Aris tended to the fire with the long iron rod, exposing the unburnt wood beneath the upper stack to the heat. Anna huddled closer to it, eager to get away from the shadows which carried with them a two part chill. The first made her shiver, as the cold easily bypassed the meager barrier of her dress, while the second brought to her a feeling of loneliness. The fire was a familiar companion, and she felt much better by its side.

Still, she would not mind having a cloak, though that would mean delaying news of Elsa and Kristoff, and that was the last thing she wanted. And what if the hem of it caught on fire? Knowing her luck, that would be exactly what would happen if she wore a cloak now.

"Where to begin?" Aris muttered. Anna glanced at him, catching the man staring distantly into the flames. He sat with his legs crossed in front of the fire. Almost too close, Anna thought, but he did not seemed bothered. "I have pondered that to myself the entirety of the way here." She wondered if his resistance to heat and cold were benefits of his people or something granted to him by his sjel. He hasn't explicitly told her he had one yet, but he had to, right?

"I thought about being subtle, about hiding truths, and giving you only what I thought satisfactory. But after what you've been through, you deserve the story in its fullness." He set the poker down beside him, its tip resting against the brass ring surrounding the firepit. On the opposite side, Jeziel continued to snore; softly and pleasantly, words Anna would not have thought suitable for the description of snores, and yet that was what they were. Everything about him just seemed so beautiful, such that Anna felt a lot smaller in his presence. Not the first time she felt that way, but he was dressed practically in rags and yet she found it hard to believe that she could, in her best day and wearing the best of her dresses, shine brighter than he did at that moment.

She returned her attention to Aris only to find him studying her, undoubtedly having caught her staring at the sleeping Jeziel. She blushed, then brushed back a strand of her hair and used the crackling logs as an excuse to stare back at the fire.

Aris sighed, and she heard him shift in his place. "We've known about your sister for a long time." he said, softly. "Ever since she first manifested her powers, we've known. You probably don't remember when that was."

That was true. Anna looked to the ground, feeling that familiar emptiness. Her memories—her real memories, had not yet returned. Pabbie did not say they would, but that did not stop her from hoping—which as the days went by she had begun to think she was doing in vain.

She just could not shake of the feeling of her memories being fake. She was sure parts of them were, but she hoped that she would adjust to those given enough time. But it had already been over a month and it still felt like she had been living a lie her entire life. That she could not say for certain which parts frustrated her greatly.

For one, the strand of white hair she once owned was something she had always believed she had been born with. But Elsa told her that wasn't the case. She said that it was her magic that created the strand years after she had been born. What she believed for a long time, what she'd been telling everyone who asked about it, they were all lies. Lies, lies, lies! That made her sick to her stomach. She could not say anything bad about her parents—how could she?—but she now knew the reason there weren't any portraits of her as an infant. It would expose their lie.

Where had they put all their truths?

Elsa helped her piece some of her memories together, but they were so long ago that even she had forgotten most of the details, and Anna always had the better memory. Or so she thought. Garlic breath, I can't even say that for certain! I hate this! She needed those memories back. One way or another, she'd get them.

"The first time, she was four." Aris said, rubbing the palms of his hands together before holding it out to the fire. Anna tried to keep a calm demeanor as she was pulled from her musings. The walls of the cabin creaked as it endured a gust of wind. "She did it in your parents' bedroom, when nobody was around."

"How do you know this?" Anna asked, discomfitted.

"Good question." Aris said. "The answer is not easy. There are boundaries that have undoubtedly been crossed, but I hope that you will come to understand.

"Jeziel," he continued, "is a seer. Like you, but different."

Anna nodded as Aris paused. He pulled a hand and shook his palm in front of his chest, as if testing the weight of something.

"He does not see the bonds between things." He said, gesturing as he spoke. "You cannot give him a leaf and ask him from which tree it came."

As Anna watched, he picked up one of the fallen leaves from earlier and brandished it before his face before letting it float back down to the ground, "Instead, he is able to sense the presence of other sjel, and glimpse briefly their location. It's a powerful ability, and very dangerous in the wrong hands."

Aris regarded the sleeping Jeziel fondly. "He is the sole reason our order has been able to grow as much as it has." It was a look of passion, but not of desire. Anna recognized it and felt at that moment the extent of Aris' devotion.

"He found many of us, and through those first few, he found the rest. Through Illuventi, he found you."

