Star's initial soar of joy at seeing Marco's eyes open again was dashed almost immediately.

"Marco!" She cried, and then realised there was something very, very wrong.

One of Marco's eyes was deep purple- a wide, whirlpool of darkness- much like when he had opened Eclipsa's chapter in the spell book.

The other one was emerald green. The exact colour Toffee's iris had been.

Then he opened his mouth with a sickening clicking sound, and spoke in Toffee's voice.

"You think you've won, Princess?"

Star stared.

"...Toffee?" She whispered in horror.

"Surprise!" He said, twisting Marco's mouth into a sick grin.

"Toffee, what have you done?" Star choked.

"Oh, don't fret your pretty little head, my darling."

"I'm not your darling," Star spat.

"Listen, Butterfly, calm down. You think I want to be in this body? I'm out of here as soon as I give you this message."

"What?"

"Just shut up," Toffee said. "Marco isn't going to get better."

"Why?" Star gasped.

"I think you know, deep down."

Star frowned.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Marco can't get better until all the dark magic is out of him, right?"

"...yeah?"

"Well, it's not all out."

"But- we did what we had to- we fed... you to him. It was your dark magic in him, and we got you out, right?"

"Do I look out? No- Star, it's not just me in here. There's some weird demon stuff, don't know where that came from, but I don't think that's going to matter too much. No. What's stopping Marco from getting better is you."

Star felt like she had shrunk to the size of a pea.

"Me?" She whispered. Dread was settling into her stomach. Cold. Heavy.

"You. It was your magic that released Marco's monsters. It is your magic that runs through his blood. My magic is about to leave."

Star's face crumbled.

"So... it's all my fault."

"Yep," Toffee said.

"But... you're gonna go?" Star asked, looking up.

"Of course I'm going to go- you think I want to live in this body? No, I'm off, but I'll be back. Don't you worry."

"Wait," Star said suddenly. "Before you go... why did you tell me this?"

Toffee grinned nastily again.

"Because I know that Marco will die. You won't be able to do what is necessary to save him, and that gives me pleasure. I want you to know that. Oh- and one last thing: if you do manage to get every last ounce of magic that doesn't belong in Marco out of him, good luck keeping the sucker alive: when he's back to full human, no magic, then he'll have all the injuries he had before. Ta-rah."

Toffee winked.

And then Marco blinked quickly several times, and a steam of darkness burst from his eyes and mouth.

When he fell back onto the bed, his eyes were slack and only half open- they were their normal brown.

Toffee was gone.

Star took a deep breath and looked at her hands. Finally: the final piece of the puzzle. Toffee's last trick.

It was her. She had to give herself up for Marco. He knew no one would allow the princess to sacrifice herself for a mere human, he knew she would be willing but not have the guts to do what she had to do... even though it was all her fault.

And what about the demon he had mentioned?

Star had to talk to Tom.