Disclaimer: All recognizable things belong to Libba Bray, that amazing woman who deigned to give us a glimpse into her mind. All else… Well, I suppose you could say it was mine. I would prefer you didn't, though. And also, this chapter only, a line from Frank Beddor's The Looking Glass Wars used; great book – go read! First five people who spot it get a special treat sent to their e-mails.

A/N: My internet service blocked FFN, so I had this chapter ready ages ago, but am only now able to update. I'm so sorry! Anyway, I love writing, and I am delighted that this story has garnered such a great response. Please don't hesitate to criticise or give me your opinions on my writing. Thank you to those who have stuck with me from the beginning, through the sporadic updates, short chapters, plot twists, and revelations. This one's for you.

Refresher: Then Min steps forward in all her Gorgon glory and asserts, "Thou art returned to us, William."

In the Realms, Chapter Thirteen

Blood still seeps out from between my fingers as I attempt to stand. I falter more than once as I gain my footing, and for once Kartik isn't there to catch me. How very irritating that not only do I notice, but I mind. For all my whinging about how he was "suffocating" me and "stifling me," I liked it. I shove my petty concerns away for now though, since I have to deal with Pippa's Golden Knight and somehow convince him to betray his love, his queen, his goddess.

"Who are…," the young man begins, and then his gaze lands on Philon. He blanches and, his hand straying dangerously close to the hilt of his sword, demands, "What are you?"

"I am Philon of the Forest," Philon tells him, and I can see the knight wince. I feel a flash of sympathy for him since it took me quite a while to get used to Philon's unusual voice, but then I remember why he's here and why I'm bleeding from the collarbone.

"Here, Gemma," a voice says quietly in my ear, and I manage to turn my head to see who's speaking. It's Ann, and she's offering me a damp cloth, presumably to staunch the blood flow.

"Thank you, Ann." I take the cloth and willingly press it to my throat. I look up at my friend to say something else, but have to blink very hard before she comes into focus. "I think I want to lie down now…," I mutter.

Felicity hasn't moved from her spot, and I can see that she's holding a bow and arrow, aimed at the knight's head. And… there's another Felicity behind her. Or is that my strange eyesight? I squint; no, there are two Felicity Worthingtons right now, each with an arrow pointed at someone. The one standing at the vertex of the salt star is aiming at the knight; the other is aiming at… Min?

"All right, Gorgon, out with it," one of the Felicitys spits, sounding thoroughly disgusted. "How do you know this… this thing?"

Min doesn't look the least bit disturbed, perturbed, or any other –urbed that one might utilise to describe what I would be feeling in the same situation. "Quite simple, Strong One – or should I say Strong Ones?" Both Felicitys scowl, but one of them shimmers out of being, leaving behind her bow. Once our Fee is the only one left, Min continues, "He is of the Realms, as am I. Before I was trapped into servitude, he was one of the knights assigned to guard the ship as it traded among tribes."

Ann blinks; as she has been doing as of late, she says what I am thinking: "The Realms have knights? So then Pippa didn't create this… William from her own imagination?"

The knight – William – now looks to me, his hand relaxing away from the pommel of his blade. "I know you," he mutters to himself. "I remember… Argh!" He falls to the ground, his hands pressing insistently at his eyes. "Shut up, shut up, shut up," he growls in a low chant, attempting to ward something or someone away. When he looks up, his eyes are clear of whatever emotion was confusing him.

"Well done," he says in a cold voice as he unfastens his sword belt from his waist. Philon steps forward and takes it from his grasp, slinging the belt over his shoulder "Well played, Priestess," he adds, sketching a mockery of a bow in my direction. "What do you plan to do with me, now that you have me? If it is a trade that you think of, do not waste time on such notions any longer; the Winter Queen will not barter with such beings as yourselves." William snorts and adds derisively, "My Goddess of the Winterlands, you can't even conduct a summoning properly, can you?"

I stiffen angrily, irritated that he mocks my pain. The abrupt movement proves too much for my careful balance, though, and I sway on my feet.

"Gemma!" Ann's startled cry jerks me out of my dizziness, and I straighten myself resolutely. She steps closer to me, lowering her voice so that William can't hear. "Be careful, Gemma," she whispers in a trembling voice. "You can't let him see your weakness."

