Crier glanced between Faye and Dinara, taken aback. “You know each other?”

Dinara shook her head, but Faye nodded. “In ink and thread,” she said, and offered no further explanation.

“Crier,” said Dinara, stepping up to her side. “What are you doing?”

“I had the same question,” came Hook’s voice, and he joined her, hand-in-hand with Erren. Bree followed, though she still watched Crier with open distrust. And just like that, Crier was facing the five of them—Hook, Faye, Dinara, Bree, Erren—and they were looking back at her, expectant.

“I’m going to find Kinok,” she said, willing her voice not to shake. She wished Ayla were here. Things were easier with Ayla. “I’m going to stop him.”

“What, by yourself?” said Hook. “You’ll be killed.”

“Kinok won’t kill me,” said Crier. “At least not yet.” She looked around their small circle, meeting the eyes of each person one by one. “I’m ending this,” she said, trying to sound braver and more confident than she was. “I’m the only one who can do it. The only one with any chance of getting his followers to turn.”

“Are you insane?” Bree demanded. Still the same Bree, then. “What, you’re just going to march right up to his army and say Please bring me to Kinok?”

Crier thought for a second. “Yes.”

“To be fair, she is glowing,” Hook muttered.

“This is a fool’s errand,” said Dinara. “Even if they don’t kill you on sight, who’s to say they won’t just knock you out and deliver you to Kinok in shackles?”

“I know how to make them listen to me,” Crier assured them, silently praying it was true. “Please trust me. I have to do this, and I have to do it alone.”

“You don’t,” said Erren, speaking for the first time.

Hook rounded on them. “Erren, don’t even think about it.”

“You don’t have to do it alone,” they said. “I won’t try to talk you out of it. I’d do the same thing in your position; I’d do whatever it took. But you’re wrong. You don’t have to go alone.” Erren caught the look on her face and huffed. “Look, I don’t know you, and I sure as all hells don’t like your father, but you saved my life. I know you and Ayla told Junn’s guard to go back for me and the others. If it weren’t for you, I’d be dead right now. Or worse, I’d still be alive. In there. In that room. So—I’m coming with you.”

Crier shook her head. “I can’t let you—”

“I’m coming with you,” Erren repeated. Their expression darkened. “If nothing else, give me the pleasure of watching Kinok’s downfall firsthand. He owes me some blood.”

“But—”

“I’m coming too,” said Hook. “No, don’t even try to talk me out of it. First of all, I’m never letting this idiot”—he gestured at Erren, who scowled—“out of my sight again as long as I live. Second of all, I’ve always liked an adventure.”

“This isn’t an adventure, it’s a suicide mission,” Bree snapped, and then, “Gods be damned. I guess I’m going.”