"I have a lot of other tricks up my sleeve, Katz. It's a shame you won't get to see all of them," I said with a dramatic sigh before completely putting him to sleep. He dropped to the ground with a soft thud.

I couldn't risk it. Once they snapped out of the dream, a daydreamer could easily overpower me, especially someone like Katz.

"What's happening?" Akira's cold question echoed around the dense forest.

I faced him and Tiff, unfazed. They were the least of my worries because I already knew their answer. "I'm going to give you two a choice. You can turn around and walk back to the camp where Nalani and Alistair are waiting. Or you can continue down this path and go home."

"Neither is a good choice, to be honest," Tiff said.

"And what about you?" Akira asked, a scowl on his face. "What choice are you making?"

"You're coming back, aren't you?" Tiff stared at the sleeping Katz. "Then why bother stopping him?"

"He would have tried to kill us, anyway. Or trade us for freedom."

"You don't know that."

I said with a shrug. "Maybe that's why I can't kill him."

"Why?" Akira asked. "Why go back?"

A good question. One I couldn't really answer with the full truth. "I have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Then I'm coming with you," Tiff said. "I want to find Lexie."

"Akira?" I asked, eyeing the young man.

He stiffly nodded.

"You're going back to your sister?"

His jaw tightened. "I'm coming with you."

"And wait for the right moment to betray me?" I asked. "No, thank you."

His eyes hardened at my words. "They killed my parents."

"You mean the vampires? I'm one of them."

"The Saints," he ground out. "They manipulated their people. Used their gifts for their own mad ambitions. And if we don't stop them, they'll do the same to my sister."

"What makes you think I want to stop them? I have my selfish reasons for going back. Being a hero is not one of them."

Akira scoffed. "But we can be of use to each other."

I looked him long in the eye. "Let me be honest. I don't think you can save your sister. She's eagerly serving the Saints. Believes in the society they've created."

"She can still be saved."

"We can discuss your sister some other time," I dismissed, eyes jumping from him to Tiff, then back. "We'll be constantly on the run. Hunted."

Tiff swallowed. Akira remained unfazed. "Not if we get rid of the halo's spell."

"You think you can do that?"

He shared a look with Tiff before he faced me again. "I have theories."

"He just doesn't have the right tools to start," Tiff said. "During our studies, they constantly encouraged us to find weaknesses around the halo technology. Akira submitted three theses, and one of them made him an apostle. They're integrating his findings on an upcoming halo upgrade soon."

"What does that mean?"

"That we have to help him develop his thesis and destroy our halos before the upgrade."

"You've never tested your thesis?" I asked Akira.

"They don't really let us do that. They do it in a controlled environment," Tiff replied for him. "But Akira being Akira, he wanted to know if his theory is true."

"That's why I've been developing the vampire trap," Akira added.

A smile curled the corner of my lips. "You needed vampire blood."

He nodded. "You have a unique DNA makeup that potentially, in theory, corrupt the halo's technology."

"What does that mean?"

They looked at each other. "The halo doesn't have an actual spell. It's just pure tech," Tiff provided.

"But I believe not everyone has the same one," Akira said. "I can't be sure. I haven't gone far." He stared at me wryly. "I wasn't able to capture a vampire to test that theory."

"You'll have your vampire blood in abundance," I said, looking him in the eye. "But I get to use your first success."

I saw the glint of excitement in his eyes and I couldn't help but see my old self in him. Those days when I did nothing but experiment because discovery was far more interesting than the things already known. "You have a deal," Akira said.

I looked down at Katz and sighed. "Then let's get to work."

***

I was back on the bench. Only this time, Mertha wasn't sitting there. I was.

As Katz ran toward me, face ecstatic, I stood. "I'm sorry I'm late," he said before he bent down to kiss me.

"It's fine," I replied in Mertha's voice, hooking an arm around his before we crossed the street to the cafe. "How was your day?"

He blinked, as if reality passed before his eyes and he could see me behind her face. He looked confused for a moment. "It was okay, I guess."

"Where did you go?" I asked as he opened the door for me.

"The forest. I had to practice my elements."

We sat down facing each other. He looked into my eyes with a sad smile. "I miss you so much."

I smiled back and held his hand. "Do you think we'll be together forever?"

"Of course," he said. "I'll always go where you go."

"Even when I'm lost?"

His other hand covered mine. "I'll find you and lead you back home."

"But what if we're lost together?"

"There's always a way out. We'll figure it out."

"Say I'm in a forest. Lost and alone. How will you find me?"

"That's not going to happen."

"But what if it does? What if I enter a border and I find myself in a maze?"

He grinned. "Easy." His tablet materialized before him. Confusion cross his face, but quickly disappeared as he picked it up. "I can always find you with this."

I searched the map and tapped on the border. "Even in this border?"

He chuckled. "This border has three entry points. See?"

The smile played on my lips as he showed me exactly where to go.

"But what if I want to go to the other side?" I asked, holding my breath as he mulled over my question.

"Here," he absently said, pointing at the map, his eyes staring at me with growing confusion. "But you don't want to go back, right? You wouldn't. After everything you've been through, after having your revenge on those who abused you, you won't."

I tore my eyes off the screen. "I would never," I said, for a second wondering about the life Mertha had on the other side. Then I wondered about Katz's. Where he came from. How he came to be who he was. Where things went wrong between him and Mertha.

But having been through thousands of dreams in my life, discovering histories and stories wasn't always helpful. In fact, they were most often just memories wrapped in powerful emotions, most of them grief, longing and regret. They were too heavy to deal with, even for me.

"Thank you," I told Katz, squeezing his hand. "I have to go. Wait for me?"

He blinked, confused, but he nodded anyway. I walked out a blue door and left him a yellow one.

