Lilly's gazed around the crowded city streets with abject wonder. 1942, London, was one thing through the lens of a history book, but to see it with her own eyes was almost too much to fathom.

The Magicians arrived two days prior, smack in the middle of an air raid. It was fortuitous that they happened upon a family bomb shelter in time to take cover. I guess you could say their little trip had a rocky start, considering that they were unable to breathe fresh air until the next morning. The family they'd been stuck with happened to be the owners of a little bakery in town and were happy to exchange room and board for a little help around the shop. Lilly thanked whatever God there was that they hadn't turned them in to the British authorities for being German spies. Their outlandish attire was enough to warrant suspicion.

Two days later, they scoured the streets of London, drawing a multitude of odd looks. They knew from the text of Fillory and Further that Jane would be in town that day, and even which shop she would visit. However, this wasn't 2016, where they could simply ask Siri for directions. After stopping three different people, with varying degrees of success, they eventually found the place.

"Oh my God," A disbelieving smile grew on Julia's face.

"Wha-" Lilly stopped short as she saw what Julia was looking at, and a smile blossomed. A girl, no older than fourteen, raced down the street towards their position beside the little shop. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a braided updo with a French beret matching the cloak draped across her shoulders. She was so young, so innocent. Nothing compared to the woman who'd served as her mentor. Jane Chatwin hummed an unfamiliar tune as she skipped up to the storefront, shooting the three Magicians a friendly nod of greeting before she entered.

"Guys, that's my grandmother," Lilly whispered, entranced. They pressed themselves against the window as Jane chatted with the shopkeeper.

"She looks so young."

"Yeah, she's got no idea what's coming," Lilly's brows furrowed at Quentin's words. She was suddenly overcome with the urge to warn Jane, tell her what fate had in store for her. Maybe then things would be different. Maybe she would still be alive, The Beast, merely a fairytale villain.

"Lil, you know we can't," Quentin laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. He knew what she was contemplating, he was thinking the same thing. Lilly swallowed the feeling, though she wished she could even just speak to her. Ask her about her life, learn what her grandmother was like. She hadn't had that luxury in her own time. But she nodded solemnly, lips pressed into a rigid line.

"Hey," Julia elbowed them both in the side, directing their attention across the street, "that's got to be it, right?" Lilly's eyes followed her outstretched arm, falling upon the bright red telephone booth. "Across the street, the door to Fillory?"

"Yeah," Quentin nodded, glancing back to the shop. He started, gripping both women by their jackets and dragging them off to the closest alcove just in time for Jane bound into the street. She darted across the busy street and was about to pass the phone booth without a second glance, when the door flew open of its own accord, a warm glow creeping out to meet her. A toothy grin graced Jane's features, and a moment later, she'd disappeared, on her way to Fillory.

"Anyone else getting hardcore Tardis vibes right now?" Neither of Lilly's companions responded.

"You ready, Janey?" Quentin asked.

"Why, yes, Martin, I think I am," Julia responded with giddy excitement. Lilly regarded them with one brow raised.

"Guess that makes me Rupert, AKA, the third wheel," Lilly shook her head with a huff, leading the way towards the portal. She didn't look back to see if they'd followed and paused before the booth. Taking a deep, steadying breath, the light enveloped her.

The initial glow was suddenly staunched as she pressed forwards, replaced by a tunnel of inky blackness. She was faintly aware of the aroma of fresh earth, the familiar melody of the wind blowing through leaves. Reaching out, she flinched as her palm came into contact with something rough and damp. She gingerly reached out again, letting her skin rest against it. As she ran her fingers across the surface, the only conclusion she could make was that she was somehow inside the massive trunk of a tree. A deep, rumbling groan filled the surrounding space, a sharp creaking followed, making way for a slit of dazzling sunlight. The closer she got, the clearer the image of a forest became, until she was leaving the tunnel and stepping foot in the world of Fillory.

There was no hiding her delight. The childlike glee couldn't be held back. She turned as Quentin and Julia exited from the tree. She'd been correct in her assumption that she was inside a tree, for when she emerged, she was able to see the monstrosity in all its glory. Even with its enormous size, it still wasn't large enough to accommodate the amount of space she'd had.

