The three of us looked on in awe as the Oracle pointed at me, for this second time since I had arrived in El. "Child, you have been searching for me."

I looked back at Nevra and Cameria. She nodded encouragingly. Nevra reached over and squeezed my hand. I looked back to the Oracle. "That is correct."

"You have been embracing trees in your quest." I scrutinized her face; she didn't seem to be making fun of me. Still, I heard Nevra chuckle behind me.

"You're very perceptive," I replied.

Cameria hissed behind me. "Manners, Guardian."

"I've come to ask what you wanted of me. What task I'm supposed to complete."

"You've come to ask me how to leave. I can see it in your heart."

I fidgeted slightly. "That would be nice to know, too."

She shook her head. "You do not need that from me. Others in your ward know this, but keep it from you." She looked over my shoulder. I struggled to refrain from shooting Nevra an angry glare.

"What can I do for you, then?"

She lifted her head, mouth parting as if in laughter. "I need nothing from you, child. I am and always will be. It is your keepers who need you."

I shifted. "But I thought you were the incarnation of the Grand Crystal? Aren't you unhappy shattered?"

"It took many of your lifetimes for me to form, but I did it. I will reform if that is what I need to do." She seemed somewhat haughty, but her tone of voice made me wonder if she was also reassuring herself. Whatever her meaning, the word 'reforming' reminded me of the crystal shards that were missing. I remember what was said after the Oracle first appeared to me. That she did so before natural disasters, or important events. Had we been going about this all wrong? Was she just giving her usual warning? But she designated me…

"Why me? Why did you point to me when I first saw you?"

"You will be instrumental in helping the others. They will not be able to succeed without you."

"Yes, but succeed in what? What will we be facing?"

She smiled, but it was not kind. There was a look of pity in it. "I can only see what is set. What you face may be changed by the actions and hearts of those who wish you harm. What I can tell you is this: There is one in your number who is deceiving all in your ward. He has motivations that do not align with any others in your group. Be wary, for his decision will affect the future of you and your new home. Do not take this warning lightly, child. You are unfamiliar with this place, and trust too easily. Guard yourself as you would guard those you love." At this, she gestured behind me. I looked back at Nevra. He seemed surprised by her choice of words. "This is all I can tell you. Use it well."

The wind crept up quickly this time, like when she appeared. I covered my eyes to keep the sand and debris out. Then I felt Nevra's hand on my arm. "She's gone." I looked up and saw that he was right. The cave was empty. It was just as it was before he arrived, save the bat-erflies. "Let's go before the tide creeps in."

I let him lead me back to the entrance of the cave. Water had begun moving back in, waves lapping over each other. He and Cameria helped me lock my harness back into the pulley system. Like on the way down, the Guardian at the top of the cliff did most of the work. I merely kept me feet bouncing against the rock as I was pulled up.

When we were each back on solid, dry ground, Nevra asked to have some privacy with Miiko. The others moved back a few yards. "I need to speak with you about what the Oracle said –"

Miiko gasped, excited. "You saw her!"

Nevra nodded. "Yes, but the information is somewhat sensitive. I think it would be best to hold a meeting discuss it with those you trust most." There was a sudden flash of understanding in her eyes. She nodded, then turned.

"Thank you for all your hard work today! They've indeed spoken with the Oracle, and she has blessed us with priceless information. However, we need to dissect it at a later time, when we are well-rested and can think clearly. I appreciate your patience. Let's move out!"

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The walk back was full of chatter, and I took advantage of Nevra's own quiet introspection to work through my own thoughts.

Those I love. It was clear she meant Nevra. I can't imagine having much affection for Cameria, nice as she seemed. We had only met today.

But Nevra, I had known him in the Biblical sense. He was my closest friend here, and although I had not confided in him regarding the black figure I had been seeing since I got here (I was now sure that he was the one who freed me from the cage in the cave.), I couldn't think of keeping anything else from him. I hadn't told him that I loved him because I hadn't felt it. Sure, I cared about him deeply, and wanted to spend the foreseeable future in his arms. And even if I didn't love him, I could not deny that I loved the way he looked at me each morning I woke up in his bed, excited and appreciative, as if I had just presented him with a very expensive and lavish gift. And I loved spending time with him, even when he teased me about being human, or for liking human things. Was that all love was? Wanting that person around to cherish and care for? But I saw no future for us. I couldn't even imagine one. He was a Guard leader. We would never buy a home together, never have children or get married. He was married to his work, and I couldn't take that from him. I couldn't imagine starting a family at all, to be honest. I just got our of high school! And he was old. From what I gathered from Kero, their development was slower than ours. So Nerva being in his mid-forties wasn't gross, but it was still several years of maturity beyond me (regardless of how young he acted). Sleeping with him now was one thing. But eventually he would become restless, wanting some sense of settling down, or the Guard Leader equivalent of that.

