~Valek~

Valek swiveled around to look with complete and utter exasperation at his acrobatic lover. "Would you please stop doing that?"

"Hmm?"

It was mid-morning and Yelena was balanced precariously atop the sturdy, stone frame of the couch, dancing back and forth. An open book held in her steady hands, she flipped the page and skipped to the armchair with catlike grace.

"It's distracting." He turned and leaned back over his work again.

She stopped and climbed down to sit properly on the suite's furniture. "I wonder about that. Can you even see me from over there? You know, with your back to me and all?"

"I'm an assassin, Yelena. That means I'm trained to pick up on the slightest of movements and changes in atmosphere. I might not see you behind me, but I can still sense what you're doing in the very, very front of my mind."

She leaned back on the couch. "Going by that logic, me just sitting here should be distracting."

"It is. But there are different levels and kinds of distractions. Some negligible and others not so much, correct?"

Yelena harrumphed and closed her book. Tucking it under her arm, she found her cloak and marched to the door. "Fine, I'll go play outside."

The petulance in her voice made his hunched shoulders shake with laughter. "Thank you!" He called out as she closed the door behind her.

But the door slammed opened again and she barreled back inside. He lurched to his feet as she opened the parcel.

Yelena's face grew grey at the contents and her arm dropped. Valek rushed to her side and she turned to and handed him the letter. "It's from Irys."

He perused it quickly and felt his blood run cold.

"We shouldn't have left." She threw her book and cloak onto the chair. "We should have known things would get worse in Sitia."

"It would have made little difference, Yelena." Valek replied patiently. "In your condition, we would have been too busy looking after you to investigate."

"Along with all the other people I'd be scaring half to death. I get it. Mentally unstable Soulfinder: not a good addition to any arsenal."

He could only give her a rueful smile.

But then, to his greatest astonishment, she burst into laughter. And it wasn't one of her bitter, dry laughs. She clutched her stomach and her face pinked as she bent over, shaking.

Valek raised an eyebrow, openly admiring the burst of life before him as a smile tugged at his lips. "I'm almost afraid to ask. But what's so funny?"

"I'm sorry." She wiped tears from her sparkling eyes and sobered. "It's just...I realized that even at my lowest, I am still capable of scaring people. I mean, I knew I was powerful and all, but this is a whole new level if you think about it."

"That's an interesting way to look at it." He appraised her, then smirked when her face became more thoughtful than his. "What are you thinking, love?"

"I'm going to interrogate the Warper."

~Janco~

Captain Annie lifted her chin and planted her feet firmly on the ground. "I know how it looks. But we had nothing to do with this."

Janco rubbed his chin with a gloved hand. All sensation of chill and frost have been forgotten. "If you were so innocent, then you wouldn't have to work this hard to proclaim your innocence."

Her fists clenched and shook, but she wisely kept quiet.

Ari glanced once at Janco. His partner gave every pretense of being casually annoying as he provoked the Captain. Rubbing his chin indicated he doubted the situation was as it appeared.

Annie crossed her arms but continued to bravely hold her ground.

"You said the cats haven't been biting for some time now." Ari finally broke the silence. "But during your investigations, you've never come across anything to imply that something else was feeding them? No bones or remains?"

"No, sir."

"And how's that possible?" Janco continued to rub his chin before tsking at her. "Surely a competent Captain such as yourself would have been thorough in all investigations. Unless...you weren't patient enough to even check all your traps."

"It's possible if your perpetrators were being as thorough as you describe."

"We're not coercing confessions if that's what you're worried about." Ari said patiently. "But if you consider things from our perspective: this happened in your district, you're not being particularly cooperative, and your General has had illegal dealings in the past with Sitia."

"Your perspective is misleading and paints us in the worst light possible. Just admit you want to pin this on us because it'd be easy and stop wondering about my shortness with you. It's true that we've gone to the Commander for years to find relief from the snow cats. And it's also true that we've felt that we had to take matters into our own hands." She stepped closer and her voice intensified. "But trading a couple overpriced rocks called diamonds for one safe season with minimal roof collapses is nothing like this. You care so much about Ixia? Then stop harassing me and trying to get me arrested."

Ari rolled his neck and tilted it towards Janco: This is the truth.

"Then there's the fact that you were the one talking about using people as bait. And yes, criminals still count as people." Janco added.

Annie gasped in her outrage.

"Word travels - especially when meetings are closed." Janco shrugged but crossed his arms.

Ari twitched and blinked rapidly to keep from widening his eyes. Janco believed in the integrity of her character.

