“The truth is, Goddess, my adoptive parents are being charged with the crime of protecting me because I am a saram. I wanted to summon Mago Halmi so I could ask her—like you did once—to be reborn, but as a Gom.” I wipe my eyes and get on my knees. “But now, none of that matters. All that matters is that my sister be okay again. Please, Goddess, I beg of you, please help us save her. I’ll do anything you ask. Anything.”

The goddess pats my back. “What a burden you have been carrying, child. I’m sorry you are hurting. But I admire your honesty. It’s not an easy currency to come by in these troubled times.”

I wince. Honesty is not a virtue I can claim today.

“Unfortunately, I am not allowed to interfere in issues of the Mortalrealm. Mother Mago’s rules.” She looks sadly at Hattie. “As much of a shame as it would be to lose a baby witch—”

“But you must!” I plead, the hysteria building inside me again. “This is all my fault. She wasn’t supposed to get—”

She holds up her open hand. “Let me finish.”

I snap my mouth shut.

“I am moved by your love for your sister. I also have sisters—five of them, in fact. And I, too, would stop at nothing to protect their interests.” She affectionately traces Hattie’s face with her fingers before addressing me again. “Like I said, I’m not allowed to interfere. But since I was summoned, I can offer you a job. And jobs, my dearie, must be compensated, even under Godrealm law. Would you be interested in doing a wee task for me?”

“Yes!” I shout. “Whatever you need!”

The goddess claps, and the moon flickers bright like a ruby. “Wonderful! All you need to do is find me the Godrealm’s last fallen star. It’s a piece of my world that doesn’t belong here. While it can only enhance beauty in the Godrealm, on Earth it can grant its user divine power. That power has driven humans mad with greed and wrought only destruction and despair. I want to remove this evil from your world. If you bring the star to me, I will reward you.” She smiles at me. “You, my child, will be reborn in my image—as a Gom and a healer. And I will restore your sister’s life. This I promise you.”

Emmett squeezes my hand, and I squeeze back with all my might. I have no idea what the Godrealm’s fallen stars are, what they look like, or how we’d go about finding the last one. We are completely out of our depth, and I am terrified. But right now, all that matters is Hattie. And if we have a chance to save her, we must take it.