Tallis turned the bell over in his hands, his distorted reflection staring back at him. He sat huddled in the corner of the couch, his secret silver treasure held where only his eyes could see. Miss Octavia didn't say why she'd given it to him, so he assumed she wanted him to keep it safe for her, like her bag.

He kept it on his person as much as he could, not wanting any of the Priests to happen upon it. But he had to be careful. One halting movement, one mistaken shake, and they would know. Its sweet chime was beautiful, but too unmistakable.

In the back of his mind, he wondered if he'd ever be able to give it back. Neither he nor any of his friends had seen Miss Octavia since the night of the winter ball. And all the adults told them to shut up if they dared mention her name.

Class wasn't the same anymore. Even though it had only been a short time since she started teaching them, Tallis had already gotten accustomed to her presence. To learning how to play his flute better.

Miss Octavia reminded him so much of his mother. Same kind eyes and warm smile. He wasn't sure why, but the world felt a little less scary when she was around.

He missed her smiles and nods of praise whenever they got something right, and her soft words of encouragement when they did something wrong. It wasn't fair. Every time something good came along it never lasted. There was always something to ruin it.

Maybe she'd come back. He wanted her to, not just to teach music but to help him. She was a necromancer, and he'd heard stories about necromancers raising the dead from the priests. Maybe...

Tallis tucked the bell back into the safety of his pocket, careful not to cause it to chime. Then he turned back to the coffee table and pulled a cookie from their tray of snacks. Arietta was curled up in an armchair with a blanket around her shoulders and a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Meanwhile, Lyra laid stretched out on the floor, propped up on her elbows as she scanned her book.

"What do you think happened to..." Arietta looked around before saying the forbidden name. "Miss Octavia?"

"I don't know," Lyra answered without looking up. "My dad yelled at me when I asked. Even Miss Winslet won't say anything about her. It's like she disappeared."

Tallis pouted. He'd gotten the same response when he asked Miss Pilar. But he wanted to believe Miss Octavia was still here, somewhere, that she'd come back and be their teacher again. But more than anything, he hoped she'd help him.

"Lyra, Does your book say anything about necromancers being able to raise the dead?" He kept his voice as quiet as Arietta's.

Lyra flipped back to the front. "I think so. Why?" She paused with a page in between her fingers and looked up at him with her dark eyes narrowed.

"I thought maybe Miss Octavia could help me bring my parents back." He looked down at his socked feet wiggling his toes to distract himself from the shame heating his face. They probably thought he was a big baby, still crying after his parents after all this time.

But he missed them. Every day. His missed his mom singing as she cooked breakfast for him in the morning. He missed his dad picking him up from school and stopping by the bakery for a sweet pastry.

Tallis tried not to think of them much anymore, because it hurt. Worse than any bump he'd gotten from being careless or any bruise he got from playing too rough. Even now, tears pricked his eyes, but he held them back. Only babies cried, and he was no baby.

"I'll look," Lyra said, cutting into his thoughts. Her page flipping continued.

"But we don't know if Miss Octavia is still here," Arietta said. "They could have sent her away."

Or worse. The thought made Tallis' body go cold. He'd overheard the priests talking about necromancers being killed in the Divine City, even though Miss Marin warned them to not speak about such things. They wouldn't do that to Miss Octavia.

Would they?

"Here." Lyra pointed to a line in the book. "It says necromancers consort with the dead. I'm not sure what that means but Arietta is right. How do we know they didn't send her away? They said she's evil. The Night-Blooming Rose." She flipped towards the back of the book. Tallis opened his mouth to refute that, but she spoke before he could. "But I don't believe that. I think my book is the lie. I don't believe Miss Octavia is that." She pointed to the page with the picture of the Night-Blooming Rose.

"No, she's not." Miss Octavia looked nothing like that monster. Miss Octavia wasn't that monster.

"I thought her wings were pretty." Arietta sipped her tea and sighed. "I hope she comes back."

Tallis felt the bell in his pocket again, and walked towards the door, peeping up and down the hall. All was quiet and empty as usual, but his heart still quickened as he ducked back into the room. "I have something to show you, but you have to promise me you won't tell anyone." At their nod, he knelt on the carpet and pulled the bell from his pocket.