"So Jeziel felt Elsa using her powers and was … watching her?" Anna said. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. If someone told her that they had been watching her without her knowledge or consent, saying that it made her feel uncomfortable would be quite the understatement.

"Yes," Aris said, "In a way I suppose it is like that. But it is not as it sounds. I cannot convey to you the exact feeling of it, as I do not know myself, but when he speaks of his power, he describes the visions as flashes. Captured moments. Like scrolling through a gallery of paintings, you could say."

Anna hummed, trying to imagine the visions as Aris described. Like her own, but frozen in time. She coughed. "How old did you say Elsa was when she first used her powers?" She asked.

"Four." Aris said.

"Do everyones powers start at that age?" Anna wondered aloud.

"Yes," Aris said. Then he held a finger as Anna began to comment. "Most don't notice it. Remember what I said about some sjel being mundane?"

Anna remained silent, though questions continued to rage within her. She nodded, and Aris went on, "The most abundant 'powers' are ambiguous. They can often be mistaken for natural talent. For genius and excellence. Not to take anything away from those that display such traits, though. The nature of most sjel is to amplify. To make better what is already good." Then he added softly, "And also to make worse what is already bad."

"Then why do my powers feel like they've only started working recently, if I've had it for most of my life?" Anna asked. It was something she'd been curious about. The visions were new to her. Well, almost new. The last time she had something similar that she could remember was when she was five. After that—

"When the dreams—I mean, the visions stopped, that was after the accident."

"Accident?" Aris asked, raising a thin brow.

Anna hummed. After all he'd said, she expected him to know about the accident. "When we were little," she explained, "we were playing in the hall and Elsa used her powers and hit me by accident. Of course, it was mostly my fault for getting a little out of control but—" she tapped the side of her head. "Right here." she said, pressing her finger against the strands of hair. "It used to be white. I kind of miss it, actually."

Aris took a moment to study her. "In part, perhaps." he nodded. "Sjel usually remain dormant until the age of 4. Elsa's powers might have prolonged that."

"Um, I have another question." said Anna, raising her hand.

"Go ahead." Aris replied.

"So while she was locked up in her room," Anna started, "did you… talk to Elsa?"

"Me?" Aris replied, "No, and neither did anyone else as far as I know. We tried to reach out to her through your father, but he made it clear that the topic was forbidden. After the gates were closed indefinitely, there was no way for us to get in."

"But if you were able to talk to her, you could have helped!" Anna protested, clutching the hem of her gown. "If she knew there were others like her, she wouldn't have felt so alone!"

"Anna," Aris said. "You must understand. There is a reason you have not heard of us until now. We reveal ourselves only rarely, and solely to those who we feel we can trust. And there is a good reason for that."

"But Elsa... " Anna sputtered, too emotional to care about how she appeared in this situation, her cheeks glistening in the firelight. "She was so sad, Aris. I couldn't see her behind the closed door, but I could feel it through—through the bond we share!" She blinked rapidly as the tears and heat stung her eyes. "Jeziel… he had to have seen her. How could he and not do a thing? If I had powers like hers, I would—"

"You would kill her, Anna."

Anna flinched. The voice, ancient and deep, was not Aris' but Jeziel's. He was still on the floor, lying on his back, but now his eyes were open and trained upon her. He propped himself up with his elbows and slid around the fire pit to a place opposite of where she sat. The fire flickered between them, its intensity paling in comparison to the blues of Jeziel's eyes, which held in them a bottomless depth and for a moment Anna felt lost.

Then her anger began to flare and the fire and Jeziel's eyes were a mere spark compared to that. "Kill her!?" she raised her voice, clenching her fists. "I would never hurt Elsa."

Jeziel regarded her with a look that seemed almost like pity. No, it was pity. For some reason, that made her even angrier. He spoke, however, before she could say a thing.

"I'm sorry. I did not mean to be so blunt." Jeziel said. "I know it wouldn't be your intention, but in the end..." he trailed off. Anna waited, but Jeziel's eyes had become suddenly downcast and it wasn't until many moments later before he finally spoke, in a voice almost drowned out by the whispering winds from beyond the cabin's walls, "In the end it will be the same. The same as it was, and the same as it's been. You will lose your sister, and the world would lose her Sjel."

"But if we can learn to control it—"

Jeziel shook his head, crossing his legs and grabbing his toes. "It's not about control, Anna." he said. "Any power can be controlled. What about the people of Arendelle? You've seen how they've responded the first time Elsa publicly used her powers."

