"I apologize for the interruption," Winter said, meekly. "I didn't know you were conferring. I came to apologize for what I said yesterday. I questioned your character when I knew perfectly well where you stand on saving people. It was ungrateful, and I have no excuse."

"Oh... wow..." Wally couldn't believe Winter was apologizing. He tended to see her scary side more than Shine did.

"Don't worry about it." Shine shrugged it off.

"Do you mean that?" Winter asked, surprised.

"I don't mean that it didn't hurt," Shine said, more upset now. "But what can I do or say about it? You're sorry now. What should I do? Rub it in?"

"Well, if you are hurt, I'd rather know the truth," Winter said. "Sometimes I think nothing I could say or do would have the power to hurt you, but I know better than that. You do hide it."

"So do you, Ice Queen," Wally pointed out. "You're both really tough chicks. Which is great. But you know, when you're upset, you just kind of go 0 to 100 because you bottle it up."

"I can't deny that," Shine admitted. "And if that's worse than having everything on the surface all the time, I don't know. Maybe they're just different."

"Well, I know that you ladies are both friends," Wally said. "And you wouldn't let a little spat ruin that for you... or something tough like losing an old friend. And hey, Winter, I thought my buddy and leader and role model was dead for a while too. He turned up alive later, but before then it was awful. So I get what you're feeling. It's okay, you know."

"I would feel better if the General had been honorable at least to the last," Winter said. "It is that that bothers me. Of course our lives can end at any time in the field, and we're all trained to expect that, but the way it happened... well, I still sometimes feeI I could have stopped it if I did anything different."

"That is foolish," Shine said candidly. "Winter, we spend all our time trying to show people the right way. How often have you seen anyone listen to us?"

"Less than they should," Winter said.

"And they listen to no one as much as they should," Shine said. "And those are the humble people out of the world. What chance have the rest of us 'if the righteous is scarcely saved', as the Word says? You didn't owe the General anything more. I know of all people how little that helps to think of, but it is the truth. Maybe in time that will help."

Winter looked down. "I don't know. I'm tired of things ending this way. Do you really think it could be over soon?"

Shine walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. Winter actually allowed her to do so. She'd come a long way.

"One way or the other, it will be over soon," Shine said gently. "And you did so, so much better than you realize. You should know that. Quite indispensable to us all."

"I don't know about that." Winter looked a little watery to Wally.

"It's true," he said, nodding.

"Whatever happens tomorrow or the day after, I don't want you to be ashamed of anything," Shine said. "You did all you could do. And not everything is in our hands. Some of it is in Salem's."

Winter stepped back to look her in the eye.

"Then Cinder really is right," she said. "All this depends on Salem. That was your answer to the riddle of the Lamp. All along it's what you said, and we didn't hear it... though I knew there was something about it that I was missing."

"Cinder figured this out?" Wally said.

"Of course she did," Shine said. "It's the one thing she could understand better than anyone. No one could force her to feel bad either. I told her she had to give up that arm willingly, and she did, for freedom. How is Salem different than that? If she still wants freedom, she'll do what we ask of her. If she doesn't, then she's doomed, and if we aren't, it will be harder at least. But there's not only one way to save the world. However, there is only one way to save someone's soul. Guess which we're sent to do the most?"

"Even her?" Winter said.

"And is she so much worse than anyone would be who went through what she did?" Shine asked. "Suppose you were cursed like her, would you have held out all this time?"

"No," Winter said. "The Mind Grimm proved that to me."

She shook her head, almost in wry amusement. "So in the end, the vanity is taken out of us. What are we but simply human? And she was once a human. That is always what you said. But how did you realize this before we underwent all these trials to prove it?"

"Went through it already," Shine shrugged.

"Yeah," Wally said. "Maybe just learned that about ourselves a while ago in our worlds."

"I've met people who've struck me as more inhuman than Salem," Shine said. "From the very first time I met her, I knew she wasn't like them. She wasn't quite like anyone I've met. She's two things at once, just as Ozpin is also Oscar, and our work with him has been to separate them. Why not with Salem? The gods are dualists, they are almost two things at once. Anything like that is a monster. We must be one or the other. I solved the riddle because I knew the principles of life. Let's hope that is enough. Just knowing it would work is not convincing Salem of that. And she trusts no one nor does she have reason to trust them. No one has ever cared about what happened to her."

"Didn't Ozma?" Winter objected.

"Not enough to tell her the truth," Wally said, "or to want to help her not be cursed. I mean, where was that in that whole story? Didn't that bother him?"