"Hello!" I look up at William's annoyed expression and the inane observation that he apparently has quite a passion for the dramatic pops into my head. "Trying to surrender, here!"

Min looks at William steadily, the snakes of her hair silent for once. "Knight, listen to me…"

"Oh shut up, Gorgon," he snaps harshly. "You've stolen me, captured me, it's all fair and done!"

Fee steps up beside Ann and me, her grey eyes narrowed in contemplation. "He doesn't understand," she says under her breath. "Gemma, you need to prove to him why we brought him here."

I press harder against my throat and look at her tiredly. "Felicity, I'm a bit drained here. Can't you give it a go?" Asha turns when she hears me say "drained," and her eyes widen when she realises that I'm still bleeding. She quickly digs through the satchel at her side, emerging with some sort of a scarf covered in a kind of liniment that she hands to me.

"Press it against your throat, Priestess," she murmurs. "It should staunch the wound and partially heal it. I made the poultice myself."

With shaking fingers, I accept the healing item gratefully. Ann helps me bring it to my neck, to press and hold it against my wound. Within a few minutes, I feel… not stronger, but certainly less weak. I can move at a normal rate without keeling over or having irritating black dots dancing at the edge of my vision. Now that I can see again, I notice that Kartik is binding William's arms behind his back and Min is speaking to him in a low, earnest voice. My balance restored, I reach out for both Felicity and Ann's hands.

"What are we doing?" Fee whispers, one foot tapping nervously; she has her back to William and, though he is restrained, she has a warrior's reflexive response to an enemy behind her.

"Proving to William that we didn't bring him here to kill him," I whisper back. "I need to show him what I saw and heard – Pippa on the march, I mean. But I need your help, both of you. I'm too weak to do it on my own."

Ann nods and tightens her fingers around mine. "What do you want us to do?"

"I'm going to describe it again," I explain. "While I do that, you two have to somehow dream it up into something that everyone can see. You have to listen to what I'm saying, but you also have to make it realistic." Ann opens her mouth to ask a question, but I forge on, "I know, it sounds wretchedly difficult, but otherwise he'll merely be a prisoner."

Fee looks confused. "What else would he be, Gemma?"

I swallow hard; I hadn't told anyone about the other part of my plan, most likely because it hadn't occurred to me until just now. "I think we should make him a part of the New Order."

"What?" both Fee and Ann blurt out, distressed by my statement. In their shock, they drop my hands so that I am effectively excluded from the semi-embrace.

I clench my jaw and hiss, "Just create what I remember!" Ann and Felicity exchange a doubting glance, but they again take my hand. "All right. Let's try this," I murmur, and launch into a description of what I had seen in Pippa's tent – Agerthan, the bloody meal, the kiss, the magick, all of it. I keep my eyes closed during the whole thing, trying desperately to remember every detail of it; one small thing that I believe insignificant could very well be the proof needed for William.

"Gemma," Fee whispers urgently, tugging at my hand. She tugs until my eyes fly open, and she squeezes my fingers. "Gemma, I think it's working."

I look around, marvelling at the façade that Felicity and Ann together have erected. It looks exactly like the tent in which I saw Pippa and her subject, and I nearly gag when I realise that my friends have transported the stench of the rotting bird of prey that was Pippa's meal. On the other side of the tent, Kartik, Philon, Asha, Min, and William are all frozen as they watch my vision play out for themselves. When Agerthan and Pippa kiss, I can see William stiffen and give a little moan of pain, and I pity him. Once the black sparkles dance over Pippa's fingers again, the vision fades, and we are all left staring at each other silently. Then William breaks the spell of silence.

"Liars, the lot of you!" His eyes are wide and wild, and I am grateful that Philon had taken charge of his sword. "Why have you kidnapped me from my domain? Send me back!" Then his eyes land on me, on the blood slowly drying on my skin. "You," he hisses hatefully, straining against his bonds. "Priestess."

Kartik jogs over and steps in front of me protectively, his hand automatically reaching back to keep out of harm's way. "Stay back," he orders William coldly.

