Valek arrived. I pounded on a post with a heavy rock. He halted my swing and removed the rock from my hand.

“Come inside, love. We have plans to discuss.”

Reluctance pulled at my feet as if I walked through thick, sticky mud.

The living-room conversation died the moment I entered. Moon Man looked at me with sadness in his eyes and I wondered if he knew about my deal with the Fire Warper or if he was disappointed by my actions.

A fire had been lit. I sat down next to it, warming my frozen and bleeding fingers, no longer afraid of the flames. The trapped souls within the fire twisted. Their pain and presence were clear and I wondered how I had been able to ignore them before.

I averted my gaze. Everyone stared at me. Ari and Janco had gained their feet and held their bodies as if ready to spring into action.

“Did I pass your test?” I asked. “By not diving into the flames.”

“That’s not it,” Janco said. “You have a rather ugly bat clinging to your arm.”

Sure enough, a hand-size bat peered at me from my upper left arm. His eyes glowed with intelligence; his claws dug into my sleeve. I offered a perch and he transferred his weight to the edge of my right hand. Carrying him outside, my efforts to release him failed. He didn’t want to leave. Settling on my shoulder, he seemed content so I returned inside.

No one commented on my new friend. In fact, Leif regarded the bat with an intensely thoughtful expression.

The others waited. A moment passed until I realized they waited for me to begin. To make the decisions. To set events into motion. Even after leaving them as prisoners of the Commander, they still looked to me. And this time, instead of backing down and pushing them away, I accepted the responsibility. Accepted the fact that they might be hurt or killed, and understood my life would be given in exchange for keeping the Fire Warper from returning.

“Leif,” I said.

He jumped as if bitten.

“I want you and Moon Man to get into the Council Hall’s library and find everything you can about a tunnel into the Keep.” I explained Bain’s comments. “Moon Man can disguise himself as a Vermin and hopefully you won’t be caught. Do not use magic at all from now on. It will only draw them to you.”

Moon Man and Leif nodded.

“Marrok?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Are you able to fight?”

“Ready, willing and able, sir.”

I paused, swallowing a sudden knot in my throat. By their determined expressions, I knew they were all willing. At least Valek’s smug smile was better than hearing him say, I told you so.

“Good. Marrok and Tauno will accompany Valek and me. We’ll go south to rescue the hostages.”

Ari cleared his throat as if he wanted to protest.

“I haven’t forgotten about you two. I need you to go into the Citadel and help organize the resistance.”

“Resistance?” Valek asked. “I hadn’t heard.”

“I put an idea into a merchant’s head, and, I think if Ari and Janco disguised themselves as traders, they could move about the Citadel. Ari will have to dye his hair. Oh, and find a boy named Fisk. Tell him you’re my friend and he’ll help you make contacts.”

“And when and where, Oh mighty Yelena, do we resist?” Janco asked.

“At the Keep’s gates. As for when, I don’t know, but something will happen and you’ll know.”

Janco and Ari exchanged a look. “Gotta love the confidence,” Janco said.

“And when do we start, love?”

“Everyone get a good night’s sleep and we’ll begin preparations in the morning. We’ll leave early. Do you have enough disguises for four of us or do we need to get supplies? Money?”

Valek smiled. “You mean raid some laundry lines? Steal a couple purses? No. My safe houses are well stocked with all types of items.”

Leif was the only one to be alarmed by his statement.

The room erupted with the noise of multiple conversations. Plans were made and actions decided. Tauno s unhappiness at being separated from Moon Man became apparent. He asked why we wanted him. I explained about needing a good scout.

“What about Marrok?” he asked.

“We need him just in case they’ve moved the captives. He can track them to the new location.” Also I wanted to talk to Marrok and find out why he had accused Leif and me of helping Ferde escape.

The next morning, my group saddled the horses. Since we wouldn’t be crossing the Avibian Plains, Valek rode Onyx, Tauno sat on Garnet and Marrok rode Topaz. Valek had used his skills to transform us into members of the Krystal Clan. We wore the light gray tunics and dark woolen leggings that the clan preferred, which matched the short hooded capes and black knee-high boots.

Before we left, Leif handed me a bunch of his herbs. “Since you can’t use your magic, you might want to have them. There are directions on how to use each one inside the packet.”

“Leif, I’m—”

“I know. Truthfully, I didn’t like the distrustful and mean person you became in Ixia. The fire brought my real sister back. So be careful, as I’d like to keep her around for a while.”

“You take care, too. Don’t get caught. I wouldn’t want to tell Mother about it. She wouldn’t be pleased.”

Leif looked at Ari and Janco. They fought over who would drive the wagon and who would guard. “Do they always argue?”

I laughed. “It’s part of their appeal.”