Takata's grin is nothing short of wicked. So much has changed since we last saw each other, within weeks' time. I'm no longer under the king's control, she's meeting me for the first time, and she doesn't have to worry about losing her head around a man destined to take it.

"Leadership fits you well," she compliments. She lays eyes on Alaric and shakes her head, but to my surprise, doesn't say a word. He has faced enough beatings to know what he did was wrong; abandoning his soldiers and leaving them to die on an empty battlefield while he disappeared into the sunset to lead the rebellion.

"Who the hell is this?" Renit asks.

Takata turns on a heel, smiling at the banished prince with wicked delight. "You don't recognize one of your own soldiers? I'm surprised; your father talked so much about me." She examines her fingernails. "But clearly, sides have changed. You've been out of the castle for too long to understand where Roux's alliances lie."

"This is Takata Setsu and Maury Bennett. They were there...they aided me in the war," I explain.

Renit's expression immediately tightens. We have spoken little about the war besides the bare details and I hadn't bothered to tell him everyone I met and fought with along the way. Takata never came up and there was little chance I would speak about Maury so the witch of storm never understood exactly who was there and possibly saved my life. They both killed enemies on that battlefield, enemies that could've come after me.

Clapping her hands together, Takata grins at the room. "I understand this is where I sign up to be part of the rebellion? His Stupidity sent assassins after us after the war. If it wasn't for Maury's natural-born ability to snap their bones in half, we wouldn't have found out. But we captured them and discovered we were supposed to die that night. Little does the idiot know; we're still alive." Her violet eyes flash with a pissed-off flare and she clamps her mouth shut.

Standing in the doorway, Maury takes up the entire space. If anyone were to try to leave now, they'd find themselves face to face with a blockade of pure muscle. He doesn't smile, doesn't speak, doesn't look in our direction other than to intimidate us and send us cowering into the corner.

Binx, on the other hand, watches them both carefully. He must've run into them while counting the death toll for the king's men and brought them here, not just for an introduction but for aide in a fight we need them for. Especially after last night, we need more soldiers than anything else. Food and weapons can wait. We need men and women, first.

Strolling to stand next to Tesha in the back corner of the room, completely unaware of the sniper's inability to take anyone seriously, Takata waves her hand and gestures for me to continue with this meeting. "Catch us up on what is happening," she orders.

Sure enough, Tesha sneers at her but says nothing. She scoots in a little closer to Citlali and utters something that makes the witch of ground smile. At least their relationship is evolving, a single bright spot in the hell we've faced. As I told her nights ago, better now than never. I should've told the same thing to Bren.

"We were attacked last night," I reveal blatantly. Takata's eyebrows raise. "We lost nearly a quarter of our squad and our most valuable asset in giving the king's men back their lives." I avoid the thought of Celestine's lifeless body, the ocean spread out behind her, meeting with the night sky of clear stars. I haven't seen a clearer night than the one displayed around her death. "We discovered the crown prince is under the king's control so we're searching for a new plan that involves taking down both the crown prince and the king."

"Have you thought about taking down the castle?" Takata offers.

Tesha huffs a laugh. "We're not idiots, we've gone through nearly every plan we can offer. No one can get off the subject of taking down the castle."

"I don't believe I was talking to you, scarface. I was addressing the leader of this meeting while the rest of you sit on your ass and do nothing. I traveled here by myself, fighting assassins and thieves the entire way. If you stay out of my face, we won't have a problem. Say another word and we'll battle our powers on the cliffsides and reveal who is stronger."

As if assuming she's a witch is the worst thing to happen, Tesha clenches her hands into fists. She's either pissed about the assumption or angered about the nickname Takata has coined for her within these first few minutes of the meeting. "I'm not a witch, asshole." That answers it. "I'm human."

Takata laughs loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. They're fully focused on the possible fistfight taking place towards the back with Renit on the sidelines, pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. "Puny human," Takata mocks. "You'll last about five seconds in battle."

I clear my throat just as Tesha takes one step towards her. Immediately, the sniper freezes and retreats to the corner where Citlali pats her on the arm and silently reassures that everything will be all right. Her touch proves to be enough for Tesha to calm her anger.

"Have you thought about kidnapping the crown prince?" Takata asks once the wall between them is built by Citlali's reassurance. "It might help a great deal to have him on your side."

"That would require maneuvers to get into the castle," Alaric says. "We can't exhaust too many men on that. If we do, we'll run out of options quicker than they're available."