The surrounding air seemed to glisten, the colors of the trees and flowers were so much more vibrant than anything she'd ever seen on earth. It was like going from black and white to color. Only she had no idea that something like this even existed until she'd seen it with her own eyes. The Fillory books could never do the real thing justice.

"Q, Q," Lilly finally turned her attention to Julia, who stuttered out Quentin's name. When she did, she was overcome with another wave of reverence at the sight of Castle Whitespire in the distance. The magnificent structure stood grand and enchanting, framed by the explosion of colors in the sky. Lilly was filled with the urge to cry. She'd dreamt of this world her entire life, and now that she was here, it was so much more than she imagined it would be. They dared not utter a word, for fear that it would shatter the illusion, and they would wake up to find it had been nothing more than a dream. It was a long while before they were able to say, without a doubt, that it was happening.

"We need to get going," Lilly forced herself to tear her gaze from the horizon, "we need to find Ember and get back to the others," Quentin nodded hesitantly. Lilly readjusted her grip on her backpack of supplies and lead them away from the view of the castle. She gestured for Quentin to retrieve the Fillory book and waited patiently for him to produce the lifeline. He flipped open to the first page, revealing a drawn map of Fillory.

"So, the book says Jane came out about here," he pointed to a spot on the map which displayed a tiny tree, "and Castle Whitespire is here. So, we need to go... that way," he pointed to the left edge of the forest. "Ember's Temple should be about seven miles from here," Julia and Lilly nodded, turning in the direction he'd pointed to.

Lilly was thankful she'd chosen to wear practical running shoes as the terrain was nothing like the paved streets of New York. The company trekked through the forest, marveling at the glittering streams and tiny creatures that crossed their path. Seven miles didn't sound like too much, but two miles later, Lilly wished that Fillory had magical Uber. She was about to open her mouth to suggest they take a break, when a strangled cry met their ears. They were now on high alert, sharing wary looks. Lilly lifted one finger to her lips and crept towards the commotion.

Their investigation led them to the outskirts of a small clearing. Hidden in the underbrush, the Magicians discovered the source of the cry to be none other than Jane Chatwin. They watched intently as the girl was dragged through the leaf-covered ground by a snare wrapped around her ankle.

"Struggle, struggle. Tighter, tighter," Julia whispered. Lilly remembered the words as well. She'd read the books more times than she could count, and knew this scene like the back of her hand. Jane had stumbled upon a tree embedded with clocks, the signature of The Watcher Woman. As she turned to leave, she was caught in a hunter's trap. Lilly scanned their surroundings in search of Jane's soon to be saviors. She couldn't help the rise of excitement at the prospects of witnessing one of the scenes.

"Okay, do you see them yet?" Quentin asked, craning his neck to see more of the clearing.

"Nope, but they can't be too hard to miss," Julia spoke up from Lilly's other side.

"The Witch, The Fool, and The Deceiver, such an Iconic trio."

"How are they supposed to see her..." The realization dawned on them at the same moment. They shared identical wide-eyed looks, "fuck." Lilly swore, turning back towards her grandmother. "Well, here goes nothing," she sighed, pushing herself up from the ground and brushing off her jeans. She lead the way towards the struggling girl.

"Wait, who do you think I am?" Quentin questioned from behind her. She had to bite her lip to hold back the laughter, he really was The Fool.

"You look like you might be in need of some assistance?" Lilly spoke in greeting, Jane's head shot up to identify the speaker. Lilly had to bite back a gasp at the sight of Jane's eyes. They were oh, so familiar. Eyes she'd come to know and trust, though they carried an innocent air to them, something Jane had lost long before she'd become Eliza.

"It seems I do," Jane gestured for Lilly to introduce herself.

"The Deceiver, these are my companions, The Witch, and The Fool." The others took their places by her side. Jane observed trio curiously.

"You don't look like any Deceivers, Witches, or Fools I've seen, and why would I trust a Deceiver to begin with?" Jane eyed Lilly dubiously as she crouched beside the girl.

"I'm not like the others. Besides, Deceivers tend to be quite good at getting out of tight spaces." She winked mischievously and Jane seemed to lighten up at her words. Jane tugged at the rope wrapped around her ankle with frustration.

"Oh, wait, don't," Julia held out a hand to stop her, "it's enchanted, it'll only make it worse."

"What's the point of these anyway?" Jane huffed, "they're everywhere!"

