"For the last time, Omari, you are not coming with us!" Saia shouted at the impotent little boy who stood before his guardians with crossed arms and a childish scowl. The iron gates of Castle Whitespire cast a dark shadow over them and the two lavish horse-drawn carriages awaiting their arrival.

"I can help!" The statement had become commonplace any time there was an adventure to be had. So far, all Omari had helped with was making Saia and Lilly's life a living hell.

"If I go back to The Valley without you, your mother will skin me alive." Saia glared right back at him without a flicker of sympathy. Lilly sighed and knelt before him. His pouting face turned to her.

"Look," her voice was soft and resigned. "I know you want to help, but right now, the best way to do that is to stay behind." Omari opened his mouth to argue, but she held up a hand to silence him. She tried to ignore the fact that she was acting like her mother. "Alex needs someone to keep him company, and I need someone to keep an eye on things at the castle while we're gone. Here," she unhooked the sheath at her hip and pulled out the tiny steel forged dagger. His eyes grew to the size of saucers as she flipped it in her hand and gave him the hilt. Reaching out, Omari took it meticulously from her, lifting it like one might a glass slipper. Gradually, a grin broke out across his face.

"I'll keep everyone safe, I promise." Lilly grinned and nudged him gently on the shoulder. Saia rolled her eyes and hurried to shoo him off into the castle. Dani just managed to dodge the boy hurtling towards her, and watched him go with amusement.

"Hey," Dani sidled up beside her, the telltale signs of stress wrinkling her forehead. "I need you to do something for me."

"Of course," Dani's brows furrowed as she took in Lilly's somber expression. Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, Lilly produced the tiny lifeline to her friend. "Um, what are you doing." The button looked as mundane as ever Dani could sense the energy rolling off it in waves. Her skin tingled at the mere sight of it.

"Brakebills still needs someone to protect it. The button is too valuable to risk it falling into the hands of The Beast." Dani shook her head, knowing exactly what she was asking of her. "Take it. If we don't send word that we won, you need to destroy it."

"I can't." Dani took a small step back in panic. "You're gonna make it back. Brakebills will be fine." Lilly crossed the distance in one long stride and took hold of Dani's hand, pressing the cool metal of the button's case into her palm. Their eyes locked with new intensity.

"Please," the gravity in that one word struck Dani like a hammer. She swallowed hard in an attempt to crush the rising tears. Then she nodded.

Lilly let out a breath, her shoulders sagging. She wrapped her arms around Dani and squeezed. "I'll see you soon," she promised, all the while the familiar stir of dread filled her stomach. With a reassuring smile, Lilly headed for the King's carriages. Dani watched her go and it wasn't until the door shut behind them and the horses kicked into a trot, that she let the tears fall.

Lilly sat restlessly beside Penny as the carriage rattled along the kingsroad at a snail's pace. Margo and Eliot sat across from the pair. They were back in their earth clothing that now seemed out of place on the Fillorian Royalty. Lilly's eyes flicked to Penny every so often, her mind still racing with the memory of his hands on every part of her. Elliot and Margo shared a knowing look and smirked.

"You two totally fucked." Margo snickered, leaning back with her arms folded across her chest. Lilly's eyes widened in shock, cheeks blooming red as a beet.

"Margo!" She snapped, covering her face with her hands.

"Oh my god, you so did!" A grin spread across Eliot's face, and Margo raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Fuck off," Penny snapped, glaring across the carriage.

"Oh, come on, we're all friends here." Margo waved a hand as if to bat away his protest.

"Are we?" Penny looked about ready to choke her. Lilly placed a soothing hand on his thigh.

"Seriously, guys?"

"You would've told us about it eventually." Margo scoffed, and Lilly rolled her eyes at them. She sent Penny an apologetic look, received with a tiny smile. It was a few minutes more until the carriages squeaked to a stop, and the company began their trek into the forest. They walked until they found a small clearing. The chances of anyone stumbling upon this location were slim to none. If things went south, they prayed that there would be no casualties.

Ava and Saia stood beside one another, having become acquainted during their short carriage ride. Lilly wasn't entirely surprised that they got along. Alice stepped up to the center of the clearing, the others filing in behind her. They would wait for her direction. The tension was thick as they watched Alice's shoulders rise and fall with steadying breaths. A lump of fear and dread formed at the base of Lilly's throat.

"We ready?" Quentin looked uneasily between his companions, and they each shared grave nods. They'd gone over the plan once more before their departure that morning, and without question, they began to disperse into a loose circle. Lilly shot Penny a sorrowful look, and he inclined his chin in a sign of understanding. They were back in the same position as they were three weeks before, and no matter how prepared they were, the risk was still immense.

As Alice took her place amongst the circle, she shook out her hands worriedly and looked to Penny. Her hands began to twist and fold in the pattern of the Rhinemann Ultra. The others commenced their casting. Lilly repeated the same pattern over and over. The power grew within her like pure sunlight warming her chest. With one last glance towards Lilly, Penny disappeared. It would be mere moments before he returned, this time with Martin Chatwin. Saia stood beside her, sword drawn and ready to fight. Her presence was welcome as Lilly felt marginally more secure with her there.

