"Hold still," Willow snaps for the third time in as many minutes.

"It feels like someone's running a feather across my brain." Hale wiggles uncomfortably on the bed, fingers twitching against the blankets. "It tickles."

Willow's been trying to scour Hale's mind for a trace of whoever bewitched him at the ball, but it requires absolute stillness, something Hale is struggling with. A lot.

"Stoic Hale Rennick, unable to stand a few tickles," I tease, trying to lighten the tense atmosphere. Willow looks ready to strangle him. "The damage I could do with this information is endless."

He just shoots me a sour look then sighs. "I'm really sorry Willow, let's try one more time. I promise I won't move."

She shoots him an annoyed look that I'm almost certain she learned from me. "Lay still this time or you'll never learn who was mixing your brains up and making you act like a lovesick fool."

Hale glances at me but I look away. Everything is too raw right now, I don't know if I can hide my emotions.

It seems the reminder of what's at stake is what he needs though because when she leans over and places her hands on his head, palms glowing, he manages to hold still. His whole body is stiff and locked up from the effort.

A few tense minutes go by, the only sound that of our breathing. Willow staggers away from Hale with a sharp gasp, stumbling. I struggle to get out of bed quickly and help her, but Hale beats me too it. Jumping to his feet, he grabs her gently by the shoulders and swings her around to sit her on the bed.

"Did you find anything?" we say at the same time. I don't look at him but I know he's thinking the same thing; Darius. We need Willow on our side if we are going to take him down.

"I found the intention of the spell." Willow rubs at her temples, looking weary. "Hale was supposed to get you out of the ball, to distract you. She wanted my guards gone so I could be taken without anyone noticing. I don't know what for though." I can hear the tremble of fear in her voice, though she hides it well.

"She?" I ask, looking at Hale incredulously. We heard Darius talking about Hale, about the job he was supposed to do. He had to have been the one behind this.

"Yes," Willow says firmly. "Whoever placed this spell was definitely a woman. I can get that from the impression she left behind but nothing else besides darkness. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, you did really well. We now know more than we did before and we can be extra careful."

Willow is silent for a minute then gets to her feet, mentioning going back to rest at her room. She promises to see me tomorrow before leaving Hale and I together alone.

"More puzzle pieces that don't fit," I mutter and he nods. "Well, let's just assume that Darius has an accomplice who's a woman... or perhaps the voice we heard in the tomb with him is her?"

Hale looks doubtful. "If that voice was the dark force haunting Willow, can it even be human, or female for the matter? You said it was just a dark mass."

"I don't know." I lean back against my pillows, wishing my head didn't hurt so much. Along with every other part of me. "So Darius and an accomplice make you come and try to get me to leave... but why? There are still loads of people at the ball-" A thought hits me. "Sebastian. He had to leave suddenly. I bet they were behind that too."

"So Sebastian and you both gone, that leaves only Kassia looking out for Willow," Hale muses. "They probably had a way planned to deal with her too, so Willow would be alone and defenseless, easy to take without anyone knowing."

"She said the woman wanted to take her. To do what, though? If they wanted to kill Willow, they've had plenty of other opportunities. So what could they need her for?"

I feel like I'm just running around in circles, the answers I need constantly beyond my grasp.

"I think they question we need to ask is if the necromancer showing up was a coincidence or if they are all working together," Hale says grimly.

I'd been thinking the same thing, trying to decide if we are just really that unlucky.

"I don't think they are." I pick at the blankets, pulling on a loose thread. "Darius said that they weren't going to risk making a move at the ball. And they would have mentioned the necromancer. I just doesn't add up right."

Hale nods, accepting what I say. "So with the necromancer out of the picture for a while, we need to focus on Darius." He gives me a knowing look. "We need proof before we can go to Sebastian or the council. That hasn't changed."

"I heard you the first time," I snap. "I'm not stupid."

"I never said you were," he responds calmly. "But I know you and sometimes you act without thinking, using your heart first."

I'm too tired to argue with him. It's not like I can go hunt down proof right now anyways, I can barely get up and walk to the bathing room. Which means that while I'm stuck in this bed, weak and recovering, Darius and the voice will be plotting another move against Willow.

I grind my teeth so tightly that my jaw aches.

"We'll keep an eye on her," Hale says, always aware of the directions my thoughts go. "Sebastian, Kassia and I, we'll all look out for her. Nothing will happen, I promise."

He reaches over and brushes the back of my hand lightly. I swallow back words of doubt, not wanting to question their abilities.

Hale looks at me with such understanding and I want to tell him about dying, about Baeyr, about looking across that ballroom floor and seeing him, bloody and broken, still reaching for me. I want to pour my heart out, to see if the weight will lessen.

I promised myself I would be honest after the ball but the time isn't right. Dying made me want to make the most of my time now, to reach out and embrace Hale, while I still have the chance.

But dying also showed me how easily it could be for Willow to end up alone. How little time I could have to help her. A feeling of urgency is crushing my lungs in my chest. I don't have time to worry about my own happiness.

A bitter part of me is angry and frustrated that Willow always comes first, that I never get to take anything for myself. I shove it away. No time for that either.

I might be stuck in this bed, unable to find the proof we need to stop Darius but there is something I can do.

Hale is still watching me with unfathomable eyes.

"I need you to bring me the journals," I tell him.