Things had felt like such a whirlwind since Pacifica had first run into her grandmother's arms. Neither Pacifica nor Ellie had even moved that much, as focused as they were on talking, but the things they had talked about. . . and the wonderful new possibilities for the future. . . It was all so overwhelming.

Pacifica and Ellie were still together, but now they were walking behind the Pines, Gideon, and Grace. After Gaston had been arrested an hour ago, Gideon had gone back and forth from the Northwest Manor to set up this meeting. So, with swinging flashlights and electric lanterns, the group walked through the trees and knee-deep snow along the outside of the barrier. They were going to meet Lincoln in secret before he. . . left.

It hadn't quite hit Pacifica that Lincoln was really going to be gone. To be fair, she hadn't really processed anything that had happened since getting home. She moved through the deep snow in a daze, not speaking, only vaguely listening to the conversations around her.

Gideon was telling Grace about how she lost her memory. "Apparently one of our ancestors — named Gabriel, but it wasn't our grandfather; this was way back in the nineteeth century — well, apparently at seventeen he was powerful enough to create this spell with the amulet that automatically wipes memories. And the spell only kicks in when a Northwest moves out of Gravity Rises."

"So this has been happening since then?" Grace asked. "To all of our great-aunts who were married off?"

"Exactly. It happens to the males too, but they don't leave nearly as often, of course."

"Does that mean it'll happen to you, when you come with me?"

"Probably. But I'll just break it before we leave. Since the spell was made with the amulet, it can be broken with the amulet. I bet it's complicated, though. A spell that activates when a Northwest is leaving for good, like you were, but doesn't activate when we leave temporarily, like Father going on a business trip or me coming out to see you? That's impressive magic. But if I'm not powerful enough to break the spell, I can ask Andrew to help. He can offer his power to me, like as a reserve."

Grace was quiet for a moment. "Is that how you managed to get Greg out of his own body? And how you'll get Lee out now?"

"Yeah," Gideon said softly.

The Pines, on the other hand, were talking about the time bubble. Mabel and Dipper were trying to explain to their parents that while the parents hadn't seen the twins for three and a half weeks, the twins hadn't seen them for months. Camille and Sam were struggling both to walk through the snow (they'd never been in snow so deep) and to wrap their minds around their children's magical experiences. As a result, they were pretty slow.

But so was Grace. She got tired quickly. Because—

"You're pregnant?" Earlier, Grace had been telling Gideon about her husband and two sons and a daughter on the way. Gideon somehow couldn't comprehend this. "You're a mom? I'm an uncle?"

"Yes," Grace had said with a big smile, "and my boys are going to be so excited to meet you, I'm sure. Prepare to play with a lot of Legos."

Gideon seemed different after Gaston had been arrested. More talkative. More open. For example, Pacifica had overheard Gideon earlier saying to Grace, "The whole custody thing is kind of ridiculous. I'm fourteen. Only four years before I'm an adult, and anyway, I'm already pretty independent. And I did just help save the entire multiverse."

Grace had given him a side hug. "Sorry, bud. Even fourteen-year-olds who save the world need a legal guardian."

And Gideon had sighed dramatically. Pacifica had heard dramatic sighs from him before, of course, but they were never so. . . lighthearted.

She liked it. She liked this new Gideon. Even though she wouldn't really get a chance to see it, since he would be leaving.

Almost like he had read Pacifica's mind, Dipper turned around and started jumping backwards through the snow. "Gideon! Is it true you're coming to live in California? Where in California? Can we visit?"

Grace laughed. "I'm sure you'll be visiting a lot. We live in Oakland."

Dipper's jaw dropped so far, Pacifica had a fleeting image of it falling off. "What? That's — that's right next to us! Gideon! We live in Piedmont!"

"Right around us, actually," Mabel said. "Oakland completely surrounds Piedmont." The comment was a simple statement of fact, but Mabel's voice was emotional.

"Mom! Dad! Did you know about this?" Dipper asked.

Sam looked over his shoulder and grinned at Grace. "Yes, we did."

All the faces Pacifica could see were happy. Mabel, Dipper, and Gideon were all going to be together. Pacifica was glad for them.

"You won't be there," Shadow Pacifica said sadly. "But you don't really deserve to be."

Pacifica glanced to the side in surprise. There was Shadow Pacifica, hovering beside her. Pacifica hadn't seen the shade since the township had come home. You're right, Pacifica admitted silently, but I'll be with Grandmother.

