Osa barely slept that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw those bound spirits floating motionless in their cold pools, their life force slowly being drained away to power the beautiful palace above. The memory of watching one spirit simply dissolve into nothing made his stomach turn.
By dawn, he'd given up on sleep entirely. He made his way to the healing chambers, hoping Dewdrop might help him figure out what to do with the terrible knowledge burning in his chest.
She was waiting for him, floating quietly in her pool. The moment she saw his face, her sparkles dimmed with shared grief.
"You saw them," Osa said quietly. It wasn't a question.
Dewdrop nodded sadly, then chittered something that sounded like an apology.
"Don't apologize. I needed to know." Osa settled beside her pool, his hands shaking slightly. "But now I don't know what to do about it."
