Cryo's heart nearly stopped in his chest.

"What do you mean she's missing?" he asked, standing up from the couch.

Ella looked at him with her steely blue eyes.

Her appearance had completely changed from the last time he'd seen her. She stood taller. There'd always been an unyielding core that ran straight down her centre, but now, after the Serpent had stripped away everything else, Ella seemed to have embraced it.

"I mean I can't find her anywhere, and neither can her other friends," said Ella. "She was with Ericka and Thomas earlier, left them, then someone started a commotion over the whole Songstress thing, Liv disappeared, no one has seen her since and she isn't replying. I don't wanna panic anyone yet, but it's been a while and she usually replies or turns up by now."

"What of the security measures we put in place?" asked DragonFae.

On the couch, Banshee looked alarmed. "Security measures?"

"Not getting a hit off those either," said Ella. "They're just a few wards and spells Fae put up to sense any forceful or otherwise Serpent-related activity in places Liv usually hangs around."

Cryo made an effort to calm himself. He couldn't help if he leapt to panic. "Who else have you messaged?"

Ella pulled out her Liaiser. "Ariel, Ericka, Thomas--none of them have seen her. I called her parents, she isn't home that they know of, but I didn't wanna freak them out too much. I messaged Jason too, but he isn't replying."

"Jason has misplaced his Liaiser," Cryo said with a hand over his chin. "Olivia was looking for him earlier. Perhaps she's at the temple grounds already."

Beside him, still on the couch, Banshee stretched her neck away from her shoulder. "That sounds reasonable. I doubt we have any cause for concern."

"You think she's been searching for two hours?" said Ella. "On the day of free learning sign ups?"

Banshee stood up and shrugged. "It's Olivia. Really, who knows at this point?"

"She's not an idiot," said Cryo, snapping his gaze towards Banshee as her eyes went wide. "It's fairly out of character, and it's concerning."

Banshee pressed her lips together. "I never said she was an idiot. Yes, it's somewhat concerning, but it's also not time to pull out the scrying hair just yet. Besides, I'm pretty sure I know where she is."

"You do?" said Ella. "Where?"

"She mentioned something about the temple grounds earlier, both because of Jason and because people didn't cause a huge scene over her here," muttered Banshee. She walked back around the couch and headed for the stairs. "I'll go find her and send her back here."

Cryo took a few steps after her. "And you expect us to wait here?"

Banshee glanced back at him. "You aren't gonna find her faster than me."

With that, Banshee walked down the stairs, but Cryo wasn't satisfied.

He followed her down the stairs and onto the ground floor of the Starlight Hall, where she heard the clacking of his claws on the starstone, gave a great, heaving sigh, and spun on her heel to face him.

"Yes, Cryo?"

Nearby, a High Stonespeaker and the High Wavespeaker noticed their presence and inclined their heads. Cryo returned the gesture before they went back to their quiet conversation.

"You can't know for certain where she is," said Cryo. "Allow me to help."

Banshee puffed out her cheeks. "Do you know where Jason is?"

"I could likely locate him."

"Then go check there," said Banshee, turning her back on him to stride towards the Hall's entrance once more.

It was so... dismissive that Cryo's annoyance flared. "You understand why her possible disappearance matters, correct?"

"Better than just about anyone!" Banshee called back, flicking a hand over her shoulder.

Cryo took off from the ground with one, frozen flap of his wings that sent a flurry of snow swirling towards the startled High Speakers. He landed in front of Banshee, whose expression was harder than the edge of her daggers.

"What is with you?" asked Cryo.

"You know, this is really counterproductive to finding Olivia."

"Answer the question, Banshee. What's wrong?"

Banshee rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Just didn't realise quite how much security and details on Olivia's life we had going on here."

"And this affects you how?"

"It doesn't, not one bit," said Banshee through gritted teeth. "But I'm pretty sure she's not gonna be happy to learn that there's apparently a million people keeping an eye on her."

"She's important--"

"Yeah," said Banshee. "I keep hearing that, but apparently she can't have some time to herself either. I don't recall anyone giving her the courtesy of telling her about these security measures."

"I doubt she'd mind, given the circumstances," said Cryo. "It's as non-intrusive as possible."

Banshee's mouth opened in disbelief. "You knew, and you didn't bother telling me? Or her?" She shook her head. "I don't even know how you'd know what she wants given you haven't exactly talked to her lately, either. I'll tap twice when I find her and send her over. If she isn't here in ten minutes you can tell Fae to start scrying."

With that, Banshee shifted deep into shadow and leapt through the wall on the right.

Cryo could have followed her. Could have followed his frost that tugged him in her direction, but he didn't. He didn't go back to the Luminary's common room. He just stood there, the shock of Banshee's words bouncing through him over and over and over.

He didn't understand her sudden change in mood, but he understood that somehow, she felt that he'd let her down.

Does she know about my... relationship with Olivia?

It still felt weird to think it. He didn't know what to call the situation with Olivia anymore. Not since he'd learned that Banshees survived longer if their partners held their Starsong amulets, and eventually giving his to Olivia had no longer been an option.