And I would be leaving. I guess that's really what it comes down to. I can't fell for someone I don't plan to keep. He is a fun diversion while I wait for my departure. Doesn't he see me that way? He seemed as surprised as I was by her implication. Was this concept new to him? Since we met, he had treated me like a steady girlfriend, nothing more. Maybe that's what he was wondering now. How long I've been keeping this secret unrequited love from him. How to let me down easy without making us both living in HQ – with a shared door, no less – as pleasant and non-awkward as possible.

I looked over to him. His brow was furrowed, eyes far away. I couldn't tell if he was unhappy with the situation, or just confused. I wanted to let him know I wasn't falling for him. This wasn't love, we felt. Just lust.

I reached over to him. He started at my touch. "Yes?"

"I…" His pale lavender eye met mine curiously. "I…" I started again, but could not finish. "I don't…"

He pulled my head to his and kissed me on the forehead. "Don't deny it, darling. You can't resist my charm."

I huffed. "But, you should know that… I don't… I'm not…" I groaned. Why couldn't I say it?

He smirked. "I'll believe you when you can actually say it." He brought his mouth down to my ear, keeping pace with my stride as he whispered, "I don't love you too, for the record." He kissed my ear, then pulled away with a triumphant smile. He wiggled his eyebrows, looking both arrogant and goofy. I couldn't hold in my laughter, and we walked the rest of the way to HQ with our arms around each others waists.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Once at Headquarters, Miiko sent us to dinner, insisting we retire to bed immediately after. "I will summon those of you that need to be at tomorrow's meeting," she had said.

Nevra and I ate contentedly, both tired from the day's trek, although he didn't show it as bad. I was famished, quickly eating all of my ration before gulping down two glasses of water. He chuckled, then scraped half of his meal onto my plate for me to finish.

"Won't you be hungry?" I asked. He had actually climbed back up the cliff after our conversation with the Oracle.

"I'm still full from this morning," he winked. I blushed, remembering the blood play. "Next time we should plan better. I was worried you were going to faint today, from exertion."

I rolled my eyes. "You would like that, wouldn't you? Getting to save the damsel in distress? You would carry me all the way back, bragging about how weak and incompetent I was."

He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if that's something to brag about," he said. "I prefer women who can occasionally get through the day without being rescued." I dipped my head down, looking at the new food on my plate. For all his teasing me about my troubles, he did seem pleased when I surpassed expectations.

"That's too bad," I replied, "because I was thinking of throwing myself down a well during our next adventure. Without Lassy here, you would be the only one to save me."

He gave me the typical confused look. "Is Lassy your… partner?"

I laughed. "Lassy is a dog!"

He looked horrified. "You have sexual relations with your companions!?" he whispered.

I laughed harder. "Ew, no! What are you talking about?"

"You said you had a boyfriend." He looked sheepish.

"When."

"About a month ago."

I thought back. "We had broken up after graduation. I hadn't seen him all summer."

He nodded, looking pensive. "Because you don't like distances."

"I don't like long-distance relationships," I corrected. "He was going to school out of state, and I was taking a year off to decide what to do." I laughed. "I remember you mentioning then that this could be what I did. The training for this was sure painless. I wonder if I could major in 'semi-intelligent life' back home.

It was Nevra's turn to dip his head. I decided to probe his thoughts (and allow my imagination to wander). "If I go home, of course."

He looked back up, intense. "We're still trying, I promise. I know you haven't heard anything in awhile, but I will return you to your home."

I nodded, but shrugged. "I know. I believe you. But it's been brought to my attention that I may be needed here more that the human realm." He shot a glare at Miiko, accurately guessing who was responsible for my doubts. I bumped his elbow with mine. "It wouldn't be the worst thing. I planned to take a year off. I definitely am passionate about something now, even if its relevance in the human realm is minor." He studied me after that, so I turned my attention to my plate. Let him wonder, I thought. Let him think about permanence. As much as it hurt to think about never returning to my family, Miiko had been right about one thing: They wouldn't accept my return without questions. Possibly by the police. A girl my age goes missing, and people wonder. What would I do if I did return? Hide myself from them, start a new life. Buy a fake Social Security Number and hope I didn't get arrested for identity theft? The more I thought about the particulars of going home, the more I realized how unlikely a stable, normal life would be. What if they locked me up upon my arrival, just as Miiko had done? I had thought she was motivated purely by her own need to keep her people safe. Maybe she had come to care for me, and worry over my wellbeing. And for that matter, the wellbeing of all us Violets. Some of the girls were thinking about staying, but others were clearly for their timely return. How did the Shadow Guardians move between the realms without being caught? Could us Violets have the same asset?