"Well, some animals can talk," Quentin interjected, "so, the hunters have a sort of ethical dilemma. You know, you don't want to eat something as smart as you," he knelt, reaching out to grab the note attached to the snare. "Anything that can answer the riddle is set free. So, uh, 'what is no sooner broken than spoken?'" Jane shook her head in bewilderment.

"I have no idea."

"Silence," Lilly mouthed to her with a roguish smile. Jane hesitated a moment before leaning forward and repeating the word aloud. Not a second after she'd spoken, the rope released her.

"How did you know the answer?" She asked.

"I'm The Deceiver, I guess I've got a knack for it." Jane popped up from the ground, getting a better look at her savior's. To Lilly's confusion, Jane's gaze traveled to her chest, fixating on something with furrowed brows.

"Your necklace," she pointed out, "it's the same as mine- exactly the same." Her eyes flicked to the Magician's face. Realization dawned on Jane a moment later. "You were in town today! How did you get here?" Her tone turned accusatory and angry in a split-second. Lilly stepped back in a panic. Her companions shared wary glances, "you're working with The Watcher Woman, aren't you? You're one of her spies!"

"Shit," the moment Lilly realized things had turned sour, she was casting the first spell that came to mind. Her fingers worked swiftly, releasing a wave of yellow smoke that curled around Jane's head. The girl inhaled it without even realizing. The Magicians froze, waiting for something to happen. Jane's expression turned dazed, her vision unfocused. She shook her head, as if clearing a fog. Lilly took the opportunity to tuck her necklace safely inside her shirt. A moment later, Jane's accusatory glare had morphed back into a pleasant smile, and the slip up had been entirely forgotten.

"Brilliant! Thank you, Witch, Fool, and Deceiver! Ta-Ta!" With that, Jane skipped off towards another adventure, none the wiser to the truth of the people she'd just encountered.

"Uh, what just happened?" Julia questioned, watching Jane run off in shock.

"How the hell did you do that?"

"Just a little memory charm Margo taught me, she uses it on first dates." Lilly shrugged, "they don't call me The Deceiver for nothing!" She grinned, and Julia chuckled, turning to Quentin with a knowing smile.

"Okay, go, geek out. We're in the books. We are in the books." Quentin gulped, seemingly too overwhelmed to even formulate a coherent thought.

"Well if you won't, I will." A twig snapped behind them, and the Magicians whipped their heads to investigate. They knew by now to never assume it was nothing. The shape of a boy poked out from behind a nearby tree, darting back behind it when he saw them looking.

"Hey, are you following us?" Julia called out to him, "it's totally cool if you are." The boy seemed to hesitate, debating whether to reveal himself. In the end, he stepped out from behind the tree. Lilly bit her tongue at the sight of a frightened Martin Chatwin. She couldn't believe that she was meeting not one, but two of her family members along this journey.

"Martin?" Julia whispered, "he's not even in this part of the book."

"It's alright," Lilly called out to him, "we won't hurt you, we want to help." She reached out a hand, beckoning him forward like a wounded animal. With their knowledge of his life with Christopher Plover, she supposed it wasn't so far from the truth. Martin appraised her from behind his wide framed glasses. He was a lanky boy, limbs just a bit too long for his gaunt body. She could see the pain and fear he'd been embedded with even from across the clearing. She wished she could wrap him in a hug and erase the hardships he'd endured. No child should ever have to experience the mistreatment Martin had.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Lilly, this is Quentin and Julia." Lilly kept her voice soft, non-threatening, "we're looking for Ember and Umber, can you take us there?"

"Why were you following my sister?" He asked, taking a few steps forward, his curiosity getting the best of him.

"We were hoping she'd lead us to them," Julia explained, continuing to elaborate on the half-truth. Martin's forehead creased, though he nodded, gesturing for them to follow him.

"I'm Martin," he told them, receiving kind smiles in return. The Magicians followed after him, heading in the same direction they knew the temple was in. Lilly didn't know what compelled her to ask for his help. Maybe it was in hope that they could help him, if only given a little more time in his company. "Still not sure I understand why you were following my sister."

"Well, why are you following your sister?" Quentin quipped, "cause Fillory stopped taking you?" Martin ignored their inquiries, continuing to lead the way in silence. "Martin, I know you probably think it's your fault, but it's not," he stopped abruptly, turning to face them.