Nerves gnawed at Lilly's stomach as she prayed to whatever god there was, that Penny remained safe, that they all made it through this. Her heart skipped as the space within their circle shimmered and rippled. Alice's spell was nearly at full power, and the pure white shapes began to take form. She would have one shot to destroy Martin. If she missed, well, Lilly didn't want to think about that. In the blink of an eye, Penny reappeared. A small gasp escaped Lilly as she saw that there were not only two bodies, but three. Penny sprinted out of the circle, and Eliot shouted.

"Now!" A shimmering shield encased the circle, connecting at five points. It was then that Lily recognized the third person. Julia Wicker. Her gaze instantly shot to Quentin in alarm.

"Julia," he whispered.

"Quentin, no!" Lilly shrieked, but it was too late. Quentin dropped the shield and ran towards his friend. But just as he shoved Julia out of the way, Alice released the spell. Quentin's hesitation was all it took to give Martin a chance to turn and run. The energy of the Rhinemann shot past The Beast, hitting him in the shoulder and throwing him back. The full impact of the blast collided into a nearby tree with a deafening crash.

They stood in shock as the Beast pulled himself to his knees, and the tree toppled through the forest like a wrecking ball. Alice barely hesitated and began casting as fast as humanly possible. The white light shone blindingly bright as she aimed at Martin once more. He stood shakily and turned to face Alice with a look of provocation. Ava hurried over to Lilly, as she was the closest to where The Beast had fallen. His arm was a bloodied stump of meat. His shirt melted into what remained of it. Murder glinted in his eyes as he smirked. Alice moved faster than any thought possible, her eyes growing wider by the second. Martin lifted a hand and vanished.

"No!" Alice's spell fell to shambles, and she sprinted forward as if she could catch him. "I missed him! I missed him!"

"I had Reynard, he was right in front of me!" Julia rushed up to Penny, shoving her face in his. Her eyes were crazed as they bored into the Traveler's

"Yeah, then you screwed up our plan, again," Margo spat. They all rushed to join the commotion.

"She just grabbed me." Penny shook his head, running a hand through his hair. Lilly placed a hand on his arm protectively and glowered at Julia.

"You really know how to fuck shit up, don't you, Julia?" Lilly hissed at the woman who had cost them so much in mere seconds.

"You don't understand. I had Reynard, I had The Beast! Julia cried, looking at everyone with desperation. All she got in response was anger and disappointment.

"Fuck this, we're out." Penny stepped forward and grabbed Julia once more. In an instant, they were gone.

"He's headed to the Wellspring," Alice announced, turning back towards where they'd come. Lilly hesitated, Saia beside her with a look of consternation on her face. Ava was pure fury. Lilly wondered how she'd refrained from gutting Julia right then and there. Quentin hurried after Alice, and soon Lilly was stumbling along behind them.

"Are you sure?" Elliot asked as they arrived at the edge of the dirt road.

"He's injured, where else would he be? He has to be at the Wellspring." Alice repeated, not bothering to face him.

"The Royal Carriages can get there in under an hour." Eliot supplied, pointing to the horse-drawn carriages that awaited them.

"But if he could just blip in, then--"

"Well, Hopefully, his accuracy isn't at its best right now. I know mine wouldn't be." Alice yanked open the door to the cab with more force than necessary. Quentin leaned in to whisper to Alice, and Lilly took this opportunity to turn to Ava.

"Hey," she sighed, "I know you said you wanted to help, but that was before our whole plan went to shit. If you want to back out I--"

"You think I'm gonna chicken out because things didn't go according to plan?" Ava raised an accusatory eyebrow. "That asshole mind jacked my boyfriend. I wanna see the look on his face when we kill him." Her determination was admirable, and though Lilly felt responsible for the life she'd be putting at risk, she wasn't about to argue.

"That makes two of us." She set her jaw in a hard line. Jane, her mother, and now Alex. She wouldn't let Martin harm anyone else.

"Okay, we should send El and Margo for help." Quentin turned back to the group as Alice slid into the velvet upholstered seat.

"Wait, you don't want us on the suicide mission with you?" Eliot looked genuinely wounded at being excluded.

"Ember's temple is nearby, so just go and uh, petition him for a re-up. Just in case we-"

"Fail? Die?" Margo suggested dryly. An uneasy silence ensued. "Sorry, reflex," she shrugged apologetically.

"Okay, fine. We'll go." Eliot resigned and grabbed Margo's hand, pulling her towards the second carriage.

"Saia," Lilly faced Saia, who had been strangely silent. "Would you go with them? Make sure they're safe?"

"My duty is to you, not them." She shook her head, hand still resting on the hilt of her sword.

"Yes, but right now, I need you to make sure they make it to Ember. Then to the Wellspring." Lilly's eyes were pleading. There was no way she was sending Margo and Eliot into the forest alone while The Beast was still unaccounted for.

"I don't like it." Saia mused, "but I'll do it." She looked far from enthused, but Lilly shot her a thankful smile.