"Or he just thought there was nothing he could do about it," Winter said.

"And is that not doing her a disservice?" Shine asked. "And I ask you, Winter, if he had loved her truly, why is he not concerned with setting her free of that curse now? He wants to destroy her. If he wanted her salvation, he would have jumped at what Alicia offered and what we did. But he didn't. He didn't ask Jinn if he could help Salem, he asked her if he could destroy her. Is that love?"

Winter blinked. "No," she said after a moment. "But the man had no reason to think he had options."

"And for that, I'm sorry, but it's not my fault," Shine said. "What do you expect of us?"

"We were wrong to blame you, and I think if you come back to camp, you will find everyone is sorry for it," Winter said. "But also, how on Remnant did you ever get Cinder to become your ally? I believe she's actually tried to defend you."

"Cinder is defending what she knows is going to work for her," Shine said vaguely. "If that's us, then that's how it is, and she knows it. She's simple-minded enough, but I can't fault her for that--if she's right."

"Can't be too picky about who your allies are," Wally agreed.

"Well..." Winter tilted her head. "There is something in what you're saying about Salem. I've never met her myself except through the Seers. Who knows...? If I can help, I will."

"Even if she heard you say that, it might help," Shine shrugged. "She'd never expect any of you to think so."

"Still, banking on her changing her mind is not high odds," Winter said.

"And I thought you didn't believe in luck," Shine said.

"You can't if you're going to date Qrow," Wally said.

Shine shoved his arm.

"What? Isn't it true?" He rubbed it.

"So it's not luck, it's fate?" Winter said. "Is that your belief?"

"Well, let's hope so," Shine said. "But what if it's just choice? Choice shapes our fate, doesn't it? Salem never had any choice before. What if she liked having one? I can't promise you anything, but the strategy is just mad enough to work, and I intend to see it through. It's my job anyway. Don't worry, all of you will still have to help us. Salem is only the beginning of this."

Right... how could Winter forget that part?

* * *

While the group waited for the DJs to return, they were quieter.

Cinder stared at the fire.

Oscar startled her out of whatever thought she was lost in by approaching.

"What do you want?" She frowned.

Oscar leaned on his staff a bit pensively.

"I just wanted to thank you for helping them get Mercury back," he said.

"For what?" Cinder didn't buy it for one second.

"I mean, you didn't have to do that," Oscar said. "I know... you don't like us... and we haven't given you a lot of reason to change your mind. But you still helped. And that's still something. I thought maybe I could try to... you know, heal your arm."

Cinder glanced at her left stub.

"It wouldn't heal before because of magic," she said.

"I thought Shine took it away," Oscar said. "And she's told me that magic and curses stay gone if you replace them with something. So maybe if your old arm was back, you know... it wouldn't go Grimm again. And... uh, if we have to deal with Salem tomorrow, she could try to grow it back to have more control over you."

That did sound like something Salem would do.

Cinder shrugged and then put out her shoulder haughtily. "If you want to try, I won't stop you."

"I think it's more... thinking it will work," Oscar said, holding up the staff.

Cinder glanced up at it hesitantly. It was weirder when she knew how it worked.

For a second she thought nothing happened, and she shrugged. "Well, so much for that..."

Then her left hand touched rock where it hadn't been before.

With a start, she held it up.

There it was...

Oscar smiled faintly. "Well... at least something happened..." He shivered suddenly. "I feel like this it takes more out of me than it did before..."

Suddenly, he pitched over and almost landed in the fire.

Cinder jumped up and grabbed him before she really thought about it.

"Hey, what did you do?" Yang suddenly stood up. 

"Nothing, I--" Cinder broke off because who would buy that?

Ruby was over in a burst of rose petals before anyone else.

Oscar glanced up. "It wasn't her," he said, groggily. "I'm just... tired all of the sudden. Really, really tired."

Then suddenly it was Ozpin's voice.

"I'm afraid this body is worn out from the struggle with the curse," he said, more alert. "It's easier for me. Being around so long, I'm used to magic. I don't know how much Oscar will be able to do now."

"Oh, I bet you're just thrilled about that." Yang was behind Ruby now. 

"Despite what you think, Miss Xiao Long, I do not enjoy Oscar's suffering," Ozpin said tightly. "But I can't prevent it. Would you like to feel like a cancer to someone?"

Yang frowned.

"He can't help it," Ruby said sadly. "Maybe we can make Oscar stronger... What's that thing with his Aura he keeps doing?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that." Shine had rejoined them without anyone seeing, since they were all staring at Oscar now.