"You want to be here because you don't feel safe at home," Lilly stated, knowing precisely what Marin was dealing with, "we want to help. There are people in your life who love you and some who have yet to arrive. If you share what you're going through with them, they may be able to help you. You don't have to do this alone."

"What do you mean?" A flash of panic erupted behind his eyes, a look only a victim could have. Fear of discovery, embarrassment at the fact that they'd been taken advantage of, terror at the idea of being judged for their suffering.

"Christopher Plover is a very powerful Magician now," Julia explained.

"Maybe the most," Quentin added. "We think we can stop him if we find something. Um, it's a Fillorian knife, called the Leo Blade."

"Have you heard of it?"

"No," Martin mumbled, avoiding eye contact as he had since meeting them, "but I know who might've." As it turns out, the person with knowledge of The Leo Blade, was a knife maker in one of the nearby villages. By the time they arrived at the little cottage, it was after dark.

"Nope, never heard of it," the man shook his head at their request. He didn't lift his eyes from the blade he'd been crafting. His son, a boy no older than ten, stood nearby, observing his father's work. He was obviously a young apprentice of the family business.

"But, it's something you're more than capable of making, given your reputation," Martin persisted, taking the lead in negotiations for the others. "Though, if you think it may be too difficult--"

"What in Hades is difficult about a blade?" The knife maker bristled at the insinuation that he wasn't skilled enough. Lilly hid her smirk. Martin knew just how to handle the man.

"Well, this one--" Martin gestured for the others to take over.

"Has to kill a Master Magician," Quentin explained.

"And he's not even human anymore," Julia elaborated, "six fingers, dark spells you've never seen before," The man turned to his son.

"Blight, fetch the Moonstones," the boy, Blight, hurried off, "things like that can only be killed with a blade of moonstones." His son returned carrying a small wooden box. The Knifemaker opened the lid, presenting the milky blue, and white stones to them. "I have the only two in Fillory."

"You couldn't even make a needle with that," Quentin observed skeptically. The moonstones, while beautiful, were no larger than a river stone. Certainly not enough to make a dagger.

"These aren't just rocks, they're alive. I can mate them and breed more," Lilly scrunched up her nose.

"Then why haven't you?"

"Expensive, takes time," the man shook his head, "care, feeding, years, and it's not often I'm called upon to forge a Master Magician murder weapon. But you are from a place that likes murder, Earth, am I right?"

"Yes, we're from Earth," Julia confirmed.

"Good, then you know what I want."

"We do, and we agree," Julia responded before Lilly or Quentin could get out the question. Lilly turned to the woman with wide eyes, trying to convey her irritation without verbally expressing it. Lamentably, that was the end of negotiations for the night. The knifemaker would make their Leo Blade, though they had no way of knowing the cost of their weapon, thanks to Julia. The four of them decided to stay the night in the village inn, continuing their journey the next day, rested and refreshed.

Lilly wished more than anything to tell Martin who she was, to tell him he wasn't alone, that he had someone who cared for him, who would fight tooth and nail to ensure Christopher Plover never laid a hand on him again. But she knew she couldn't. She couldn't reveal herself. It would change too much, and with her life tied so closely to his and Jane's actions, who knew if she'd erase herself completely from the future.

Lilly sat at the edge of the double bed she'd claimed as her own, the inn was warm and welcoming, with a lively pub on the first floor. Julia and Martin had gone down to the bar to procure them some food and drinks. Unfortunately, that left Lilly and Quentin behind in agonizing silence. The elephant in the room was growing by the second, and it could no longer go unchecked.

"I'm sorry," Quentin was the first to speak, his voice shameful and his head bowed, "I didn't mean those things I said, and it was unfair of me to throw my shit at you. Especially right after your mom died," Lilly sighed, nodding her head in agreement.

"You did mean them though, so did I." Quentin opened his mouth to protest, but she held up a hand to stop him, "don't try to deny it. We both exploded, whether we meant to or not. Those things had to come from somewhere. You're right, I've been treating you like a sidekick, like some sort of project I can fix and improve. You're your own person, and I need to let you make your own decisions and mistakes. It's not my life."

