We had a decent teamwork. In fact, I didn't have to worry. The apostles did everything on their own while I spent dinner with Corey and Mertha in the restaurant downstairs. The place wasn't filled, but it wasn't empty either. We were seated behind a fountain glass wall that offered privacy. The gentle sound of the water could not muffle a scream, but it was enough to keep the conversation away from the rest of the room.

Corey was, of course, in a foul mood. He didn't appreciate Salwey's words. He kept repeating that the man was insane for even suggesting that they let the folks through the border.

"If they want to leave, mayhap you can allow it," I said, summoning a sharp look from Mertha. Ignoring her, I locked my gaze on Corey. "Fewer people to feed and tolerate. And isn't it better to work with those who are willing than those who oppose you? Whoever stays will remain loyal."

Corey stared at me, face slowly morphing into disbelief. He looked around at the other guests in the restaurant, and in the same low voice he maintained since we started our dinner, said, "That's impossible. They're part of the Saint Society. We cannot give up on them."

Rubbish.

As I opened my mouth, Mertha chuckled lightly, shaking her head. "Aster, you have much to learn about the society. Giving everyone what they want doesn't always work. It's a recipe for chaos. And we can't just open the borders. There are laws in place, all of which to safeguard the general population. And even if we want to, the only way to go through the border is through the border. No one ever survive that, much more so non-magical folks."

"But are we not creating a much bigger future problem by keeping them here?"

"They'll eventually realize they're wrong once they experience the true Saint Society," Corey dismissively said. "Exodus is still young, but it's growing. Their lives are certainly going to get better. We have to teach them patience."

A long silence followed his statement as he finished his wine. His smile slowly returned, eyes jumping from me to Mertha. "We'll have to start fresh with Salwey. Let's forget everything he said about us."

I wasn't sure why he included in that statement. Philo Salwey's rant wasn't directed at me. It was all on him because he was from the Council. But since he apparently thought we should all take the burden as a team, I acknowledged his statement with a nod.

Corey leaned his arms on the table and looked me in the eye. "So, what you're going to do tomorrow is get to know everyone in Salwey's circle. And I mean every bloody person you encounter."

"Why?"

"Isn't that how your gift works?" he asked, throwing me a flirty smile. "You have to know everyone?"

"I only need a face and a name," I corrected. "You want me to look into their dreams?"

He nodded. "Manipulate the dreams just enough to know what's really going on."

"And what do you want me to find out in their dreams?"

Leaning back, Corey gestured his hand to Mertha. "Mertha will know. She's coming with you," he said, glancing at his watch.

I stiffened. Mertha just gave me her awkward, wintry smile.

"She'll guide you through the dreams. Is there a problem?"

I could think of a few, but then what good would it bring me?

"Great," Corey said with a smile, as if I gave him a good answer. "Are you ready for your first mission?"

Everything was always asking me if I was ready, like I was some child who was trying something for the first time. This whole Saint Society thing was indeed new to me, but menace and wicked? Conspiracies? Secrets? No. They're probably the oldest games in the world and when I came from, it wasn't new. It was everywhere, in every waking hour, and most especially in every dreaming cadence. As long as there were humans who had the capacity for sin.

"Of course," I said, forcing a smile.

"Perfect." He stood. "I have a council meeting. Good night, ladies."

We murmured our goodbyes, and as his footsteps faded, the awkward silence broken only by the gentle fall of the fountain resumed across the table. I downed my drink, felt the pressure down my throat; the dry thirst. I was itching to pop a pill, but had to remind myself that I only had two left to keep me sustained for this mission. With Mertha coming with me tomorrow, I'd have to use one.

"Should I join you in your room tomorrow night?" Mertha asked.

I smiled at her. "I'll come find you."

"But I don't dream."

I laughed, hoping she heard the pathetic tone. "You do."

"What do you mean?"

"Waking up with no memory of a dream doesn't mean you never had it. Have you forgotten about my doors?"