"Oh..." Jaune looked up.

"What happened to Oscar?" Winter asked at once.

"He just collapsed," Yang said. "Cinder was talking to him."

"It wasn't me!" Cinder snapped.

"Yes, I assure you, it wasn't her," Ozpin said. "I don't think, as of yet, Miss Fall can make people weak just by talking to them. But Oscar did perform a healing. Perhaps that took more energy."

"Let me see." Shine came up and put a hand on him.

Her eyes gleamed.

"Well, doing spiritual acts does take energy," she said. "That's why I don't have unlimited portals or other attacks. And why Wally has to eat constantly to keep up with the Speed Force."

"Could I help?" Jaune asked.

"From all I can sense, it's not really his Aura," Shine said. "Though that's part of it, I suppose. You might help a little."

"Could he do that thing he's been doing ? It seemed to pump him up," Ruby said.

"Oh, yes, his Semblance," Shine said. "I was wondering about that. Did he use it more times?"

"Yes, while we were fighting the Avarice," Ruby said.

"What is his Semblance?" Mercury asked.

"No one has quite figured it out," Winter said. "Unless you know, Miss Likstar."

"I've had my suspicions of what it is," Shine said. "Perhaps if I knew what he was thinking when he used it."

Ozpin seemed to stir for a moment.

"He says--"

"I heard," Shine said. "Remember? But for the benefit of everyone else, I suppose you could finish."

"Oh, thank you," Ozpin said sarcastically. "He was just saying that he suddenly thinks of things he's read, or that he's been convinced of, or that are real. Perhaps something to do with reality, then, rather like the reverse of Miss Sustrai's."

"Hey, technically hers can be used for reality," Mercury said. "If there's already an illusion and she's showing us the real thing."

"Funny how that works, huh?" Shine said. "Kind of like Qrow's Semblance is only bad luck for some people and is good luck for others."

The look Winter gave Qrow right then was smug beyond belief.

"However, I think Oscar's is less open to interpretation," Shine mused. "I think it's as you say--when you're focused on what is true or what you think is true, you seem to gain power. Truth gives you strength. That must be your Semblance."

"Hey, that would make perfect sense," Weiss said. "The first time Oscar ever held Ozpin in check, he was trying to tell us the truth."

"How is that a Semblance?" Wally asked. "What is he, Pinocchio?"

"Oh, don't you ever say that again!" Shine had a hatred for that story. [And if you knew how dark the original is, you'd get it.]

"Sorry, sorry, I can't keep track of every Disney movie you hate all the time," Wally said.

"What what now?" Sun asked.

"Actually that Semblance would be very overpowered," Raven noted, "if you could be honest enough with yourself to use it."

"Catch 22 there," Qrow said.

Jaune boosted Oscar's Aura.

"We need to end this curse," he said, looking up. "Oscar can't keep doing this. Semblance or not."

Ozpin looked somber.

"Good thing we're supposed to end it soon," Wally said.

Weiss exchanged a look with Blake, Yang, and Ruby, and then Meridian, who just nodded at her unhelpfully.

"Uh, Shine, I think we all owe you an apology for what we were saying," she said, putting her hands behind her back rather primly. "And we... all decided we want to support this plan. Even if we think it's risky, but it's the best risk we have still."

"From what Mercury was telling us, you've actually got Salem worried," Qrow spoke up. "I didn't think that was possible... If you think you can use that, then all power to you."

"I don't think it's just me you should apologize to." Shine was not that ready to accept that.

"Of course you too, Wally," Ruby added awkwardly.

"Aw, it's fine," Wally said. "Mostly."

"Mostly?" Raven snorted. "Just yell at us already."

"Hasn't there been enough yelling?" Shine said. "To be frank with you all, it did hurt. But I have no time to focus on that, and neither do you. Let's just say if you support us from here on out and we win, I'll put the whole thing aside. We're not each other's problems. No one is."

She cocked her head at Cinder.

Everyone looked at her dubiously.

"I mean, we were just talking about how we're all messed up," Wally said, "and you all were on that, but then you rushed to judge her."

"You yourself admit she's a piece of work," Vara said.

"Something I been regretting more and more the more times you cast it up to me," Shine said tightly. "I'm sorry if I made it seem okay to threaten someone just because of that. I'm blunt to a fault about how I think of people, but even so I try to be fair. Didn't you all notice her arm is gone?"