"You were right though, I'm a fucking mess!" Quentin ran a hand through his hair, leaning forward in his armchair, "I blame other people for my own mistakes, rather than taking ownership of them. I didn't even bother to talk to Dean Fogg about Julia, I'm the one that cheated on Alice. I can blame it on the emotion bottles all I want, but I was the one who made that decision. I'm the one that ruined the best thing in my life." Tears shone in the lamplight, forming a glossy sheen on both of their eyes, "please, forgive me?" A choked sob escaped him and Lilly was immediately on her feet. She sat on his lap, wrapping her arms securely around him.

"Of course, I forgive you," she cupped his cheeks in her hands, turning his chin up. His face was blotchy and red, his eyes puffy. She was sure she looked the same, "we're quite the pair aren't we?" Lilly chuckled dryly, and Quentin nodded with a humorless smile.

"Thank you for being my friend and putting up with my shit."

"You do the same for me."

➺➺➺➺

"So, what did we promise the knife maker last night?" Martin asked, using the temporary silence on their journey through the forest to voice his concern. Lilly would've been in the same boat, but she'd figured it out not long after their conversation.

"He knew we were from Earth," Julia spoke between bites of her turkey leg.

"The rulers of Fillory can only be from Earth," Quentin added.

"So, he thinks we're..."

"Kings and Queens," Lilly explained to him, "he wants a seat at court."

"But years, it'll take him years, how...?" His words were cut off when Julia threw the turkey bone into the woods, resulting in an unexpected clang, rather than the soft rustle they'd been expecting. They curiously crept through the underbrush towards the odd sound.

"Holy shit, we found it," Quentin lead the way into the oasis. For all the vibrancy and beauty they'd been charmed with upon first entering Fillory, this put it to shame. The grand stone structure towered over them, adorned with climbing vines and iridescent blossoms. The face of a ram had been carved into the front of the temple, shrouded by hanging purple flowers. But what made it so magical, was not the outer appearance, but the feeling in the air. Absolute power, something bigger than themselves.

"Ember's Temple," Lilly scanned her surroundings with wonder. They climbed the steps until they stood high above the forest floor.

A chilling breeze rustled the surrounding trees, bringing fallen leaves skittering up the steps towards them. The ticking of clocks carried on the wind, wrapping around them until it became a singular sensation. The Magician's eyes darted wildly around, searching for the source. Martin's face had drained of color, he looked to the others, his eyes pleading.

"She's coming! The Watcherwoman!" He yelled, fear painted plainly across his face. He darted down the steps, away from the wind and ticking that increased in fervor with every passing moment.

"Martin! Wait!" Lilly called after him, breaking into a run to catch up to him. She didn't intend to lose him, not with what she knew of his life. Quentin was close behind. She looked behind her for just a moment, to make sure the others followed. She jumped back as fast as she could. Upon returning her gaze to the front, she found her path blocked by a hooded figure. "Oh, shit!" She and Quentin skidded to a halt.

"Lilly? Quentin?" A surprisingly familiar voice spoke their names from behind the dark hood.

"Eliza?" Lilly gasped, taking a step forward.

"You know the Watcher Woman?" Julia gaped at her companions, trying to figure out the sudden plot twist.

"Y-yeah, I really should've put that together," Quentin stuttered, "this is my friend, Julia," He gestured to the brunette, "Julia, this is Jane Chatwin, all grown up."

"You're not supposed to be here yet, haven't even been born yet." Jane scolded, giving them each a disapproving look in turn. "By the look on your face, dear, I assume you know the truth in your timeline," Jane nodded towards Lilly, whose expression could only be described as starstruck. She nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. A warm smile grew on Jane's face as she approached her granddaughter. "It's lovely to see you, darling," she planted a motherly kiss on Lilly's forehead, caressing her cheek.

"We know about the time loops you keep making," Quentin piped up. Jane looked up from Lilly with a bemused expression.

"Well, as you should by now!"

"Right, so there have been thirty-nine others--"

"And you're the volunteer tomato?" All three Magicians' brows furrowed at her statement, "in the garden you pull everything up, sometimes a stray vine just keeps coming back- it volunteers," she explained, "that's really why you, Quentin, you just keep coming back." Jane turned her attention to Lilly with saddened eyes, "you, dear, don't have the luxury of volunteering, I'm afraid."