William laughs shrilly. "As though the Realms would permit me to have of her essence! I have no real power of my own. When Queen Pippa comes and destroys you all, though, I will be at her side as she takes control of the magick. My Queen will drink of her blood and eat of her flesh, and there will be much rejoicing throughout all the Realms!" His eyes narrow. "My Goddess would never believe such a poor charade had been created in her name. She will find it humorous and perhaps bestow upon me a gift of magick in return for making her laugh."

Asha shakes her head sorrowfully at the poor, deluded fool. "No, William," she says gently. "You have it completely wrong. Our Priestess is the Temple of the Realms now, and she holds the magick within her. Your so-called 'Queen' could never lay a grubby finger on the pure magick of the New Order. No, she is forced to relegate herself to black witchery and evil spells. Is that what you want, Sir Knight?"

William dithers for a moment; I can actually see him wavering. Then his jaw sets and the moment is gone. "She is my Queen and a much stronger ruler of the Realms she will be than this chit." He jerks his chin at me.

Philon steps forward and yanks William's hair, forcing the knight to bare his neck – almost as though for an execution. "You will have a civil tongue when addressing the Temple of the Realms," he growls, "or Philon will cut yours out." Philon tugs on the knight's hair again and demands, "Now apologize."

William rolls his eyes towards me, hatred effusing from his very skin. "I apologize," he says tightly.

"I accept your apology," I retort, stepping forward so that I stand abreast of Kartik. The moment I say so, Philon releases William's hair and steps back to stand aligned with Felicity and Min. The meaning is unmistakable: the three greatest warriors of the New Order do not trust this man.

The knight's jaw works intently as though he's attempting to bite back his anger. He can't control his voice, though, and he spits out, "When the Winter Queen comes, your blood will spill red upon the snow, and she will reward the greatest of her followers with shares in your magick."

Asha hesitates, then sighs heavily. "You don't understand, Sir Knight. We do not serve the Priestess."

William laughs harshly. "Oh, so then she serves you? Please, Untouchable – I have not been away from servitude long enough to forget the Order."

"Wait, what?" I blurt. "You served the Order?"

His hand flexes involuntarily, as though he is longing for his sword. "My Queen was right," he murmurs. "I really must learn to still my tongue."

Fee steps forward, her hands on her hips and her mouth twisted to express her dissatisfaction with William's replies. "You will answer our questions, William," she sneers. "Or you will answer to me."

His eyes flick over her, not in an improper manner, but it still has me blushing hotly on Felicity's behalf. "I answer to you?" William asks, clearly not impressed by her threat. "I, a knight of the highest division, answer to some hot-headed chit who thinks that she is impervious to fear, to death? I think not."

Her chin tilts up challengingly. "Whether you believe me matters not," Fee replies airily, "as long as you realise that your life is in the hands of the New Order."

William barks out a short laugh. "You see?" he demands of Asha, jerking his chin towards Felicity and then me. "They have even taken on the name of our oppressors! And yet you still serve them?"

Asha tilts her head to one side contemplatively. "And yet you still serve your so-called Winter Queen?" she counters quietly. "She is a worse oppressor than even the Order once was, William. And she is using your devotion against you." She steps forward so that this knight must meet her gaze. "Tell me, William – how is it that you came into her thrall?"

He holds Asha's gaze for a moment more, but then his eyes drop to the dirt. "All these questions," he starts brazenly, but some nuance of tone reveals that he's nervous. "I might even think that you were interested in my past." William looks up, stares hard at Min. "Or is my past interested in me?"

Min steps closer to the knight, making certain to remain about equidistance from Philon and Felicity in case he tries to bolt, and then bends down so that William is forced to look her in the face – but not in the eyes, I notice. William takes no chances with being turned to stone, even though I have yet to see this awesome power at work. "You and I need to ssspeak, William," she hisses. "Alone."

She's uneasy. She hasn't hissed in such a long time that I'd forgotten how it sounded, but some strong emotion must have her in its grasp for her hisses to reappear. There must be some history behind this that I don't know, some personal reason for why Asha chose this knight to be taken. Then Min drops into some tongue that I don't understand or have perhaps forgotten. William tilts his head forward as if to listen, though, so I must assume that Min is deliberately adopting this tongue to prevent us from eavesdropping.

