Cosimia had never stayed away this long. She and the patrol had brainstormed for nights at an end without rest, but the full effect of her sleeplessness hadn't hit her yet. Cosimia just wished it wouldn't come in the middle of their escape. She traced her finger over the rough, worn parchment and felt shivers of excitement shoot up her spine. This was actually happening- tonight, she would finally get to leave the rings. She ran her fingers through her tangled, knotted locks in a futile attempt to smooth them out. She hadn't talked to Mother ever since their argument and she had already convinced herself that she didn't need Mother's help with this. But this escape was the first thing she had ever done without Mother's assistance. Cosimia had always felt a little embarrassed that Mother was always helping her with everything- especially considering she was 19 years old. She didn't need her mother's help anymore. She was a young woman, capable of making her own decisions. At least, she hoped she was. The decision she had made to carry out tonight was a huge one, one that would cause her immediate expulsion from the Elite and probably disgrace her family. Her heart pained at the thought of it but she pushed it out of her mind. Her duty was to Saturnus; not preserving her family's coveted position.

A knock echoed through her chambers and Cosimia leaped off the bed in panic. She scanned the room wildly for a place to stash the plans. Whoever was at the door, if it wasn't a member of her patrol they couldn't see the plans, otherwise everything they had been working on would be for naught. Cosimia grimaced from her haggard expression but knew that she had no time to fix it now. She opened the door reluctantly, both flooded with equal parts of joy and terror at seeing her brother standing there.

"Mathias! How nice of you to visit!" Cosimia gasped, grabbing his arm and dragging him inside the room. Mathias looked around, bemused.

"You've been busy." He said, quirking a brow at her. Cosimia flushed but raised her chin to meet his silver gaze.

"Do you need something? As you noticed, I've been quite swamped with work." Mathias studied her, his keen eyes raking over every inch of her. She fought the urge to squirm.

"Are you okay, little sister?" His voice took on a soft edge. Cosimia nodded vigorously, hoping she didn't come off too excited. She would love to tell Mathias about everything, just like she used to, but Mathias was now associated with the king and queen. As much as it made her chest ache to say this, but she couldn't trust him with her secrets anymore.

"Why wouldn't I?" Cosimia adapted an innocently confused expression. He shifted and adjusted the thick draperies on her extremely tall ceilings.

"I haven't seen much of you anymore and now, with your argument with Mother, and this new role," he exhaled forcefully, shaking his head. "I'm worried about you, Cosi." Cosimia wet her lips and forced the tears away. If she cried, Mathias would know for sure if something was wrong.

"Well, you shouldn't. I'm fine." She forced her voice to sound clear and strong. Mathias walked around her room, observing everything. Meanwhile, Cosimia's head whirled with possible ways Mathias could've figured out about her plan to leave. Why else would he scrutinize the room so closely? He surely couldn't have visited her to admire the walls and tapestries.

"Cosimia?" She shook her head and looked at him, going cold from the top of her head to the tips of her toes as she saw Mathias hold up a familiar, worn scroll. She opened her mouth to give a hasty explanation but the words were pasted to her throat.

"What is this?" He asked firmly but gently. Cosimia bit her shaky bottom lip. If Mathias took this to Mother, she was powerless. Everything she had planned for would be ruined. But more than that, Cosimia didn't think she would be able to keep herself standing if Mathias betrayed her. Her brother, her protector. Her best friend. But she also couldn't blame him. He had a duty and responsibility to the crown.

"I'm not saying anything. You're just going to tell Mother."

Hurt flickered in his eyes and he stumbled back a few steps in disbelief. "You believe I would hurt you like that?"

"I don't know, Mathias," Cosimia replied, exhausted. "I don't know who to trust anymore." His gaze softened and he dropped the scroll on the chaise, taking her hands in his.

"You've always been able to trust me, Cosi. You always will. Whatever you're doing, I'll help you, because I trust and believe in you. That's what siblings do." This time, Cosimia couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Mathias smiled lopsidedly.

"Well, Geneva definitely wouldn't." Cosimia snorted through the tears.

"She's an exception." Smiling at the relief on Cosimia's face, he opened the scroll and studied it. Cosimia peered over his broad shoulder anxiously.
"What do you think?"

"Well, you've obviously spent a lot of time on this. I can see that. But... you can't possibly pull this off alone. Even you know that. Who's coming with you?"

"My whole patrol." He turned to her, pursing his lips.