Anna remembered. Elsa. The ballroom. The glove and the moments that followed after. She remembered shock and fear and the sound of another closing door.

Jeziel smiled sadly. "In time, you might show them that they have nothing to fear, that despite the magic you are still the girls that everyone cannot help but love. And your people may accept you."

Their eyes locked, and Anna, though determined not to break away that contact, felt as if she were crumpling under the intensity of his gaze.

"And why would that be a bad thing?" she asked.

"It's not." Jeziel said, expression unwavering. "Acceptance is what we strive for."

"Then what? Why not help Elsa? Why hide here where your powers don't do anyone any good?"

Jeziel frowned a bit. "What about those abroad?" He held his palm up, facing the ceiling. "What about those who only have heard rumors of what you and Elsa can do? How would you convince them that they have nothing to fear?"

"We could—" Anna stumbled with her words.

"People deal with their fears in different ways, Anna." Jeziel said, reaching past Aris—who scooted slightly back—to grab the fire poker. He set to playing with the fire, but Anna could see plainly that it had little time left to burn. "Elsa tried to run from hers." he said as he fiddled with the charred logs. "She kept her power hidden because she worried about what would happen if she let it free."

"I know," Anna said. "I've heard the rumors. That's why I'm going to speak with Elsa and bring up visiting other countries. Olinath in particular."

Aris flinched at the name. He raised an eyebrow to her.

"I have a friend who just came over from there." Anna explained, smiling sheepishly.

"That would not be a good idea." Aris said, his soft eyes growing uncharacteristically hard.

Jeziel shook his head. Whether it was in disagreement with Aris or herself, Anna was unsure. "We are not ready, Anna." He said. "Have you ever wondered why sjel no longer dwell in this world? They once had physical forms, and were as common as all the animals you see today and twice as numerous." He set the fire poker down, its tip falling upon the ashes and sending up a puff of grey and a flurry of sparks. "But now they are all gone. Have you ever wondered why?"

"No." Anna admitted, fanning the air as the ashes swirled toward her. "I always thought that they were just fairy tales."

"They were exterminated, Anna." Jeziel said with his ancient and wise voice now tinged with a powerful sadness. Anna heart fell as a heavy weight was pressed upon it. She grimaced. What is this feeling?

"Exterminated?" she asked, though part of her didn't want to know. The weight did not left, nor did it weaken. Instead it grew more powerful. Anna opened her mouth to ask But what? but could not muster the strength to do so.

"Exterminated... and enslaved, yes." Jeziel repeated softly. "Never were there words more appropriate for what happened. Nor words more sad."

Aris turned his head away from the fire.

Finally, the weight lifted. Or rather, it retreated. She could still feel it, that deep sorrow, but it no longer paralyzed her. "Who killed the sjel?" Anna asked.

Jeziel closed his eyes, exhaling. A chilly silence permeated the room, powerful enough to choke the heat of the dying flames, which now lacked the heat to keep the three of them warm. Anna held herself more tightly, wondering if she might have asked the wrong question.

"Devora," Jeziel said, opening his eyes. "The one who hates."

The weight returned, and Anna struggled to remain sitting upright. She shut her eyes and clenched her fists. The weight pulled her down. She felt herself falling towards the floor, her face towards the fire. She opened her eyes and held out her arms, but instead of the brass ring her hands found grass. What? She picked herself up off her knees and arms. The weight was gone, but so was everything else. The firepit, Aris, Jeziel, the cabin. Instead she was in a forest, during the day, filled with trees as tall as the few and scattered individuals that she saw when Aris first took her into the village.

Another vision. It had to be. She surveyed her surroundings, but found nothing but trees in every direction. Wait. What's that? Something white flashed in the distance. Anna walked towards it. It flashed again. Feeling an odd urgency, she increased her pace. Whatever it was it was far, as no matter how quickly she moved, it did not seem as if she was gaining any ground.

She froze, wondering if maybe she was just seeing things. Then it flashed again, and with a tinge of annoyance she broke into a full on sprint.

Someone giggled beside her.

Anna shrieked, tripping over a root before falling and rolling across the damp floor. She lifted her ragged head to see whoever it was that ran beside her.

"Sorry!" said an almost-familiar voice, from apparently right in front of her.

"Oops, hold on." said the voice again. It was female.

Within seconds there was a bright flash of white light, and in the once empty space was a floating… Tiny white fairy thing?

Anna blinked.

"Hi!" the fae said. Her long white hair glowed like moonlight and flowed in wavery motions as if she were swimming in a river.

