Ismene and the Voice

Ismene has a thankless employer. Years of research experience go down the drain when her contract is offered to another business as a "favor" to her. It's take the new job, or face unemployment—and there are laws about that. Her industrializing society is on the cusp of a labor revolt.

Worst of all, she'll never see the Castle again. Its vast corridors beckon with luxury and mystery. Its seemingly-magical library stocks centuries' worth of knowledge. Its records could transform her society. It has invited her to stay there—if she can make it.

And the Castle's ancient Voice needs a successor soon, or its systems will shut down...

Approximately 87k words.