I thought about what staying would mean for me. Living in HQ, unless Miiko took my stay as an excuse to move me into the City, and out of her hair. I enjoyed my work with the companions and my committees, but could I earn a living from it? I only worked about ten hours a week. Even as a maid, my hours weren't long. I wondered how long Elaine and Alana worked. And Nevra, the head of a Guard, was still only busy for about twenty hours each week. Was that the norm here? Do what's needed to be done, then use the rest of your time for personal pursuits? They did seem happier and calmer here than those in my world, always working for the weekend. Yes, I would definitely enjoy the free time here. And I wouldn't get bored of my job. Every time we increased the security or safety of one aspect of the companions' lives, some other danger made itself known. I doubted I would ever make myself superfluous.

And what about my social life? If I were here to stay, I would definitely feel more inclined to put down some roots. Ykhar seems open to a friendship. And Kero hasn't looked as nervous around me lately. And, if we are all stuck here, I might as well become closer with the other Violets. And Nevra…

I peeked back over at him, and found him staring at me. I blushed and turned away, smiling at the look on his face. It was as if he were considering the way things would go too, if I were to stay. If only I could read his mind.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

I was not invited to the meeting the next day. I know this, because Nevra was. Of course. I didn't expect to be, but was still a little butt-hurt that he didn't try to sneak me in.

He had kissed me on the forehead before leaving his room that morning. "I'll tell you what I can when it's over, but you may need to be patient for a while." After I huffed, he relented, "Since it so deeply involves you, it's more likely than not that Miiko will clue you in."

So instead, I was having my class with Kero, who also wasn't invited to the party.

He had told me to call them 'advanced customs lessons,' which I supposedly needed to retrain my heathen human inclinations to respect, rather than exploit, the creatures in my world. Which was a lot of hooey, in my opinion, since the companions around here were worked far longer than my dog back in the human realm.

But the lessons weren't really about animals at all. They were about getting home. I had told him previously of my short meeting with Miiko, when she had made my return to the human realm seem like something to be earned. Or a hostage trade. Kero hadn't looked surprised, and told me he had heard similar things on his end. So we met to continue discussing various options for my – and all the Violets' – departure. Even escape. We hadn't come very far, since most of the very few ways were controlled by the Light Guard, or required rare and expensive ingredients to produce.

We had been able to confirm that walking back into a circle of mushrooms was not an option. Apparently it only worked before because the luminal space it created – a spot where two worlds converged – existed because something from his realm touched mine. We had spent the lesson brainstorming things in Eldarya that might have seeped over from the human realm, but had come up empty. What was the equivalent of a Witch's Circle, anyway? A Chemist's Circle? I thought that had been pretty clever, but Kero informed me that chemistry was an extension of alchemy, on a more practical and boring scale. Presently, we were lying on the Library floor, coming up with puns for mundane things. We had jointly thought up Old College Triangle, Ballpoint Pentagon, and Wrap-around Decagon when I started to feel a tugging in my chest.

He propped himself up when I brought a hand to my chest and started gasping. "Are you alright? Should I get Ewelein?" He scooted over and helped me sit up.

I shook my head. "No, it's… I think I'm being summoned?"

"By Nevra? Maybe the meeting is over. That was quick." We both stood, and I felt a location in the tug.

"He isn't sending me back to his room, though. He's…" A picture flashed into my mind's eye, reminding me of where Elaine had taken me about a month earlier. "It's a little cubby where you can peek into a meeting room."

He nodded. "I know where that is. Follow me." We ducked out of the Library and went winding up into the Tower, checking around corners as we jogged. Finally, we came upon a small door, hidden behind a tapestry. Kero gestured me in first. I immediately saw a small crepuscular of light coming through a vent in the bricks. I tiptoed up to look through the grating.

