I was appalled. “And the host doesn’t know what’s going on, that they’re being used as a tool for evil?”
“No,” Roki said. “And yes, it sickens me too. Yet this is the way of the universe. The host’s mind cannot know what’s going on. They have no idea they’re being controlled by a Min. The Min quashes fear, trepidation, anxiety. The Min makes them almost superhuman.”
Then Roki chuckled. “But it’s not all bad. We also use humans for fun. For example, when I inhabit the body of a human, I can feel despair, joy, love, anger, euphoria, and physical pain. The human senses become heightened. Oh, and the human still lives inside their body. They just take a back seat, like a passenger in the back of their mind.” He saw my skeptical expression and assured me, “I never kill them. That would be cruel.”
Then he went on, saying, “Sound, sight, hearing, smell.” He gave me a look. “Touch. These sensations all become enhanced. Colors are brighter. Smells are more pungent. I find myself pausing for five minutes every time I pass a bakery. But touch is the big one. I can feel the air like it’s water. I can feel the blood flowing underneath my human skin. And women … don’t get me started. When we hug, it’s like we’re—”
“Stop,” I said. “I don’t want to hear about the women you’ve been … hugging over the past five hundred years.”
“Sorry.” Roki shifted awkwardly. “In truth, that was just physical stuff. I prefer deeply emotional connections. And in terms of minds, I have never interacted with a mind like yours. Never. You don’t accept something without questioning it first, even if it sounds like the greatest opportunity in the world. You genuinely care about the consequences and everyone’s welfare. Those other women were just bodies. You are both.”
“Oh,” I said, but stopped it there. I didn’t want to start flirting. Roki and I had only become friends again five minutes ago, and I already felt like I was betraying Zawne. I tried to change the subject. “How have you kept your body for so long? What’s the person on the inside doing? I know you said they don’t know they’ve been possessed, but what’s going on with them?”
“Ah,” Roki said, nodding. “This is where things get complicated. See, a Min can possess a body either for a brief period or for the full course of the body’s life. It depends on the assignment. My supersecret mission means that I am in this body for the next eighty years at minimum. The man inside is kind of dormant, at rest.”
“That’s like murder,” I said. “It’s like a mental murder.”
“The man was dying when I possessed him,” Roki said. “He had been infected by a pathogen and would have been dead within the hour. If anything, I saved him.”
“Oh.” Again Roki had twisted my judgment around and made me feel stupid. He hadn’t killed the man. He had saved him. The man was getting to live it up with a Min for eighty years. I was more concerned that someone had been about to die because of a pathogen. I’d thought we were beyond such casualties. If there was one good thing about our society, it was that our medicine was top of the line.
“You’re not stupid,” Roki said. “And yes, I can read your thoughts. Sorry about that. I’ll try not to. But really, you’re not dumb. You’re worried and kindhearted. I can already see that your core values haven’t changed in three years. You’re the same girl I fell for. It’s no wonder the Crown of Crowns picked you over the other heirs. I’ve eavesdropped on their thoughts and can tell you this. Half of them are evil, a quarter are hubristic, and a quarter only want the throne because it’s expected of them. Ninety-nine percent are just bored and looking for something to do. They think ascending the throne will give their restless lives some entertainment. You know how they are. These people have so much wealth and influence that life is borderline meaningless. But you, Kaelyn, you are driven by love and social justice. You are more righteous than them all.”
“Thanks,” I said. It was no use arguing anymore. I had heard this same thing from a dozen people in the last week. I was just going to shut up and start accepting that yes, perhaps I was fit to be queen.
“Speaking of queens,” Roki said, “we’d better get you to sleep. You need to be well rested for tomorrow. You’ve got a busy day ahead of you, I’m sure.”
“But I want to know more,” I cried. “I’m not ready to go! Tell me more, Roki. Please.”
“Fine,” he conceded. “One more question. Then you need to get some rest.”
I thought long and hard, mostly because I was distracted by Roki’s soft lips curled into a smile. Then it came to me.
“Mama,” I said. “Please, Roki, tell me who poisoned Mama.”
Roki’s face drained of color. He took one of my hands in his and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t know. Min don’t pay too much attention to murders in Geniverd. I asked around, but no one could tell me. And