Kartik leans over and murmurs in my ear, "I can't seem to understand – there are so many undercurrents of a common past that I don't know about. What are they discussing?"

I bite my lip, feeling distressingly uncertain. "I don't know."

Ann rubs her hand over her cheekbone and lips, as though trying to scrub away her ignorance. "Felicity, do you know what's happening?"

The tendons in Felicity's throat are taut, her jaw is set, and her lips very white, a sure sign that she's vexed by this as much as the rest of us are. "I have no idea."

Min finally steps back, away from William, her scaly face tight with some unnamed emotion and the snakes of her hair hissing restlessly. She turns to me, and I am grateful to note that her voice has returned to normal as she asks, "Most High, will you permit Philon, Asha, and I some time alone with William?"

"Of course," I reply, puzzled. "Kartik, Ann, Felicity – what say you?" They murmur assents, but are all looking to me to discover why Min wishes such a thing. "But, Min… Why?"

Her already thin mouth tightens faintly, but she answers, "I think that we can convince him to believe us." I must look apprehensive, because she hastens to reassure me, "We only wish to speak to him. We will not physically damage him in any manner, I swear by the Temple."

Encouraged, I nod and impulsively embrace her. "Be careful, won't you, Min?" I request when I let her go.

"As you wish, Most High." With that, Min bows and strides towards the still-bound William and his guards. She murmurs a few unintelligible words to them, and then they collect the Golden Knight and begin walking away – so that they can conduct their interview in private, I assume.

I turn to face my friends, my comrades, with what I hope is a light-hearted expression. "Well then," I say cheerily, "I suppose we shall go exploring then. Which way?"

With an almost uncharacteristic thoughtfulness, Felicity suggests, "Ann and I would like to visit the Temple grove, where you once said you met your mother. You described it so beautifully that we would like to see it for ourselves." She glances at me from coquettishly lowered lashes. "And I suppose that you and Kartik can go exploring wherever you please," Fee teases.

"That's true," I muse, glancing up at Kartik. "What would you like to see, Kartik?"

He looks down at me, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Wherever you please, Gemma. What do you want me to see?"

I blink, startled. "Uh… I honestly don't know very many places here," I admit. "I know the River, the Temple, the Garden, the Grove, and the Mermaids' Lair, but they're all so close together that they don't seem very distinct places to visit."

Kartik very lightly runs one finger over my hand, a shockingly intimate caress for such an innocuous gesture. "In that case, perhaps you and I could spar, as Miss Worthington and the Gorgon were doing earlier." His eyes flick to Ann, standing straight beside Felicity, and a sly grin appears on his features as he adds, "And as Lady Ann was doing." Ann flushes prettily, and I wish that my face had the ability to redden attractively.

"T'was nothing," she murmurs, but I can see the pride in her shining eyes.

"Well then, we'll be off," Felicity breaks in. "Come along, Ann. Perhaps you and I can also get some battle exercises in while we are visiting the grove."

"The grove?" Ann mutters, puzzled for a moment. "The grove? Oh! The grove!" She smiles impishly in my direction. "Yes, well, we'll be off to the grove now. We'll see you later, Gemma, Kartik." With a wave tossed over her shoulder, Ann links arms with Felicity and strides off down a path.

Too late, I remember about the shielding around the campsite. As I turn to warn and remind my friends of its existence, I realise that they have disappeared from sight. I take a few steps forward, thinking that Ann and Felicity will reappear any moment. When they don't, I reach out to feel for the shielding, and my hands bump into something solid. "Where did they go?" I ask plaintively, not addressing anyone in particular. Then a small voice in the back of my mind asks softly, 'Does it matter?'

The voice has a point. I glance over at Kartik, his brow twisted in perplexity. "Um, so where shall we go, then?" Even to my own ears, my voice is high and nervous.

In contrast, Kartik's deeper voice rumbles, "Let's simply explore." White teeth flash in a smile and he steps forward next to me, offering me his arm as though we are a lord and gentlelady out for a stroll. The smile widens with pleased surprise when, instead of tucking my hand through his arm, I gently tug his arm loose and lace my fingers with his.

