Finding her way to the dining hall proved difficult.

The castle was a maze of stone walls, staircases, locked doors, and silent wings. Credence called to John and Ajo but neither answered her, leaving her helpless in the labyrinth of Ajo's home. The echo of her steps bouncing off the high walls made her feel like a beetle trying to navigate through a mountain.

At last, Credence stumbled upon a familiar area, a ballroom she and John had walked through several times before. She knew the dining hall was a few rooms away, and this put speed behind her steps and an anxious caution in her heart.

What would Ajo say to her? They hadn't parted on the most pleasant terms, but he had seen to her care and safety. He must have understood what a shock it had been for Credence to discover the truth of the Soul Bind spell.

She reminded herself to speak more about his promise to teach her defense magic. She had not forgotten the ghastly act that had prompted its necessity.

She wondered what Ajo would have planned to make it up to her. She was certain she was ready to accept it. Regardless of what the cat said, Credence had come to a decision during the interlude in the bath, that she would embrace the freedom of letting go and welcome without caution whatever may come.

Ma would have warned against it.

But Ma was dead, and Credence was here.

The Queen would have warned against it.

But the Queen was imprisoned, and Credence was here.

Lilith, strangely, had been right after all, always urging Credence to take what she wanted without remorse.

But, of course, Lilith was gone, too.

And Credence was here.

She opened the door to the dining hall, hoping Ajo would already be waiting. Her eyes found his seat, where an enormous figure sat in Ajo's place, several feet taller and worlds more menacing.

Ajo was waiting, but it was not the man she had hoped to find.

It was the Collector.

The monster was hunched over, its body covering the table, which was bereft of any food or dishes. Its emptiness was a mercy, for the Collector spilled black from its exposed ribs, blanketing the surrounding table and floor with ichor.

It had been so long since Credence had seen it, and she had forgotten how terrifying a thing it was to behold. Its curved horns stretched high enough to pierce the shadows of the ceiling where the light could not reach, and its horse-like skull was laid on the table, its fangs digging shallow scratches into the wood. Its arms were extended, reaching to Credence's chair, and its talons touched the seat she occupied for every dinner.

Credence clung to the door, ready to flee the instant the monstrosity moved, but the Collector did not stir upon her entrance. The only motion came from the gnarled organ beneath its ribs, which pulsed and twitched and pumped forth an endless stream of ink-like bile.

Why had Ajo transformed into this abomination?

Perhaps he had grown tired of Credence's company, and this appearance was a declaration of war.

I should not have chosen the gown, Credence thought. She'd have limited movement in the long, weighted skirt.

She watched the creature for a fearful time, waiting for it to rise and attack.

But the Collector remained still.

Credence hid herself behind the door, using it as a shield.

"Hello," she whispered, then a bit louder, "Hello, Ajo."

It did not move.

"Are you going to fight me?" Her voice carried over the room with the same squeak of the child who met it in the woods. "I don't want to fight you," she admitted. Then, hoping she might sway its mind, she added, "I'm afraid."

Afraid of what? her mind asked.

"I'm afraid of you."

Splash, another wave of black tumbled to the floor.

She thought to leave. To run and not stop until she found a way out of the purple world.

And yet.

The Collector was Ajo. A nasty piece of him, but Ajo all the same. What would it do now if it saw her? Would it become hostile or would it remember their time together?

She gathered her courage and slipped from behind the door. She walked to the table, praying she was not making a costly mistake, and lifted her dress to keep it from getting stained by the black pool on the floor.

When she was within reach of it, she saw the feathers of its cowl shifting under the movement of breath.

"Ajo?" she dared to whisper.

Splash.

She allowed herself a moment to fully take in the beast up close. There was a smell to it, she discovered, like juniper berries gone sour, something fermented and bitter. Beneath the burned bones of its ribs, the exposed organ was wrapped tightly inside thorny vines, and their points pierced it from every angle. The heart continued to beat fast and true, but it was in obvious distress. Did the Collector feel the agony of that tortuous cage all the time?

She had seen something like this before, when she—

Credence gasped.

They were the same vines and thorns that had wrapped around the tree she destroyed.

No, that couldn't be true. It was a coincidence and nothing more, that their color bore a striking resemblance to the ones she created.

All thorns look alike, she tried to convince herself.

A mad thought flickered across her mind, to unwrap the binding around the heart, but in an instant it was gone, deemed as too dangerous a risk.

A question spilled from her mouth before she could think against it.

"Is this what I would marry? Is the face I'm meant to look upon with love?"

The king and the beast. He was both, on that point he never lied to her.

She understood now, that she would have to accept Ajo for all that he was.

Credence extended a careful hand towards him and brushed her fingers across his shoulders, waiting for him to respond to her touch. He did not, so she ran her fingers through the cowl, and the fur and feathers tickled her skin as she explored the surprising softness of them. She looked at the talons on his hands and feet—

And at last she saw the bells wrapped around his ankles.

