<<They wish to leave memories with you. Many among them are soon to be Graven. They will be lost to the ravages of endless time>>, Alexander explained to me through his meaning. <<They seek your blood. It is why they chose to help us>>.

<<No such agreement was made>>, Rosemary meant, her intentions like sharp pangs as they collided with me. <<She is not to be pursued. I will not allow her to become compensation>>.

The meanings of the untamed pyres were undecipherable to me, much like Milieu’s had been, but even less formed. It was as if their meanings were pure intention, raw and incommunicable. They shared as one. Whatever they meant to say was simply…known.

“What is it they want?” June asked, disentangling herself from her work of opening the bars on the pyre cages. “Aurelie, what is happening?”

I wanted to explain to Alexander and to Rosemary that I would agree to take the memories of the pyres, one by one in an orderly fashion until I could no longer bear to lose more blood, but before I could step forward to meet my pyre friends, one of the untamed streaked toward me, attempting to circumvent Rosemary. But my sister pyre caught him by the throat and shoved him back.

The preliminary altercation caused all the pyres to react, some howling and others salivating as their eyes fixed on me once more. They no longer seemed to care that Alexander was present.

<<It is, I believe, time to run, my dear>>, Alexander meant to me.

Oh, but I would not leave the wounded, captured pyres to be reclaimed by a new round of slavers or to bleed to Sleep from the punctures of wooden stakes. And so I left Rosemary and Alexander, who had spread their arms to make a hedge between me and the wild pyres, and I ran as fast as my body allowed, until I arrived at the first of the wagons.

I pointed to CJ, and she scrambled up onto the seat of the carriage. June, I directed to ride with her. And Niall as well.

“But Aurelie,” CJ said, her voice shaking. “How will I know where to go? How will I know what to do?”

I scrambled to locate the maps to the tunnels. I feared the young girl could not see in the dark, but Niall snatched a torch for her so I could show her the route to the nearest entrance. All this in hardly a few moments. For the sound of snarls behind me told me my time to act was limited.

“You must come with us,” CJ whispered. “Please do not stay here, Cousin. I’m frightened for you.”