Enslaved by her own people, she breaks free and joins the Citadel in her capacity as a water elemental. Her destiny is fluid.

Mora was identified to the Resicor government as a talent, and on the way to the interview that would lock her up, she was diverted and hidden in the mountains.

After a year on her own, she was captured and her time in service to the Resicor government began, deep underground where the public would never know.

Tranoth was assigned by the Citadel to break her free, but as a technician, he had to go where he was sent. By chance, he ended up with her on two occasions, and it was enough time to set things in place for the breakout.

By the time they are able to move, she has been alone for six years with only minimal contact by other beings. Her mind is fragile but she is determined. If they give her a place to run and hide, they will have to catch up to her because she is going.

Excerpt:

Morakil Esterhart clutched her purse as she walked toward the screening centre. Her world had become a strange and dangerous place to live in, and it was getting worse.

Resicor was turning into a world of darkness and paranoia, and Mora was afraid that she was about to become its next victim.

A woman came up next to her and said quietly, “Do you want to pass this interview?”

Mora tried to turn but the voice said, “Don’t look. Do you want to pass this interview?”

Mora nodded.

“Good. Just relax.”

A hand gripped her wrist and held tight for a moment. A second later, they were in the midst of a pushing and jostling crowd. A cloak was draped over her head and shoulders and hands guided her out of the crowd and away from the screening centre.

Mora glanced back, and she bit her lip as she saw herself stepping toward the centre with a nervous stride. She kept her head down and walked with the stranger who had his arm around her.

When they got around the corner, a transport was waiting for her. The man behind the wheel said, “We can take you home or to the mountains. Your choice. Once you are out there, you will be on your own.”

“So, I am escaping the dome and going to the hills instead?”

“Your mind and body will be free. Consider that our gift to you.” The man nodded to his companion, and they chuckled together.

Mora sat back. This was going to be no life for a jeweller, but she supposed that living free was a better option than living in confinement. Idly, she wondered how the fake her was doing at the interview.

* * * *

The double was sitting in the interview room with two people glaring at her from across the table. In the corner was an empath who was monitoring her mind.

“So, despite your neighbour complaining about your farm having water during the drought, you are claiming that you had nothing to do with it?”

Fake Mora smiled nervously, keeping the copied memories and personality in front of her own. “I don’t know why the family farm has more water than my neighbours. We might be on a different water table. I don’t involve myself with the farm at all. I am a jeweller.”

Fake Mora felt the pressure on her mind, and she showed it only what it should feel. Nervous fear and confusion.

This was not the first time she had done this, or even the hundred and first. She sat through more questions about the water levels at Mora’s home, and finally, she was discharged when the empath shook her head.

She had a clean bill of being normal, which would mean that Mora could go home, but the blood sample would degrade in a matter of hours. Mora would be registered as normal until someone checked on the blood that they took when fake Mora entered the building. After that, there would be a hunt for her.