"Bait?" I question Axil, my palms becoming a little sweaty. "What bait?"

He gestures to himself, raising his head in determination. "Myself, obviously." I guess the look on my face spelled out enough confusion for Axil to properly explain himself. "Look, once Eden hears of my disappearance, she'll become intrigued and will come looking for us herself. She'll want to get her hands on us faster than anyone else can. And how will she do it, you may ask?"

"How?"

He unsheathes his sword, the metal swipe ringing in the dark hallway. "She'll have to send Zaria to come find me,"

"Us," I correct him.

He looks at me unapprovingly for a second. "Us... and then we'll get Zaria back and you'll take her home."

"And what about Lucy?" I ask. "I thought you were under the impression that Zaria made Lucy come with her."

"My thinking is she's using Lucy as a weapon. A way to have the upper hand against Eden with her power of seeing the future and all."

I shake my head. "I don't know. Haven't you noticed? Lucy, she's... different." I'm careful with my words talking about not just his sister, but the princess. "She's changed."

For a moment he looks down, and I know he is aware of the change as well. We've all seen her. Stalking off like she's on some mission, hiding in the shadows, eyes as white as snow. Everything has been different and the change has left a bitter taste in the palace.

"I don't know what Zaria's plan is... or Lucy's," he says as if he's struggling with the idea of Lucy having a plan like this. I can't say I blame him. Lucy has always been a quiet soul, never really seeking attention. She'd watch the world instead of living in it. And I think we both know something inside her, deep inside, shattered that night and a spark was ignited.

I run over what Axil has just explained but I can't get over one thing. "You said I would be taking Zaria home, what about you?"

He sighs and his breath is heavy. "I think we both know trying to get invited to Eden's party is as outrageous as summoning a demon, but that's what we have to do. I'm not letting that woman slip out of my grasp."

The light tries its hardest to show through the dark as we get closer and closer to the opening of the castle. Taking this underground tunnel should leave us off about a quarter mile outside of Lumbridge, right before Senwain.

I look up at him, "So you do believe that Eden is somehow using John, regardless of the forcefield?"

***

"But John is a man. I've never heard of a man possessing magical powers, only women."

"He's Eden's son. I think anything could be possible for him." She is quiet for a long moment and we both look up at the night sky. The stars twinkle and for a moment I swear I can hear their music. Like tiny little bells. "Everyone thinks he's crazy."

"Isn't he?" I scoff.

"Yes, but I mean they think he is talking gibberish about him being the prince. No one knows about..." she trails off and I know exactly why. Her mind is starting to forget. "No one believes him," she says straining. Her eyebrows knit together and I can see her dainty veins start to swell around her forehead.

"I understand," I say. Seeing Lucy in pain is something that has always made my heart break. I don't know, she's just so fragile.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there," I say. "I was a coward and—"

Her voice changes. Monotone and clear. "What's done is done."

Listening to her, I try to hear the everything-is-going-to-be-okay in her voice, but it never comes. The pit in my stomach becomes deeper and I can feel myself curl into it.

***

"I don't know what to believe," Axil says snapping me back into reality. He tightens his grip on his sword before sheathing it again. "I don't want to believe it, but I feel I have to." I can see the stress forming on his face. His blue eyes squint and at first, I think it's his eyes adjusting to the light seeping through but then he finally asks the question.

"To question the forcefield is to question Zaria." He sighs and half rolls his eyes. "That's not really a problem I want to confront," he adds smirking. His face falls in a split second. "Everything has gotten so complex lately. Have I just been blinded to the troubles of the world because of my youth? When did it all change?"

"I know the feeling," I laugh dryly. "Things have definitely changed." I shake my head. "Definitely," I say again and this time it's to convince myself that we haven't been living in some fantasy our entire lives.

"Odd," I say out of the blue. "I never thought I'd have to use this tunnel for its intended purposes."

"Agreed," he says and we finally reach the end of the darkness, stepping into the warmth of the sun as it tries its best to burn through the chilling cloud cover. We both take a deep breath looking around at the town of Senwain.

"Ever used that escape before?" I ask him, crossing my arms over each other warming my goosebumps.

"Only once," he mutters. "And it was to find my sister."

***

"I'm hungry," I whine to Axil.

We've been strolling around Senwain for six hours now. The sun is starting to set over the mountain. Dark clouds hover over the horizon, a stark contrast to the rosy pink sunset overhead.

"We've been walking forever, and we're not doing anything."

"Like I told you," he says matter-of-factly. "Waiting is all part of the plan."

"How long are you going make us wait here? And waltzing around Senwain isn't really going missing. It's Lumbridge's hometown."

"Oh, I'm sorry," he says kneeling to my level. "Wasn't it you who wanted to come along so badly."

"Hey," I tell him pointing my finger at his nose. "I never said I liked your plan. If you want my honest opinion—"

"I didn't ask for it."

"I think it's very dangerous. We're only twisting the pretzel tighter into a knot. Do you know what she could do if she gets her hands on you? I don't even want to think about it."

"And doing nothing?" he counters, "She pumps that venom into your blood without any clue as to why it's happening."

My heart sputters for a moment. A cold chill runs down my spine, making me shiver. I didn't forget about the venom spreading through my bloodstream, but the reality hasn't really sunken in yet. "You could very well die. Just listen to Axil. He'll keep you safe."

I like what the voice tells me, but I can tell it's not my own. Just hearing it makes my heart race and the hair on my neck stick up. I shiver again. What is this voice I keep hearing?

My eyes are closed but I see a faint flash of light before the voice dwindles into a whisper.

I open my eyes and see Axil looking down at my chest, his eyes wide.

"Was that your necklace?"

"What?"

"That... glimmer? It shined. It sparkled." He looks up at me, his eyes spelling out wonder. "Did you do that?"

I grab the crystal and look down at it, but it looks as normal as ever. Come on. Come on. My heart flutters at the thought that something could have happened. This wasn't a mind game. This wasn't a trick of the light. This wasn't—

And just for a second, I look up and wish I hadn't. My heart drops as I freeze. Right behind Axil is a pair of big brown, curious eyes. A perfect replica of Eden.

"Emma!?"