"We can start right there," I offer, gesturing slightly to the side of where Fee and Ann disappeared. Kartik leans over slightly, brow furrowing until he sees the brightly lit path that winds its way up a verdant hill.

"As you please," Kartik returns genially. We step forward together, and I instinctively hold my breath in expectance of hitting the unseen barrier. My lips part with a relieved sigh when we walk onto the path with nothing happening. Then I glance over my shoulder and breathe in sharply – I can't see the campground! The force of my gasp causes the hiccups, and I have to stop in the middle of the path with one hand on my stomach and the other over my mouth to try and force them down.

Kartik notices that I'm no longer walking forward – probably because my stopping jerks him back hard enough that he stumbles. "Gemma? What's wrong?" A stilted hiccup is his only answer, and his voice quakes when he repeats, "What's wrong?"

I turn, intending to reassure him that I'm fine, I only have the hiccups, but instead scowl when I see his expression. His voice wasn't quaking because he was worried about me, his voice was quaking because he was laughing at me! Kartik is bent over, evidently trying to keep his laughter silent, but his shaking shoulders reveal otherwise. I open my mouth to scold him, and a hiccup escapes instead. This last hiccup proves too much for Kartik, and the laughter bursts out of him. I don't think that I've ever heard him laugh before, not a real laugh, and it surprises me. His laugh sounds dark and sweet, all the more special since it's so rare.

"It's not funny," I grumble. Another hiccup sounds, and I stamp my foot in frustration as Kartik dissolves into laughter again. "How do I get rid of them?"

Still snorting with laughter, Kartik stands and puts an arm around my shoulders. "I have heard many theories on banishing hiccups, but none work so well as scaring them away."

"Scaring?"

I don't know what Kartik is about to say, but then I see something that scares me more than anything Kartik could have said or done. A black winged shadow skitters across the hill, and my heart leaps into my throat, remembering the hunters that tried to seduce Pippa into riding with them. I shrink back into Kartik's chest, my breath coming short as fear overwhelms me. Kartik instinctively slides his arms around me, pressing me against him in a protective gesture.

"What is that?" he asks, his voice vibrating against my back.

I bury my face in my hands, torn between crying and screaming. "I think it's the shapeshifter. Agerthan."

Kartik slides one hand from around my waist and reaches up to rub my shoulder reassuringly. "Ssh, don't worry, Gemma. He can't see us."

"Then he must be blind," I whisper hysterically.

His hands smooth over my skin comfortingly. "Gemma, calm down. You're panicking. What has Asha told you about panicking?"

"I can't remember!" Kartik's fingers don't cease their stroking, providing something to focus on until I can control myself. I direct my attention to my breathing, forcing myself to breathe more slowly, inhaling deeply through my nose and exhaling slowly through my mouth. 'Panic severs control, ruins concentration. It is only an obstacle to be overcome,' I remember, relaxing my grip on Kartik's forearms and allowing calm to sweep through my body. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. Thank Asha." Kartik lets go of me, but keeps our hands interlocked, lacing his fingers through mine in a gesture of familiarity. "Especially for the painting that may have saved our lives." He nods down at our fingers, upon which brown patterns are fading.

"You're right." I look up at the top of the hill, suddenly and inexplicably uneasy. "Erm… I think I've had enough fresh air for a while. Shall we go back?"

A misty voice rings out from behind one of the trees, "'Ware the preybrid!"

I let go of Kartik's hand and turn towards the tree, but it's not a tree at all. Instead, it's a girl who looks like a tree, with branches for arms, twigs for fingers, leaves for hair. She's a weeping willow tree, and her eyes glimmer with tears that threaten to fulfil her name. "Who are you?" I whisper reverently.

"I am a dryad, a spirit of trees. I have heard tell from my sisters on the edge of this Realm that the preybird steals ever closer."

Kartik's fingers close around my wrist. "Thank you for the advice, Lady Willow. We will 'ware the preybird as you suggested." To me he says, "We should go, Gemma."