"Yeah." Shadow Pacifica sighed. "The others will be happier without you."

"Pacifica? Careful — you almost ran into me."

Pacifica looked up at her grandmother. With the way Ellie was holding her flashlight, her face was mostly in shadow. "Oh. Sorry," Pacifica said.

"I know this is going to be hard," Ellie said, her voice soft. "I'm here for you."

Pacifica was confused for a split second — still thinking about what Shadow Pacifica had said — before she realized that Ellie was talking about Lincoln. "Thanks," Pacifica whispered.

With that, the grief and pain that lingered around Pacifica's mind now came in and blurred out all else. Pacifica trudged on, spiraling down into thoughts of Lincoln and his death and the future with him that she had lost.

They eventually reached their destination. And there was Lincoln. Right there, behind the barrier, in Greg's body, with a lantern casting light onto his blue-grey eyes. With him were Ford, standing right beside him; Melody, watching the brothers with concern; Janice, looking regretful and impatient at the same time; Greg, hovering as a ghost beside his wife; and Fidds, standing apart from the others with his shoulder hunched like he was caving in on himself.

"Hi, everyone," Lincoln said softly.

"That's him," Dipper told his parents. "See his eyes? They're blue. Greg's eyes are usually brown, but that's Lee in his body right now."

"Uncle Stanley?" said Sam.

Lincoln looked his way.

"I. . . I know you don't remember me. Grace told us about the amnesia. But I'm your nephew."

Lincoln smiled and nodded. "Shermie's son. Ford told me about our family."

"Yes." Sam sounded choked up. He put a hand on the barrier.

"Right," Lincoln said. "Gideon? Do you know if I can cross the barrier?"

"What do you mean?" Gideon asked.

"I'm in someone else's body, and I got there with your magic. Will anything bad happen if I try to leave town like this? I mean, I can't feel the barrier, but I haven't wanted to try anything."

"If you can't feel the barrier, you should be fine," Gideon said. "Ghost possessions happen occasionally in other parts of the world, after all. Crossing over won't kick you out of Greg's body."

"Thank you. That's what I thought, but I wanted to confirm it." Lincoln smiled at Sam, stepped through the barrier, and hugged his nephew. "It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to see you again," Sam replied with a small, wet laugh.

Lincoln moved to hug Grace, too. She threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. "Thank you," she said, "for getting my brother and everyone else home. But it shouldn't have to be like this."

"I've missed you so much, Grace," Lincoln said.

"I don't know if Gideon told you," Grace said, "but there was a spell that wiped my memories of this place as I left. So I don't think I can say I missed you, but — but I would have. I really would have."

Lincoln only hugged her harder. "I know."

Then he came to Ellie. They hugged, though not as tightly or as long. "Pacifica told me how you took care of her," Ellie said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I just. . . I wish I could've done more to help." Lincoln looked down at Pacifica as he said this.

"You did what you could."

Lincoln nodded, then turned to Pacifica. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I broke my promise to you."

He'd already apologized to her multiple times over the last few days, and he'd been talking to Ford about taking Pacifica in. But now. . . "It's okay," Pacifica said, and she almost meant it. "I'm going to go to Portland with my grandmother."

"Oh." Lincoln looked in surprise to Ellie, then back at Pacifica. "That's great. I should've thought of that as an option."

"I wasn't thinking either," Pacifica said. "I just. . ."

She'd been imagining a life with Lincoln. She'd been imagining a perfect world where they could be together. She'd been so focused on that world that she had completely forgotten about any other possibility.

"Have you told her about your parents?" Lincoln asked Pacifica.

"Yes, she has," Ellie cut in. "And as much as I want to slap you upside the head for using the memory gun on my son and daughter-in-law, I frankly doubt they'd be able to help Pacifica with what she needs right now. So I will help her instead." Her tone softened a bit. "The gun has been unfairly used on you, too. And I didn't tell you anything about your past, even though I knew you were Ford's brother. I am sorry for that, Lincoln. Or, Stanley."

"Either is fine," Lincoln assured her. His tone was kind even though his expression was sad. "I prefer Lee, but I'm okay with any of them."

Grace tried to apologize as well, for hiding Lincoln's memory, but Lincoln wouldn't have it. "You were under Bill's control," he said. He glanced around at the rest of the group, which Pacifica realized was almost half composed of people who had hidden the truth about his past from him. "You all were," he said quietly.

