We wait until the light darkens around us before we start making our way to the palace. It's not pitch black out like it would be if it were midnight. It's more like a dark dusk light. It makes me want to get into comfy clothes and curl up in bed with a good book.

Just a little longer and I can do that.

After we save Peggy everything can go back to the way it was. My gut seems to swim at the thought of that. Do I really want everything to go back to the way it was before? I glance over at Cam. I don't want to lose him again, is that what saving Peggy would mean? Losing myself and my best friend again?

"This way," Om says when we approach the palace and its bush gate.

I almost want to roll my eyes at the gate. It won't bother keeping anyone out. A piece of what Za said during his announcement floats back to me. If I had completed the ritual before my parents had died none of this would be happening. I reach out and grab Om's hand before they can duck into the bush. "What did Za mean about completing a ritual?"

Om tries to rip their hand from my grip. "I'm not sure I know what you're asking."

"I think you do." I tighten my grip. "He said that if his connection with Tace had been completed then none of this would be happening. What does he mean by that? What connection?"

"I'm not sure." They grit their teeth as their gaze focuses on our hands.

"Mats?" Cam glances between the two of us. Even with the fear in his voice telling me to let go, I can't. Something doesn't feel right here.

"Is he talking about the connection that you share with Tace? Did you take it?"

Oms face flies up to meet mine. Their eyes are wide with water glistening in them. "Maybe! I don't know! Mattie please!"

Their eyes flick back and forth.

"Mattie!" Cam cries.

Something tells me that Om isn't telling us the whole truth. I want to believe them. I know I should since they've made everything up to us since their first betrayal. But there's something in the back of my mind nagging at me not to.

I pull them closer. "I really hope you aren't lying again." Then I huff out a breath and release their hand a little rougher than I mean to.

I run my hands through my hair.

Om rubs their hand. "All I know is that the royal family is supposed to be connected to Tace in some way. That they pass it down from generation to generation, but that something stopped Za from getting it."

"And you're sure you don't have that connection?"

They shake their head. "I'm not royalty."

I bite my lip. "Alright." I don't know what to say. I want to believe them because I don't think that they'd lie about something like that. But then where did they get the connection they have with Tace? Om told us that they're the only one who has something like it.

"Can we continue?" Cam whispers. He glances over his shoulder. "I feel like we're being watched."

I turn around and stare into the darkness that now surrounds us. The only light that shines through it are the ones from huts a good ways away or from the few firelights that float around. I squint my eyes, hoping that maybe I'll be able to make out a shape of some sort but I find nothing. I shrug and turn back to Cam. "There's no one out there."

He rubs his arms. "If you say so." But he continues to look through the dark like he might be able to see something I couldn't.

"Let's go," Om says. "We don't have time to worry about what could be out there."

I nod before following Om into and through the bush. I don't have to look back to see if Cam's coming or not. The bush rustles enough by his movement to give me the answer.

When I'm all the way through the bush I'm welcomed by near pitch blackness. I blink a few times, trying to get used to the darkness but no matter how much I blink nothing takes shape around me. I reach my hands out in front of me trying to find Om, or anything. Then my hands land on something cold and fleshy with bumps on it. I gulp. "Om?"

"Your hands are so cold!" they exclaim.

I sigh in relief. "I'm so glad that was you."

Oms laugh cuts through the darkness. The rustling from behind us stops. I whip around. "Cam? You still there?" I whisper, suddenly remembering our mission.

Something cold crawls up my arm. It's like a spider or a bug of some sort crawling up my skin. I yelp and jump backwards into Om.

Laughter erupts from in front of me. "Gotta ya!" Cam exclaims through his laughter.

I reach out and smack him. "Not funny! We're on a stealth mission here!"

His laughter stops. "Shot. I forgot."

I roll my eyes. We're horrible at this. "We need to focus," I say. We can't go around making any more noise. Someone could hear us, which would mean we would fail at saving Peggy. I turn to Om. "So where do we go from here?"

My vision has adjusted enough that I'm able to make out the outline of Om. They lift their arm and point somewhere up high.

"We need to make it up to Za's balcony."

I follow Oms finger and look up at it. It's very similar to the platform he had been on earlier. How many balconies does this guy have?

