Liliana was alone with Brontes in her cell. Her hands had been cuffed behind her back so she couldn't get him out. Without him, she had no way to escape. Fir had dashed her only hopes of getting away from there, she could tell she knew about munimas. But as much as she hated the thought of returning to a life of slavery, what she repulsed most was never seeing her friends again. She had left Erica alone, who was probably very confused when she came out of the bathroom and Liliana was nowhere to be found. On top of that, she had seen Arturo, but had not been able to talk to him for a second. She felt like banging her head against the wall out of sheer frustration. She had been an idiot.

She thought about her friends for a moment. She would have liked them to meet, she was sure they would end up liking each other. Finally, she sighed.

—Well, at least they're both okay— she said to herself— I know Erica will do well in this world, and Arturo was alive and free. They are both successful people, unlike me.

She thought about that last thought, a bit saddened. When she least expected it, a man sat down next to her cot. The girl jumped frightened, but when she turned around she noticed that it was not just anyone, but Mr. Ghost, the same one who had helped her and taught her how to steal. He was right there, next to her, in her cell.

He was a pale fellow, with black hair and eyes, and shadow on his eyelids. His gestures carried a graceful parsimony and his lips a comforting smile. It took Liliana a second to recognize him, then another to understand that he was there, next to her.

—Mr. Ghost!

She wanted to hug him, but her handcuffs prevented her from doing so. Still, she pushed herself towards him and pressed their torsos together. He caught her easily.

—It's you!— she shouted— It's really you! How... What are you doing here?!

She looked at the cell door, for she had not seen it open. That was because it hadn't opened: it was still as closed as when Fir had left her there alone with her munima.

—I'm a ghost, remember?— he explained.

Liliana moved away a bit and leaned against the wall. She looked at her own body; the dusty and sweaty clothes, her hair half greasy from not washing it. She felt embarrassed that he saw her in that state. Then he noticed her hands.

—Are you handcuffed?

Without waiting for her response, he took a needle from his belt, inserted it into the key slot of the handcuffs and in one movement opened them wide. Liliana wanted to ask again how he had done something like that, but she guessed the answer would be the same as before. She stroked her sore wrists.

—Thank you so much, you're very kind— she said.

—It was nothing— he assured as he put the needle away— What brought you here? I don't think they dragged you to such a sheltered place for stealing a patty, did they?

Liliana chuckled at the joke.

—A lot of things happened since we met: I joined a group of thieves, I became friends with a super strong girl and I met a spirit trapped in the desert. He... anchored himself to my body. It sounds weird, but it seemed like a good idea.

She tugged at the collar of her clothes to show him the mark on her chest, though she immediately regretted it because it looked like she was making a pass at him. Liliana had never held girls who liked to show off or draw attention to themselves to boys in a bad light, but she herself had never felt comfortable doing so. Before she could cover herself up again, however, Mr. Ghost held her collar to get a good look at Brontes' symbol. Liliana turned red as a noni, but held still. Even if it was morbid, she felt a strange pleasure in having that man look at her closely, like at a painting. At any moment he could pull and look further down, and she didn't know whether to be afraid or excited by the idea.

—A black mark— acknowledged Mr. Ghost— the anchor point. You have a munima.

Liliana opened her eyes wide in surprise.

—Do you know about munimas, Mr. Ghost?

The man gave one of his serene smiles.

—Of course.

Then, without being asked, he stood up and turned his back to her. At the same time, he took off the threadbare tunic he was wearing to show her his sculpted back.

The first thing Liliana noticed was the width of it, which did not show well under the several layers of clothing he wore. Her eyes also strayed to the muscles and the scars from slashes and gunshots that were scattered all over. She had to hold her breath so as not to expose the sensations of seeing him like that. Only at the end she dared to lower her gaze, and when she did so she noticed two black marks similar to... wings.

—Wings?— she mentioned, but then she understood what it was— a munima.

The ghost nodded.

—Do you want to touch it?— he asked.

Liliana turned redder, it never crossed her mind to have permission for such an intimate area. Yes, of course, please... she just didn't want to seem too obvious.

—Ahm... sure.

She slowly moved her hand towards Mr. Ghost's back. She touched it with her fingertips, tentatively, starting at the lower back. From there she slowly moved down until her fingers brushed the wings, a few centimeters above the his buttocks.

A new voice took her by surprise.

—Ah!— she exclaimed, startled— What was that?

The ghost laughed softly.

—Why don't you ask him yourself? Go on, you need to touch it to talk to him.