"You're right." I instinctively turn and bow to the willow woman, just as I bow to the others of the New Order. She looks surprised, if a tree-person can look surprised, and then pleased as she returns the gesture.

"You were truly the right choice for the Realms, Lady. Serve them well." With that, she melts back into the tree line.

"Let's go, Kartik. I have a bad feeling about this." Together he and I start for the edge of camp, an odd determination in our strides. I tense when we reach the unseen barrier, the magick thrumming in my veins with my edginess. We break through to the campground without any complications, but I still can't let my guard down. Nor do I let go of Kartik's hand as my eyes dart around camp, searching for my friends. "Where are they?" I whisper anxiously.

Almost as though my voice was a summons, my Realm-based comrades appear in the trees. William is walking with them, his golden hair shimmering in the sun and his hand loosely braced on the hilt of his sword. They are all grimly silent, but they have returned his sword – they must trust him. What has been said in my absence, I wonder? I tense even further, a crackle of magick sizzling through my nerves, begging to be released.

"Relax, Gemma." When that garners no reaction from me, Kartik tries again. "Humsafar, relax."

The unfamiliar word helps me to regain my balance, my control. I clench my hand into a fist, dissipating the magick back into the Realms. "What would I do without you?" I murmur, not really to Kartik, but not really to myself either. I look up at him, green eyes searching for something in his expression. "You told me that you would explain what that word means," I remember. "Will you tell me now?"

Kartik's eyes dart to our approaching friends, as though gauging their distance, but he nods. "It's a Hindu word," he explains distractedly. "It means…" He hesitates. "It means lifemate."

I suck my breath in sharply, startled. This is much more serious than some silly Hindi pet name, as I thought it was. He and I have said that we love each other, but what did I really expect to come of whispered confessions in another world, away from our homes? Kartik loves me, as my parents must have loved each other, as Mrs. Nightwing must have loved Mr. Nightwing… I open my mouth to say something, but his gaze is on someone behind me, presumably our friends.

"Well come, Sir Knight," he says coolly. "And what say you?"

I turn, wary of having my back to William, no matter what Min may say. My reptilian friend isn't looking at me, though, her gaze on this confrontation between the two human males of the New Order. William appears very solemn, his eyes glittering with some emotion as he unfastens his sword belt and lays it at my feet. From the expression on William's face, this must be some ceremonious gesture, though Kartik looks just as confused as I feel by it.

"I have spoken with Min, Asha, and Philon," William says softly, addressing me. "If what they say is true…" Here he stops, shakes his head, and corrects himself. "What they say is true. The woman – the girl that I have been serving has been lying to me the whole while. She is using me and the other people in her thrall to build her own magick, draining us of our emotions and life force."

I blink, surprised. I hadn't made the connections between Pippa's shared kiss and black sparkles that my comrades apparently had, but it made sense. I motion with my hand, gesturing for William to continue.

"I swear by the sword of the Realms, the shield of the Knights, and the blood in my veins… I swear by the covenant of the New Order, the sweetness of shared magick, and the security of amity… I swear by all that is sacred, I will be the Winter Queen's downfall!" he vowed in a ringing voice.

I hear Felicity behind me, "So he's finally realised that Pippa was making him a fool, has he? Well, that gives us a foot soldier, at least." Her voice is cold, almost icy, and I can sense that she is still angry that I want to bring William into the New Order. She and Ann must have only just returned from their ramble in the Garden.

Ann shushes Fee. "He can be more than a foot soldier, Felicity. And he will be, won't he, Gemma?"

I realise that she is trying to give me an opening. "Yes, he will." I look at William, trying to find the right words to express what I need to say. "William, do you think that you could serve as the representative of the Knights for the New Order?"

Min and Asha look startled, probably because I hadn't even mentioned wanting to make William a part of the New Order, but they don't object. Philon has no discernable expression, so I can't tell if he's pleased or dismayed by my suggestion. If Min and Asha look startled, though, William looks absolutely stunned by my question.

"I… well… that is to say…"

Kartik breaks in with a sneer, "Can we trust you, William? Or will you go crawling back to your so-called Goddess at the first opportunity?" I stare at him in disbelief. I have never heard Kartik sneer before, and it works surprisingly well for him. I doubt that I could ever manage to sneer convincingly, not without practice.