Yes, Pacifica had been following Bill. It had never even occurred to her to tell Lincoln he was a Pines, back when it was still a secret. What kind of awful person was she, if she hadn't even considered it?

"Lee? Ford?" It was Andrew's voice; Pacifica could hear him walking through the snow. He soon came into view. "I was able to get away," he said. "June and some others are talking to the crowd now."

Pacifica's stomach dropped. If Andrew was here. . . it meant he could help Gideon. It meant Gideon could exorcise Lincoln, effectively killing him all over again.

"Wait, Grunkle Lee," said Dipper, "don't — don't go." Apparently he was thinking along the same lines as Pacifica.

Lincoln went to his great nephew and pulled him into a hug. "I have to," he said. "Greg needs his body back."

"I. . . I know, but. . ." Dipper's voice trailed off.

It seemed everyone wanted one last hug from Lincoln after that. He gladly gave it to them all, even Janice and Andrew. Pacifica found her thoughts fuzzing out again; she struggled to pay attention. Struggled to stay in the moment.

But then Lincoln got to her. And he hugged her with strong arms.

"I love you, Pacifica," he said.

Pacifica didn't know how to react to that. Love? He. . . loved her?

"But you're unlovable," said Shadow Pacifica. "He can't love you. No one can."

Shadow Pacifica was right. Right?

"But. . . Grandmother can," Pacifica whispered.

"What's that?" Lincoln asked.

"Grandmother can," Pacifica repeated, turning and facing Shadow Pacifica. "And I think Fiddleford can. At least, he's been helping me. So has Lincoln. If Lincoln says he can love me, then he can."

"Then they're loving a false version of you," Shadow Pacifica said. She didn't sound malevolent. More resigned. "No one can love the real you."

"Maybe not," Pacifica said. "But this is a start."

Shadow Pacifica considered this. She didn't say anything in response.

"Did you tell her?" Lincoln asked. "Did you tell your shade what's what?"

Pacifica looked up at him. A little smile quirked up on his face.

"I don't know," she said. "But, Lincoln. . . I love you, too."

He pulled her close once again. She never wanted to leave his arms.

But she had to. He moved away from her. He was leaving, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Lincoln went over to Ford, the last person he had to hug. And hug they did. Pacifica could hear them both crying.

They said a few quiet words to each other. They were two silhouettes in the lantern light, clinging to each other like they were trying to experience decades of hugs in that one moment. Pacifica realized she hadn't been crying yet, but she was now.

It was unfair. Completely unfair. Bill had kept these brothers apart for so long, and now he would do it again — and keep Lincoln away from everyone else, too. It wasn't fair.

Lincoln straightened. Faced Andrew and Gideon. "I'm ready," he said. But his voice was trembling.

I'm not ready! Pacifica wanted to scream. Don't leave me, Lincoln!

Janice pulled out a tarp and spread it over the snow. Lincoln lay down on the tarp. Sank into the snow a bit. Gave a shuddering breath.

Gideon glanced at Andrew. The minotaur nodded, then said his quiet spell.

Pacifica watched Gideon. His breaths were quick and shallow. She thought she could see tears glinting in his eyes.

She almost resented him for what he was about to do.

"Ready," Andrew said.

"Lee," Ford blurted, "don't drift away. Come — come visit."

It was almost absurd, to tell a dead man to come visit. Pacifica almost laughed. But she didn't.

Gideon took a deep breath. His eyes closed; his amulet glowed. Pacifica could suddenly see another version of him on top of himself — his spirit, interacting with the spirit plane while he was still in a body. Pacifica could see into the spirit plane; she could see both Gideons.

Teal light faded into view around Greg's body. Around Lincoln. And then — there was Lincoln's spirit, gradually separating from the body. The Gideon on the spirit plane stared intently at Lincoln, and Lincoln responded to his magic.

"No," Pacifica whispered.

Yes. Gideon finished pulling Lincoln out of the body. The teal magic kept Lincoln trapped so he couldn't return. "Greg," spirit Gideon said, nodding to the ghost.

Pacifica didn't know if Greg heard. He was too busy rushing back into his body.

"Goodbye, Lincoln," Gideon said quietly.

"Goodbye," Lincoln replied.

Gideon deactivated his amulet. The spirit Gideon disappeared, and the physical Gideon opened his eyes. He immediately came to Pacifica. "Do you still see him?"

Yes. She did. He floated there, glowing faintly, looking around at everyone, seeming a little lost. "Lincoln," she said, to get his attention.