So Liliana did: she touched the mark again, this time more confident. Not only could she hear him, she could see him: a tall, stout man with wings instead of arms, feathers instead of hair, and a beak instead of a nose and mouth. His dark yellow feathers covered all his skin and his intimidating face wore a boyish grin.

"Hello, huma. Nice to meet you" he said in a powerful voice.

—Ah... the... the... the pleasure is mine— she stammered in her mind.

The bird-man laughed energetically, polar opposite of the ghost's delicate laugh.

Liliana realized that the man's image was in her mind. They had not left the room or Mr. Ghost, she could still see them, but they had faded into the background.

"This is the first time you've spoken to a munima that isn't yours, isn't it?" guessed the bird man "My name is Alastor, I am the múnima of this man you desire so much."

Liliana jumped up, flushed and terrified at having been discovered.

—No... I don't want...!

But she was cut off by Alastor's loud laughter.

—He can't hear us right now. It's just you, me and that boy who's looking like he wants to kill me.

Alastor pointed to Liliana's side. Turning around, she found Brontes in his child form. Apparently that was the image he liked the most.

—Brontes!— she called out to him, glad to see him.

"So your name is Alastor" Brontes spat at him "What do you and your anchor seek with mine?"

—No, no, Brontes. They are friends— explained Liliana— Do you remember the man who taught me how to steal?

"I remember your story, I know it's this guy here" pleaded the sirivi "I don't like him, Liliana. Someone like that must want to use you somehow and you're falling for his charms too easily".

She felt her ears heat up rapidly.

—Brontes!

She glanced nervously at Alastor, as if he didn't already know about her attraction to Mr. Ghost.

"All right, you're young, let your heart guide you!" snapped Alastor "Besides, young woman, the way your anchor is, it's of no use to my mate. There's no way he can use it, so don't feel bad".

"Why help her, then?" pleaded Brontes.

Alastor shrugged.

"As far as I know, he feels some degree of interest in this girl".

Liliana felt her heart skip a beat.

—He is interested in me?— she exclaimed.

Brontes returned to his adult form and confronted Liliana.

"Get a hold of yourself, you female in heat!" he barked at her.

Liliana was so shocked at such an insult that she gaped, unable to respond. Brontes turned again to Alastor.

"And you, stop playing with her feelings! If you try to lead her into a trap, I'll cut off that beak and insert it into your rectum!"

—Brontes! What are you talking about?!— pleaded Liliana.

Concerned, she watched for Alastor's reaction as she prepared an apology, but he only laughed vehemently.

"Don't worry, I was like that too when I was just taken out of my shakma" he admitted "You two have a long way to go. I wish you guys the best; Liliana, Brontes".

Alastor withdrew. Liliana removed her hand from the ghost's lower back and returned to the usual simple, flat reality. Then she noticed Mr. Ghost's back; it was still uncovered before her. She wanted to feel it with both hands, to rest her head, her chest. She felt she could sleep on that back. But she dared not express this, for they hardly knew each other. Mr. Ghost got dressed again.

—Please don't take what Alastor told you the wrong way— he asked her— he likes to make people uncomfortable, it's his way of amusing himself.

Liliana blushed and looked away.

—Is it true that you didn't hear what we were talking about?— she asked.

—It's true. What's more, I can prove it to you, may I?

Liliana did not understand what he was referring to, but then he put his hands near her blouse and stopped. The girl realized that he was looking at her to be sure to continue. She nodded and tugged at the collar of her blouse. Carefully, Mr. Ghost placed his hand on the mark.

He stood there for a while, eyes closed as he talked to the spectral boy. Liliana, meanwhile, felt as if her heart was going to burst from her nerves. Mr. Ghost's thick, pale hand was hot. Every second that passed was another second that he could feel her heart racing and realize how nervous she was.

Fortunately for her, almost a minute later the ghost withdrew his hand. Liliana breathed again.

—He's a good boy. I think you two are cut for each other.

Just as he said, she had heard nothing of their conversation. She wondered what they had said.

—Your munima looks very strong— she observed, though she wasn't sure if physique mattered. After all, they were dead — Not what I expected.

The ghost smiled.

—And what did you expect?

Liliana ducked her head, nervous.

—Well, someone more... feminine, maybe— was all she said, but in truth she was expecting some kind of super sexy model.

—He. That wouldn't be bad. Alastor seems to think your comment is funny.

Liliana imagined the birdman laughing out loud inside Mr. Ghost's mind. For some reason this made her feel more shy.

