"What else did you see?"

Dawn was breaking as the group circled around Opal as they rested for a quick meal before continuing down The Road. Yue was mostly hidden by the cover of the carriage but was being a little risky keeping it partially open so he could hear the story. There were lots of other families and caravans pulled over resting beside them.

She'd nearly jumped out of the wagon after returning from the memory, too excited to properly explain what she was excited about. She stopped when she realized she needed to think over what she'd seen and decide what was worth telling and what should be kept private.

"A waterfall came down over the top of the house, or, partially in the house too. It was like it was created especially for the waterfall."

Kait was leaning forward. "You said there were other demons- do you know what kind? Did they say anything?"

Opal focused on not glancing at Obsidian or Gabbro. "I couldn't see their faces, everything was a little blurry on that part. I think- I think I almost heard my name."

Spark squinted. "Your name isn't Opal?"

She stared at him. "I... I guess not." She been able to hear the other name but somehow knew what he had said wasn't Opal.

"That's not unusual." Yue's voice began from behind the tapestry. "I doubt many demons use their real names when in human cities and apparently you came to the camp from one."

"I'm not surprised you seemed to be the one leading the group, wherever it was you were going." Proga's eyes were bright gold. "Seems natural for you. And, you were able to hide you were a demon from us until your injury."

"That's all great but did you figure out what you are? What can you actually do other than hang out by waterfalls?" Spark shook his head. "Sounds like you didn't learn that much."

Kait hit him but Opal's smile remained. Maybe to him it wasn't much but to her it was everything. She did have family before she was trapped. She even seemed to have a home and- and she seemed to have found two of them already. She was more sure than ever that whatever had been done to Obsidian was related to her, and Gabbro's, lost memories.

"You didn't tell us how it happened- you said you knew it wasn't a dream. Was it triggered by something on The Road?" Proga cocked his head. "We can go back to where we were if you think it would help."

"Oh- no. Yue's brother-"

"My brother can wait a few hours I'm sure. This is important."

"I don't think it was where I was but... I'm not sure."

"Could be lots of things." Gabbro added and looked at Kait. "Smells can be a strong trigger for memory, correct healer?"

Kait shrugged. "Sure. You think that was what it was, Opal? The Road has a lot of strange activity on it. Lots of things could bring up memories."

"I for one, remember stepping on a particularly sharp edge of a picture frame when I saw a cart pulling a box of them." Proga looked down at his foot and frowned.

Opal hoped her face was neutral. She was still barely believed Gabbro had kissed her she wasn't about to share that was what caused the memory. "Maybe."

Spark dusted off the crumbs from his breakfast and got up, stretching an arm above his head. "Well, if she doesn't want to go back are we gonna keep going or what? We're almost to the exit, right?"

"Correct. I would expect us to get to the territory edge before nightfall if we keep going."

"There you go." Opal clapped her hands at Yue's words, happy to change the focus again.

They pushed the wagon back over the entrance bridge. Opal tried to discreetly make her way to walk next to Gabbro once Kait and Proga had taken up their usual discussion reminiscing about the last time they were on The Road. Soon, Opal might be able to do that as well.

"So, the memory. It was all fuzzy?" Spark suddenly appeared next to her. "Or was it shiny?'

"Both maybe? Yes- well, not all of it. Just many of the demons it was hard to see their faces. But I could see the landscape very well."

Spark nodded. He stared past her, swinging his hands so the bands swirled around and around his wrists. Thinking the conversation was over she tried to carefully change her pace but he fell instep beside her again.

"And ya sure you didn't recognize any of them?"

"Like I said, I couldn't see any of their faces that well."

"If-" Spark's yellow eyes narrowed.

She lifted a hand, urging him to continue instead of holding her up.

He shrugged. "Never mind. Glad your brain isn't busted up as much." His sharp toothed grin remained a little unnerving. He finally moved to catch up with Kait again letting her slide back next to Gabbro and his brother. Since his little outburst last night he seemed a little more tired than before but no less pleased to see Opal.

"Hello big sister."

"Hello Obsidian. No thank you." She told him before the demon could offer her whatever was in his hands. Obsidian didn't seem offended by this.

