AN: This isn't much of a chapter, and I apologize for it. I just wanted to update, so everyone knows that I am still around and I plan to continue with this story. I promise a much longer update ASAP! Thanks to all my reviewers!

Felicity sweeps into the foyer like the queen herself, the fresh violet silk of her new Parisian gown gracefully hugging her neat figure as she embraces me.

"Gemma, darling, I've missed you so!" she sighs, stepping back to look me over.

"And I you," I reply, with a little less enthusiasm. "We need to speak in private."

She gives me a sour look for my ill manners, but dutifully follows me into the parlour and takes a seat as I close and latch the doors behind us.

"Oh, dear," says Felicity, suddenly noticing my unpleasant expression. "Has something gone wrong?"

"Not explicitly, no," I reply softly. I suddenly lose myself and collapse beside her on the chaise, my eyes welling with repressed emotion. "Oh, Fee, I'm so glad you are home. Things have been rather rotten without you and Ann."

Felicity looks suddenly concerned. "My poor darling," she murmurs, hugging me close. I feel relief touch my throbbing fear as she comforts me, and I allow a few tears to slip down my cheeks. "Has anything happened to you?" she asks, giving me a final squeeze before sitting back.

"Not yet," I tell her, wiping my face dry. "I am sure you've heard that the Lady Lenora Courtenay is staying with us."

"Yes, I had heard that," says Felicity, looking politely interested. "Is she a pleasant woman?"

"Oh, stop it, Fee."

"What?"

I shake my head and ignore the question. "She's been to the Realms. She says that something attacked her there – something I've never heard of before."

The colour drains out of Felicity's face. "Pippa," she whispers, covering her lips with white-gloved fingers.

"Don't be stupid," I chastise, though the same thing has crossed my mind more than once. "If Pippa has indeed gone to the Winterlands, she has no power to leave as long as the magic is bound. In any case, I am positive that it was never a creature of the Winterlands to begin with, the way it was described it to me. Anyhow, I haven't been to the Realms since the last time we were together, so I am treating both magic and Lady Courtenay with extreme caution."

"And what about your Indian boy?"

I sigh unconsciously at the thought of Kartik. "He is in hiding. The Rakshana are hunting him relentlessly, so he has not been around as often as I would like."

"Pity," says Felicity softly, her mind apparently elsewhere.

"Oh, Fee, what am I going to do?"

Felicity pretends to think about it, but I can see that she already knows how she will reply.

"Now this is only a suggestion, Gemma," she says softly, taking my hand and holding it on her lap. "But have you considered contacting Mrs. McCleethy?"

I get quickly to my feet, pulling my hand away and turning to face my friend. "Felicity, you know that she is not trustworthy! She is in league the Rakshana, or did I forget to mention that they meant to cut my throat?"

"You trust Kartik," replies Felicity, her cool blue eyes narrowed. "I do remember you mentioning that it was his task to do the cutting."

"He wouldn't have done it," I insist. "He betrayed them for me, did he not?"

"Only after he was forced to tell you the truth! Only after he was forced did he choose you, knowing full well that you had power and the Rakshana did not! How can you even know that he has truly left the Rakshana, that helping you escape them was not simply new ploy designed to increase your confidence in him?"

I watch Felicity coldly, biting back a furious retort. Indeed, I have no material proof that Kartik is loyal only to me. I would like to think that I do not need it.

"I trust Kartik," I say with soft ferocity, inviting no further argument from Felicity. I had expected her to support me in this; I never dreamed that she'd try to influence my decisions. She's only trying to help, I suppose.

"Then I am having a lot of trouble understanding, Gemma. I thought our task was to restore the power to the Order and to rebuild what once was. Instead, we are all powerless now except for you. You talk of how we cannot trust the Order, we cannot trust the Rakshana, that their hunger for power will destroy us. So tell me, Gemma, how we know we can trust you? Because it would seem to appear that you have the same hunger, and that you've done nothing with it to assure us that you are a worthy vessel."

I feel crushed, defeated, abandoned. One of the few people I can count on is Felicity, and here she is, turning on me.

"Fee," I whimper, feeling very small against her stony gaze. "I won't be able to bear it if you turn on me too. I am barely keeping my head above water as it is, and I need you. Please,"

A sudden pity springs into Felicity's eyes, and her anger seems to evaporate as she rushes to embrace me again. "Oh Gemma, dear, darling, Gemma, forgive me. It is taxing, to have the knowledge of power but to be unable to posess it. I would never turn on you, never. I am sorry for challenging you, I didn't mean a word of it."

This is comforting, but I cannot forget the hard look on her face, I cannot forget that somewhere deep inside, she mistrusts me.

"Let's just forget all this. Tell me more about Lady Courtenay and her monster."

I obey and forget the spat for the moment, telling Felicity what Lenora told me, as well as an edited version of my dream last night. As I do, I cannot help but think: I am only as strong as my allies. Who can we trust, if not each other?