"Is your... pink friend going with you?" His voice couldn't stop the hope from slipping in.

"Yes. Why?" A smile broke out on her face as her brother fidgeted nervously. "You don't know how to deal with her." Cosimia giggled into her palm. He blushed, straightening.

"She's everywhere, offering to help with everything I do. I appreciate it, but it's starting to get annoying. Can you ask her to stop?"

"I'm not telling her. It will be more meaningful coming from you." Mathias went back to studying the scroll, avoiding the topic entirely.

"Anyway, when is this happening?"

"Tonight." He looked at her in surprise, brows knit in deep thought.

"I guess that makes sense, considering tonight's a free night. Nobody will be out training."

"Precisely our thoughts." Cosimia sank on the chaise, closing her palm over her eyes briefly. When she opened them to the glaring lights, she saw Mathias looking at her with anxiety in his clear eyes.

"Cosimia, when was the last time you rested?" Mathias frowned and dropped the scroll.

"That doesn't matter."

He arched a brow at her, and Cosimia squirmed under his firm gaze.

"Yes, it does. If you're planning something big, you must be alert. Sleep."

"I need to help get ready. My team should be here soon enough to prepare." She protested as Mathias clamped his hands firmly on her shoulders, guiding her to the bed. It invited her, and Cosimia thought for a quick second about submitting and falling into the softness. But Cosimia bit her lip and jerked away from his hands. She couldn't think about sleeping now, not possibly now. She didn't even know if she would be able to with all the excitement of finally leaving.

"I'm not a kid anymore, Mathias. I can take care of myself." Cosimia argued. He strode to her and swept her up, carrying her to the bed. His embrace was warm and comforting but Cosimia pushed her hands against his chest.

"You're as light as a kid." Mathias chuckled before lying her down softly on the ruffled quilt. Her eyes fluttered closed of their own accord. Mathias ran his hand over her hair before padding away softly. Cosimia sighed quietly and shifted, wrapping the quilt around her. She could bear sleeping for an hour, maybe thirty minutes. What harm could it do? The tumultuous waves of thought lulled down to a small roar, until there was silence.

Dull light entered Cosimia's vision and caused it to ache. She sat up, her limbs feeling new and fresh from the rest. She yawned, running a hand through her tangled hair. She blinked drowsily and flushed in embarrassment as she saw her whole patrol and Mathias looking at her with thinly suppressed amusement.

"I don't see what's so funny." Cosimia asked defensively before Freda burst out laughing, keeling over. Nova swatted her but a small smile played on her lips.

"Look in the mirror." Freda gasped through large breaths. Dominica got up and handed her clean clothes, which Cosimia put on hastily. She had her period of peace: now, the storm was going to begin. She ran a bristle brush through her birds nest of blue hair, wincing as she tugged painfully on the large knots that had formed from her deep sleep. Soon, she had managed to look reasonably okay. Cosimia stared at her pressed Huntress uniform, frowning slightly in remorse. It wouldn't be hers when she returned. If she returned. Shaking her head free of those thoughts, she trained her focus on the variety of weapons and supplies strewn around haphazardly. Dawn had begun to gently crest on the jagged, sharp peaks of the Badlands. Cosimia whipped around and glared at Mathias.

"How long have I been out?"

"Four hours." Mathias didn't look up from the scim he was studying.

"What? Why didn't you wake me?" Cosimia stuttered.

"You needed it, Cosi. You've been pushing yourself harder than anyone else." Airlia said, glancing at Mathias to see if he heard her comment. He didn't and Airlia frowned briefly before going back to taking inventory of all the supplies they had collected.

Cosimia took a seat next to Isadora who was overseeing the whole production.

"I can't believe we're doing this." Cosimia leaned against the wall. Isadora smirked slightly.

"I can. Honestly, this is long overdue. I can't believe no one's left yet."

"Well, aren't you even a little nervous?" Cosimia asked, turning to Isadora. She shrugged.

"You can't stop it. However, the most successful have found the thin line between overanxiety and nervousness, and used it to their advantage. Once you have found that line, give it a hard tug." The corners of Isadora's lips quirked. "Make sure that it knows that even it is capable of being broken." With that, she turned on her heel and went to assist Dominica in packing the preserves into a large bag. Cosimia pondered over her words. The problem was finding that almost-invisible line. How do you find it? What if you never find it?

What if it can't be broken? A small voice echoed in her head. Cosimia pushed it to the deep, dark depths of her mind. She would find it. There was no other choice.