Via's face became illuminated by the light. I couldn't help but let a smile break out onto my face at the sight of her. "Vi," I said, rushing forward. "I know I shouldn't be hugging you now, but it's so nice to see a familiar face." I stepped back, holding her face in my hands as she smiled.

"Aumee, what are you doing here? Surely you knew Daya would find out about your arrival." She ran her thumb over some dirt on my cheek, and I envied her and her clean skin. She smelled of rose oil and sugar cane. Her dreads were loose over her shoulders, and her eyes light and bright.

I shook my head. "I don't want to go into it."

"I hear you're traveling with quite the pack."

"That I am," I laughed. "I just want it all to be over with."

"Then end it." Via's smile faded away, and she pulled me into another tight squeeze. "Daya knows something is going on. She has already been asking for word in the Waystations to check on your whereabouts. She knows you're traveling with them, and she's not happy about it." Via frowned, reaching into her pocked for a small scroll. "You have to make a decision, Aumee."

I looked down at the scroll. "I'm trying. I'm going to get the book to her, I swear. Fal is just..." I closed my eyes and held my head. "I am the reason Fallon Ere is cursed. He is hoping that the twins can break it. Daya wouldn't... I can just feel it. I want to give him the best chance he has."

"Fallon Ere made his mistakes, Aumee. Don't be like him. Daya is angry with you. I've never seen her so quiet." She began pacing the room. "She wants to meet with you," she handed me the scroll, "that's why I'm here. Perhaps you can ask her for a pardon."

I chuckled. "On top of the wannfota's freedom? And Fal's forgiveness? She would never." I looked down at the scroll, but didn't read it. "If she's so angry, why not send someone after me? She has plenty of others who would be willing to do the job. This way, she wouldn't lose her little bird."

Via stopped, looking at me as if I were insane. "Aumee, she has thought about it. She wants to uphold her deal, though. You were given a time limit and you are running out. As soon as that time runs out, I don't know what she'll do. I don't know if she'll make me do it. I... Aumee... If she asks me to go after you I must obey. I can't stand against her the same way you do." Via came to stand in front of me and I wrapped my arms around her once more.

"It won't come to that, Via. I promise. We're moving fast, and it's only a matter of time until I've tied up my loose ends with the twins. It will be fine," I lied.

It calmed her nerves, though. "We all miss you. But we're rooting for you. If there's anyone who can escape from Daya's embrace, it's you."

I smiled. "Thank you, Via."

We said our goodbyes, and I sat there, watching as the gray sky turned lighter.

I should have taken the book when I had had the chance.

⇼❂⇼

I sat in front of everyone, my elbows resting on my knees as I stared at the slip of paper that Via had handed over to me. The others looked down at it as well, taking in its rough edges and black seal. I had already explained to them everything that had happened once I took watch, but no one said anything when I was finished speaking.

I sighed and looked to Fal. "What do you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, what do you think? About the letter."

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're a part of all of this. We're the ones who made a deal with Daya. We have one week to uphold our end of the bargain. So, do you think I should go?"

"Of course you should go," Sidra cut in, her voice still thick with sleep. "Why wouldn't you?"

"Well, she could threaten her," Ambrose said with a shrug.

"She doesn't need to." I ran my hands over my hair, feeling where I had it tied back from all of the annoying knots. "Trust me. She knows I'm well aware of her power. Besides, sending Via over was a threat in its own way. She wants us to know that she's watching us. Once we leave this place, there's no telling if she'll put someone on our trail." I leaned back in the library's chair, sleep pulling at my eyes as I looked up to the chandelier.

Fal scoffed. "So you go. And then what? Have tea with her? What's the point of having you go back to her if she isn't going to threaten you? She could hurt you, Aumee." Fal pointed at the paper with the unbroken seal. I didn't want to open it until we had come to a decision. Until I knew everyone else's game.

"She may want to renegotiate. If she knows that we're working with the twins, perhaps she'll want to offer something new to the table. Make the deal more irresistible so that I'm tempted to return the book sooner rather than later." I let my eyelids shut. Just for a brief moment. My mind was already whirling from everything, all of the possible paths she could take. She wouldn't have to threaten me when she could threaten Fal, Via, or any number of the girls. She could use me as a distraction to retrieve the book herself while I was away. She could offer me riches to sway my mind in her direction. She could offer me anything. More than freedom. A life, a reputation, a guarantee that I would never be messed with again. If I handed over the book, of course. Daya was powerful. There was nothing she couldn't bring to the table. And, chances were, whatever she brought to the table would be something that I would be unable to resist.

"So..." Ambrose said, rising to his feet. "Why not?"

"Why not what?"

"Why not return the book?" I shot upward, looking at him as he spoke. He must have gone out of his mind. " Think about it. We got what we wanted. We have our spell. We have Fal's spell. We could transcribe them, keep the copies for ourselves. Or, better yet, we could tear out the pages. We have no need for it. We have everything we needed from the book." He moved to Sidra's bag, pulling the book out and sitting it beside the letter for everyone to see.