"You mean that we all have doors?"

"Of course. You just don't have the ability to find them."

She looked bothered.

Interesting. Mertha Krall afraid of her own forgotten dreams.

"See you tomorrow night. Don't be late, my dear dreamer," I said, walking away, smiling as her jaw twitched.

Then flinching as the headache blasted another attack. My heart started racing, blood hot in my veins. I stretched my fingers and closed them into fists. The symptoms were coming back and I have to admit I was a little alarmed. They were becoming stronger, the intervals shorter.

You need to feed.

You can't rely on the pills for too long.

You won't die if you don't feed. You'll turn feral and kill anyone you encounter.

Evensen's words echoed in my ears like a seduction. Every heartbeat I could hear in the room had strings pulling me toward them—to those pulsing veins in their necks. To the warm, comforting drink that would ease the pain in my throat, would silence the noise, and singe the burning. I took in a lungful of air in retaliation, but that even made it worse. I could taste their blood at the back of my tongue.

When I returned to our room, I found my apostles waiting for me patiently. Akira was reading a book while the two girls groomed their familiars.

"Well?" I asked.

"Don't ask me. I'm busy doing something very innocent," Akira mumbled. He spared me a look and frowned. "You look like death. Are you feeling fine?"

"I'm fine." I turned to the girls. "Did you do it?"

Tiff broke into a mischievous grin. "They'll sleep early. You better be ready."

Bloody hell. I could almost taste my own apostles' blood. Lexie should taste like plum, Tiff like tangerine, and Akira like rotten apples.

"Are you having headaches again?" Akira asked.

"No," I almost snapped. I couldn't stand the smell of their breaths. "How long will we have to wait before they're ready?"

"They should get sleepy in..." Tiff checked her watch. "Half an hour?"

"What did Mertha say to you? You look like you're ready to eat someone alive," Akira asked.

"Why do you think Mertha said something to me?"

"You can't stand her. That's quiet obvious."

I dug my hand into my pocket and clasped my crux tightly. No help. It felt like nothing. It gave nothing.

I can't take a pill tonight because I'd need it tomorrow for the mission. That would leave me with just one more. And after that, I'd have nothing.

Evensen was right.

I would need to feed.

"I can deal with Mertha," I told Akira. "Stop fussing."

Of course, he didn't look convinced. He continued to eye me with scrutiny, as if he could see everything that was wrong inside me.

"Do you know that Mertha Krall enjoys a cup of tea before bedtime?" Lexie asked. "Vivec told us while he sipped his drink laced with Tiff's concoction."

"He also said that tea is the only thing you share in common with their Astral. The bastard," Lexie murmured as her thumb absently smoothed her owl's head.

"I agree. And you dealt with the said tea, yes?"

"Of course," Tiff said with a chuckle. "We want to start early."

"That's a gracious gesture," I commented, walking to my room. "I'll go to bed now."

"Good luck," Tiff and Lexie said. Akira kept silent, but his curious eyes followed me like a hawk.

Bellatrix joined me and slept ahead while I changed into my dressing gown.

Lying on the bed, I closed my eyes. When I opened it again, I was back in my old room. No Evensen. However, the symptoms were still as strong. Ignoring the pain, I rushed to my repertory and pulled out the diary. I continued where I left off.

Sometimes, I think about kissing him. I'm going insane.

And maybe I did go insane. Why would I ever have sexual relations with Harald Evensen? How lonely was I?

Brie should not stay. I can get out on my own.

There were other entries, most of them about Evensen and his visits, which I wasn't interested in. I needed to know more about the plans.

"What's that?"

My heart jumped to my throat when I saw him standing by the door. His eyes were on the diary, which I snapped shut in panic. "My grandmother's diary. She left it to me before she died."

For a long, breathless moment, he just stared at me. "You look like hell."

"I still have pills."

"How many do you have left?" I swallowed. "Don't even try to lie."