William looks offended. "I can serve as the New Order's knight, and I will, my Lady," he says to me. "I will be at your side in the battle for the Realms, protecting you until the last."

"As will I," Felicity affirms. Kartik agrees, and then Ann, then Min, then Philon, and finally Asha. I look at my circle of friends, astounded by the solemnity of their voices and faces. They are willing to die for me. And, looking into Kartik's dark eyes, I realise that I'm willing to die for them, too.

"We must get ready for the battle, Priestess," Asha breaks into the charged silence. "While Min and William were talking, I was scrying. The false Queen is very near, perhaps a half-day's ride from our position. We must prepare."

I shake my head. "Asha, what else can we do? We have stockpiled weapons, practiced the magick, gained an ally. We might win a battle by constantly running about, but we will lose the war. We need to rest."

"I agree," Kartik says. "We should sleep for at least an hour or so. We will not be much use in battle if we are too tired to stand, much less fight."

William nods, apparently eager to help. "I will take the first watch while everyone sleeps."

Philon's eyes narrow; I believe that he still doesn't trust the knight. "I will watch with you. The Forest folk rarely require sleep, and I have sufficient to last me through the next few days."

William doesn't look disappointed, simply agrees. Philon looks to the sword belt at my feet, and I pick it up to hand it over to him. When he takes it from me, he rests his hand briefly on my arm. "Sleep well, child. You will need the rest."

I thank him. Then, looking to William, I realise what I have forgotten. "William…" I wait until he looks at me to continue, "As part of the New Order, you are entitled to a share in the magick." I lift my left hand, resting it on my heart, and extending the other towards him. "We are not like your oppressors," I tell him. Then I mentally open myself, letting the magick stream down my arm and through my fingertips, a portion draining into William. In that brief moment of connection, I can sense his thoughts and emotions. He bears the New Order no ill will, for which I am grateful. I cannot be betrayed by someone else, not again.

"Thank you, my Lady," he whispers, once I have lifted my hand and severed the connection. "Thank you for trusting me." He bows, and then he and Philon turn and begin walking around the perimeter of the campground, presumably on "first watch." Min, Asha, Fee, and Ann watch for a few moments, and then murmur goodbyes before disappearing into their respective tents.

Kartik looks at me, expressionless. "Come on, Gemma," he says, draping an arm over my shoulders. "We need to rest."

I permit him to tug me towards our tent, too drained by everything that has been happening to feel nervous or apprehensive about sleeping next to Kartik. I only want to sleep, "to sleep, perchance to dream." Then again, dreaming isn't necessarily the best thing for me right now; the last thing I need is disturbing visions on the cusp of a decisive battle for the freedom of the Realms. Nor am I contemplating suicide, as the doomed Prince of Denmark was in his soliloquy.

I'm rambling. Now I know I really am tired. Therefore, it is with little hesitation that I push through the flap into the dimness of the tent I share with Kartik. He follows willingly, not stumbling in the slightest although I'm giving him very little opportunity to orient himself in the dark tent. He reaches out with one hand, bringing the hurricane lamp to half brightness even as I twine my fingers through his other hand. Kartik arrests my fatigued flurry of movement with a tightening of his fingers around mine, and I turn to look at him questioningly.

"It'll be all right, Gemma," he murmurs, reaching up and tucking some hair behind my ear. Kartik brushes his lips over my temple, and I relax into his arms, nestling my face against his shoulder.

"Thank you," I whisper. "Now please… Sleep?" He nods against my head, and I smile gratefully, though he can't see my expression. Kartik gently guides me down onto the sleeping mat, pulling me close to his side and again permitting me to use him as a pillow. Oblivion and Morpheus' realm comes rushing towards me, and the last, inane thought that flits through my mind…

Did Lao Tsu dream the butterfly or did the butterfly dream Lao Tsu?

A/N: The usual rundown – talk to me, review, I'm listening (á la Frasier Crane), apologies for tardiness, blah blah bliddy blah I'm-so-stuffy-hand-me-a-scone. By now, you should know the drill.

Next Chapter Teaser: "How nice to see you again, Gemma."