"But you do mean well." Janco declared.

"Thank you for that insight." Sarcasm spiked each word.

"Manners on the other hand..." He grumbled.

Ari placed a hand on his shoulder. "We had to test you - see if you really were what you say you are."

Her eyes narrowed. "As did I. It was strange that I wasn't punished for the stunt I pulled. You're planning to trust me...in the face of all this evidence that says you shouldn't. What's the catch?"

"There is no catch. You can trust us or you and the General can return to Castletown with us to see for yourself."

"We're actually on the same side." Janco added. "And experience has shown that the more unified side usually wins."

"We have a soft spot for people who are loyal to a fault." Ari relaxed his shoulders bemusedly.

"And it was kind of funny." Janco held up his hands and rolled his eyes. "After all, no harm done, right?"

At that, Annie cracked a smile.

"But the Commander will not hear that vindication you just gave us." Ari said gravely. "If anything, you couldn't look guiltier to him. That being said, you'll need us to represent you while we'll need your cooperation to shut this operation down."

Annie removed her glove and held out her hand. "Then let's work together."

The Power Twins did the same with their own gloves and shook hands with the Captain.

~Valek~

All amusement died at those words.

"You want to do what?!" Both eyebrows were raised in his extreme consternation.

"I'm going to interrogate Edyta." She repeated firmly. Before he could interject, she hurried on, "Edyta is our only link to Jairus right now. You've seen Irys's message. We're running out of time."

"So now might not be the best time to prove a point, love."

"I know that that's what my decisions have been based on lately." Yelena replied calmly. "But I promise that this time, it's not about proving anything. It's about me being the best person for this job."

"Why?"

"You've tried the truth serum and you tried starving her out. It's only brought trivial pieces of information that hasn't been the least bit useful. And it's because she's not afraid of you. Her boss is far more terrifying." She took a step forward, shoulders stiffening. "But as I'm sure Devlen will testify when we find him, I can be even scarier."

"Can be." But he schooled his voice back into cool rationality. "You know that I wouldn't normally hesitate to trust you and your abilities, love. But that's on the premise that you are...capable. And if the draft in there is a threat to your physical well-being, then this woman has to be the worst kind of hazard to your mental health. You may be recovering, but your condition is still nothing to be trifled with."

She didn't flinch. "My condition. Exactly." She drew a sharp breath. "I need to figure out exactly what it is so when I relapse again, I'll know how to handle it."

"Again?" His voice came out strained and short of breath.

"Lying to myself can only take me so far." She smiled ruefully as she repeated his words. "And cost me far more than what I ever started out with.

"It's never been this bad, but it's not the first time I've felt this way. When it does, there would be nothing physically wrong with me, but I'd sleep entire days at a time. And when I'm awake, there would just be pain and I wouldn't be able to eat." She sat on the couch and shut her eyes, rubbing them. "The Master Magicians couldn't help me even when there were three of them. So over the years, I thought it'd be better to just stop dwelling on it. But I was so wrong. And that's because I'm always going to be facing this, sometimes more than once a year."

His fists clenched and he had the worst urge to bolt the doors and keep her inside if it'd mean she'd never be alone again.

But he didn't act on it. Or even demand why she never told him before. He merely sat beside her and stated, "It must have been difficult to admit this to me."

Eyes still closed, she nodded calmly and his heart broke.

Valek inwardly shook his head. This wasn't the right time or place to commiserate on how useless he felt. "But even if this woman could offer some kind of insight, being capable of helping means being just as capable of harm. What makes you think she won't just take this opportunity to exacerbate everything?"

One of the downsides of being with your soulmate: they're usually every bit as stubborn as you are.

"It's a chance I have to be willing to take."

There was a silent pause as he considered and relived brief memories of even briefer vacations where her vibrant eyes would suddenly glaze over and she'd turn listless besides him. And it was always because she was just a little tired or stressed from recent exertions or delegations. Of course, those excuses never worked so well when the Sitian Council wasn't in session or when her last "mission" was conducting research in a quiet library for Bain.

But he always made himself leave when he had to, telling himself that she was still alive, physically sound, and so, so capable. It was just a phase, an anomaly.

He hadn't been brave enough to let himself imagine her vulnerable when he kissed her goodbye. Not when he'd be too far away to protect her. And maybe that's why he had been overcompensating for it now...

His chest tightened as he forced himself to face the devastating reality. To stay together, he had to understand how exhausting and even disillusioning it will be for him. For her.

And that they won't always be so young and tireless. That he won't always be able to save her.