Lincoln turned to her. "Pacifica," he said. "I. . . I have to go."

"Go?" Panic welled up in her throat. "Go where?"

"To. . . I don't know. To the Beyond, I guess. To the place where magic can't reach."

"N-now?" she stammered.

He blinked slowly. Then, "No. Not now. But eventually. There are these — these — levels, I guess. In the spirit plane. This top one is right next to the physical plane, so you can see me, but. . . the longer someone is dead. . . the deeper they sink. . . until they've gone Beyond, and they can't be reached anymore."

"Stay up here," Pacifica said. "On the top."

"I can," Lincoln said. "Not forever, but I can for now. For a while, probably. I think it takes a while for someone to get all the way down to the Beyond."

"Stay," she whispered.

Lincoln smiled. It was his own face, his own smile. "It's intriguing," he said. "I couldn't sense the levels before. I think I traveled down a few of them, when Bill possessed my body this last time. Gideon pulled me back, but — but I didn't see the levels as I do now. It really is different, being dead rather than just possessed."

Pacifica somehow found a smile on her face, too. "You'll have to tell Ford. For his research."

"Yes." His expression turned serious. "Pacifica, I really do have to go."

The panic returned; her heart lurched. "Beyond?" she said.

"No. Just away. It's too painful to stay here around everyone when only you can see me. I can go somewhere else on this top level, just to. . . rest." He looked eager for that.

Pacifica took a deep breath. "Okay," she said. He'd still be around. She'd still be able to see him again.

"Stanley," said Andrew. The minotaur had been watching Pacifica and following her side of the conversation. "Go to the minotaur village."

Lincoln looked confused, but then nodded. "He says okay," Pacifica interpreted.

"Are you going to be all right?" Lincoln asked Pacifica.

Pacifica opened her mouth, but then closed it. She looked around at everyone. At her grandmother, at Fidds, at Ford, at Melody, at Gideon, at Mabel, at Dipper. Lincoln might be leaving, but others were still here. She wouldn't be alone.

"Yes," she said. She wasn't sure if she was telling the truth. But she somehow felt confident saying it.

"Okay," Lincoln said. He too looked around at everyone. At Greg, who was talking with Janice, both of them with relieved looks on their faces. At the four members of the Pines family, who were standing with their arms around each other. His eyes lingered on Ford, who was currently sitting in the snow, crying, with Melody beside him.

Then Lincoln looked at Pacifica one last time. He smiled. "Goodbye, then."

Pacifica couldn't say anything. Her mouth couldn't form the words.

But Lincoln's smile grew, as if she had said something. He must know all the things she wanted to say.

