Iolite's POV:

I heard someone screaming my name, a woman. The door burst open and I spun around, only to face Isara, her eyes wide with terror. "Iolite, you need to come outside. Now."

I brushed a strand of my purple hair behind my ear. "What's going on? How urgent is it?"

"Very!" she snapped. "There's some man here from Galena, who just escaped death. He's bleeding, and begging to see you. It's important." As she spoke, she nervously twisted a lock of her long blue hair around her finger. "Please."

I let out a long sigh. "Fine." I started to walk toward her, and Isara turned and jogged out of the room. "First Safire, now this," I grumbled under my breath.

After walking briskly to the center of the town, I found a huge crowd gathered. People were yelling and looking at something in the middle of the crowd, running and back and forth with wild looks in their eyes. Someone shrieked when they saw me, and everyone was instantly in an uproar.

"Move out of the way!" I yelled, and the crowd immediately separated. I took a few steps forward to push the remaining people out of the way, wanting to solve this as quickly as possible.

A man with short red hair stood, hunched over, in the center. His face was badly bruised, and there was blood dripping down his body. He leaned against a pole with one hand, and gripped a golden necklace tightly with the other. He smiled when he saw me, an expression that looked painful. He let out a short laugh, then a cough.

"You're Iolite!" he gasped, which seemed like a very stupid thing to say. Was he brainwashed? I couldn't tell.

"What do you need?" I asked sharply, towering over the crouched man. I glared down at him, not trusting him at all. He was from Galena, Isara had said? Definitely up to something.

"Be nice!" Isara scolded me, and I directed my scathing look at her.

"Let me do what I have to do. I know better than you do, I think we've established this. Step back. This is something I have to handle." I kept glaring at her until she looked away, although she didn't flinch at my tone or expression.

"Ask me whatever you want," the man croaked. "I'm not here to hurt anyone."

I stared at him for a minute, my eyebrows raised. "Really?" I turned my head to the side and glared at him fiercely until he flinched. "Do you have any weapons on you?"

"One," he admitted, suddenly looking scared.

"Take it out and place it on the ground in front of you," I snarled, preparing in case I needed to attack him.

The man slowly pulled out a silver gun and placed it on the ground in front of him, then backed away from it. "I took it from a Galena guard who was about to kill me," he said in a hushed voice. "I barely escaped, and I knew I couldn't stay there any longer. So I came here."

"This is Galena we're talking about," I hissed. "How could we help? We're nothing compared to them."

"I'm not asking you to attack them," he said slowly. "I know that can't be done. All I'm asking for it some medical help, and then I need to rescue a few people from Galena."

I stared at him for a minute. "The medical help is fine. But what's this about a few people from Galena?"

"They're not normal Galena citizens," he said quickly. "They're from Ruxomar." He looked up hopefully. "Maybe you've heard of them?"

Spark's POV:

"There's been a change of plans," the scientist said, returning after a talk with a guard. "The operation's been delayed a day. Is that fine with you?"

I nodded, smiling. "I'm fine, thank you. Whatever you guys need."

She smiled back. "Wonderful. Just stay here, okay?" I nodded as she exited the room once more. "I'll have someone come get you in a few hours and we'll give you a nice place to stay for the night."

"Okay." I sat back on the chair I was given, and grinned at the wall as if I would be content staring at it for hours. I didn't stop until the door clicked behind her, and the sound of her footsteps in the hallway had long faded away.

I waited for about five minutes, impatiently tapping my fingers on the armrest. Once I was unable to hear anyone around me, I walked over to the door and opened it a crack, peering down the hallways.

Empty.

I knew I would be caught, but I had to try. I couldn't just wait here to lose my memories, could I? I put on a false smile and exited, deciding that, if anyone questioned me, I would make up some lie saying I got lonely or wanting a drink of water.

That would work, wouldn't it?

Martha's POV:

I hadn't tested my powers in ages, desperately trying to hide them from Galena. Now, with Ambrosia at my side, I felt more safe. I summoned a weapon for her, a thin violet knife. She tucked it into her jacket along with her own weapon, and smiled encouragingly at me.

"This is so dangerous," I muttered, staring at my hands.

"I know," Ambrosia said in a hushed voice. "But what choice do we have?"

"We don't have one," I answered, my voice hollow.

"Exactly." I could feel her multicolored eyes focusing on me. "You do want to save Spark... your father... right?"

"Of course I do," I snapped, clenching my hands into fists.

"Then we have to do this." She leaned against the wall and folded her arms, narrowing her eyes. "This is for the good of everyone in Ruxomar, isn't it?"

"You know," I said suddenly. "Maybe going to Chrysoberyl isn't such a bad idea."

Ambrosia threw her hands up in exasperation. "Really? After all this? That might be even more dangerous, with Safire and everything."

"Andor and Alyssa are there," I reminded her. "Because I really don't think that Safire killed them. Do you?"

She shook her head slowly. "But I don't know if we have time."

"Then we split up." Ambrosia looked up sharply, and I nodded. "You can go to Chrysoberyl. Beg Iolite, or someone, for help. Go to Zincite if you need. I'll save Spark, or at least do what I can."

She stared at me for a long time, opening and closing her mouth in an attempt to argue. Finally, she gave up, covering her eyes with her hands. "Fine, Martha. I'll do that. I think it's a bad idea, but I'll do it."

I looked out the window, at the pitch-black sky covering the white city, wondering if these could be my last thoughts.