Participant's Fee

"You can't!"

I lost touch of the page, stumbled as though from a great fall. The assorted people in the room stared at me as though I appeared out of thin air. Picking myself up, I met their eyes, pleading, "You can't go by any name you've had through your lives. Don't you see? Your entire plan will unravel in an instant when they hear your names! It's a dead giveaway! There's too much at risk to make that kind of mistake! Have you considered nothing?"

Shocked silence, then-

"Guards!"

The voices rang in the room, followed by a distant clattering of armor and weapons.

"I'm here to help!" I shouted with hands open. "I know where she is!"

The soldiers held me under the arms as I struggled.

"Take her to a cell. I'll deal with this spy personally," Lord Starseer spat.

I was dragged down a hall and stairs and thrown into a dark room. Only then did I see my error. I was trapped here, on this side of the story, no longer viewing from my vantage point. There was no way back until the end.

I had become a participant.