer period of time, say 5 minutes.

A small part of her (which was indeed herself, and not any of her ‘occupants’) was amused by her own stupidity. What did it matter if she did what she always did when she fancied a cup of tea, namely steal it?

Another small part of her said: I don’t want him to see that I’m a thief!

She answeredherself with: He roams roofs at night! What do you think he does for a living?! He’s no better than you! And besides, what do you care if he knows you’re a thief or not? He’s just a boy.

No, she replied. He’s not just a boy. He saw right through me! He knows!

And so what? So he knows. What matter does it make?

‘I don’t want him to know!’ she yelled back at herself. It was only a millisecond afterwards that she realized she’d just yelled it aloud. Oops...

She turned around. To her surprise Kereel was still there. He wasn’t even looking scared or anything. He only watched her with mild amusement.

‘Talking to yourself again, are you?’ he said cheerfully, acting like nothing had happened at all.

‘Erm, eh, yes. Voices in my head and stuff you know,’ she said truthfully.

‘Ah, yes, I know. Annoying isn’t it? I know just how you feel.’

Avalant, thinking her day couldn’t get any more shocking than it had already done, was proven wrong. She was actually shocked. It must have shown in her face.

‘My dear, did I say anything wrong?’ said Kereel worriedly when he saw Avalant’s expression.

‘Repeat what you just said,’ said Avalant hoarsely.

‘”My dear, did I say anything wrong”?’

‘No, before that.’

‘”I know just how you feel”?’

Avalant just stared at him, her eyes closing to slits.

‘What? You don’t believe me?’ Kereel said, almost whining. He actually looked hurt at this point.

‘How?’ Avalant said, her voice sounding not like hers at all. That’s when she realized it wasn’t hers.

Now Kereel became silent. He stared Avalant square in the eyes now, eyes that didn’t belong to Avalant anymore.

‘Who are you?’ Kereel demanded to know.

‘Well, well, well, the boy is smart; I’ll grant you that, Avalant,’ came Tiami’s drawling voice.

“Leave him alone!” yelled Avalant from inside.

“Give him a good kicking, Tiami!” yelled Ilûna, still distrusting him and waving a mental fist at Kereel.

‘What do you want?’ Kereel’s voice interrupted the commotion before it reached to start in Avalant’s head.

Tiami laughed. ‘What I want, little boy?’ said Tiami dangerously. ‘Isn’t it obvious? I...want...you.’

Kereel’s eyes looked incredulous, then he seemed to remember something. Recognition seemed to flash over his face. He turned his gaze to her again.

‘Ki? Tiami de’Ki? Is that really you?’ he said, almost sounding pleased.

Inside Avalant’s mind everything went silent for a split second before it all exploded into shouts and yelling. Only Avalant herself kept silent. She’d managed to faint inside her own head. She too had only now finally realized just who Tiami really was, though she wasn’t pleased at all.