It sat there. Leatherbound with that terrifying clasp of black sand. Just seeing it reminded me of the Baurpei and its hold on me. Perhaps Daya would use that against me. The Baurpei preyed on weakness, and I was always its favorite. The pain, the guilt, the grief. I was something it couldn't resist. Daya was the only thing standing between me and it. She was the only thing standing between the Baurpei and my dark, tainted soul.

"Aumee?"

I looked up, noticing that everyone was looking at me. "Yes?"

"What are you thinking?"

"I..." I blew out from my lips and looked between the book and the letter. "I don't know. Should we open the letter? It's likely just a meeting location."

"Do you think we should turn the book over, though?"

Looking at the book was making my mind fuzzy. "I'm not sure."

"What are the reasons we wouldn't?"

"Well, for starters," Fal's curse hasn't been actually broken yet and we agreed that that was part of the payment. Perhaps there's another spell in the book that could help with it since the last one didn't work." I moved to flip through the book, but it felt cold to the touch so I pulled away. "We have a week. There's no use in turning the book over now when we have another week to try. She wouldn't lay a hand on us until she was sure that our deal was complete. Whether it was broken or not." I grabbed the letter instead of the book.

Upon opening it, all I found was a meeting location. The vault at midnight.

Of course, she would want to meet where no one knew of. Where the girls of the sanctuary couldn't lean their ears against the door or hover beneath the balcony. She wanted to meet somewhere I could bring no one else. I would be alone, whether I had planned to be or not.

"What does it say?"

I tossed the paper over to the others before leaning back on the couch. "I go alone at midnight. Her vault is hidden, and I have a passcode to get into it. But she has the other end of the passcode. There will be no following me. I'll be back whenever she's done with me."

"What do you mean she has the other end of it?"

I rolled over, trying to get into a comfortable position on the cushions. Pillows filled with feathers felt nice until the pointy ends of the feathers poked through, irritating the skin of my scalp and neck. "It's a spell. She has a way into the portal, and when she's there, she opens up a door for me. A... metaphorical door. Well, magical. Anyway, she opens it up, I say the key phrase, and I show up at the open door and it shuts. One person in at a time."

"What's the phrase?" Fal asked, shuffling carelessly towards a desk so that he could find a quill to write with.

"It doesn't matter, Fallon. Trust me when I say I'll be the only one to meet her. No book. Just me. Until I find out what she wants or has to offer, we aren't deciding on where the book goes. I'll stay here if you don't mind. It's the most comfortable."

Ambrose laughed. "Need a nap before you're whisked away?"

"Yes, but that's not what I mean. My body will physically stay where it is. My mind is transported. It's almost like my spirit. I can move through things when I'm there." I wanted to sleep. I had been up for much too long. I hadn't eaten. We had plenty of food. Why hadn't I eaten? Was I even hungry? I couldn't tell. There was too much else to think about. What would Daya do with me when I arrived? Was it our deal that was protecting me or was it our relationship? I loved Daya. I hated her, but I loved her. She was too close to family.

"Astral projection. That is..." Sidra's voice rose with excitement, and I could hear the smile spreading on her face. "Incredible! I need to learn that next."

"You mean after the bones and the corpses?"

There was some laughter, but my mind was already beginning to drift off. The sleep was not gentle, but pulled me down like rocks in water.

⇼❂⇼

"Aumee." Someone's voice drifted into my ear. "Wake up. We need to talk about some things."

I tried to bury myself deeper into the pillows. I wanted to return to that heavy blanket of darkness. It was calming, and it was unaware of everything else going on. "Leave me be. I need to sleep."

"We only have a few hours until you have to meet with Daya--"

"Then I have a few more hours of rest."

"No, we--"

"What?" I flipped over, glaring at the person above me. It was Fal, and I felt myself soften. "What is so important? We have already been over all of this. I'm going tonight at midnight. There's nothing else to it."

"What if there was?"

I groaned, pulling one of the feathery pillows back over my head. "Talk. Get this over with."

"You should bring the book. Show her that you have it. That way, she can see that we have what she wants. It will remind her that we're holding up our end of the deal."

"Or," I said, the pillow muffling my voice to the point that Fal pulled it away from me, "it will make her angry that we have what she wants and yet we haven't given it to her. Fallon, I don't see why we need to go over this again."

"You bring the book, and perhaps we can get an idea of what she's looking for in it." He paused, holding the book in his own hands for me to see. "She would want to see a particular page, right? You can show her that page, and close it when she's about to unlock its secrets. Then, you could ask for something else."

"For your curse to be broken?"

"No." Fal sighed, running his hand over his face as if he were the tired one. "Ask her about the Land of Sky. Perhaps she knows something that I don't. It could bring us one step closer to it. Or, me, I suppose. Unless you're interested?" He looked hopeful, but my expression seemed to shut him down pretty quickly. "No. I should have guessed."

