Part of me wants to linger beside the tank as an act of grief, or reverence, or maybe both. But a far larger part of me wants to get the hell out of this fraught maze.

So I stride forward across the room and climb the stairs, feeling heavier with each step. Once I reach the top I find myself in a vaulted attic that smells of cedar and sawdust. Moonlight spills in through windows, making it slightly less dark, but I still shine my flashlight across the space. First I see another staircase at the opposite end, one that must lead back into the house. I let out a scream, however, when I see what waits between me and that exit.

Lady Azure stands and stares at me, looking almost like a ghost herself.

“Did you secure the Princess of Cups?” she asks, her voice low and steady.

I shake my head, raising my hand to cover my mouth. That’s when I hear a banging coming from across the attic, traveling up the second set of stairs. I also hear muffled voices and a doorknob rattling. Could that be Lily, Cleo, and Anwar?

“Oh, thank the goddess,” Lady Azure then cries out. I shine my flashlight back on her and it’s only then I realize she seems to be crying tears of… joy?

“Carson’s beloved Princess, the source of our powers. It’s ours forever.”

My heart sinks. Suddenly I feel like the drowned Princess myself, plunged into unexpected waters against my will.

“But the card,” I try, “it’s destroyed.”

“Dead things don’t really die, little girl.” Lady Azure speaks almost in a chant, her head down. “Here in the Isle of Baxter, the energy resides.”

My skin prickles cold. Suddenly I feel sick.

“You… this is what you wanted all along?”

“Our talents sharpened after Carson hid this card on our island. I would never disrespect Carson’s wishes. I never entered the maze below our feet, but I sat up here often, soaking in the presence of Carson’s hidden card. We did follow his instructions to the letter, but you are correct.”

Lady Azure raises her face then, her tearful eyes connecting with mine.

“This is indeed the outcome I desired.”

A wave of realization crashes over me. Details soak into my skull, running through our time with Lady Azure. Her tarot readings. Our group’s separation. Her “herbal” tea. The flickering lights. Her presence here in this attic outlet, blocking the others. Where does the line between Carson Perilli and Lady Azure lie?

I don’t know the answers to this question. All I do know, with a sudden surge, is that we have to get off of this tragic island as fast as possible. I clutch the scroll in my hand against the straps of Cleo’s backpack, because who knows what else Lady Azure wants to take from our visit.