"Actually, it's not." Jaune had only just noticed this himself. "What the heck?"

Everyone gaped at Cinder's new left arm.

"When did that happen?" Mercury asked.

"Not before now," Emerald said.

"Perhaps--" Shine glanced at Cinder. "--you'd like to tell everyone what you told me."

Cinder glared at her.

"I know, it's embarrassing," Shine shrugged. "But it's the truth. Just... why not just tell them? It really won't make it worse. How could it?"

Cinder frowned and then sighed.

"If you must know, I'm tired of being chained to Salem," she said very testily. "I asked to get the arm removed so that she couldn't keep forcing me to do things. I want it to be my choice, whatever I do."

"And did you decide that after you stabbed us in the back?" Yang said.

"Yang...." Blake hissed.

"It's a real question," Yang frowned.

"Yes!" Cinder snapped at her. "I did. Happy?"

Blank stares.

"Why?" Ruby finally said.

"Because--" Cinder gritted her teeth "--if I'm going to kill any of you, it's going to be because I want to, not because I was ordered to. Anyway, if it's not going to work, why would I keep risking my neck trying just because Salem is worried about it? I want her to be worried."

"Oh, wow, that's so touching," Theo said sardonically. "Don't butter us up."

"Frick off," Cinder said. "You've all said enough that you wish I was dead! It's only wrong if I say it."

Well... that wasn't a nice thing for them all to realize.

"We did do that..." Weiss said aloud. 

"Holy s---, did no one ever notice that?" Meridian said.

"Well, that is no way to treat teammates," Pyrrha said pedantically, but this time no one got mad at her.

"I guess, like it or not, we did agree to let her come." Blake put her ears down. "Even if we didn't like her, it's bad form to talk like that about anyone. I'm... sorry."

"I guess we were kinda hypocrites..." Raven admitted, very salty. "But don't expect an apology for it, unless you want to offer one yourself."

"No," Cinder said shortly.

"Can we just say it's water under the bridge?" Ruby said. "I guess... I mean, we don't have to like each other, but that's not the point."

Cinder scowled again.

"Hey, for all the people you hate, how many have ever admitted they did anything wrong?" Wally said to her.

"Can I ask?" Neptune said. "What are you going to do about Salem? Just... talk to her? Alone?"

"I have to," Shine said. "I'm a woman of my word. But watch the house. She's not very rational."

"And you're counting on this woman to listen to you?" Raven said.

"I work with less than rational people frequently," Shine said dryly. "We manage somehow. For now we should all rest and pray. Be thankful that today ended in a draw at worst."

She sat down and looked tired. Then she took the radio and put on one track:

["Reckless Love"--Cory Asbury]

https://youtu.be/7GGJ8cyYNzQ

"When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me

"You have been so, so good to me
When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me
You have been so, so kind to me. Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the 99
And I couldn't earn it
I don't deserve it, still You give Yourself away

"There's no shadow You won't light up
Mountain You won't climb up
Coming after me
There's no wall You won't kick down
Lie You won't tear down
Coming after me."

* * *

Yang felt bad about one other thing: Blowing up at her mom.

She'd been doing some thinking about what Ruby said about her still having a chance with her, and how little effort she'd put into that. Was she being ungrateful?

Well, it had never been an easy situation, but still...

"Hey..." she addressed her aside from the others. "I'm sorry about what I said after the Fastus. I knew everyone didn't act like themselves. I don't know why I acted that way."

Raven was polishing her sword after earlier.

"Because you felt that way deep down," she stated, with her typical bluntness that didn't smack of sympathy. "You always have."

"But that's not fair," Yang said. "You didn't ditch us this time, on purpose. I can't always act like things are the way they were just because I'm still mad about it."

"But you are still mad about it," relentlessly.

"Maybe, yeah." Yang crossed her arms. "You could work with me here. I'm just trying to smooth it over."

"There's no reason to." Raven looked down stoically.

"You always say that," Yang said, "like you're so above caring what anyone else thinks."

"Beneath it," Raven corrected, more subdued. "I expect no one will agree with my actions, but they were my own. For better or worse."

"Does it really make you feel better to say that?" Yang wondered tersely. "What if it was for worse?"

"Did you want to apologize, or did you want me to?" Raven caught her.

"Everything's a fight with you," Yang said ironically. "I can't just say I'm sorry for what I said? You just have to ask me more about it."

Raven pursed her lips. "I suppose that's a fair point. None of us acted like ourselves. But then, that applies to you also. Should I not take it seriously, then? Or if there was part of you that meant it, then there's a part of me that is selfish enough to run. If I let myself. Which I always have, until recently."