Once Opal woke up, she'd told Gabbro everything she could remember as soon as she was able to form a coherent sentence, excited by the discovery and terrified that she might forget again before she was able to make sure someone else knew. According to him it had only been a second or two where she had sat up with her eyes still closed, and a moment later was completely awake. He had tried hard to see if he could come up with any similar memories and even let her know he gently tried to see if any of that sounded familiar to Obsidian but whatever memory removal they'd been placed under seemed to hold strong.

"So-"

"So, you are wondering when we can try and unlock more of your memories?"

Opal bit her lip and nodded rapidly. She got the hint of a smile in return that she was starting to associate with her stomach flip-flopping. "Maybe tonight or...?"

"I think." Gabbro kept his eyes forward. "We should give you a night to rest. That seemed to exhaust you to remember- probably since you had to fight around a curse to do it. Like Obsidian does."

Opal's shoulders drooped. It was a good point though. She did feel lightheaded from more than just from excitement.

"I guess."

"Also, the carriage was a lucky situation for privacy. That might be difficult to recreate without drawing attention."

"Right. I... about that. Thank you. For helping. I'm sorry that... that seems to be the only way it works."

"I see." His green eyes assessed her. "Are you really sorry, Opal?"

Her mouth went a little dry. She'd not told him all of the truth. She said that the second he kissed her she wasn't aware of anything else anymore, completely immersed in the memory but that wasn't totally true. As the images started appearing she could still feel his mouth against hers, and when he pulled away she felt that too. Maybe next time the memory would wait long enough to give her a chance to enjoy it.

She tilted her chin up, feeling bold. After all, in her memory he'd bowed to her. "No. I guess I'm not."

"Not what, big sister?"

"Not feeling as alone now that you and your brother are here, little brother."

Obsidian beamed at her as the three of them trailed behind the wagon.

-----

Dusk was falling when they exited The Road. To Opal's surprise the landscape on the outside was completely new. Gone were the shifting grasslands and thick woodlands. The ground outside was soft and wet, marshy. A narrow strip of trail was created by the cemented strips of trees, outlined on either side by gently swaying fronds and cattails. Yue waited until they were no longer able to hear anything traffic before he assessed the sky. Without the complete darkness it was hard to be sure, but it became clear that they would not be able to stay on the trail forever.

"This is what they meant about it being hard to get to Tixe, then?" Opal eyed the boggy mess on either side of them and looked back at the wagon. She didn't know how far down it went, but even if they managed to avoid sinking she couldn't figure out how they would get around with that.

"Bloom meant it when he said it wasn't easy to access." Yue's expression was mild, to her surprise. She would have assumed he would be frustrated by this development. "We have about two kilometers before we need to find mallows. Hopefully there is one left."

"Mallows-?" Opal looked around in confusion at the swaying grasses.

"Snobby piece of shit... Are ya going to explain?" Spark slapped away a cattail that brushed against him and sneezed. Yue only gave him a smirk.

Kait rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand before Spark could fill it with fire to chuck at the prince. "We can find it."

"So, it's a competition then? I bet we find one first." Proga nudged Opal, who, not completely understanding, nodded with him.

Kait narrowed her eyes and her fingers laced between Spark's. "No. We will, right?"

Spark was staring down at their hands together. "Huh?"

"She's a little competitive." Proga scratched his ear watching Kait pull Spark past the wagon and run down the cedar platform ahead of them.

"What are they looking for?"

"You mean what are we looking for. Unless you don't want to be on my team?"

Opal shoved him. "Don't pout."

"I'm not." He insisted, sticking his lip out further.

"Fine, fine, I'll be on your team." Opal agreed and was rewarded with a flash of gold brighter than she'd seen in days. "Now tell me what we are looking for?"

"Rose mallows are a type of flower. About this big, more pinkish. I'm assuming whatever ritual opens up the entrance to Tixe requires them."

"So no walking through a swamp."

"Only if you want to."

She wrinkled her nose. "I'm good. So what's the plan? Do we need to catch up to them?" The planks had narrowed for the next hundred meters- they would have to wait to run past the wagon.

"I guess we'll see if we missed any?" The two of them searched along the side for pink flowers but it was difficult with the number of plants. Proga whistled terribly the whole time and occasionally yelled 'aha!' only to point out something that was very obviously not the correct flower.

Opal rolled her eyes each time and kept looking. Nothing pink anywhere. She was starting to bore of this.

"Proga! Come here quick!"

