The hour was early, but not terribly so. Krysia was just opening the blinds in Arthur's room, and Gaius was in his chambers deciding what meaningless tasks to assign to his care for the day. She was surprised when the door opened and Gaius entered with Merlin, who was holding a beautiful decorative canteen. She frowned, thinking she'd seen something like it before, but before she could linger on it, Merlin and Gaius rushed to administer whatever Merlin had gotten from the Isle of the Blessed.

Then the door opened again, and Uther startled them.

"What are you doing, physician?" Uther said. "What are you giving him?"

Krysia paused in her own work of opening curtains, and Gaius considered the canteen.

"It's a…" He began. Then he stood a little straighter. "It's a tincture made from the lobelia plant, an ancient remedy for poisonous bites."

"A cure?" Uther said.

"We hope."

"Do you really think it will have some effect?"

Krysia stepped forward and said, "Gaius wouldn't have sent Merlin on such a long journey after the plant if we thought it was impossible. But it is the last resort."

Uther nodded, and Gaius carefully administered something that was not a tincture of the lobelia plant. They watched Arthur, and Krysia scarcely dared to breathe.

"Perhaps you should leave him to rest," Gaius said.

"I will not leave him," Uther answered. He pulled the chair Gaius had been using closer to the bed, and he watched his son carefully.

The three of them made to leave, but Uther requested that Krysia fetch him food to be brought to Arthur's bedside. She agreed, and silently lamented that she wouldn't hear the story yet of what had happened on the Isle of the Blessed.

/-/

In the early hours of the evening, Krysia stood and watched Gaius pacing Arthur's bedchamber, Uther asleep hunched over the edge of Arthur's bed, and Arthur still not awake. Krysia didn't want to disturb the king, but she also wanted to wake him and try to make him more comfortable. He'd regret the sleeping position in the morning.

She was just about to stir her courage to make the suggestion when Arthur woke.

Uther quickly stirred beside him, and the lightness on his face was such a stark contrast from the past few days that Krysia almost didn't recognize him as the same man. She could imagine him as the handsome young prince he must have once been, before the years of fear and witch hunts hardened him.

"Arthur," Uther said.

Arthur raised his head to look around, then laid back on the pillow. Gaius quickly checked his vital signs and Krysia hurried to get Arthur some light food to regain his strength.

/-/

Before bed, Merlin whispered to Krysia some of the details of his journey to the Isle of the Blessed. He told her about how beautiful it was, about his conversation with Nimueh, and he let her have a closer look at the small decorative canteen Nimueh had given him.

"It's beautiful," Krysia said.

It was also familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on why. She traced some of the overlay, and she had the impression that she'd done this very thing before, but many years ago.

"You've got a funny look on your face," Merlin said.

Krysia startled at his voice.

"Sorry," she said. "I was just…there's just something very familiar about this, that's all."

They sat in silence, and when Krysia set down the canteen, aware she'd been holding it too long, he said, "It's been really great having you as a friend."

"What?" she said.

"Just…just that," Merlin said with a nervous smile.

She had a horrible feeling she knew what he'd bargained with Nimueh, but knowing Merlin, she couldn't imagine that it would turn out as he anticipated.

/-/

The next morning, Krysia woke early and made a start on Gaius's chores. She couldn't explain it, but there was a kind of itch all over just under the surface of her skin, like something terrible was coming. But when she'd checked Merlin, he'd been fine.

The door of Gaius's chamber's opened, and Krysia was about to ask the entering figure what they required when she realized two things: the first was that this person had a horribly disfiguring disease, and that this person was familiar: Hunith.

"I'll get Gaius," Krysia said, and Hunith moaned.

It didn't take but a moment to wake Gaius. He was sleeping far lighter than usual, perhaps from the fear that Krysia had, that something terrible would come of Merlin's trip to the Isle of the Blessed. As soon as she told him what had happened, he practically jumped out of bed and hurried out to Hunith.

The door of Krysia and Merlin's chambers opened suddenly as Gaius was leaning over a half-collapsed Hunith, struggling for breath and covered in horrible sores, Krysia tried to block Merlin's view.

"Gaius!" Merlin cried. "I'm alive!"

When Gaius didn't immediately respond, when Merlin realized what Krysia was trying to do, he became nervous.

"What is it?" he said. "What's happened?"

Merlin tried to get past Krysia to see, but Gaius said, "Merlin, stay there!"

Never one to listen, Merlin said, "What's wrong?"

"No, don't!" Gaius said, but Merlin pushed passed Krysia and saw his mother.

"I'm sorry," Krysia whispered as he fell to the floor beside her.

"Merlin," Hunith managed to say through her illness.

"What's happened to her?" Merlin said.

"She's gravely ill," Gaius answered.

"Do something!"

"If I could."

"Please, Gaius!"

"Merlin," Krysia whispered, "this illness isn't something that one simply gets. This is beyond science."

Merlin was becoming increasingly distressed.

"This cannot happen," Merlin said.

"Who did you meet at the Isle of the Blessed?" Gaius said.

