On the first day of their nineteenth years, Rosalind, Feng Mian, and Noe hatch a plan to break out of Ziraeth. Tiny crickets and firefly-like creatures flicker and coo within their woody homes. One by one, the three students crack their eyes open. Observing the peaceful meditation expression on Fadziso's face, the seconds tick by in their minds. If they miss this chance, they do not know if their crippling longing can grant them any more passes for another opportune moment to arise.
"We have to get out of here," Rosalind states. A flicker of instability flashes across her eyebrows. She winces, "Wait... I'm losing control of our cognitions."
"I'll take over," Noe pulls the weight of all their spiritual energy onto himself.
"I counted the seconds during each of our meditation periods. They last exactly forty-five minutes. We now have a total of eighteen minutes left until this one ends and every Ephrene in Ziraeth awakes from meditation," Feng Mian tells them.