But as if sensing his thoughts - fates above, she probably did given how connected they were - her eyes flashed open and she turned to him with fierce conviction. "I'm not going to hide from this anymore, Valek. I'm done running."

It was brief; more a flicker than anything else. But she ultimately convinced him with that reignited fire in her eyes.

~Yelena~

Reyad trailed beside me as I made my way down the stairs. His eyes shifted around the corridors like an interested party assessing a prospective estate. His footsteps made no sound. "A bit damp and a bit dank but I'm sure you'll find a way to make this home. I'd say a splash of color and maybe an armchair or a rug in the corner."

My fingers tightened around the handle of the lantern as I determinedly kept my gaze forward.

"Of course that's if you even get around to doing any of that. You never were the most conscientious person, after all."

I expelled the breath that I had been holding. The rank odor of waste and decay stifled my nose, threatening to unnerve me. "I still got around to killing you in the end, didn't I?"

He crossed his arms and laughed. "Ah, yes. I see you're still looking to past accomplishments to feel some sense of competence. Do you feel better about yourself now?"

"Past accomplishments?" I tilted my head. "Was that almost a compliment?"

"Hardly." But Reyad's white lips clenched together and his specter begin to dim. "You think it's admirable to be obsessively reminiscing when you're not wallowing in self-pity?"

"I think it could be admirable that I have something to reminisce about. After all," I shrugged, "I accomplished quite a bit if you think about it. Surviving where others couldn't? Learning to defend myself? Liaison? Becoming a Soulfinder who doesn't abuse her powers? It's quite an extensive list, actually."

He smirked. "And how does it feel to know you're past your prime?"

It should have cut me. But somehow I found myself shrugging again. "You tell me."

His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. The lower half of his body began to vanish first.

I watched as he disintegrated until only his head remained. "Don't come back. I won't be needing you anymore."

A gust of wind lunged at me, threatening to extinguish my light. But I held still until it dissipated. Then, adjusting my cloak, I made the rest of my way to the interrogation room.

Edyta sat calmly in her seat even as her hands and feet were manacled. Her hair hung in greasy clumps and grime covered her face and bony shoulders.

She raised an eyebrow as I sat across from her. "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

"Where's Jairus?" I asked calmly.

"Ooh straight to the point. I like it. I might have liked that lover of yours better if he was more straightforward."

"Answer the question."

"He's close by. And, no, I do not know where exactly. On that note, does Valek know you're here?"

Close by. And if she knew that much, he had to be close enough to have a message sent...if not be in direct contact. That was, if she didn't mean 'close by' in more metaphorical terms.

"What's he planning? What's his goal?"

"Tsk, tsk, Soulfinder. Surely you know that is not how this works. You know Story Weavers prefer...conversations. And since I-"

"Used." I cut in, unable to keep the disgust out of my voice. "You used to be a Story Weaver."

"I was going to be." She corrected. The chains clanked as she poked a finger in the air to make her point. "I never completed the training."

"Thank fate for that."

"I absolutely agree. It would have just been a huge waste of time; because were I given the chance to do it all over again, I would do it the exact same!"

"And just what is that, exactly?"

"Relieving them of their burdens."

I scoffed. "I can see why you couldn't complete the training."

"Yes. Because I did not approve of their methods."

"Because torturing your victims in order to steal their souls made so much more sense."

"It only sounds that macabre because of the way you spoke of it." She waved her hand.

I turned toward the window to gather my thoughts and to prevent from lunging at her.

Edyta spoke again, "But let me ask you this, Soulfinder: What else would - could - you have done?"

I raised my eyebrows to keep my face neutral. She was impatient when people became too quiet...maybe she was more like a Story Weaver after all.

"I would have mended their souls." I replied simply.

"And when you could not? What would you do when you finally meet the particular one who has every penchant for self-destruction? Somehow, I believe you would know her as soon as you meet her."

I ignored the jab. "I'd hold her even closer."

"Until she cuts you to shreds with her blades?"

The corner of my mouth twitched.

She leaned back but didn't smirk. I heard the disappointment from when we were in the house in her voice again. "I've told you before. I smelled your misery before I even laid eyes on you. How did you do it so that they would not know? Did you hide away in a dark closet or routinely run into some part of the forest? I have seen people cut the back of their necks and the inside of their thighs to avoid discovery. When did it finally stop working?"

"Too soon."

"And what did you do when it did? You offered your soul up to me."