But Banshee had encouraged giving his amulet to Olivia. Suggested it numerous times. It didn't make sense that she was jealous, or annoyed by it.

Cryo looked to the ceiling. How did it go from calling me cupcake earlier today to this?

As he stood there considering it, two taps echoed across his tattoo. His heart leapt, his eyes alert and scanning the temple grounds through the entrance in the direction Banshee had gone. It sank a few moments later when his tattoo lost its warmth.

She dimmed.

Two words screamed at him.

Avoiding you.

They were still screaming at him a few minutes later when Olivia arrived at the Starlight Hall, her bag clutched tight over her shoulder.

"I have a question," she said to him, her voice dull. "Were you just watching me too?"

Cryo blinked. "No."

Olivia gave a slow, exhausted nod. "Banshee said you guys were looking for me?"

Cryo didn't know why a wave of guilt crashed into him.

He just nodded and led her upstairs.

The four Luminaries and Ella were still upstairs discussing something related to the government meetings when Cryo brought Olivia up. DragonFae greeted her with a warm smile and held her hand out, but after a few exchanged pleasantries and hearing Olivia's muted tone, he found himself unable to bear it and left the room.

He found himself entering his quarters in the Starlight Hall before he really knew where he was going. His room was filled with scattered, half-organised files and documents. Books he'd borrowed upon pain of death from the scribes were carefully stacked and marked with pieces of paper. The bed was a mess, the blanket thrown into one corner instead of folded as he usually did. His violin case was laid on his table, concealed under a carefully placed cloth, and was probably the only thing in the room that he'd taken more than a moment to fix in the last few days.

It was one, giant mess, and Cryo found himself without the inclination to fix any of it.

"Been a little rough, huh?"

Cryo glanced up to find Ella leaning against the open doorway, her hands in her pockets.

"Mind if I come in?" asked Ella.

Cryo gestured with a hand to the side and set about fixing the papers on his desk just to stop Ella's questioning gaze from lingering too long on him as it swept across the room.

"Do you know what I found hardest about being a Luminary?" Ella said after a minute. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge, her hands still in her pockets. "The fact that I couldn't tell anyone anything. Bits and pieces used to eat away at me until I exploded at Andrew. He'd spend hours talking to me, and afterwards, I'd feel like a bit of an idiot for letting such simple things go on so long."

Cryo placed the papers on the desk in a neat stack. "I'm sorry, Ella."

"You aren't the only one," Ella said quietly. "I miss him, Cryo. I miss him so much that it hurts. But do you know what I think he'd say if he could?" She paused for a breath. "I think he'd tell me that I should focus on the good parts that were enough to make me miss him in the first place. That the loss is nothing if you don't have something to lose in the first place."

"I think those would be very wise words."

The bed creaked as Ella stood up and came to stand beside him.

"I don't think it's easy thing to be partnered to a Banshee," said Ella. She tapped a finger on the cover of the book he had marked on the desk: A Luminary's Shadow. "But it's even harder if you kill yourself obsessing over trying to stop something that has been happening for the last who knows how many centuries."

Frost crept into the corners of the room. "I'm not about to give up and wait for her to die. Not if there's a way around it."

"I never said anything about waiting for her to die," said Ella. "But just remember, Luminary patterns are generally kept secret for a reason. It might not affect Banshee herself, but it's already affecting the second most important thing to her. You." She sighed. "If I'd have known Centaur's pattern, I'd have stopped him from trying to do everything. He always had a million projects he was working on, especially after we went Dark. My interference wouldn't have changed anything except driving him away from me."

"I understand."

Ella clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Give her a little more credit. If anyone can find a way out of this pattern, it's gonna be our Banshee. She's different from the others, and she's got us."

Cryo couldn't help but wonder how many people had thought the same of their Banshees. How many people had thought they could save them, that they'd be enough for her to hold onto life a little longer. That they could save her from herself.

"Anyway," said Ella. "Thought you'd want to know, Liv isn't all that happy that the temple lot have been watching her. She made it pretty clear after you left the room that she wants to be told if she's 'being spied on', I believe were her words. Almost bit my head off too until Fae told her I wasn't involved in it."

"Is that true?"

"Yeah," said Ella. "I got a message from Fae earlier asking me to bring Liv to the temple after Offerings. I don't have a duty to babysit her or anything if you're wondering, I just got worried after I couldn't find her and no one seemed to know where she was."

Cryo paused. "It's not normal for someone--a civilian--to be watched so closely, is it?"

"Nope."

Jason had always had to be careful of his actions, even before he'd Ascended as the Aspect of Frost. People had always been watching him, reporting everything he said and did back to his parents. With the exception of Lucian, anything he told someone in confidence was likely to end up in his mother's ear. It'd taken her mere days to learn about Gerald's flower shop. Weeks until she'd figured out it was more than a simple Offering request upon Cryo's behalf. Months until he'd learned how to hide his visits correctly.