"What... what changed?" Yang knew it wasn't anything she'd said. She couldn't be that delusional.

Raven shrugged.

"I want to know," Yang said. "You ignored your actual family, but there's other people you're willing to go the distance for. I don't understand. It's just the other way around."

Raven shrugged again.

"Come on, answer me," Yang said.

"Does pushing me for answers ever work?" Raven retorted.

Yang sighed. "I think I deserve to know. You just didn't like us? Is that it?"

"No," Raven said. "Perhaps it's a pathetic excuse, or it's just the way people are, but I think it's different when your family has issues with you and you can't agree with them. Liking has nothing to do with it. If you're asking why I left, you already know the answer. You just don't like it. If you're asking why I'm still here... you won't like that either. But it's because Likstar and West didn't lie to me. They never forced me to do any of this. All I know is that it was the first time I felt like anyone expected me to think for myself about what to do. I always had to make my own choices because I wanted to make them. Ozpin just wanted people to listen to him unquestioningly. I suppose it's about trust."

Yang had to think about that. All she'd learned about her mom and the past and trust had made her a jumbled mess. Assigning blame had just been frustrating.

"I took out a lot of anger on you," she said aloud. "But it wasn't all your fault. I see that now. I'm almost sorry for how I acted at first. I didn't try to understand."

"I gave you no reason to." Raven was not sure how to react to this.

"You did, I just didn't want to hear it," Yang said. "I'm starting to think I've been kind of self righteous." [No... Yang? Sorry... Honestly, I think they rewrote her that way after Vol. 3. She didn't start off that way.]

"If this is about what you said before about pride," Raven said, "it's not to me that you should be sorry. I've been just as proud. I still am sometimes--most of the time, even."

"Yeah, but I let Ruby down." Yang sniffed suddenly, though she'd told herself she wouldn't cry about this anymore. "More than once, I feel like... I mean, it's worse than just running, when someone is right in front of you and you still do things to hurt them."

Well, that was half the reason Raven was never in front of them.

"Well, there's no need to get so upset," she said uncomfortably. "Your sister is... way too much like Summer to hold a grudge over it."

"You know, though, they're not exactly the same," Yang said quietly. "I think Ruby has a little of my temper and Dad's--and Qrow's. Anyway... I can't get away from it. I've been feeling like I just make everything worse, for Ruby, for the team... I'm not... not the one who really makes people feel better--or makes things easier, and that's what's bugging me."

She sniffled some more and wiped her eyes.

Funny, it didn't hit Raven how similar she was to her daughter until she heard that.

"Oh, Yang..." she sighed. "I wish I was the mother you deserve."

"What?" Yang glanced up blankly.

Raven rubbed her arm. "This isn't me, you know... this... nurturing thing. I always knew that. It was more than I could be. That's the truth. Even if I wished it wasn't. I told you before... I'm sorry." [You know, Volume 9 confirmed this after I'd already written this chapter, because I used context clues! So take that, Raven haters!]

"I know," Yang sighed. "If it had been different... maybe if it hadn't been about Ozpin... maybe things would have turned out different."

"I wish I could promise that," Raven said. "Or that I could promise going forward I would be any better. I don't know what I will be. But it's... too late to right many of those wrongs now."

Yang shrugged her arm thoughtfully. "Maybe we don't need to right those wrongs," she said slowly. "Maybe that's not what I really want anyway. I'm not a kid anymore--it's not like I can go back in time and fix it. And it's my life, imperfect as it is. I don't think I'd change the things I did have just for other ones. But... looking ahead, that doesn't mean I want the same things. Ever wonder what it would be like if we'd never had any history and just met now?"

Raven shrugged. "We'd probably have gotten along better--or not. You do have my stubborn nature."

"Where do I get the temper from?" Yang said dryly. "I've never seen either you or Dad blow up like I do."

"Maybe that's just you. Don't ask me," Raven shrugged. "Not like I ever knew my family. Blame it on the relatives we don't know, that's what I do. Thank goodness I'm not Qrow's mother. He can't pin that idiot gene on me."

"Hey!" Yang frowned.

"The point is, living in the past is not helping either of us," Raven said. "You're right about that. I couldn't ask you to forgive what happened. I let you down too many times for that. Still... nothing changes because of saying that."

"Like I said, does it really need to be that way?" Yang mused. "If I'm done being angry... or maybe I will be... then what? The trouble with getting to understand someone is that it's harder to judge. We could... I don't know, at least be friends... or whatever that would look like. Not keep saying mean stuff to each other."