She rubbed her thumb against the pads of her fingers in contemplation. "I might not know you intimately, Soulfinder, but I do know plenty about girls like you – ones who never had a chance the instant they left the womb. Do you ever think about what the horrors you've seen must have done to your mind and soul? Even from here, I can tell you're terrified of just about everything that has to really do with living."

"And, yet, here I am."

"Let me guess, because your lover and your friends continued to stand by you through thick and thin? It must make you feel so special." She laughed. "And you very much are.

"But think about people like Torak instance." She postulated. "Friendless and separated from her only remaining family. What is she supposed to do? The Story Weavers would offer some cryptic advice and send her on her merry way. So she ends up more lost and confused than ever."

"She might not always be that way. There might be more to the story."

But doesn't it make more sense to let her know that in her darkest hour? A part of me couldn't help but remember my experiences with Moon Man. It was likely that much of the pain we endured could have been prevented had he been more straightforward.

Her fists clenched and she looked at me as if I was a naivete. "What more? She has magic in a land that condemns her for being born. She lacks the means to escape to asylum in Sitia. You might have 'saved' her but how is she faring now? What do you think the Commander will do to her after this entire thing is considered over and she no longer has any tangible use?"

"I see. So because she's already marked as dead, the next logical step would be to harvest her magic before it's wasted to the Sky. And you still think you're better than the Commander? At least he takes his people into consideration with his policy."

"We are better. Because when we're through, no one will ever be oppressed for having magic in this land again."

"No they'll just be dead."

"Only those who can't meet their potential." The moonlight added depth to her visible sorrow. "And especially those who can no longer access the power source."

"And that's why you marked me. Because you believe my powers are gone forever."

"Disappointing, but yes."

"Disappointing? Isn't this a good thing for your cause? For you?"

She shook her head in exasperation. "You were supposed to be better than this. Not that it matters anymore. Because even if you manage to regain them by some miracle, you will relapse and the next time will be far worse. This will never end."

"And if I give my soul to you, you can ensure that no one will ever suffer the way I have again?"

"We can come close. Ridding this land of its tyrannical regime is only the beginning."

"Because the old monarchy was so much better, right?"

"Well let me ask you this, then. What do you do for your kind, Liaison? A few passionate speeches and strongly worded letters to the Commander? While you luxuriate in your freedom you won out of sheer luck, how do you think women like Torak fare? Have you ever done anything close to address this?"

I stayed silent, knowing I had no rebuttal.

"As I suspected. True change comes at a cost, Soulfinder. We see things differently but it is a price I am certainly willing to pay."

"The only price you'll be paying is your conscience. Everything else has nothing to do with you."

This time she turned mute.

"You accuse me of not doing enough." I said fiercely. "But that's because I'm not like you. I refuse to be cruel."

"None of us do."

"Have you ever considered what kind of regime there will be if it was built on the self-annihilation of others?"

Edyta drew a sharp breath.

"It doesn't have to be this way. Deep down you know that. And...I think I do too." I paused, my head spinning and my stomach churning the more I contemplated. But I stifled those feelings for a better time.

When she didn't speak I slid my hands forward. My scars made their own shadows next to the dim lantern light. "You would have helped someone like me at one point. You wouldn't have let me continue to believe that the best I could be for this world was dead."

She flinched away.

"And for someone who's so convinced she's on the right side, it should be unsettling that you can't even bear to look at me." I pulled my sleeves down. "Because what Jairus did to me is exactly what you're doing to Torak...and to all those other women before and after her."

A long silence hung between us. The small fire cracked in the corner and rain began to patter against the thick roof.

"It is too late for me." She finally spoke. "I have made my choices."

"No it's not." My voice became urgent as I leaned forward. "You can help us defeat Jairus. And then you can start over."

"Oh you make it sound so simple."

"Someone has to."

"He's going to kill me."

"Because when you said 'close by,' you meant it."

"Yes."

"Will he know about this conversation?"

"I can hide my memories but if I don't take your soul, that will warrant my death."

"But if you were going to, how would you go about doing it?" I held up a hand before she could interrupt. "Humor me."

"As I have said, you are special. There will be quite a few people on our tails the second you disappear. So I would have a contact that would provide you another identity and the proper travel papers to move you to MD-1. I would perform the ritual there and you're dead. This is on the basis that you will be cooperating, of course."

"And would Jairus have a reason to intervene in this process at all?"

"Of course. Sometimes his followers back down or botch things up. It usually does not end well for them."

"What if you needed help? It's technically not your fault if you 'botched' things up that way."

"No I suppose not..." Her anxious expression gave way to a sly grin that matched mine.