"What— " Anna muttered, pushing herself off the floor with a grunt. "Um. Who are you?"

The fae thing pointed her thumb at her own chest. "I'm…" Then it frowned, hesitating. "I, oh dear…" She descended, floating level with Anna's face, then flitted over to her shoulder and sat down on it. "How curious. I seem to have forgotten."

"Okay..." Anna said. The fae was weightless. If it were not for the glow on her shoulder, she doubted that she would have noticed that it was sitting there.

"I…" the fae girl began, her voice a wisp. She began to cry.

Anna stood. "Hey, are you okay?" She lifted her hand, hesitated, then rested it on the girl's shoulder, careful not to crush her.

She nodded her head, wiping her tears with a pale and thin arm. "Yes, yes." She looked up at Anna, the pupils of her eyes a light grey. "I just came to a shocking revelation."

"What—What revelation?" Anna asked. She'd be lying if she said that speaking to a someone smaller than her palm wasn't even the slightest bit disconcerting.

"I appear to be dead." The girl said. She looked puzzled, and then she pinched her forearm. "Hm. I don't feel dead."

"You don't… look dead either?" Anna added.

The girl shook her head. "But I am. Isn't that the oddest thing?"

"I guess so?" Anna shrugged. The girl yelped as she was hoisted into the air. She fell back down onto Anna's shoulder with an oof. "Sorry!" Anna whispered, wincing.

"It's okay." The girl said, scrambling on all fours before she returned to her sitting position.

"How do you know you're dead?" Anna asked. "Does that mean I'm dead too, if we're both here?"

"You're not dead." said the girl. "I am. Because of—what's his name again?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The alvenkin-looking one said it," The fae nodded eagerly. "before you came here."

If she was referring to Jeziel, did that mean Anna was right in thinking he was an elf? Anna felt dizzy. How could that even be true? They were fairy tales and nothing more. All this had to be some kind of sick dream. Everything. Maybe she didn't thaw herself out of the ice after all and this was what the afterlife was like. She said alvenkin-looking, Anna. Stop being silly, she told herself. Elsa has ice powers! This is nothing. It was interesting, though, so she played along. "You mean Devora?" Anna asked. "And where is here?"

"Mhm, that's the one." the fae girl said, shaking her fist. "What a stinker, right?"

That's my word. Anna thought, still trying to process everything that was happening. "I don't know who he is." She said.

The fae girl laughed. Then she frowned and looked downcast for an instant. "Probably for the best." she mumbled. "This is…" started, gesturing to the forest. "I guess this is where I live. Or, where I'm dead? But I'm awake now so I'm almost… not dead?"

Anna twiddled her thumbs. "That's really confusing."

"Tell me about it." The fae sighed, falling back to lie down. She turned her head to look at Anna, smiling. "You know, I thought I'd never find my bondmate." she said.

"Bondmate?" Anna asked, unfamiliar with a term.

"You don't know what a bondmate is?" The fae said, her expression incredulous. "How don't you know what a bondmate is?"

Anna almost shrugged, but remembered just in time what had happened the last time when did that. Instead she quirked her mouth in a brief frown.

"My bondmate doesn't know what a bondmate is." The fae girl chuckled. "Okay then, I'll humor you." She slapped Anna's shoulder, which felt much like being hit by a feather. "A long time ago," she said, speaking slowly as if lecturing a child, "back when you meneske and us fae weren't on the best of terms, there was an agreement to bring peace between our kinds. A pact.

"Our children and your children, " she continued, "were to form a bond. A special kind of bond that would allow us to share our thoughts and feelings with one another. Through this bond we become bondmates, tied to each other until we die. We share with you our gifts, and you share with us your experiences. Love, joy, good food..." She sighed pleasantly. "Come to think of it, we stripped you bare with that deal." She laughed, and it sounded like part of a song.

"So my powers… they came from you?" Anna asked.

"Mhm." the fae smiled.

"Wait, you were you the voice from earlier!"

The fae jumped off her shoulder and floated in front of Anna's face, her translucent winds shining like silver. "What voice?"

"You said, 'true love doesn't die unannounced'." Anna recalled.

"Sounds like me on a bad day." she giggled. "My memories are a little hazy, I'm sorry. But at least I have some of them!" She bit her lip. "I don't… even remember what it was like before you came here, truthfully. Not completely, anyways."

"I know what that feels like." Anna said, giving her a nod.

"But if you're here. That means I can be there." The fae said with a gasp, looking delighted.