"You find it?"

"It's too far for me to reach."

"Where?"

Opal pointed to a stick. Proga burst out laughing and she smiled.

"Proga, I think they are going to win. I bet if we walked past any earlier Yue would have said something."

"Ah, they have distance, but we have altitude. If you wouldn't mind getting on my back, that is."

"As long as you don't drop me."

Proga shook his head solemnly. "Never."

Opal allowed herself to be lifted only to see a wicked grin appear on his face. She shrieked as he spun her out so her legs dangled over the swamp. Gabbro and Obsidian stuck their heads out of the back of the cart and Yue came around the front, frost shining on his palm.

"What's going on?"

"He tried to throw me in the swamp!"

"I did no such thing." He was currently holding so she had her hands around his neck.

Yue put a hand over his eyes. "Opal, please save that noise for actual danger."

"But-"

The prince headed back to the front, rubbing his temples.

Proga giggled when Opal swatted him repeatedly. "I didn't realize you'd be so loud."

"Well you just lost your partner in flower spotting."

"No! No I apologize!"

Opal squirmed. "Let me down!"

He placed her back on the planks. "Tell me what to do, I can't lose my teammate." His expression was sincere.

Opal glowered.

"Anything."

"Anything?" She tapped her chin, and grinned. "Ok. You jump in the swamp and-" before she could finish he took two steps and fell right in. The swamp gulped up to his chest. Her eyes widened. She hadn't actually thought he'd do it.

"Done. Now what?"

Opal laughed. "You're insane. Aren't you cold?"

"Freezing." He held out a hand and she took it automatically. It only occurred to her that with his size she wouldn't even be able to offer him any help getting out when his grin returned.

"Don't you dare."

His smile widened and with a quick pull she fell forward. To her relief he caught her easily, keeping even the tips of her splayed fingers from touching the cold muck.

His face was inches from hers. His eyes were glowing gold now but oddly earnest. "See? Promised I'd never drop you." He told her quietly.

Opal felt herself swallow and found she couldn't remember what retort she'd planned.

"We win!"

They both turned their heads to see Kait standing on the plank, a handful of pale pink flowers in her hands.

"Why are you in the swamp?" Spark crossed his arms. "They were growing right along the sides."

"Opal pushed me." Proga stated, setting her back down. "Apparently I wasn't looking hard enough. I said- 'I'm trying Opal please! Please don't be angry!' " The swamp slurped as it released his foot.

Opal opened her mouth but Kait only shook her head. "He needs a new robe."

"I think that orange one is clean." Proga flashed a bright smile and squished towards the cart leaving Opal confused and oddly warm for the chill of the evening.

-------

Awhile later they stood in front of a line of flattened cattails. Up close she could see they were not just flat but woven together like a mat. Gabbro and Yue were both examining it closely.

"Kait- right here."

Opal leaned forwards, trying to figure out what Yue was pointing towards. It only just stuck out, a swirl of reeds that seemed to be a funnel. Kait let the flowers flutter into the opening. Yue scooped up two handfuls of swamp water and poured it in after. They waited.

"You sure it was two?" Yue asked Gabbro, brow furrowed.

"Yes. You sure it was rose mallow?"

"Yes." But he sounded less certain.

A minute passed. Then two.

Yue's foot tapped. "Proga, please get the map again. Maybe I read wrong."

Spark groaned. "What's the point of all those fancy lessons if you can't read a simple spell?"

"Big sister, I want to touch it."

"Uh- Obsidian, I think we should wait."

"The pretty prince missed a step. As did big brother." He ran his fingers down the sides and pinched.

Opal reached out to try and stop him, worried he might try and yank the fragile cup from the ground. Instead, he jerked his head to the side rhythmically and then he tugged a flat disk from the opening that was blocking the flowers from going down the tube.

Opal watched the water and flowers flow down, down.

A moment later a light appeared. Then another. One cattail after another blinked on in a row just in front of them, swirling through the swamp.

Obsidian shot her a dry smile and stepped out next to the first light. He didn't fall in. Opal bent to see the same wood of the main path just inches below the water.

"Hey- Yue! We figured it out- well, Obsidian figured it out!"

"What?" Yue reappeared, map in hand and blinked at Obsidian standing in the middle of the swamp, he bowed and offered Yue his elbow.

"This way, Prince."