More thorns, like the ones that choked his heart, pierced into the black fur, wound so tightly they had begun to reshape and thin the ankle. There were dozens of bells entwined there, made of thin metal, many of them gnarled and mangled over time. A few of the bells had opened, and their bent edges were turned around, digging their sharp points into the flesh beneath the fur.

Credence always imagined they'd be something like jewelry, but these were a heavy punishment. It must have been utter torment to walk, as they no doubt sank and lifted in and out of his body, over and over, with each step.

"I shouldn't be afraid of you," she whispered and pulled her hand away.

He was unquestionably intimidating, but there was something compelling about the striking, fearsome figure. Maybe it needn't be an image of danger and threat, but a symbol of strength and protection.

Credence made her way back to the door and quit the dining hall. 

Upon her departure, she left the last of fear with the behemoth slumped over the table. 

***

It was night in Ajo's world.

It was night.

Credence didn't notice it at first, even when the light of the full moon hit her face.

It was only when she was in the field, and saw Ajo's jasmine tree glowing under its beams that she was made aware of the shift from dusk. She was overcome with the urge to cry, not from sadness, but the wondrous recognition that she had missed its presence.

What a beautiful thing the night was!

What comfort she found in the arms of darkness and the allure of the unknown.

After all, darkness lived in her blood. The lineage of powerful witches that now existed only in her.

She had been raised to fear the unknown and abhor all evil, but the more she'd seen of the world, the more she understood what a silly notion that was. Darkness ruled as equally as light, and evil was not a thing to be conquered, but understood as part of life.

How could she avoid it when it was everywhere? In the woods, in the towns, in magic and mortals alike. The only place it hadn't run rampant was her childhood home, that speck of untouched paradise buried in the depths of her memory.

You're wrong, her mind argued. There was always darkness there, too.

Now, without the brightness of childhood to tint it, she accepted that home had never been completely safe. Darkness pervaded every hour of her life, surrounding her childhood with threats and mysteries. Secrets. The only reason she couldn't recognize it before was because she didn't know any better. 

It was time to leave notions of innocence behind, and bury them in nostalgia.

This is what it meant to grow up, she decided. Embrace the very things she was warned against as a child.

Her steps had taken her into the woods, and stopped when she reached the tree that contained the Queen.

Credence was aware that this was a goodbye.

But the tree was vacant.

Gone were the thousands of cages and prisoners.

Gone was the Queen inside of it.

Of course, she thought. Ajo released them all.

The tree's glow had diminished considerably, and with none of the magic surrounding it, it was an almost dull thing. An empty thing, like her childhood home. Just another relic of the past.

Credence closed her eyes and focused on touching the roots of the tree with her intent. The surge of magic came more quickly than ever before, and light flowed from her palms and into the tree, sinking deep into the bark. Dozens of green sprouts burst from the ground, reaching higher and higher, climbing up and around the wide trunk.

There were no thorns this time, just arms of ivy that blanketed the white.

Grow, Credence instructed.

Tender shoots grew from the ivy, blooming into trumpets the size of her hand. They were not all purple, she discovered. Some were a brilliant white, as pale as the moon.

The tree would hold no more captives, but would flourish with life for all time.

Where once the air felt stifled there was a significant relief, like a sigh settling into a long-overdue relaxation.

The tree was at peace, Credence could feel it.

But could it know such peace, she thought, had it not been for the pain before?

She turned away and caught a flash of fur moving in the woods.

A wolf stood some distance away.

Credence smiled at John, at the awe in his gaze as he beheld the tree. 

After a moment the animal disappeared, and Credence followed him to the field, where he sat and waited for her to join him.

A whimper escaped his lips when she drew near.

"I imagine things will never be the same," she said, answering an unspoken question. "Whatever comes of it...I want you to know..."

She bent down and placed a kiss on the top of his head.

"I forgive you, John."

The wolf shuddered. He turned and ran from her, and Credence watched him disappear into the distance.

She was happy for him.

Credence lifted her face towards the moon. It was much bigger than she remembered, and looked so close she thought she might be able to leap from the ground onto its face.

What kind of life would be waiting for her there?

She closed her eyes and pulled from the satellite, neither asking nor demanding, without love or hate, simply taking the energy she desired from it.

Unbidden, her feet moved her through the field, and she began to skip and jump. She spun around, kicking up dirt and grass as she moved. She had given over to such frolic before, in the moment she shared with Life, but this felt altogether new. She was not calling to Life, she was calling to herself. Embracing the power she knew she was. Not giving up, but giving over.

She waved her hand and life burst into view. Hundreds of flowers sprouted across the field, with blooms of every shade in the world, dotting the landscape as far as she could see.

But they were wrong.

She twisted her hand into a fist and the blooms withered into dried husks, turning the field into a blanket of death. Credence walked over their remains, delighting in the crunch they released, and when she waved her hand once more a wave of green spread rapidly as life returned. From it grew thousands of purple lilies, all standing strong and proud.