Anna crossed her legs. "There?" she asked.

The fae nodded her head vigorously. "Yes, yes." She rubbed her hands together. "Oh, isn't this just so exciting?"

"Yeah…" Anna said weakly, clutching her head. The world started to spin. "Exciting…" Before she blacked out, she heard the girl say Talk to you soon!

And then she gasped. She opened her eyes and before her were the flickering embers of an almost dead fire, a brass ring surrounding the pit, and around her were the walls of the cabin and Jeziel and Aris, who both watched her curiously.

Aris gestured to Jeziel and words passed between them that Anna could not hear. Jeziel nodded, and Aris whispered something more, gesturing towards the door as he did so. Jeziel sighed, and said the only word Anna could hear. "Go." And Aris departed.

The room was silent save for the sparks that leapt from the dying fire. Jeziel turned towards the door as it closed, and Anna turned to Jeziel, trying to make sense of what had just occurred. After a few seconds of eerie motionless quiet, Jeziel closed his eyes, and Anna wondered if he had fallen asleep, for he remained that way—crosslegged with his hand resting on his lap—for the better part of a minute before opening his eyes again, bringing those impressive blues back into the world and somehow making the room brighter by doing so.

"You look like you just had a vision." Jeziel said, with a smile.

Anna nodded.

"Did you see him?" he asked. "Your sjel?"

"Actually, it's a her." Anna said, smiling weakly. "She was… interesting."

"Hm. Must've been the mention of Devora again." Jeziel muttered. "How odd that is." He clapped his hands and grinned at her. "Reminded you a lot like yourself, didn't she?"

Anna thought about it. "Actually, yeah." She crossed her arms. Was that what it felt like to talk to herself? She met Jeziel's eyes. "Do you have one?"

Jeziel nodded, though his smile faltered and again the room was met with a silence that endured for moments longer than the last.

"You must be curious about your sister." Jeziel said.

Anna blinked, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. But Elsa's status was more important to her than the vision. "Yes, more than. And Kristoff." she said. "Are they okay?"

"Kristoff is currently being held in a dungeon. More than that I cannot say, but he lives. Though I doubt 'okay' would be an acceptable term to describe his predicament."

Anna gulped. He's alive, at least. She'll take that.

"Elsa... is healthy," Jeziel said in a manner that made Anna expectant of a conjunction. She waited, and then turned and they met each other's eyes. Jeziel sighed. ""But," he continued, "she has been dealing with a lot in the past couple of weeks."

"A lot as in…?" Anna said, holding her fingers together, "Like she's been getting a lot of orders for ice? Like she's had to refuse a lot more suitors? Like she's been dealing with a lot more occurrences of squid soup?"

"It's more complicated than that." Jeziel shook his head gravely, and Anna's spirit fell. "She's been fighting a war."

"A war?" Anna gasped, spreading her arms. "What? How? With whom? Why?"

"The cause of it," said Jeziel, "or the official cause, is the death of Grand Duchess Liliana Ferron of Nimrienne. And given that, the implication is war with the Duchy of Nimrienne."

"What does that have to do with Elsa?" Anna asked, wracking her brain. The name was completely unfamiliar to her. She knew about Nimrienne, but Elsa spoke of it only regarding matters like their cancelled trade agreement.

"They are saying that Elsa killed the Grand Duchess."

Anna's brain refused to process that information. "Absolutely not!" she said. "Elsa wouldn't do that. She would never hurt anyone!"

"Not on purpose, perhaps—"

"No!" Anna said, firmly. "She wouldn't. Your exact words were 'it's being said'. What proof do they have?"

"The message from Nimrienne claimed the sudden snowstorm claimed the wife of the Grand Duke while she was out hawking in the woods." Jeziel said, enunciating his words slowly.

"They found her at the mouth of a cave with her body huddled in the cloak she brought with her, which was not enough to stave off the cold."

"No…" Anna whispered, cupping her hand over her mouth. "That can't be."

"I'm sorry." Jeziel said.

Anna wiped her cheeks with the collar of her dress. "I… I need to see her." she said, after a moment's silence. "Where is Sven, and my things? I have to go to her now. She must be worried sick, and being alone and not having anyone to talk to… and fighting a war?" She stood up and began to walk to the door. "I need to get back to Arendelle, there must be some kind of mistake. If it happened, then— then…No, why does there have to be war?"

"Anna, wait." Jeziel said, and Anna stopped, her hand ready to push on the worn wood of the door. She looked back at him and met his eyes. "You can't reach her now. Even with Sven."

