The sixth tower did not look like the others.
It stood in shadowed violet, narrower than the rest, with no visible door until we were close enough to feel the air change. The pale grass stopped a few paces short of the base, as if even the ground refused to grow against that stone. The white ribbon in the sky looked thinner here. Orin's voice stayed low.
"This one deals in names," she said. "Not titles. Not courtesy. The names that have been put on you and the names you have put on yourself. The tower will take them from you one at a time until only what is true remains. If you cling to a false name, it will not let you climb. The seed at the summit lets the carrier hear true names. That is useful. It is also dangerous. Do not speak anything inside unless the tower asks."
Elizabeth looked at the violet stone for a long moment. Her silver eyes were quiet. Not red. Not active. Just tired in a way the last tower had left on all of us.