She danced through them.

A wind picked up and tore several of the lilies from the ground. It took their petals and swirled them into a cloud that moved after Credence.

As it grew, the cloud began to take shape, until it settled into the form of a man.

A man made of flowers.

The wind lifted petals from his body and rained them down upon the couple.

The man dipped into a bow. He was asking her to dance.

Credence returned his bow with a curtsy and they began to move, neither one daring to touch the other, but dancing in tandem, apart but together.

It was a dance painted with urgency and flirtatious invitation. 

The man moved towards her with purpose and Credence opened her arms to accept his embrace. 

Just as his flowered hand touched her skin she whispered, "Ajo."

The instant they collided there was an explosion of petals, and in the man's place was the King of the Wood.

They moved as one. Bells followed them, creating a lovely tune under their movement.

Ajo guided her across the field at dizzying speed, and Credence felt the freeing euphoria of giving in to his lead. When she was gasping for air he slowed their dance, and as he let go Credence had to steady herself to keep balance.

"You called me," he whispered.

"I did."

Ajo pulled away and his gaze left her face. His eyes grew wide as they admired her figure in the dress, and Credence felt like the most supreme being in all the world.

"Do you love me?" she asked.

"Yes," Ajo replied.

"I want you to show me."

"Tell me how."

"Sacrifice. Only then will I know your love is true." She swallowed. "And I will agree to marry you."

Ajo smiled and his happiness was breathtaking. He took her hands and boldly kissed them several times.

"What must I do?"

"Relinquish your secrets. I want to go into the vault."

His grip tightened.

"And if you hate me after? What if you want nothing from me once you've seen what's inside?"

"I give you my word."

"I don't know if that will be enough...Is this the only way?"

"Yes."

His energy changed. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Whatever you see in there—please...you must promise to leave it behind. And remember that I love you."

"I will."

He pulled her into his arms.

"Will you marry me, Credence?"

"Yes, Ajo. I will."

They walked to the burned door and Ajo waved his hand over it. The door opened, revealing a staircase that descended into black.

Ajo placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Before you enter, there is someone I must warn you about. My mother is in there."

Credence gaped at him. "That's not possible—she was in the tree—"

"No, Credence. She has always been kept here."

"I spoke with her."

Ajo shook his head and Credence took a step away from him.

"Explain yourself," she demanded.

"She was calling to you in your dreams. When I discovered her plot, I could not allow her hatred to sway you. She would have ruined any chance we...and I needed a way to speak to you without your anger blinding you."

"Who was I talking to in the tree?"

Ajo gave her a helpless look.

"Me. But everything she said—I said—was the truth."

"You told me she was a liar."

"I..." He struggled to find the proper words. "I needed you to believe. I thought if I appeared in opposition...it would make it easier."

Credence released a bitter laugh. "I should have known...everything else was a mockery...I should have guessed any company would be the same."

"The words spoken were not meaningless. They were as honest as my love."

"What will your real mother tell me?"

"My guess is it will not be anything pleasant."

"She's a prisoner in there?"

"As a necessity."

"You promised to free her."

"And I will keep that promise. But...I thought you would like to meet her first." He sighed. "That is the last secret I've kept from you. Please understand, what I did...I wanted a chance to...Now you know everything, and now you will see everything."

"I will return with your mother, and you will release her."

"Yes."

"And you will beg her forgiveness for what you've done. You will make this right."

Ajo gave her a hard look but nodded. "I will."

"I'm certain once we've spoken she will understand that you have changed. I only hope she's not so furious that she withholds the knowledge of the Soul Bind spell."

He winced. "I will wait here."

"And I will return," Credence promised and stepped inside.

The door closed after her.

The vault was plunged into pitch and she could see nothing ahead, not even her own hand. Credence braced herself for a sightless descent.

Several torches burst into flame, lighting her way forward. The stairs ended at an antechamber, a small room containing three doors.

Two of them were painted green and red respectively, and had symbols carved upon them. A sun for the red door, a moon for the green.

The third door was not painted or marked, but stood out from the other two as a wretched sight. It was badly scorched, like the outside of the vault, and there were deep scratches embedded upon its face.

Choosing the closest one to enter first, Credence opened the red door with the sun.

Behind it was a room filled with an assortment of bottles, bowls, and other containers. It reminded Credence of the tree with its prisoners, but instead of animals and sprites there were moving images inside, which gave off their own unique glow.

She had seen such things before. She had caught glimpses of these treasures behind a forbidden door in Lilith's home.

Memories, Credence realized.

The life of Ajo.

Every moment of his existence was here to behold.

She stared in wonder at the vastness of them.

There was no clear signal on where to begin, so Credence chose the nearest item, a long-necked vial that glowed with amber light.

The instant her fingers touched it the room dissolved, and Credence found herself in the center of Ajo's memory, watching it unfold before her eyes.