So Sven was alright then… She breathed a sigh of relief. "But why can't I reach her? With Sven, we could probably get to Arendelle by tomorrow."

"She's not in Arendelle." Jeziel replied.

"Where is she, then?"

"On the road to Oriarnis." he said.

"What?" She removed her hand from the door. "Why on Earth would she go there? Hans tried to kill her!"

"I know not, but she's too far and is riding on horseback." Jeziel said. "And there's another matter we need to discuss."

"What's that?" Anna walked towards him, her mind still set on following Elsa.

"It's the matter of your alleged death." Jeziel said.

"My what?" Anna froze, and slowly backpedalled towards the door.

"I said alleged, not eventual." Jeziel smiled, faintly. "When you fell, it was Illuventi that retrieved you. However, she left behind your cloak, which at that time was covered in your blood due to your injury."

Anna stopped backpedalling and listened intently, not liking at all where this was going.

"Somehow," Jeziel continued, "Nimrienne came into possession of your cloak and the Duke used it as an opportunity to claim revenge against Arendelle by, well, claiming to have claimed your life."

"What?"

"That was Ben's exact reaction." Jeziel said. "The response from Arendelle was war."

Anna's heart skipped a beat. We started the war? Oh Elsa…

"She thinks I'm dead, doesn't she?" Anna said, slumping onto her knees. She didn't have to look at Jeziel to know that he nodded. A tear fell from her eye, splashing onto the old floor and leaving a small pool that slowly drained into one of the cracks between separate boards. It was only that single tear that was shed. She wouldn't let any others fall. She needed to be strong for what was going to come next. Before she left to find Kristoff, she promised herself that she wouldn't cry.

"So then," Anna began, lifting her head. "I just need to reveal myself. Right? If I show Elsa that I'm alive, then the war will end?"

But Jeziel shook his head. "I'm afraid it has already progressed too far. Elsa won a victory earlier today. Her powers decimated an entire army.

"But even so, even if that did not happen," he clenched his fist, and trained those eyes of his to the dying flame, which—to Anna's unbelieving eyes—flared into an inferno so high that it nearly singed the roof before dying back down to a reasonable height, running seemingly of some other fuel of its own. "There is another hand in this. One that wants the war. One that wants Elsa to be seen as a monster so that the fear of her and anyone like her will again be instilled into the hearts of man. If you want to help Elsa, Anna, the best way you can do that is by helping us stop the one who wants her dead."

The name came to her lips unbidden. "Devora?" Anna asked, and Jeziel nodded, his eyes never leaving the flames. "Who is he, Jeziel?"

This time he turned to her. "Devora broke the pact." His eyes were glassy, and his pronunciation of words stiff. "Bondmating is supposed to be consensual. Bondmates are supposed to be mindful of each other." Anna saw the tears slowly forming, the sight of them bringing back the weight upon her heart.

He continued. "Devora overpowered the will of his bondmate and used the binding ritual to capture sjel and enslave them within the same host. When the sjel communitiesrealized what he was doing, they withdrew, but Devora hunted them down everywhere."

Anna covered her mouth with her hand.

"With nowhere to hide, they looked to mankind. In the bonding ritual, the sjel surrender their ethereal forms to reside in our bodies. So they tried bonding with humans without going through the necessary checks that were required for the ritual. It was partly successful, however, as a result, many of your kind became bound with sjel for whom they were unsuitable and so their forms deteriorated. In a way, it cursed both of our kinds." He shut his eyes, and a tear fell. "Illuventi is an example of this, along with others that you may have seen."

"What happens when a sjel's host dies?" Anna, whispered, shaken by Jeziel's words.

"In a way, they die." Jeziel said. "They lose their memories and are cast out into the world to wander aimlessly in a form of near non-existence. In some rare cases, they find a bondmate—usually during the time of birth—and reside within them. It is possible to reawaken a dead sjel with a bonding ritual, but for that you need both a host and the sjel's name. Have you heard of witches and sorcerers?" he asked.

Anna nodded.

"They cast their spells using the rituals for binding and evicting sjel. The binding to use the power, and eviction to avoid the deteriorating effects."

Anna gripped her arms. "That sounds horrible."

"We need you to help us find him, Anna." Jeziel said.

Anna nodded. "And after that?"

Jeziel glared at the fire. "After that, we defeat him, and then we bring back the sjel into the world and end this madness that he has wrought."