Cryo remained silent, not looking at anything in particular.

Maybe he'd never figure out what normal was supposed to be.

Maybe he wasn't supposed to ever--

Cryo closed his fist around a shard of frost, letting the chill seep through him, right down to his bones. No. He was enough. Banshee believed it. Olivia believed it. They both saw hope. Ella had stared at the same darkness and turned away from it.

Cryo breathed.

Ella just nodded. "Just take it one day at a time, frost boy. You can do it. Trust her. Don't lose her to Vengeance because you're obsessing over it. C'mon. Come back out and join us?"

He pulled enough of himself together for the most sarcastic expression he could manage. "'Us'? And here I thought it was Luminaries only allowed up here."

"I can still take you in a fight, frost boy," said Ella, straightening up the collar of her coat. "And I will drag you out by your wing crystals."

Cryo just shook his head and followed her to the common room.

Pegasus, Nereid and Golem were gone, presumably to train, and Olivia was sitting in Banshee's usual spot on the lounge, her bag tucked tight on her lap. After a questioning glance from Ella that Cryo responded to with the slight shake of his head, Ella rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the couch beside Olivia.

Cryo remained beside the couch, watching the conversation pass by. It wasn't anything particularly interesting, but it intrigued him all the same, getting this glimpse into Olivia's life. From what he could gather, she'd failed to sign up to any free learning classes this morning after a commotion caused by someone recognising her. Fae didn't consider it much of a problem, and together, they were working out a suitable program.

Olivia seemed reluctant to take several of DragonFae's suggestions. By the end of it, they had classes for lore, self defense, a course that was typically reserved for Speakers, and a private meeting with DragonFae once every two weeks.

Ultimately, her schedule looked pretty empty.

"I will ensure it is all handled," said DragonFae, filing away the finalised notes. "If there is anything you feel may help or anything that takes your interest, please do not hesitate to contact the High Shadowsp--" She gave a small sigh. "One of the High Breathspeakers, and they will assist you."

Olivia bit her lip and looked down.

"You are free to leave as you wish, Shadowheart," said DragonFae. Olivia nodded and stood up form the couch, making her way to the stairs. "Ella, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask about a few interactions you may have had with any government representatives."

"Uhh, haven't had any of those that I can think of," said Ella, placing an ankle on top of her knee as she threw an arm over the back of the couch. "Why, what's going on?"

Cryo stepped backwards to allow Olivia to pass. As she moved by him, her eyes flicked up. Their hazel soul drowned him in one split second glimpse before she pulled her bag tight to her chest and took the stairs like the building was on fire.

Cryo's heart followed her down those stairs, but his claws felt frozen to the starstone.

"Frost boy!"

He looked up to find Ella's attention completely on him, sweeping her arm in great, wide gestures towards the stairs.

"Hel-lo?" she said. "Go!"

DragonFae released a small, quiet sigh. "Please do, Cryo, or I fear Ella's priorities will not be focused on this discussion."

As Ella flicked her hands at him yet again, Cryo inclined his head, apologised for overstaying his welcome, turned towards his quarters, and was about to step towards them when, at the bottom of the stairs, he saw Olivia.

Standing there, watching him.

Waiting.

The guilt crashed into him again.

It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair to her.

Cryo walked down the stairs.

Olivia's cheeks were flushed, her gaze trained perfectly on the ground in front of her right up until the point where Cryo stopped beside her.

She took a deep breath and lifted her face with a careful smile towards him. "Um, just needed to tell you that Banshee said she went to cleanse the Manifested, and that she's sorry she kinda exploded at you before. She's close to me, knows that I get defensive about being watched and babysat and well, um, yep. That's about it."

Cryo wasn't sure what he'd been expecting, but it wasn't that. "I... see. Thank you for delivering the message."

Silence.

Olivia bit her lip. "Um, so, I haven't talked to you in a while."

"No," said Cryo quietly. "I've been busy."

She just nodded, like she'd known exactly what he was going to say from the bumbling mess of his mind. "Figured anything out yet?"

Cryo hesitated. "Actually, yes."

Olivia brought her gaze back to his. "Oh?"

Inside his chest, Cryo felt the frost that lurked in his bones reach for the centre of his chest. There, his breath, his heart, they were still thawed, but the frost was always creeping, always reaching a little further each day. Every smile, every word from Olivia melted a little piece of it, but it made his choice impossible. Banshee or Olivia. His partner, or the girl who burned so bright that she could thaw the Aspect of Frost.

Today, for his partner, the remainder of the thaw had to freeze.

"Come with me," said Cryo, leading her to a quiet, secluded place where he knew they would not be overheard or interrupted. "I have something I need to discuss with you."

*+*+*+*

A/N - Ella ships it. Also Cryo, no. Cryo stop. Cryo pls. 

I'm kinda a giant potato atm, have been for the last month, so I'm sorry I've been so slow in replying to comments and things ._. Haven't been feeling all that confident that b3 is going okay and just idk *puts head on desk*