It was the same meeting room as before: A giant chandelier obstructed my view. Kero pulled at my hand, then pointed to a small gap in the bricks. There was another peephole, lower down. I got on my knees and peered through it. The room was long, like the Dining Hall, but not nearly as wide, maybe half the length of the room. A group of Guardians sat at a long, wooden table, listening to Miiko speak. I recognized Leiftan, Jamon, Valkyon, Ezarel, Ewelein, and Nevra. As I watched, Nevra briefly brought a hand to the center of his chest, then smiled. He quickly glanced my way and back again. I pulled away out of reflex, but realized he may have been aware of my appearance through the summoning charm. I drew my attention away from him and listened to what Miiko was saying.

"We need to take this as an imminent and malicious threat against us. Treason is not a word I throw around lightly, but if the Oracle claims a traitor is in our midsts, we must take the warning seriously. Jamon, start organizing a light lockdown on headquarters. I don't want to start a panic or witch hunt –" a few members of the Guard shivered at this "but we need to regulate who gets in and out of our borders. Close up the underwater tunnel in the basement cave and post a nightly guard at the wall and gate. Do not allow anyone to enter or exit until these measures are secure." Jamon nodded his assent.

"Next, Ezarel will be conducting interviews with the Guard. Use any resource on hand to obtain the truth. Anyone not in this room is a suspect." Kero grumbled under his breath at this. "Luckily, it appears we only have one conspirator on our hands. Let's keep it that way. I don't want word of a mutiny getting out and exciting dissenters.

"Valkyon, supply look-outs for Jamon. Only those you most trust. I would rather have a few loyal sentries than many who could be bribed or otherwise convinced to look away for a moment.

"Nevra, dig into the gossip of HQ. If there is a traitor, I want to know what they want and who is most susceptible to being drawn in. I want a full report of your leads within five days. Is that enough time?"

"Yes, Miiko."

"Excellent. Next – Yes, Leiftan?"

"What about the girl? Do we have any guesses as to how she fits into this? She was the messenger, after all."

Miiko nodded. "Hopefully once we discern what the traitor's motive are, we will be able to figure why this warning was brought to her and why she was transported here in the first place. That reminds me –" She pointed to a small piece of parchment on the table in front of her. "Nevra, place some of your Guards on a full-time watch detail for her and the other Violets. Don't waste anyone important; the trainees will do. Some of them seem to have grown fond of her, anyway, so we should be able to combat any ulterior allegiances with simple camaraderie."

"Certainly. I'll have the first shift start tonight." Nevra smiled again and took the briefest of glances in my direction. I pulled away and sighed. I was partially annoyed that the Guard thought I needed babysitting and partially anxious for the lack of privacy. Here was the audience he wanted. I knew he would try to get me to be loud enough for them to hear outside my bedroom door tonight.

Kero had taken my spot at the peephole when I moved away, so I brought my ear against the cool brick and tried to listen to the remaining conversation. It was mostly muffled now, but Kero looked interested as he listened. At one point his brows furrowed and his jaw set. He gave me a stern, but indiscernible look, then brought an eye back to the hole in the wall. We sat like this for awhile. Then he pulled away. "It's over," he sighed. "Go meet with Nevra. Act eager when around the others. I'll fill you in during our 'lesson' tomorrow.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Nevra had met me in the secondary hallway outside our rooms. "I can't talk now, but I'll see you tonight." He brought me closer and whispered, "Don't expect much privacy to talk. I'll have ears listening to us all night." I nodded. I wanted to ask if it was safe to speak candidly with Kero (and – although I couldn't imagine it – if he could possibly be the traitor), but thought better of it. Now wasn't the time. And it wasn't like I could tell him anything he already hadn't heard.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

I spent the rest of the day moping about my room. At one point in the evening, Ykhar brought me a tray of food and a new book. "You didn't come to dinner, so I thought I would bring your ration up." She set the tray down on my bed and handed me a book. "After Kero taught me to read your script, this was one of my favorites. Always made me feel better on a bad day." It was a picture book, Everybody Poops. I laughed aloud and thanked her, insisting I felt better already. She offered to stay and read it to me. Her voice was unsure, but she didn't stumble over the words. After, she stayed to talk. We briefly lamented over the current and lengthening situation I was in, stuck in a foreign world with no way to get out, or at the very least assure those who I left behind.

But eventually the conversation turned to Nevra. "So…" she prompted. When I looked at her curiously, she continued, "Nevra has gotten very attached to you."

"Gee," I said, pointing to the clothes-covered floor, where half the garments were his, "I hadn't noticed." I opened the bottom drawer of my nightstand and gestured to neat piles of underwear and small bottle of his potion. "He hasn't practically moved in to my room. Nor I into his." I didn't show her now, but there was an identical drawer with my own undergarments and the Eldaryan form of birth control.