"Two."

"That will not be enough."

I could sense the anger he was trying to control. "I can deal with this."

"Aster, you know enough about vampires. Don't be stupid. If you don't give your body what it needs, it will rebel."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine."

His jaw twitched. "You stubborn witch." Shaking his head, he scoffed. "How did your meeting with Katz go?"

I nonchalantly returned the diary to my repertory. "I couldn't meet him. I was too busy."

"You just arrived in Exodus. How can you be busy?"

"Well, I was," I said, shutting the closet door a little too hard. "Something happened. The governor got a bit too foxed and started yapping about letting folks through the border."

"That's not going to happen."

"I know. Corey said so."

He fell silent, expression mellowing down. "You need to study the border, Aster. And you need to feed."

"Fine. Soon." I walked past him and turned the door blue. "For now, I have things to do. Have a delightful dream, Evensen."

"Where are you going?" he asked, eyeing the door.

"Some childish dreams," I replied. Before I left, I stole him a look. He just stood there in the middle of the room. He didn't look like he belonged there. Yet he kept coming back here in this dream. To help me through the border, as he claimed. I still found that hard to believe because that was not the Evensen I knew.

When I turned around, I was in Vivec's dream. Perfect. He was with the other two apostles, talking in whispers inside their room. No dog in sight, of course. With a flick of my finger, I morphed the chair into a white dog.

Vivec saw it and frowned. "I thought we already got rid of this thing?" he asked his two companions.

"We did," answered Azziz, approaching the dog cautiously. "What are you doing here, you little bastard?"

"It must be hungry," said Cansu, kneeling before the dog.

"It's lost," said Azziz.

I impatiently waited in one corner, behind the wall that separated them from their Astral's bedroom.

"That's the point. It should get lost," Vivec snapped at them.

"Maybe we should not have thrown it off the train," said Cansu.

"I've read about them familiars," said Azziz, walking away from the dog. "They say these things always find a way back to their masters."

"This one won't," Vivec said, scowling at the dog. "It won't even sniff its master's scent."

I heard enough. My apostles wouldn't like this, I thought as I pushed away from the wall.

"Do you think they'll tell the other Astral about the Omen?" Cansu asked, walking away from the dog to join his fellow apostles.

"Astral Krall said it's not going to happen. That witch is only here to find Alistair."

"I agree with Astral Krall. Byrne will only make things complicated," Azziz said to Cansu.

"We can't lose the Omen in this mission," Vivec told them.

"We have to be the ones to get to it. This mission just might make us Astrals," Azziz dreamily said with a sigh.

"We have to stay focused while the others find their damned dog." They chuckled at Vivec's words.

"Tiff Powell's going to blow her head wrap off once they realize their very minor role," Cansu said, laughing harder.

"And Black might just hide in shame in one of her god realms. I heard she can't control them.

As his laughter slowly died down, Azziz turned serious. "The last time they lost the Omen, Katama's parents died."

"Because they were careless, just like their son," Vivec dismissively said. "See why they didn't get this mission? They're not up to this kind of thing. They only got this role to make an ancient witch feel important."

My lips pursed. My heart, which had been beating abnormally, was in a different kind of rage. Something black dropped from the ceiling and onto Vivec's cheek. He touched it with his finger and his eyes rounded as it slowly spread, covering his hand. "Take this off! Take this off!"

His two comrades jumped back.

"Don't just stand there!" Then he screamed as the mark burned, crawling up his throat.

He reached for Azziz, but the coward just jumped back.

Another drop fell on the dog. Spread. Covered the mammal in black. But it didn't burn. It swelled, grew larger. Its eyes glowed red as it bared its fangs.

The headache kept me from turning the room into a total nightmare.

"I'll come back," I promised.

With the last remaining strength and focus I could muster, I made the black monster lunge for Vivec's neck. I walked out of the dream with the three apostles screaming.

And more questions.