***

Alistair stood as I walked in. We were back in the dingy apartment in Exodus.

"Did you do it?"

I nodded. "Mertha?"

"Nalani's watching her."

"Go three miles to the north, then turn east."

"Are you sure?"

"No, but that's what he told me."

He rolled his eyes. "From a dream."

"That's the best I can get."

"Fine." He let out a big sigh and squared his shoulders. Looking down at me, he shook his head. "You're making an awful choice, witch. They'll hunt you and they'll have a better chance because you're marked. And with those kids, you're dead before you even reach Evensen."

"If I go with you, I'd have to deal with unanswered questions for an eternity. I refuse to do that. I'd rather know what would happen to me if I went back inside, rather than what would have if I escaped. And I have to find Bellatrix again." I pursed my lips as he smiled down at me, eyes filled with understanding. "Do whatever you have to do beyond the border. I'll do what I have to do back in Genesis."

He scoffed and shook his head again.

"Don't you dare leave Mertha in the border. I can't have her at my tail. I have other Astrals to deal with in the society."

"She's not coming back," he promised.

I flicked a finger and a white door appeared. "I want to talk to Nalani now, please."

***

When I summoned her to a dream, I didn't expect one that was as sublime as her. She stood at the end of a boardwalk, which extended out into a still and quiet lake. The water reflected the light blue sky, extending beyond the horizon where fresh water met the sea.

The wind softly kissed my face as I stood beside her. I wished I could stay in this dream. Just here, where nothing seemed to matter. Where there was nothing but peace.

"I've never been to this place," Nalani said, breaking the silence with her cheerful tone. "But my dreams always take me here. I've always meant to ask you why."

The silence stretched as I thought of a simple answer. "Dreams are complex. To be honest, they can even confuse me at times. There are those made of memories. Others of pure desire. And special ones like this..." I turned to give her a smile. "Ones touched by the gods of fate."

Her silver brows dipped with curiosity. "Fate."

I nodded, facing the horizon. "Fate is telling you something through this dream, Nalani."

"I knew you'd say that," she said, breaking into a wider smile. "I've always felt this place calling for me." She faced me and asked, "You're not joining us, are you?"

"Like you, I've been having a dream that tells me where I should be."

She broke into an excited smile. "I'll find this place. Then I'll find my Obscure and we'll put an end to the Saints. I hope when that time comes, we'll meet again."

"I hope you find your Obscure soon, then. I'll be needing help."

Her chest billowed as she took in a long breath. "I don't know how it will happen, but I know that once an Obscure accepts me, I'll be able to control my light."

I nodded. "Your innocence is a breath of fresh air, but never show it to just anyone. Do you understand? Be wise out there. Kindness and pure heart can bring you trouble, Nalani."

She grinned, and I almost rolled my eyes because I knew she would do the exact opposite. "I'll be fine. Like I've always been."

"I'd hate for your light to be tarnished by the evils of this world. You don't deserve it." I took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Please be warned. When you step out of the border, you'll be on your own. You may be free from the Saints, but as what these bloody people say, their society may be heaven compared to what's outside. Find my sister and only surround yourself with people who can protect you. But don't trust them. Not completely."

"Even your sister?"

My jaw tightened. "Even my sister. Trust no one but your brother."

"Thank you for your advice, Aster," she said with a smile that lit up her face. "But I know that there are good people out there, too. Everything has an opposite."

I shook my head and sighed. Facing her, I said. "When we see each other again, I expect a powerful Omen."

She just smiled and nodded.

***

I opened my eyes and stared straight at my two apostles.

Far behind them, tied to a tree, still sleeping...still dreaming, was Katz.

I slowly got up and looked down at my dress and clucked my tongue. I needed a new set of clothes.

Miles, the cat, jumped from Tiff's arms and circled us. Her human smiled and looked at me. "Miles says we'll be fine if we stick together."

"You mean if I can keep you all alive," I murmured under my breath. Then louder, I said, "Rule number one: You don't betray me. Rule number two: Trust no one." I looked at Akira. "That includes your sister."

"She'll do anything to protect me. If I tell her the truth, she'll believe me."

"She's your weakness, Akira. If she doesn't use that against you, the Saints will." I looked at Tiff. "You make sure he doesn't do something stupid." Veering my gaze back to his scowling face, I stepped closer. "You don't trust Akiko until Tiff and I agree."

"And what can convince you to trust her?"

"The moment she betrays her own people."

His jaw tightened. "Is that your plan? Use her against the others?"

Instead of answering his question, I looked him up and down. "How long will your experiment take?"

His gaze wavered. "I'm not sure."

"But you can do it."

He stiffly nodded. "I have all the data."

"But you can do it before the upgrade?"

He nodded. "I think so."

Honestly, I didn't know if I could trust them. Akira's loyalty was with his sister. Tiff, I wasn't sure of. I didn't know her story yet. There was a bigger chance of success if I did this alone, but I couldn't just let them be on their own. They'd be hunted just like me, and that's the only thing that was keeping us together.

"Are there more rules?" Tiff asked.

I nodded. "Rule number three: You have to learn real witchcraft." At this point, they were no longer surprised. "No gadgets, no technology. Nothing that can make it easier for them to track us down. We'll do this the right way."

"They're powerful with their technology, Aster. Spells and rituals won't take us far," Tiff said.

The corner of my mouth lifted into a wry smile. "And that's why you people have stopped being witches a long time ago." I gazed at them intently. "Last chance. You leave without me, or you stay with me until the end with my rules."

They both stepped closer.

I nodded and turned, my eyes fixed on the path ahead. "Then I hope you're ready for what comes next."

"What?" they chorused.

"A blood pact."