Valerie waited for Tam under a large tree just outside the Foxfire campus. Lihn had been taking care of Wylie that day, so she couldn't come. That was better in Valerie's opinion, less people would be put in harm's way.

Right on time, Tam pushed through the brush and spotted Valerie.

"So," he walked over. "What was SO important that we had to meet in the middle of nowhere."

"We're not in the middle of nowhere." Valerie jerked her thumb over her shoulder, pointing at the elite towers behind them.

He rolled his eyes. "Still, why couldn't we just meet at Havenfield or something? And why can't I tell the others?"

"Because they have their hands full trying to find Sophie's human parents." Valerie stood. "And I wanted to make sure we weren't being watched."

Tam stiffened. "Has someone been watching you?"

Valerie placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "I don't know for sure, but I have my suspicions."

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" He asked confusedly.

Valerie sighed. "No." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small blue leaping crystal. "Someone gave this to me a few days ago, after we went to check on Sophie's human family." She stared at it. "I woke up with it in my cape pocket and no I didn't put it there."

"Where does it go?" He examined the crystal.

"I'm not sure. I didn't want to risk walking into a trap." She handed him the blue gem.

He squinted at the precious stone. "And you have no idea who gave it to you?"

Valerie leaned back against the tree. "No, but it came with a letter: For a rainy day. Signed F."

Tam handed back the crystal. "Well that's helpful."

Valerie chuckled at his sarcasm. "My thoughts exactly."

Tam pushed his bangs out of his eyes, only for them to fall back into the same place. "What do we do with it?"

Valerie sighed. "I don't know." She shoved the gem back into her pocket. "I want to find out who gave it to me before I go leaping to an unknown location in the Forbidden Cities."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "That's probably a good plan."

Valerie leaned her head against the tree.

Tam cleared his throat. "If it's not too personal, why did you choose to come to me and not Wylie?"

Valerie looked at him. "Because I'm not ready to pull him back into all this crap. I wish he'd never had to get involved."

Tam shuffled over and awkwardly held her hand.

Valerie laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you, Tam."

He stood there for a long time, letting Valerie lean against him.

Finally, the sun began to dip below the horizon.
He carefully pulled away. "I should go."

Valerie nodded and pulled out a leaping crystal of her own. "I'll see you around."

"Yeah." He glittered away, leaving Valerie alone in the woods.

She took a deep shaky breath. She hadn't wanted him to leave. He kept the cold away. Now, she felt completely alone. She raised her crystal to the dying light and leaped away, the light temporarily chasing away the darkness that clouded her mind.