The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Eighteen

Morpheus was prevented - or saved - from hearing Julien's reply when Amadeo and Joy arrived. The young talent appeared at a glance to be in formal White-tie, but Morpheus noticed he wore a long skirt instead of trousers, and strings of pearls at his throat where ordinarily one would wear a bow tie.

"Excuse me," Julien said, as Amber began to introduce Amadeo to Maya.

Morpheus watched Julien weave through the crowd toward Athen, who looked too pretty in 18th century cutaway jacket and breeches. Billy was nearby in a similar outfit.

"Hey, Murph," Steven called quietly. He sidestepped toward Morpheus to speak privately, "Does Julien know?"

Morpheus turned and looked down at Steven, who was about a head shorter. "Know what, specifically?" He had a fair idea what it was.

"That you lived in New York when he was still there?"

"He's beginning to suspect," Morpheus answered honestly.

"Does he know how you feel about him?" Steven whispered.

"I-" Morpheus hesitated, "It's complicated. I'm sure he does know in a general way; I'm clearly bad at hiding it."

"That's not a bad thing. You should-"

"I can't! Not how much, or why, or for how long."

"I see."

Morpheus dared look in Steven's mind, a scan of recent surface thoughts to determine if he truly understood. He did not know the details, but his guesses were not in themselves incorrect. "It has something to do with that. I hadn't realized how much you learned from Sid."

Steven laughed softly. "I was married to her, once, though it was declared null on account of her fraud, so it's also true I was never married to her, or, maybe for her, we're always married. I guess it depends on one's perception of memory and time, and those are frequently more relative than we realize. Still, though we're not exactly friends, she's been there when I really needed her. That night when Helen...that was one of the other ones. And I know who sent Joey, now. But when I couldn't bear seeing my family...and other times, Absidus just shows up. I don't know how it works, if she's out in space traveling faster than light, or wormholes, or a wizard did it."

Morpheus nodded, and nodded, trying to think of a way to give Steven a hint, when Steven's own way of thinking was so different from his. "I think the question is not so much whether there is a wizard, but what is the nature of the curtain that prevents you from paying attention to what The Wizard is doing."

"That's- No. That's actually - a movie reference - but very helpful." Steven nodded. "It's a very good question. I should tell this to Shade." Steven searched about, "I think he's left with someone."

Ganymede had mentioned something similar, Morpheus recalled. If Shade had been at the party, it was briefly.

Morpheus found his mother speaking to Mazaret, who wore only her Nightcloak, near the rear doors to the patio, where some guests had gone for a breath of night air. Morpheus could see a Human girl petting Troy through the glass. "Good to see you, Mazzy. Do you mind if I borrow my mother?"

Mazaret smiled at Morpheus, then spoke to Mother, "I'll talk to you again, later."

"Has anything happened?" Mother asked.

"I honestly don't think anything will," Morpheus said. "There seems nothing unusual in what the three Jewels are doing. I haven't seen anyone in the tower. I don't see anything stranger than usual happening. The only remotely curious thing I've noticed is that Shade isn't at the party in his own Palace. Have you seen him?"