Lyra and Arietta gasped in unison.

"That's Miss Octavia's bell," Lyra whisper-screamed. "Where did you get it?"

"She gave it to me the night of the winter ball, before she flew away. I haven't told anyone else I have it because I don't want them to take it away." He cradled it in both hands, the red ribbon slipping between his fingers.

"It's so pretty." Arietta set her tea aside and held her hands out. "Can I hold it? Just for a little while?"

"All right, but be careful not to shake—" Footfalls coming down the hall made his words halt. He pressed the bell into Arietta's hands and nodded for her to hide it, before scurrying back onto the couch.

Lord Sicero walked into the room and battled one-handed with his coat and scarf before hanging them on the wooden rack. "Lyra, your father is still swamped with the repairs so you'll be spending the night here."

"I want to stay too," Arietta said under her breath. She was allowed to keep company with them now and again, but her parents had long stopped letting her to sleep over. Tallis had asked Mister Eli if he and Lyra could sleep over there instead, but he'd told them no. That they'd only tire Arietta out too much.

The High Priest sat on the couch and exhaled a mighty sigh, leaning back into the cushions and closing his eyes. The thick bandage on his head stood out starkly against his brown skin, and he held his injured arm close to his body. He looked even more tired than usual since that morning–the dark circles under his eyes as prominent as Arietta's–and spoke with an uncharacteristic harshness in his voice that made every word as loud and scary as a clap of thunder.

Tallis avoided talking to him unless it was necessary. Even though he had a nagging urge to ask about Miss Octavia. Maybe now was the time, maybe Lord Sicero would be more careful with his words since Lyra and Arietta were here. He exchanged glances with Lyra before locking gazes with Arietta. It had to be her. The High Priest would be nicer if she asked.

Arietta pulled her blanket tighter around her, like it was a shield that would protect her from his wrath. "Mister Sicero?"

"Hm?" he hummed, but didn't open his eyes.

"What happened to Miss Octavia?"

Lord Sicero's eyes snapped open, and he sat up, lips twisted in a scowl, but his face softened as he turned his gaze to Arietta. "It's none of your concern." He said it with an air of finality, their first warning to drop it. But that wasn't going to happen.

Tallis–determined to get answers–gave a discreet nod to Arietta.

"Will she ever come back to teach us music?" she asked.

He rubbed his face, grumbling something about them being the death of him under his breath. "Listen to me, all three of you. Miss Octavia is a necromancer. And not only that, she's the Night-Blooming Rose. You all read about the horrible things she did. Why would you want someone that evil to be your teacher?"

"It's wrong," Lyra said. She slammed her book shut. "You told me I should learn to seek the truth for myself, and not just listen to what people tell me. Well, I know the truth now, and it's not this. This book is a lie."

Tallis nodded. "Lyra's is right. Miss Octavia is not evil. She was nice to us. She taught us how to play better and brought us books. She helped find Lyra and Arietta and brought them back home. An evil person wouldn't do that."

The High Priest shook his head, much like he did when Tallis said something he deemed silly. "You all just don't understand."

"What don't we understand?" Lyra asked. "The netherborne are evil. They kill people and destroy homes and spread disease. Miss Octavia did none of those things, yet you're calling her evil too."

"There's a thing called deception. In time you all will learn that some people aren't as sweet and innocent as they act. Until then, just understand we are only trying to protect you all." With that, Lord Sicero stood and headed for the door.

"Can I ask one last thing?" Tallis called before he could leave.

He stopped at the door, laying a hand on the frame. "What is it?"

"Before Miss Octavia flew away, she told me to have faith in you and the other priests. That you all were fighting to protect us. And when I asked her who would protect you all. She said she would. Did she? Is she the reason you came back safe?" Only silence ensued and Tallis curled his hands into fists.

Lord Sicero didn't answer, only walked away, his footfalls disappearing down the hall.

Tallis sat down on the couch with a huff. All he wanted was the truth. But, in hindsight, he knew all the truth he needed. Miss Octavia was a necromancer, and necromancers could bring back the dead. The moment he saw he again, he'd ask for her help.

If he saw her again.