They reach some abandoned buildings slated for destruction and Emily divests them of their magnetically responsive metals,

Edie folds them into the imperceptibility.

This is very fun.

Okay, which way to the coast?

He points.

They fly in that direction, faster than their wings should probably be able to carry them.

Telkam thinks this is amazing.

It is pretty awesome.

And then: boat.

How do you do that without even knowing things about boats -

I know, like, not zero? I have ever seen boats. And I know some stuff about buoyancy physics. I don't expect this to work indefinitely without my attention.

Okay. Well, it's something. We can bug Aitim and then go see if Orvara has survivors.

Yeah. Which way to Aitim?

Back in Lina - the city we started in.

Gotcha. 

Back to Lina, then. 

Any last-minute advice?

Uh, don't be threatening? Not that I expect you would.

I will try not to be.

Hello, Aitim? I am a magical alien from a world without a caste system and I heard what's happening in Biyan. I'm planning to rescue the kidnapped children. If you have any advice on how to do that with fewer negative externalities I would be thrilled to hear it.

- could you repeat that.

I am a magical alien from a world without a caste system and I heard what's happening in Biyan. I'm planning to rescue the kidnapped children. If you have any advice on how to do that with fewer negative externalities I would be thrilled to hear it.

The kidnapped red children.

My culture doesn't have a caste system, she repeats. We have magic. We don't have untouchables. I wasn't raised to think that red children don't count. They're children. You cannot talk me out of this; I'm a descendant of victims of one of my world's most famous atrocities. You can advise me on harm reduction but that's all.

What are you planning to do once you have rescued them?

Magic the poles up nice and settle them there.

If you can terraform the poles you could do that first, get some credibility, establish what kinds of things you'll be expected to do, scare people less...

Sigh. I can't terraform the poles first. My magic increases with personal achievement. I strongly expect to be able to once I've got the reds out but I cannot technically at this time terraform anything.