Krysia looked at Merlin, who was too distressed to understand how this could have happened.

"Nimueh," Merlin said.

"Nimeuh?!" Gaius cried, perhaps more upset than she'd ever seen him.

"It was as you said," Merlin said. "She demanded a price, but I bargained my life, not my mother's."

"I don't know that it matters much to Nimueh," Krysia said. "I don't think there's anything we can do, Merlin. Only a High Priest can change this now." She hesitated. "If they even would."

Merlin leaned close to his mother and said, "I will make you better, I will."

He hurried out of the room, and Krysia and Gaius helped Hunith into Merlin's bed to help make her more comfortable. Then Krysia made breakfast and Gaius did what he could to help ease Hunith's pain.

When Merlin returned, he was still completely distraught.

"Where is she?" Merlin demanded.

"She's sleeping," Gaius said.

"I have to save her."

"You cannot."

"No matter what you do, Merlin," Krysia said, "the balance requires a life for a life. Someone else would have to die, even if a Priest would enter another bargain."

Merlin had that horrible look about him like he'd made up his mind about something foolish, which Krysia had come to recognize as a portent of disaster. Gaius must have realized too.

"No, Merlin," he said.

"Yes," Merlin said, totally resolute. "I will return to the island."

"You are young," Gaius said. "Your gifts, your destiny are fare too precious to sacrifice."

"My destiny?" Merlin said, in full tears now. "This is my mother. My powers mean nothing if I cannot save her. You have taught me so much. Taught me who I am. Taught me the purpose for my skills. Taught me that magic should only be used for great deeds. But most of all, you have always taught me to do what is right."

"Merlin," Gaius said, but Merlin was beyond reasoning with.

"Where are you going?" Krysia said when he turned to leave.

Merlin wiped his eye with the edge of his sleeve and said, "I need to say goodbye to Arthur."

/-/

When Gwen came to help take care of Merlin's mother, Krysia took a quick trip out to check on the king's comfort before hurrying back to help Merlin pack. He was nearly done packing when she entered, and he thrust a note into her hand.

"What is it?" she said.

"Gaius has left to take my place," Merlin said. "I have to hurry."

She could feel her pulse in her throat as she read the beautiful note of encouragement that Gaius had left. She blinked away tears and said, "I'm going with you."

"You're needed here," Merlin said.

"Don't be an idiot, Merlin," she said. "Gaius is all I have left in the world. You're not going alone, if nothing else because I don't trust you to know what to say to Nimueh when you see here again."

Merlin clearly wanted to argue, but she was already leading the way out of the room.

/-/

The journey was long, even at their rapid pace, but neither Merlin nor Krysia felt the tiredness. They couldn't afford to stop or slow, not if they wanted Gaius to be alive when they arrived. But when they reached the edge of the lake of the isle, they could hear Nimueh incanting, and Krysia feared it was already too late.

They rushed onto the island as quickly as they could, but Krysia stopped short when she saw Gaius crumpled at the side of an altar.

"Stop!" Merlin cried.

Nimueh turned, and she smiled when she saw them.

"Back again so soon, warlock?" Nimueh said. "And you bring Krysia home."

The wording was strange, home, and Krysia wanted to ask what she meant, but she didn't trust her, and they had more pressing matters to attend.

"What have you done?" Merlin said, finally seeing Gaius on the ground.

Nimueh held up her palms and said, "Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Have you killed him?"

"It was his wish."

"I bid my life for Arthur's, not my mother's, not Gaius's!"

"The Old Religion does not care who lives and who dies!" Nimueh said. "Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life, a life must be taken. Gaius knew this."

"It is not the Old Religion that has done this," Merlin said. "It is you."

Nimueh smiled her fox's smile and said, "Come now. We are too valuable to each other to be enemies."

Krysia shook her head and said, "No. Some prices are too high, some friendships too dangerous."

"With my help," Nimueh said, "Arthur will become king, and you, Krysia, will become great."

"I will make Arthur king," Merlin said. "And Krysia is already great. And you will never see the day that Arthur takes the throne."

He attacked her with a quick spell, but Nimueh easily absorbed the attack, and Krysia realized two things very quickly. The first was that Nimueh had had a lifetime to learn far more about magic than the two of them knew together, and the second was that if they did manage to kill Nimueh, the balance of life could be restored, and Gaius could live. The question was how.

"Your childish tricks are useless against me, Merlin," Nimueh said. "I am a priestess of the Old Religion." She struck back at Merlin. "You, too, are creatures of the Old Religion. You should join me. There is much I could teach you."

Krysia took a step back, thinking as Merlin and Nimueh exchanged spells and words. It all seemed so pointless, the words, the spells, the stalemate. Nimueh would not kill Merlin because she needed his destiny, but Merlin didn't have the strength to kill Nimueh.

They needed something big, something strong, something unexpected. She closed her eyes and tried to channel the fear and anger inside of her, the way she had done so easily as a child. It was like shaking years of dust off a tablecloth, and with practice she could have done better, but once Nimueh knocked Merlin to the ground and was walking away, the dust came away easier.