"I suppose..." Raven said awkwardly.

"One more thing," Yang said. "Did I ever thank you for bailing us out? It's been a few times now..."

"Didn't you?" Raven didn't remember anymore. "It doesn't matter."

"Why did you change your rule?" Yang asked. "One save per relative. Is it really just because of Salem?"

"That is part of it," Raven said. "But maybe I just asked myself finally if anyone else had ever followed that rule with me. How many times do I need to repay a bailout from someone in this team? So the once per relative rule doesn't make sense anymore. It was... perhaps a flawed rule to begin with. I expect people to be tough, and I can't even face my own fears."

"I can't imagine you saying that months ago," Yang said. "Guess you really have changed. I think you're going soft."

"Soft? How can I be soft if I'm facing those fears now?" Raven objected.

"Relax, I was just kidding." Yang smirked impishly. "Geez, too easy."

"Oh, you're sassing your mother now, are you?" Raven said, feigning offense. "Show some respect."

"That's where the line is, really?"

"If we're talking about going soft, did I see you hanging out with that blue-haired playboy?" Raven changed the subject.

"Who, Neptune? Yeah, I guess we're a thing now," Yang said.

"Really... him?" Raven looked nonplussed.

"He's nice," Yang said defensively. "Anyway, look who's talking. You're single."

"For good reason," Raven said. "And if I wasn't going to be, I'd pick a man who didn't look like he reads fashion magazines and buys hair gel in bulk."

"What's wrong with good hair care?" Yang shrugged. "I know he looks like a twink, but he's really not. He's just insecure."

"Always an attractive quality." Raven rolled her eyes.

"It is if it means someone will be a little more easy going about your numerous issues," Yang said. "Maybe I just like having someone who's not mad at me all the time around. Besides, we have stuff in common. What's it to you anyway? Are you going to start screening my dates now?"

"I didn't before," Raven said. "Though I could have busted you every time you snuck out when Tai wasn't home and I saw it. But I'm cooler than that."

"Don't ever say that again." Yang made a face. "Moms can't be cool, that's just... weird. Wait--how many times was that?"

"You tell me. I couldn't possibly have caught every single one, and that makes me wonder," Raven said.

"Mind your own business," Yang said. "I was looking for you anyway. Could have ended the whole thing right then."

"Not much fun in that, especially if your father called in backup," Raven muttered.

"For the record, I didn't know that they didn't want you around." Yang went serious again. "If I'd known that... well... maybe I would have been nicer."

"And I didn't tell you because I didn't want pity," Raven said. 

"I was just wondering..." Yang sighed. "What a mess.... Oh well. You know..." She looked down awkwardly. "...if you want to visit... or whatever, when all this is over, I think Dad'll get over it. Damage is already done, right? I mean... not that you have to--" A bit more defiantly. "--but it's not like there's any secrets left--I hope. So... maybe it would be less awkward."

Raven shrugged.

"I'll think about it," she said. "If I don't die... Hadn't got that far yet."

Yang brightened slightly, though she didn't like to act too excited.

* * *

No one in the camp got to sleep for that long, after these conversations, because Salem, who never slept and didn't much care if anyone else did, grew tired of waiting for them to do anything.

Her Seer, who'd been spying on them the day before, appeared around a rock at what might have been 5 a.m., but no one knew what time it really was.

Vara, whose senses were, as usual, keyed up far more than anyone else's, and Blake, who had more hearing ability than the others, both woke up to see the Seer.

"AHH!" Vara shrieked.

Hazel had been standing guard, but not looking the right way, and turned.

The others all were up in a moment. By now they had the instincts of soldiers.

"Is that for you?" Wally asked Shine, after rubbing his eyes.

Shine brushed dirt off herself and got up to look at the monster.

"How long do you intend to keep stalling?" was Salem's way of greeting her. "Either attack or do something else, or I will."

"Does the phrase 'formal invitation' mean anything to you?" Shine said grumpily. "You may not need to sleep or eat, but I do. Buzz off. I'll be there after breakfast."

"Do you want to run that past me again?" Salem said. "I shouldn't let you come at all, but if you insist on this meaningless negotiation before you inevitably give me what I want, then I'm tired of your stalling."

"I said I would be there later," Shine said. "Now remove your spy from our midst, or I'll cut it in half."

Salem looked angrily at her, and then the Seer blew itself up, perhaps in rage.