Micah let out a cry of pain as he and Shadow Weaver touched down outside the Seraphite maze. Looking around, Micah squinted; they weren't anywhere near the Whispering Woods. Panic gripped his stomach as he realized he had no idea where they were. Had the Meyan tunnels been rigged with magic? Did space pass differently down there?

"Micah," Shadow Weaver snapped. "Description. Now."

Micah blinked, looking around. "Looks like we're still in Bright Moon. But beyond that..." he bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm not sure. We'll need to stay in the nearest town for the night."

"Did you forget we're on opposite sides?" Shadow Weaver growled. "If we go into any of these towns, they'll recognize me."

Micah bit the inside of his cheek, frowning. "You're right. We'll have to make shelter somewhere in the wild." Standing and ignoring the intense pain in his broken leg, he held out a hand to her. "We'll get back to Bright Moon - Nell and Angie must be worried sick."

"I'm not going to Bright Moon," Shadow Weaver said, narrowing her eyes. "They want me dead."

"I can talk to them," Micah said.

"No, you can't. Those idiots can't be reasoned with." Shadow Weaver crossed her arms. "I'll make my own way. You get the hell out of here." She turned to walk away, but tripped on a rock and fell flat on her face.

Micah couldn't resist a smile. "Come on," he said. "I know how to make a lean-to. Don't worry about a thing - just follow my lead."

He held out his hand, and Shadow Weaver wouldn't meet his eyes - not that she could, having been blinded by the relic. "What am I supposed to do?" she muttered, finally.

Micah took her hand, pulling her to her feet. The pine trees around them told him they were in western Bright Moon – near Kathedel, most likely. "Just sit down," he said. "I've got this." And with that, he sliced a tree clean down with kinesis magic.

✧✧✧

After making a net out of pine branches, Micah brought back several small fish to Shadow Weaver, who was lying curled up in their lean-to. The fort had been built to be big enough for both of them, but she was splayed out across the center, eyes staring furiously at the ceiling.

Micah tapped her shoulder. "C'mon. We need to make a fire and keep our strength up. If we don't –"

"I'm fine. You go on ahead."

Micah's fingers tightened around the net. "Why are you acting like this?" he said. "I just saved your life!"

Shadow Weaver scowled. "And I never asked you to do that!" she snapped. "What is your problem? Why can't you accept that I'm fine on my own?"

"Because you're currently blind, and you fell on your face not too long ago," Micah deadpanned. "To be honest, I don't know why I'm helping you either. Not after what you said to me in the tunnels."

Shadow Weaver flinched; then her fists curled, and she narrowed her eyes, curling up. "I was hard on you," she murmured. "I won't deny it – and I won't apologize. I just..." she closed her eyes.

"What?" Micah asked. "Why would you say what you did?"

"I don't want to discuss it," Shadow Weaver said softly. "Just...leave me alone. I need to rest..."

Micah's eyebrows knit together. "It's not too late," he said. "You can still come to Bright Moon with me. You wouldn't need to worry about anything."

"Except for my head," she said, "but continue, I suppose."

"Well..." Micah scratched the back of his head. "You're right. The Alliance wouldn't be happy. But if you defected from the Horde, they would lose a valuable commander. We could take them on."

Shadow Weaver laughed. "A valuable commander. It's nice to know how afraid of me you are."

"That wasn't what I meant," Micah said, irritation rising in his chest. "You know what? I'm going to take you up on your offer. I have to fry these fish anyway." Standing, he left the lean-to, the frustration refusing to dissolve.

I have to do more, he thought. If I can't save her...

His hands tightened around the net. If I can't save her, I'll be the one to blame for her downfall.

✧✧✧

The smell of cooked fish filled Shadow Weaver's nose. She rose, ignoring the ache in her back, and felt for the exit to the lean-to. Her blindness had not receded, and all she could see was a milky-white film as she stumbled around, trying to find the fire.

Micah took her hand. "Here," he said, leading her somewhere. "Sit down. I'll get you something to eat."

Shadow Weaver did as he asked. Though she hated to admit it, the smell of fresh fish was tempting. Her stomach growled, but she heard him seethe in pain as he struggled to walk over to her. Swallowing, she turned her face toward the source of heat emanating from the fire. "Don't strain yourself. I can handle hunger."

"I know," Micah said. "But I want to help." He closed her fingers around a stick. "It's still hot, but you should be able to eat it."

Shadow Weaver's face burned. "I...don't want to eat."

"I can turn away," he said.

She looked down. He'd already seen her without her mask before. And it wasn't as though she was out to impress him of all people. "It's fine," she said. Her hand went to her mask, and she thought the word to undo the binding spell. The mask left her face, and she set it down on her left side.

She brought the fish to her lips. Micah clearly hadn't gutted the thing, but it was soft, and tasted rich in her mouth. A bit of juice dripped down her chin from the deformity in her lips, but she ignored it for the time being. She could feel Micah's eyes staring through her even without seeing him.

"I'm so sorry," he said after a moment.

"I don't need your pity."

He sounded confused. "You just look sad. And tired."

"Well, I'm not," she said. "I had a rather pleasant nap, if you must know."

"If you say so," Micah said, laughing. Shadow Weaver didn't understand – was he laughing with her, or at her?

After they'd finished, and she'd washed off in the creek, they sat on the hill. Micah was quiet for a long moment before speaking. "Did you have any kids after you left Mystacor?"

"Children? Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

Shadow Weaver bit down on her tongue. "Yes. Adoptive." She paused. "Is this about Nell again?"

"Maybe. He misses you, y'know. I don't think he ever got over what he did."

Shadow Weaver's stomach churned. "Truly?" she said softly.

"Yeah," Micah said. "Did you know he gets hit on a lot by the nurses that work beneath him?"

"Wonderful," she deadpanned. "Not as though I care...or anything," she added quickly.

"He never engaged with them," Micah said. "At least, not in the time I knew him."

"Are you trying to set us up again?" Shadow Weaver said, scowling. "Because that ship sailed a long time ago – not to mention, my love life...it's not your business. There's a reason I never told you about it in Mystacor."

"Why not?"

"Because you couldn't understand," she grumbled. "That's why."

Micah's voice sounded confused. "I'm kind of eleven years older, Shadow Weaver."

"And you get everything you want handed to you on a silver platter," she muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She clenched her fists, closing her eyes. This had proven to be a valuable conversation, however much she hated to admit it. For now she knew Nell was still in love with her. He had to be. And once she got out of this hellhole, she would be sure to find a way to convince him to help her.

All she had to do was appeal to his heart. She had to trust that he felt the same way about her as she did about him. For now, all she wanted was his body against hers. His heart beating beneath her ear. Perhaps then, she could find it in her to forgive Micah for what he'd done to her.

For she longed for Nell's love more than anything else in the world.

❂❂❂

Did you know...

- These chapters were added late after I finished all the epigraphs. I like to call chapters 51-56 "the silent chapters" for this reason. You'll find out more about the context of the epigraphs in Sage, the next novella coming out.

- Shadow Weaver's blindness was drawn from the book Cress by Marissa Meyer, a science fiction retelling about Rapunzel.

Tell me what you think...

- Does Micah need Shadow Weaver's forgiveness? Why or why not?

- Will Nell accept Shadow Weaver again? Why or why not?