The clouds gathered at Krysia's command, and she channeled their energy directly at Nimueh, who turned to Krysia in surprise, but it was already too late. Krysia struck Nimueh down, and she was destroyed. Krysia's relief caused the clouds to release rain, and she only hoped the rain would be enough to restore.

She wasn't sure it would work, but Merlin, who had stirred, hurried to Gaius to cradle him. Krysia was exhausted, and she sank to the grass, unable to do more if she wanted.

"Merlin," Gaius suddenly said, and Krysia looked up, hopeful.

"Gaius," Merlin said, excited. "Gaius. Gaius, you're alive!"

"What did you do?" Gaius said.

"Not me," Merlin said.

"Me," Krysia said, and Gaius looked at her, astonished. "I've restored the balance of the world. I've killed Nimueh. I've never been so tired in my life."

Gaius, who looked quite tired himself said, "You…you've mastered life and death itself."

"We should go back," Merlin said.

"Can I have a nap first?" Krysia asked.

They laughed, but they did all rest, as both Krysia and Gaius were too tired for the journey without it.

/-/

Krysia took her potion and was about to go to sleep when there was a knock at the door. She expected it was Merlin being unusually chivalrous, so she told him to come in, but she was surprised when it was Gaius who came in, holding a book. He sat beside her on the edge of her bed.

"First I want to thank you," he said.

"It was—"

"It was a horribly difficult bit of magic," he said, "and don't you try to pretend otherwise." He pressed the book in her hands. "And then I wanted to give you this."

"What is it?" she said, turning the unmarked book in her hands.

Gaius frowned at it and said, "It belonged to the Lady Marzena, and I believe she would want you to have it now that you're ready."

"But what's in it?" she said.

"I've never opened it."

Krysia examined the latch. She rubbed her thumb over the edge of it, and she hissed when it sliced at her thumb. She put her thumb reflexively to her mouth to sooth the cut, but the book fell open in her lap as if it hadn't been latched at all. She turned to Gaius, who had a very serious expression.

"I was unable if I'd tried," he said. "It is as I expected. Only the High Priestesses can open this book, Krysia."

She laughed, but his expression didn't change.

"But I'm not a High Priestess," she said.

"No," he said. "Your aunt was. And you have the potential to be a priestess. But you'll need to study that book. Be careful, more careful than you've ever been with anything. I cannot help you with anything in this book. It is beyond my power or my knowledge. Many of the rites are unspeakably dangerous, even if conducted correctly. Study, but be extremely careful before you do anything."

Krysia snapped the book shut, and it latched immediately.

"Gaius, I don't understand," she said. "Is…is this why Nimueh said something about my coming home?"

Gaius's brow furrowed and he said, "It…would be, yes. By tradition and by agreement, you were supposed to be raised by the High Priestesses. When the time came and you were born, your mother did not wish to give you up. She was warned by some of her dearest friends and her sister that it was a grave risk, that you would not learn to control your magic without assistance, and that to raise such a child so near to Uther was suicide."

Krysia felt as if cold water had been poured directly into her belly. If her mother had done as she'd agreed, as she'd been counseled, then perhaps the rest of her family would have been alive. Was it selfish of her mother to keep her?

"You took the potion?" Gaius said.

"Yes," Krysia whispered. "Gaius…what if I've made it worse?"

"What do you mean?"

She searched for an explanation, and then she said, "I've just done something that perhaps has unlocked a huge store of power within me. What if that's unlocked a floodgate and suddenly, I won't be able to control my magic anymore?"

Gaius stood and said, "Actually, it tends to work the opposite. By using such a magic, you've gained more control. It is why it is so unusual to see accidental magical outbursts past childhood. Go ahead, read the book. Get some rest."

"Wait, if it gets better," she said, a little excited, "is it possible I won't always have to take the potion?"

Gaius hesitated. She wondered what he was struggling with, but finally he nodded his head slightly and said, "Eventually, yes, you should be able to cease the potions. But I urge you, Krysia, to use caution. You should not cease yet, especially not within Uther's castle. You have a great deal of work to do."

Krysia hummed, and she turned the book over again. She thanked Gaius, although she wasn't sure she wanted to thank him. She had a feeling that the weight of being a High Priestess was not a responsibility she wanted, especially for a religion that was crumbling, without training from someone who knew what they were doing. For a moment, she almost wished she'd had another solution beyond killing Nimueh, someone who could have taught her. But Merlin was right, she didn't want to learn from someone so selfish.

Merlin entered and pulled off his jacket.

"What's that?" he said.

"It's a book," she said, setting it on the bedside.

"Yes, obvious," Merlin said.

She rolled her eyes and rolled over as he pulled off his tunic.

"It's from my aunt. Gaius thought I might want it."

"That was nice."

She rolled over again to warn him not to mess with the blood on the book, and then she noticed that the latch was clean, as if it never cut her. She looked down at her own hand and saw no cut there. Had she healed it without realizing? Had the book healed her?

Tired as she was, Krysia did not sleep easily that night. She couldn't shake the feeling that life was only going to be more complicated from here.