"True." Takata nods. "But have you considered using someone as bait to lure him out? He's under the king's control, but if there's someone the king wants dead, the crown prince might chase after them like a dog after meat."

I dare meet Renit's eye across the room. We're thinking the same thing. The king wants everyone dead, but if he had to choose between everyone in this room—his son would be the first to go. Then me. Not for a second am I willing to consider sending Renit into the castle to lure out his brother.

It's not an option. I've already lost Celestine and I will not risk losing him, too. If he goes—I go, too.

"That might cause too much of a commotion," I say, chewing on my lip. "The king's patrols are centered around the castle so no one gets in or out without being seen. Luring Silas out might cause more trouble than what it's worth."

Takata shrugs. "I've offered my input."

The sneer on Tesha's face is one for the ages. She's biting back the urge to scream at me, at Takata, at everyone in this room for allowing that witch to enter. If she was on patrol tonight, they might be dead right now. No one walks too close to this village without facing her wrath, especially after last night.

"What about Luna?" Citlali asks.

I raise my eyebrows at her, a silent demand to continue. All eyes train on her and she blushes red at the attention but clears her throat. I don't want to think about the witch that took my sister's power for herself and is likely living the life Celestine should be living. My sister should still be breathing, should still have her power of gardens, but if she was here, I know what she'd say. If I didn't have the power of an original, no one would've brought you back to yourself. I couldn't stand to see you that way.

My throat clogs with the thought of her, tears pricking at my eyes, but Citlali's voice brings me back to reality.

"She still holds great knowledge of the original witch powers. Maybe if we use the same tactic as the king, using a power that's aged, we'll stand a better chance. Right now, our only options seem to be brute force. We must think outside the box a little."

Tesha's beaming pride translates to the rest of the room. Citlali has spoken little in the few meetings we've had, but every time she speaks, all of us gain a new perspective.

"Do you think she'd give the information willingly?" I ask.

There's no certainty in the rise and fall of Citlali's shoulders. "She might, she might not. But it's better than taking down an entire castle with many innocents on the inside. I think it's worth a shot."

A silent question lingers in my eyes when I look at Renit. If he's willing to venture to Lona again... "I think it's worth a shot," he repeats before I can finish my thought.

"Fine, it's settled." I conclude this meeting with a nod. "Since we no longer have Celestine's power of the originals—" Her name tastes like bile on my tongue "—we'll head to Lona. Citlali and Renit, you're coming with me. Everyone else, stay here and make preparations for when we return. I want you training, recruiting, scouting, and protecting each other. We don't have time for anything else."

Alaric is the one to usher the rebels away, including Takata and Maury to set them up with a residence somewhere in Arego. They arrived at the best—and the worst—time, considering they'll either have to stomach the sight of the many dead bodies or take part in burying or burning them.

I've grown used to the smell; Takata and Maury have not.

On the way back to our residence, Renit is silent. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, his steps are unhurried, and he doesn't dare look at me. My chest is wound so tight that even he recognizes it; I'm waiting to get out of visible sight to release the tears burning my nose and allow the lump in my throat to turn into gasping sobs.

It's not until the door is shut behind us and I'm sitting on the edge of the bed, tugging off my boots, that the reminder of Celestine drags me back under. I've shed so many tears there's hardly anything left and when I'm laying down on the pillows, my legs tucked in tight against me, the bed shifts against Renit's weight and his warmth seeps into my back. His hand presses against my stomach to push me against him and to distract me from the terrors inside, soft and gentle kisses graze against my neck and warm the back of my ear.

"I feel so...empty," I croak. "I hardly kept myself contained."

"I didn't notice for a second," Renit mutters between kisses. "You did great."

Part of me longs for his touch at a time like this, the other swarms with guilt for even thinking about it. Celestine just died, so many others just lost the people they care about; why should I lose myself in Renit while others are still trying to find themselves?

His fingers swirl lazily around my navel, not out of the desire to have me right now, but to show me he cares. Renit is doing whatever it takes to bring me back, these reassuring and gentle touches being the one thing I don't mind besides mild conversation.

"I want you to sleep," he whispers in my ear. "And when you wake, I want you to eat. After you're done eating, we'll prepare ourselves for Lona. Don't do these out of order, I won't allow it."

Involuntarily, the twitch of a smile grazes the corner of my mouth. That guilty part of me returns, I shouldn't smile if Celestine can't. I think of her mocking grin, the way she used to laugh at everything I said—even if there was no humor to it. The thought of that and Renit's warm touch helps me fall asleep and forget such a disastrous night ever took place.