"Right, so I'm the tomato, and this is the last time."

"Why is this the last one?" Jane's head cocked to the side.

"Oh, uh-" Quentin stuttered, looking to his companions for help.

"You didn't- you died this time," Lilly choked out. Jane was taken aback, her cheerful demeanor vanishing. Her struggle to maintain a smile showed distinctly on her face.

"Huh, I see. Do I die doing something brave?"

"Yes, very," Jane nodded pensively, before plastering a perky grin across her face.

"Right then, If you survive, see to it that I get a proper temple in my honor."

"Can I ask a question?" Julia interrupted the morbid conversation, "why are you The Watcher Woman? She's a villain."

"Am I?"

"I mean, you scared the hell out of everybody."

"Well, when I was a girl, The Watcher Woman inspired me to learn magic to fight her. Indeed, I grew up to be just a touch stronger than that Watcher Woman."

"That hurts my brain," Quentin mumbled, Lilly nodded in agreement, trying her hardest to make the information fit together.

"Apparently, it wasn't enough," Jane sighed in resignation, "least I learned some fun things, like this," with a flick of the wrist and a snap of her fingers, Jane had cast a spell upon Lilly's companions. It took her a moment to realize what had happened, but upon turning, she found both Julia and Quentin, frozen in place.

"I think it's about time we caught up, don't you?" Lilly waved a hand in front of Quentin's face, "they can't hear us, come," Jane placed a gentle hand on the small of Lilly's back, guiding her over to a nearby rock. The older woman sat beside her granddaughter, taking her hand with a soft squeeze.

"Why didn't you tell me you were my grandmother?" Jane emitted a heavy sigh, tilting her head to the side in pity.

"I can't really speak for my future self, now, can I? But, I suppose it was a matter of keeping you safe. The more you know about your origins, the bigger a target you are. The Beast is afraid of powerful things, and you, my dear, are more powerful than you know."

"I just- I wanted more time. I didn't find out until after you were already gone," Lilly's eyes pooled with tears, "I didn't get to say goodbye."

"It's not fair, none of it is fair," Jane whispered. "We should've had a happy life together, where I could be the mother Evelyn deserved and a doting grandmother to you," Jane reached up a hand to wipe a stray tear from Lilly's cheek. Lilly hadn't even thought about the fact that her mother was dead too. She wanted to spill everything to Jane, confide in her as a granddaughter would. She knew she couldn't, "I'm so proud of you. You've grown into such a wonderful, bright, beautiful, young woman. That's all I could ever ask for," Lilly wrapped her arms tightly around Jane, allowing the older woman to stroke her hair in a comforting gesture. "We don't have much time, I must speak with you and Quentin," she stood, pulling Lilly with her and lead them back to her frozen friends. Jane waved a hand, releasing Quentin from the spell.

"Wait, what did you do?" He questioned, looking alarmed at the fact that Julia was paralyzed. He didn't seem to notice that he had been in the same position, just moments before.

"I don't want her to hear us. There's a crack in your friend's memory, made in haste, likely by a Hedge," Jane explained, her voice grave.

"Could you remove it?" Quentin asked, startled by her words.

"No, it's there for a reason," Lilly studied Julia's form warily. Jane placed a hand on Julia's forehead, her eyes shut in concentration.

"If you still care about her," Jane turned to Quentin, a warning on her tongue, "protect her," he nodded, but the guilt in his heart was apparent as he stared into the face of someone he should've saved.

"I'm sorry we couldn't protect you."

"That was never your job," The words carried an air of finality with it. Jane knew this would most likely be the last time they saw her. They all did, "right, then," Jane clapped twice before Julia, snapping her out of the charm. The young woman continued as though no time had passed.

"Sorry," she noticed their attention had been redirected to her, "what were you guys saying?" Quentin quickly changed the subject, turning back to Jane.

"So, Jane, could you zoom us forward to the present- our present?" A grief-stricken quirk of the lips was the only verbal response they received. Jane stepped forward, placing a soft kiss on Quentin's cheek. When she got to Lilly, her tears were already flowing.

"I'm never truly gone," Jane smiled, placing a hand gently over Lilly's heart. "I'm always with you, here." The last thing Lilly felt was the caress of Jane's fingers on her cheek before they were sent through time and space, back to their awaiting destiny.