As Pacifica watched, Lincoln's spirit faded into the darkness.

~~~~~

Pacifica's face blurred as Lee dropped into the second level of the spirit plane. He had told Pacifica he would stay on the top level, but this second level was out of her view. And it put everyone out of Lee's view, too, in a way: He could now only see a faint, vague impression of the physical plane.

Part of his mind wondered how vision worked now that he was dead. But he decided not to worry too much about it. After all, he wanted to rest, not break his non-brain (his intelligence, wasn't it called?) with such questions.

Andrew had said to go to the minotaur village. Lee had no idea why. But he thought of the village, and wondered if he could travel there on the second level. No sooner than he thought it did he sense the physical plane shifting around him — and in less than a minute, he somehow knew that if he returned to the top level, he'd be inside the minotaur village.

Wow. Okay. Magical spirit travel. That'd be useful.

He shifted back to the top level of the spirit plane. Sure enough, the huts and cliffs of the minotaur village surrounded him. Where should he go? What did Andrew want him to see here?

After a few moments of looking around, he saw the prison hut where he'd been kept back before the township started. A strange nostalgia came to him, though it was mixed with the painful memories of his relentless restlessness, not to mention his eventual anger when he reversed that deal with Bill. Still. . . something drew Lee back to that hut. He floated over and went through the walls.

The hut was inhabited.

Caleb the minotaur sat on a big pile of blankets. Yingtai and Candy were with him; Yingtai sat beside him and Candy balanced on his knee. "I don't really want to move out here," Candy said, her tone almost guilty — like she felt bad for not wanting to live in this magical minotaur world she'd just discovered. "I just. . . really like ourhouse, and our heater, and my bed, and my best friend nearby. Is that okay?"

"Of course it's okay," Caleb said. "You'll be able to visit me whenever you want, and if you make friends with the hamadryads, they can get you here in an instant."

"Well, once the roots of their trees grow back together," Yingtai said.

"Right. For a while, you'll have to get here in stages, one hamadryad after the other, like we did yesterday. But that's still really fast."

"When your dad is released, we'll need to talk about moving out here with him, or having him move in with us," Yingtai said. "But we don't have to figure all that out right now."

"Yeah." Candy smiled. "Okay."

"Will you two stay here tonight, though?" Caleb turned, and Lee saw a guard sitting by the door. "Can they stay?"

The guard nodded.

"We'll stay," Yingtai said. "Right, Candy?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"And Candy," said Caleb, gesturing to the guard, "Hez here does have a heating spell up. Like our own little heater. If you're cold, you can ask him to adjust it."

"I know." Candy snuggled up close to her dad. But she didn't seem to be cold.

A wave of happiness washed over Lee. Emotions weren't as powerful as a spirit, since Lee was missing a physical body. But they were more. . . pure, somehow.

He left the prison hut, thankful to the minotaur elders for allowing Caleb to be with his human family even while imprisoned. Was this why Andrew had sent Lee to the minotaur village? As touching as it was to watch, Lee didn't think that was the reason.

Lee wandered around the minotaur village a bit, seeing minotaurs who couldn't see him. Eventually, he found himself by the cliff face, and he recognized the opening to the cave where the magical dagger had been kept. What would happen to the dagger? As far as Lee knew, it was still back in Ford's gift shop. It should probably be retrieved before it ended up as merchandise.

He kept floating along the cliffs. There were multiple small caves here. Lee wondered what was in them.

"Stanley?"

Lee froze.

Another spirit had come out of the cave. It had a soft dark head, made softer in the glow of the spirit's light. It looked like—

"Xítway?" he whispered.

"Stanley," she said. "I was hoping you'd come."

"Xítway — Xítway, you're—"

"Dead, like you," she said gently. "My body is inside that cave if you want to go confirm it."

"No, I. . . I remember." The sound of a suppressed gunshot echoed in his memory. "They killed you in cold blood."

"Yes."

"To get to me. And Ford. If you hadn't been there guarding me, you wouldn't have—"

"Stanley." She floated up close to him. If they'd been physical, she might've taken his hands to calm him down. "If it hadn't been me, it would've been someone else. I was given the assignment to guard you. That's just how it happened."

"Aren't you angry?" he asked, a little desperately. He was angry about being dead. Was that not normal?

"Yes, I am," Xítway answered immediately. "Ásham and I were planning on having calves. Now we can't."

"Is that. . . your husband?" Lee asked, a little horrified.

"Yes. I've been visiting him, but he's been having a really hard time since I died."

"I'm so sorry," Lee said. Then, "How do I visit people? I want to talk to Ford in his dreams, but I don't know how to do that."

"You'll figure it out when you try," Xítway said. "But. . . his metal plate will keep you out."

"He had to get that removed for us for form the Cipher Wheel," Lee said. "It's not a problem."

Xítway nodded slowly. "The Cipher Wheel. Thank you. For fulfilling it. For destroying Cipher."

"Cipher will be back someday. But not for a long time."

"I know. But thank you. And thank you for sacrificing yourself to make it possible."

Lee looked away. "You're welcome," he said uncomfortably.

They floated there in silence for a moment. Lee could feel the peaceful aura around Xítway. How did she manage it? She said she was angry, but she acted so calm. She didn't seem to hate being dead nearly as much as Lee already did.