"How are we supposed to make it up there?" Cam asks.

Even if I can't see it I hear the smirk Om wears. "Leave that up to Tace." Oms figure moves closer towards me until I can feel the heat coming off their body. They reach out and bend around me to grab Cam and then my wrist.

I raise an eyebrow and open my mouth to ask what's going on when the ground shakes under me. I stumble to the side and almost fall into Cam before I'm pulled by Om and am recentered. The ground below me shakes as air rushes past me. "What's happening?" I ask. My stomach floats up like it does when an elevator lifts off the ground.

"Tace is giving us a lift," Om answers. The smirk is still in their words.

I swear, my lunch starts to work its way up my body. I cup my hands over my mouth as the ride stills and we're brought up to the platform that is now lightly lit. Om releases our hands and steps off what I now see is a big leaf, and onto the platform in front of us. I follow their lead. When I step onto the platform my knees almost give out. As much as I love what Tace does for us, some of it is a little extreme and nerve-wrecking.

I turn around and creep closer to the door. It's a simple brown oak door that is closed and with no windows around it or on it to give us a glimpse of what's waiting for us inside. Light peeks out under the crack of the door. "What do we do now?" I whisper, turning around to face Om and Cam.

Om stands dangerously close to the door. Their hand starts to head towards the knob.

I grit my teeth before glancing around. I know that no one is around us but it feels like we could be caught at any moment.

"What are you doing?" Cam asks. His voice is still low.

Om shrugs. "Peeking in so we can move forward with our plan?"

"What if someone sees you?" I ask. I bend closer to Om, like my voice won't be so loud if I do.

They shrug. "If I get caught it can just be used as a distraction. Or, I could even be put in the same part of the palace as Peggy."

I roll my eyes as Cam says, "But then we'd have to save both of you."

Again, Om shrugs. I don't understand how they can see this as a good plan. "It'd be a lot easier than just walking around blindly not knowing where to go."

I take a deep breath. "How about this?" I splay my hands in front of me like I'm praying. I point them towards Om first. "Why don't you take a peek inside without getting caught?" Then I turn to Cam and do the same hand gesture. "And why don't you try and be a little quieter?" I didn't really have anything to say to him but it felt weird to not point a flaw out from him, and it's not like he's trying that hard to be quiet.

He rolls his eyes. "Yes boss."

Om nods. "Fine." Then they turn and place their hand on the knob and twist it open. I duck away from the light coming out from the now opened door. I crane my neck to the side trying to get a peek inside without exposing myself to anyone who might be in there.

All I'm able to make out is a lavishly huge bed that would barely fit into my bedroom. A wood craven bedside table and a mirror that reflects the dark night from the opposite end of the bed. Om slams the door shut before I can get a further glimpse into the room.

"Get to the sides of the door and keep quiet!" they demand.

My eyes widen as they back into the wall of the palace. Me and Cam exchange a quick look before copying and scurrying to the other side. The door cracks open and a woman's voice floats out. "I swear I saw something stick its head in."

A deep chuckle follows the voice. It starts far away and then inches closer. "I'm sure you were just imagining it."

My eyes widen and I share a scared and worried look with Cam. It's Za.

"But-"

Za chuckles again. "It's fine. Why don't you go prepare a bath for me?"

"Of course."

Then the door shuts again, leaving us in shadows.

I sigh in relief. It's like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulder when the door shut. Cam sags away from the wall. Om walks over to us. I glance back over to the door, waiting for it to open again and for us to be busted.

"What do we do now?" Cam whispers.

I shrug. "Wait until he's in his bath and sneak in?"

"That's a good idea," Om whispers.

My eyes widen. I hadn't expected them to agree. It sounded like a horrible and risky plan. But, honestly, what wasn't at this point?

"How will we know when that is?" Cam asks.

Om shrugs. "I can keep peeking into his room?"

I shake my head. "That could give us away. It almost already did."

"Then what do you suggest?"

I place my hand on my chin as I think. What would be a good way to see into the palace without the risk of getting caught? Then the idea pops into my head like a lightbulb being turned on. "What if we had Tace watch for us like it did the first time?"

Cam nods along.

"That... that could work," Om relents.

I grin.