"Thank you." Lilly placed a hand on Saia's arm and squeezed. "We'll see you guys soon." With that, she and Ava joined Quentin and Alice and began the trip to the Wellspring. Lilly sat across from Ava and fiddled with the string of Jane's bow anxiously. Penny should've come right back. She reminded herself time and time again that he could take care of himself, but her heart still clenched with concern.

Quentin and Alice began to murmur to each other, and Lilly pretended not to listen as he spoke of what they would do once this was all over. She hadn't given herself the space to hope for anything beyond what was right in front of her. There were too many unknown variables for her to begin to think of the future. She watched the endless stream of green pass outside her window until the whispers blended, and she forgot for a moment that she was headed towards possible death. It took close to an hour for them to reach their destination, and from there, the four magicians made their way through the underbrush, trying their best to remain alert.

Faint voices drifted towards them, and they all shared looks of bewilderment. The glow of the wellspring peaked through leaves and branches. Quentin pressed a finger to his lips and beckoned them forward. Creeping towards the clearing that held the source of magic, Lilly flinched at every crunch and snap beneath their feet until they came up behind a large boulder.

"I pooped in it. Am I not making this very clear?" Peaking their heads around the side, they took in the strange scene. Umber- it was unmistakably him, given the horns protruding from his head and the legs of a goat -- smiled gleefully before The Beast. Martin clutched his arm in agony and growled at the god.

"You wretched Bastard. I know your true game. I know every twist of it, you-- you twisted man sheep!" He shouted, taking a few threatening steps forward.

"Oh, my heavens, look at the time. I really should be going. Although, technically I already went." Ember laughed, and it resembled the bleating of a sheep. "I never tire of these jokes. Ta!" with the wave of his staff, Ember vanished in a whirl of leaves and light.

"You stinking man-sheep. You're no god! You're no god, you're a farm animal!" Martin whirled, screaming into the empty as if Ember could hear him all the same. For all they knew, he could.

"Ember took a shit in the Wellspring? Well, that can't be good for Fillory." Quentin whispered, all the while The Beast continued his crazed beratement of Ember. The Wellspring, which remained locked inside the disheveled shack, flickered dimly between the gnarled wood planks of the door.

"Quentin Coldwater! Lilly Cole!" All four of them froze.

"Shit"

"Oh, fuck," Lilly and Quentin exclaimed in unison. The Beast wasn't even looking at them, his back to the boulder they hid behind.

"Why don't you all come to join me?" He raised a hand, and with a snap of his fingers, they were swept up and deposited mere feet from Martin. Lilly promptly readied her bow. Martin turned to face them with a stare of pure loathing.

"Lilly, Dear, it seems you've learned some new tricks since we last met." He eyed her bow with mild interest. "My sister always loved that piece of junk. It didn't do much to save her in the end, though." Lilly clenched her jaw at the thought of Jane's kind eyes and motherly demeanor.

"Go fuck yourself, Martin." Lilly shot the arrow without hesitation. It would've struck home, had the beast not flicked his wrist and cast it astray. He let out a slow taunting laugh.

"Mm," he examined Alice as one might a vintage car, "you're weaker."

"And you're down six fingers." She spat in return.

"More than enough to kill you all." Martin smiled at her attempt at intimidation. He lifted a hand as if he'd only just remembered an important piece of information. "Hard to cast when you're sliced in two." It took them a millisecond too long to comprehend his intention. His hand sliced through the air, sending a thin blast of energy towards Alice. Quentin lunged between them. A sickening rip of flesh and bone sounded as blood splattered across the mossy ground. Quentin collapsed with a gash running the length of his shoulder that had almost severed his arm completely.

"Quentin!" Alice's hoarse cry echoed. Lilly threw a spell towards Martin, only to have it deflected effortlessly, just as he had with her arrow. Quentin groaned, clutching his wound a few feet from them.

"You're a tough piece of meat, aren't you?" Martin rose both brows in surprise, "no matter." He raised a hand again to finish him off, but Alice was already casting. Her spell hit his shield, distracting The Beast just enough for him to leave Quentin be.

"Ava, stop the bleeding," Lilly ordered, raising her own hands to begin casting. Ava hurried to kneel beside Quentin, pulling her jacket from her back and using it to put pressure on his gaping wound. She muttered an incantation over and over as blood began to seep through the fabric and the gaps between her fingers.

Alice shot off another spell, followed closely by Lilly's. Bright spots of light shot from their hands, hitting the crumbling shield Martin was putting all of his energy into maintaining. By the third spell, the shield melted away, and the blasts began to explode against Martin, showing him back again and again as he howled in pain. Lilly and Alice advanced side by side, determined to finish him off once and for all.

"Lilly!" Ava screamed. Lilly had no time to dodge before a spell hit her. The force hurled her across the clearing and into the unyielding trunk of a tree. Pain lanced through her and her vision blurred. Lilly pushed herself up on her elbows and lifted her eyes to her attacker. Bile rose in her throat. Before her, drenched in blood, was Alex, his deep brown eyes glowing an unnatural electric blue.