Honestly, though, he didn't hate being dead as much as he thought he would. When he was alive but possessed by Bill, he'd always had this deep yearning to return to his body. He'd felt it out there, missing its true inhabitant. Now that Lee was dead, and the body wasn't available to return to. . . well, he still missed it. Still yearned for it. But it was an easier yearning to ignore.

But he didn't want to spend eternity with that feeling.

"How do you stand it?" Lee blurted. "Being dead?"

Xítway considered the question. "I guess it's because I have hope," she said.

"Hope? About what?"

"About this not being the end," she said. "Don't you feel it? Don't humans know about the Resurrection?"

Lee frowned. "We have religions that teach about resurrection. Like, dead people getting their bodies back. Is that what you're talking about?"

Xítway nodded. "You still feel this need to return to your body, don't you? Even though it's not possible. But someday it will be possible. Everyone will get their body back, and it'll be restored and perfect. It'll be different — it has to be, to be perfect — but it'll still be yours."

"When?"

"No one knows," she said. "But we know it will happen. Even those spirits who have gone Beyond, out of our reach, will be brought back. Minotaur prophets are rarely wrong, and almost all of them have talked about the Resurrection."

"How do they know about it? Magic?"

"Something like that," Xítway said. "You could also call it a connection to the Divine—which is what magic is a diluted form of."

"Wow," Lee said softly.

"So," Xítway said, "that's what gives me hope. I don't know what things will be like after the Resurrection. But I have a promise that it'll be perfect. And with perfect bodies, maybe Ásham and I can be parents then."

"I hope you can be," Lee said.

"Until then, we have to endure the discomfort of being without our bodies," Xítway said. "And we have to prepare the world to go on without us."

Lee hadn't really thought about it that way. But he guessed that was what he had been doing, with handing over the Order leadership to Greg, and forcing Ford to talk to Fidds. Things weren't smooth between those two, but Ford had at least agreed to let Fidds live in the Museum, and he'd promised not to go to the authorities and accuse Fidds of murder. There was no need to bring attention to Lee's false death records or lock Fidds up for something he hadn't wanted to do.

"Have you thought about a funeral?" Xítway asked, drawing Lee's thoughts back to her.

"The Corduroys are going to take care of it," Lee said. He didn't like thinking of his own funeral. He certainly wasn't going to be there.

"My friends have been planning mine, with my input," Xítway said. "But when I heard that you'd sacrificed yourself to stop Cipher. . . well, I had an idea."

"Yeah?"

"What if we have our funerals at the same time? In the same place? We can invite humans, minotaurs, and anyone else who wants to come. Then my body would be buried with my people, and yours could be too, if you wanted. Or not. Either way, it could bring different species together."

"That. . . that's a great idea," Lee said. "We should do it."

Xítway nodded, and Lee felt her gentle happiness. "I'll appear to Ásham tonight, then, and let him know. You appear to the Corduroys you were talking about."

"I don't. . . want to be there, though," Lee said.

"Oh, no," Xítway said, "funerals are for our loved ones, not for us. The spirits themselves rarely attend."

"Then why have people been asking you for your input?"

"If funerals are done according to our wishes, it helps the attendees feel more connected to us."

That made a weird sort of sense. "Okay, then," Lee said. "Let's make this happen. It can't be for at least another week, though. Some humans outside the barrier want to attend, and they can't get into town until then."

"That's fine by me."

Lee smiled a bit. "It's nice to see you again, Xítway."

"I'm happy to see you, too. I wish we could spar together."

Lee wished that, too. He wished he had a body to move with.

But if Xítway was right, he'd have one again, eventually. Someday. He just had to be patient.

That seemed impossible. But he didn't exactly have a choice.

"Is the Beyond a place for us to be in this. . . peaceful oblivion, or something? So we don't have to worry about waiting for this Resurrection?" he asked.

Xítway shrugged. "Nobody knows. But that's a popular theory."

"How long does it take spirits to sink down to the Beyond after they die?"

Another shrug. "It depends on the spirit. A year, or a few years, maybe. Or even centuries, sometimes."

Lee could hardly imagine sticking around as a ghost on the top level for centuries. But he could imagine staying to watch over Ford for a while.

"Thank you, Xítway," Lee said softly. "For explaining things to me."

Xítway gave him a serious look. Her black eyes shone. "Thank you," she said, "for dying even though you didn't know what came next. You saved everyone, Stanley."

Now he gave a genuine smile. The two dead friends looked into each other's eyes, feeling pure emotions of peace, sadness, frustration, and love pass between them. It was almost okay that they couldn't physically hug.

"Tell me about Ásham," Lee said. "What he's like, how you two ended up together, things like that."

Xítway thought for a moment. "All right," she said. "We have some time before the people we need to talk to fall asleep. Usually I just drop to the second level and wait there — time is malleable there; you can make it go faster from your perspective — but you're right. We should use this time to talk."

"Exactly."

She nodded. "I didn't tell you about Ásham while we were in the prison hut because I was trying to keep him a secret from Cipher. But. . ." She gave a longing sigh. "He's wonderful, Lee."

The two talked as the world fell asleep around them. Through the trees, the glowfly lanterns outside people's huts were covered as the minotaurs went to bed. The darkness became even darker.

But Lee and Xítway had the glow of their spirits to give them light.