She just giggled. "I knew it! I could tell from the way he looked at you in the washroom that first day that he was going to bet the farm to get you."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, you didn't know him well enough then to tell. But he is never that interested in annoying anyone. I mean, he flirts. But usually it's the other girls making the effort. This time, it was him trying to convince you to consider him. It was sweet, from the outside looking in."

I sat thinking for a moment.

"You must have seen how fond he is of you?"

"I have, I promise. It meant a lot to me that he backed me up at the meeting with all the Violets. And that he keeps promising to get me back home." I paused. "But lately, I've been thinking about him and I, permanently, and I'm not quite sure where I stand. Or what I want." Surely I wasn't going to give up my chance to return to my family for some boy. But what if he was one big reason in a list of other, more reasonable ones? Could I really be happy after disowning them. Wouldn't I eventually come to resent Nevra for not giving me the same love and home that they had?

Ykhar took my hand. "I can promise you, whatever you choose, he will be on your side. And if you do get stuck here permanently, well…" her slate-blue eyes twinkled. "He will do whatever it takes to keep you in his bed. He's not picky, really. I've known him for awhile. All he really wants is companionship. He's okay with a casual as much as a longterm commitment." I hmmed. "If you had to stay here, what would you choose to be with him?"

I answered her honestly. "I don't know. I'm still eighteen. It's not something I thought I would have to consider for a few years. I've never had a relationship that I thought would last long enough to even contemplate it."

She leaned back on my bed and gave a relaxed sigh. "I guess you have some time to think about it before it becomes relevant. I mean, the Solstice is a whole two months away. And it's not like he'll propose immediately if you stay."

The thought of Nevra down on one knee looking eager and hopeful made me squirm – and not in the good way. "Let's hope not."

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Ykhar had left an hour or so before Nevra returned to my room that night. I had changed into pajamas, under the impression we would be messing around before bed. The frilly babydoll top allowed my breasts to crest slightly over the sweetheart top, but barely covered the black cotton bikini-style underwear I had on underneath. I thought this was a good choice, until I answered Nevra's knock.

Upon entering, he gave an apologetic shrug, then let in five of his trainee Shadow Guards. They seemed happy to be there, and greeted me warmly. "Hello, Guardian. We are excited to be of your service, and put our practice to the test," one said, meeting my eye, but then diligently taking note of her surroundings. The rest smiled, remembering our playful sessions, them scouting me out while I hid from them in various trees around the HQ gardens.

Nevra smiled at them. "Alright, troops. Move out. Pick an entrance and guard it from sketchy folk." He gave an unamused glare to one who had positioned himself at my window and focused his gaze on the bed. "Taron, I'll take that post."

Taron did not move. "I think it would be best to have a set of eyes right here, Sir. Wouldn't want to miss anything." He smiled mischievously at me and I had the faintest glimpse of what Nevra must have been like as an adolescent boy.

Nevra pulled him away from the window and swatted him upside the head. "I promise you, I won't miss an inch." As the boy was pulled away, he gave one last look over his shoulder at me, now crossing my arms over my chest and sitting with my legs crossed.

Nevra shook his head incredulously as he closed the door to the secondary hallway. I giggled. "Awww…" I teased. "He's so cute!"

Nevra just scoffed and met me on my bed. "If by cute, you mean an easily distracted thirty-year-old who can't keep his recently acquired lust to himself."

"I'm sure the girls his age find him absolutely endearing, and not at all obnoxious."

He followed my sarcasm with his own. "Yes, he's very charming, that one. Won't have his ear to the door all night."

I flipped on top of Nevra, letting my top pull down a bit as I slid up his chest. "I thought that's what you would have wanted. You're a kind of 'wake the neighbors' lover."

He grimaced. "Not in front of children. Plus, it would only lead to him repeating the things I say to you to the others in his Guard. For their sakes, I'll keep it clean tonight."

I rolled back off of him. "But for how long? Won't they be posted here for awhile?"

He shrugged. "I don't expect the threat to stay hidden for that long. And at any rate, I'll make sure to post him down the hall a bit, where he won't be able to hear you beg for my huge cock."

There was a mournful groan outside. Nevra turned toward the door and yelled, "Keep watch, you piece of Pimpel dung!" He turned back to me. "I told you there would be no privacy tonight."

At that, he stripped and put on a fresh set of underwear, then cuddled up against me until we both fell asleep. He was restful in the night. But my sleep was interrupted by howling winds outside my window that brought my thoughts back to the immersed cave and the Oracle. My dreams were of me trapped in a cave, but a different one, directly below our prone bodies.