Millie gave me a hard look.

“What?” I said.

“You’ve been hiding something,” she said.

“No, I haven’t.”

“What did Reverend Cyde mean when she said everyone might live or die by your success? Why was she already preparing to send you to Ventris before Celane found us? I’m not stupid, El. There’s more going on here than you’re telling us.”

They were all looking at me; Finn had stopped walking, Osan’s eyes were sharp. I pressed my lips together. I knew I needed to say something, but the excuses I had prepared evaporated from my mind. My behaviour had already been unfair; I could not keep up the pretence any longer.

“I’m trying to cure Finn,” I said slowly. “Reverend Cyde believed that there might be a way, and that it could lie at the end of this path.”

They reacted as I had anticipated they would. Initially with incomprehension, and then Millie’s face lit up with wild hope and relief. Osan was more guarded, almost mistrustful. Finn … Finn was angry. I held my head high.

“It’s not a guarantee,” I said. “But if there’s a way to fix you, then maybe the other Haunts—”

“You came down here chasing a fairy tale?” Finn’s eyes flashed. “That’s what really drove you to Ventris?”

“I have reason to believe Cyde was right.”

He swore and turned away, as if he couldn’t even bear to look at me.

“My visions showed me the temple,” I continued, refusing to back down. “I was meant to come here.”

“No,” he snarled. “You weren’t ‘meant’ to do anything. You could have stayed on Aytrium, away from all this shit, away from these Haunts. You could have been safe.”

“Yes, safe, with half the Order trying to eat me alive.” I folded my arms. “This goes beyond us, Finn. An end to Haunts would mean a waning of the Order’s dominance; Aytrium would no longer depend on Sisters for its survival. No more Renewals. No more martyrs. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“I never asked for this.”

“But here we are.” I wished he would look at me. “And what if it works? What if I can stop what’s happening to you? I’m willing to fight for that.”

“Is it really possible?” Millie’s voice was husky with emotion. “How would it work?”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I hope I’ll figure it out once we get there.”

“Still, there’s a chance?” She laughed breathlessly. “That’s something. You really think it’s possible?”

“Stop it, Millie,” snapped Finn.

She didn’t say anything else, but her eyes shone with a new fervour. Her hope was infectious; it buoyed me up and restored my determination. Maybe I could do it. Maybe this would really fix everything. As we continued down the path, Millie’s face occasionally broke into a smile, nervous and fleeting, like she was fighting to keep her expectations in check.