"Fal, it's a tale. That's all that it is. I've never heard Daya mention it. Besides, if we complete our end of the deal she'll take you back in as her informant. You could ask her then."

"She would want new information then."

"So give her some new information."

"Everything that I have here is too good for her. She would use a lot of what I have here against others. I prefer to keep it locked away. If there's one thing I don't trust, it's magic. Well," he laughed, "I don't trust Daya much either. Not as far as I could throw her, at least."

"In your current state you could likely throw her far."

"Very true. I may have to reassess our relationship." He pretended to scratch his chin, the place where his brows would be furrowing over his pretty eyes. I smiled, but grabbed my pillow back from him. "If you don't think it's a good idea, then it isn't necessary. You have to admit, though, it would be rather fun to show Daya just how close she is to something she has been waiting so long for."

I thought about it. "Perhaps." It would be fun until she realized I was toying with her, and she decided to call off our deal. It would be fun until she got her revenge on me afterwards by dangling our deal in front of my face. There are no loopholes. She can't do anything.

Unless.

Unless.

Unless.

I burrowed into the couch, trying to block out the barrage of unless. What was the wording of our deal? What was it... what was it. I swam through my memories, trying to pull at the threads. I needed to bring myself back into the cell. Back to where Fal was crouched on his knees, his head hanging low as he prepared for whatever punishment was about to be given to him. No, focus on her.

On her black rimmed eyes and her shining jewelry. On her assessing eyes and clean nails.

If you and Fallon can bring back the spellbook I am after, you will be free. Of any and all contract-binding arrangements from me. Fallon will have his position and trust restored. Via will be married off to Councilman Ere. I will gain ownership of the book. I can agree to that.

Where was it? It had to be there somewhere...

Daya was skilled at creating loopholes. I thought I had outsmart her, but perhaps that's all she wanted me to think. If you and Fallon can bring back the spellbook I am after, you will be free. Of any and all contract-binding arrangements from me. There. That was it. There it was.

That bitch.

If I brought her the spellbook, I would be free. But when? Immediately? Days after? Weeks after?

Of course she would outsmart me.

And she would have plenty of time to rub it in when I saw her later tonight. That was her bait for me to bring her the book. My freedom. I bring her the book before the week is over, before the others knew what had hit them, and she would give me my freedom right then and right there.

I sat up from the couch, grabbing onto the cursed spell book. "I'll bring it."

"What changed your mind?"

I could feel my chest rising and falling fast. I needed to calm myself down so they wouldn't catch myself onto me. As I breathed out, I managed a smile. "What's one last game with Daya? She's controlled me all my life. It's about time I am able to flip the coin." I held the book in my hands, and as Fal pat me on my shoulders, I could feel the weight of his hand on my heart.

Was I truly about to do this?

Maybe.

Yes.

⇼❂⇼

I didn't sleep for the rest of the evening. I ate some of the food, and it was rich with spices from Fallon's kitchen. It was a welcome meal from the dry and tasteless ones we often had to eat in the desert. The spices that I was able to bring would always get old much more quickly that I anticipated, but Fal had proven himself a great chef. He joked that one has to be when living alone, but I saw his smile falter as he dipped his flatbread into the rich sauce.

I nudge him in the side, "Your wife will be lucky. For once she won't be the one stuck in the kitchen."

"My wife would never step foot in the kitchen. Not because that's my territory, no," Fal shoved one more bite of bread into his mouth before continuing. "She wouldn't step foot there because she would have better things to be doing. Taking over the Ring, doing research, trading. Whatever she wants. That's my wife." Fal smiled, grabbing more bread from the center of the table. "Ambrose, what about you?"

"My wife? She'll be normal, I hope," he laughed as he chewed on his food. "As fun as all of this is, I'm ready to be normal."

Sidra chipped in, smearing some of her food on Ambrose's cheek. "You won't have one. Not as long as I'm around. Aumee, you've been paraded around by Daya and you've done all of this to avoid marriage. What are your plans?"

I smiled. "My family was nomadic. My real family. If I'm any kind of lucky, which, by the way, I don't think I am considering my circumstances, but, if I am... I'll die out there in the Wayst. I'll have a little home with a little balcony. I'll live a little life and when I'm sick of it, I'll travel the Waystland. See what else is out there. There can't be desert everywhere. After seeing all of these maps I have to believe that."

Fal was about to say something when a bell chimed in the distance.

I nearly slammed my bowl onto the table as I moved to grab the spell book, laying back on the long couch. "Don't move me. Don't touch me. That second one is a personal request. I'll know if you do." I shut my eyes as the bell chimes began to reach twelve. I rushed my next words. "If it takes too long, leave me here. Go to the boneyards. They could send someone while I'm asleep."

Nine.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve.

Eafor me geond dyrne dor.

The feeling of my mind or spirit or soul flying through the world was one I would never become sick of. Whatever I was in that moment, I felt like air. Light and free. Then, I would be anchored down to one place, my feet practically glued to a detailed painting on the ground of chains and Old Deorcae.

"Little bird, how I've missed you."