~Valek~

"So, in lieu of scheduling an execution, you want me to house a dangerous criminal on the mere basis of her word that she is reformed?" Valek sat at his desk, his chin propped up in his hand. He drummed the wood, waiting.

She didn't blink. "Yes."

"Well that's rather counter-intuitive for at least two reasons." He held up one finger. "One, if you cared to remember our too recent experience with Devlen. And two..." He held up a second finger.

"Your job." She finished for him.

"I shouldn't have to remind you what it entails first and foremost."

"Keeping the Commander safe."

"So convince me." He said. "Convince me, not only that this risk is worth taking, but also that we will actually succeed."

She walked unfaltering to the front of his desk. "This risk is worth taking because we are going directly to the source."

"How so?"

"We have to convince Jairus that Edyta can't carry this out on her own by cutting her off. If we make it impossible for one Warper to independently succeed, we do so for the others as well. They'll start to panic and Jairus will have to come out of hiding to restore order."

Valek leaned back in his chair as he contemplated. "And we acquire a map of their trail. But we have to be certain of Edyta's betrayal."

"Some part of me knows Edyta is genuine. It's from the same place where I predicted Devlen without my powers. And if I'm right, we will succeed because of this element of surprise. Jairus is absolutely convinced that we are both playing into his hand."

"And you're absolutely certain you're not?" Valek stood, his voice intensifying. "Tell me I can trust you, Yelena. About Edyta and most importantly about you."

She didn't flinch. "You can trust me."

There was so much certainty; so much clarity and conviction. So much power.

He could have kissed her.

As if in answer, the right corner of her mouth turned up, directing him back to the fire in her eyes that sought to engulf him. "I take it I've convinced you?"

Oh yes. "What's the plan, love?"

She was stopped by a soft knock on the door.

Valek turned slightly. "Come."

The scout entered and delivered a spoken message and a parcel to Valek with trembling fingers. He was then all about ready to do a jig when he was given the honor of not only updating a border guard, but returning a message to a second-in-command from the first-in-command, of all people. But as that would be against regulation, he had to settle for tripping over himself in his salutes out the door.

Yelena's expression became wistful as she watched the messenger leave. "He reminds me of Janco. I miss him and Ari."

"Well you won't have to for much longer." Valek replied with a grin. He held up the note. "They will be back by morning."

He felt fierce pride at being the bearer of good tidings when she lit up again. But his face crinkled in distaste as he continued to read the note. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"

"Bad news, of course."

"They brought a guest with them." He stroked his temple wearily. "Our old friend, General Kitivian."

"You don't think they ran into trouble?"

"It's Janco, love. I always assume he ran into trouble. But here's something that might set you at ease." He smiled. "The good news: He's accompanied by Captain Annabella."

"So she's alive! Dilana will be so glad to hear that."

Valek nodded. "But I doubt Kitivian would come all the way over here to apologize for an outburst. It wouldn't be tactical from all angles. So I plan to make sure he doesn't harass you again."

But she shot him a playful smirk. "Don't worry. I've got this. Being harassed by unruly and unreasonable people is all part of the job."

She leaned back into the light that streamed in from the window. His heart picked up speed when she winked at him. "…but the same also becomes true for an Ixian General when I'm at a delegation."

He shook his head in amazement and laughed. "That's my girl!" I love this woman.

She glanced down, drawing small circles with the tip of her index finger in the wood. "Will you be busy tonight?" She looked up.

"Since assassinating General Kitivian is no longer on my to-do list, my schedule just became wide open."

"Good."

"Is there a special occasion?"

"We could call it that, since it's been seasons since the last time."

"Last time? Of what?"

"If you're in the mood, I was hoping we could have sex tonight."

Ah.

He was by her side in three powerful strides.

His hand slipped into her hair and he savored her lavender scent as he brushed his lips against hers. Her fingers teased with practiced familiarity at the buttons of his shirt and he had to struggle to form a coherent thought. "Because you are, I am very much in the mood."

She clutched his wrist, her eyes closing with a sigh. And of course his efficient mind would choose, at that moment, to skip ahead and remind him of every single way he knew how to entice that sound from her.

It was going to be one hell of a long day.

Phew. This chapter was a bit difficult to write because of how slow it is. But as always, thank you to everyone who has managed to stay on board all this time. Reader, you KNOW I am talking about you! I can only hope that I won't disappoint with the next one!

One more thing, as one can easily discern from the end part here, it's clear what's coming up in the next chapter. ;) But there will be clear line breaks for anyone who would rather skip that part.

Please review! It is the ultimate encouragement to finish anything, really.