—Tell me, my child, there is a pair of humans making a fuss here in the penitentiary. I thought they were calling your name when I passed them.

—Really?— Liliana wondered.

—Yes, one was a very strong girl named Erica, and the other was a young man who looked like he hadn't slept for days. Arturo, I think his name was.

Liliana opened her eyes wide, dumbfounded.

—Erica and Arturo? Together?!— she asked— And they're coming for me?!

—That sounded like it... Are they your friends?

Liliana nodded, excited.

—I can't believe they know each other!

Mr. Ghost smiled at her.

—They seem to be worried about you, but how did you become friends with Erica?

This caught Liliana's attention.

—I stole money from her— she admitted— she's the strong friend I mentioned to you, do you know her?

—Not much, really. I only met her once, when she was a newborn. I'm a friend of her father, Lucifer.

Liliana's jaw dropped.

—You and Erica's father are friends?— she repeated— Do you know how we could find him? We are looking for him.

This puzzled Mr. Ghost.

—What do you mean?

—Erica says he's being chased by a bad guy known as the Chainer, and that her father locked himself in a mystical place called the Core. We want to go there, but no one knows how.

However, by the puzzled face of Mr. Ghost, Liliana guessed that he couldn't help her.

—What you're saying doesn't make sense, unless...— he muttered.

Mr. ghost kept quiet. His eyes widened in bewilderment. Suddenly he stood up, paler than before.

—What is it?— asked Liliana.

—I'm sorry, my child. I wanted to get you out of here, but plans have changed. See you next time.

Without another word he turned around, walked to the locked door, opened it in the blink of an eye and hurried out.

—Wait, please— the girl pleaded— What's so strange, how can we get to the Core?

She stood up and went out of the cell to chase after him, but Mr. Ghost had already vanished. Liliana sighed.

—At least tell me your name.

Again, she found herself alone with Brontes.

"I don't trust that guy" claimed her munima.

—I know— Liliana mused.

"He's too old to play the innocent. He clearly knows you're attracted to him. He wants to use you somehow".

—I know— repeated Liliana.

"Are you listening to me?!"

—Yes, and I understand your concern.

Brontes was silent for a moment, surprised. He had thought Liliana was daydreaming.

—I can't read him— she continued— With other people it's very easy, but not with him. I don't know what he wants, if he wants to be my friend, if he wants to have me and then throw me away, or if he wants something else. I want to believe that he's a good person, I want to see him again....

"It might not be a good idea" Brontes snapped at her.

—I know, that's why I trust you.

"Oh?"

—I trust that you'll always be with me to tell me when to stop... sorry if it sounds like I'm using you as a tool.

Brontes was surprised.

"No, no... it's okay".

They both smiled at each other, pleased. Liliana didn't see it, but she could feel his gestures and his emotions, she knew when Brontes was smiling at her.

Suddenly, a loud noise exalted them. It sounded like tons of rock creaking and shifting in the distance.

—It must be my friends!— she hoped.

Liliana followed the source of the noise and ran down the stairs to the second floor. There she encountered Fir'non, smashing rock pillars that emerged from the ground and came crashing down on her with dangerous speed. Behind the action, Liliana noticed a silhouette moving in rhythm with the pillars, as if commanding them. It was a boy. It was HER boy.

She opened her mouth to call out to him, but Brontes stopped her for an instant to cut her off.

"First get rid of the enemy. If you distract him for a moment, that noni is going to kill him" he warned her.

Liliana nodded. Not waiting for a second, she pulled Brontes out, ran towards Fir and lunged at her from behind. It was only because of her combat experience that Fir jumped aside when she heard the prisoner's footsteps.

—How did you get out?!— yelled Fir.

But then a giant rock claw came out from the ground beneath her, grabbed her tightly and dragged her several meters under the ground. To top it off, the hole immediately closed behind her. A normal person would have no chance of getting out of there.

Puzzled, Liliana looked at Arturo. He had his eyes on her, just as confused. They both approached cautiously, fearing that the other was nothing more than an illusion. However, seeing the way they moved, the way they walked, the expressions they wore, they knew it was real. They rushed to each other and merged in a tight embrace. They immediately burst into tears from the happiness of seeing each other again. They touched their faces, wiped their tears, hugged each other again and sobbed together.

—Are you all right?— Liliana asked at last.

Arturo nodded.

—What about you?

—I thought I'd never see you again! I thought you were dead!

Arturo wrapped her in his arms and let her head rest on his forehead.