“Please get her, bring her here. I want to talk to her.”

“Are you going to…”

“We’ll just talk. For now.”

The woman breathed deeply through her nose, but then stood up and, without another word, departed. Soraya considered going after her—what was to stop her from grabbing Seela and making a run for it? If they fled, how many other towns would they terrorize? How many other people would die? And would that trail of blood lead the world right to Narcissi’s doorstep? If so, it would all be Soraya’s fault, the ultimate failure in her new role as Guardian.

And above all else, trust your instincts. Yours’ are better than most. Her father’s words to her before they parted ways. She closed her eyes, focusing not on her fears and doubts or worries over Shim’s condition, but on what her instincts told her. They won’t flee, she realized. Neither of them. They are tired. They are ready for it to be over, too.

Right on cue, she heard them. They drew closer and then Sunny appeared, her expression different now. Lighter, like a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She paused briefly at the threshold, took a deep breath, and then entered. Seela followed her, eyes meeting Soraya’s for a moment before passing on. Her forehead had been freshly powdered brown. They sat before her, hands clasped. Before Soraya could say a word, Seela spoke. “I am sorry about your friend. Sorrier than I can put into words. You need to stop me. Sunny can’t do it—I wouldn’t want her to—but you can. You must.”

“First show me.” When Seela wrinkled her brow in confusion, Soraya gestured to her own golden markings. “You have these, don’t you?”

“Ah, yes. Hold on a moment.” She quickly and efficiently moved to a small washbasin and used a wet bit of cloth to dab the powder away. When she turned back, the three shimmering Leaves of the Goddess radiated from the skin above her eyebrows. “When I first laid eyes on your markings, I almost gasped.”

“How did this happen?” Soraya asked. This was part of the job—asking questions. Cutting a threat off at the knees was important, yes, but gathering information to prevent future threats was crucial too.

“I’ve always enjoyed walking. Helps to clear my head sometimes. Lostwood is a quiet place. Peaceful. Serene. One day I found something in the forest.” Seela’s gaze had returned to her, but her eyes seemed to look right through her, to another place and time. “It was…beautiful.”

“A golden liquid? One that glows?”

Seela’s eyes grew wider. “Yes! How did you know? Have you seen it?”

Soraya ignored her questions. “You drank it?”