I don't know who to be pissed at more: Clifford or Xalale. On the one hand, Clifford should have never run off like that, but he was always so adamant about talking to Xalale (maybe he can talk some sense into him); it really shouldn't surprise me that he did such a thing, but Xalale? I know it's stupid of me to keep trying to predict what he's going to do, but I want to at least know the course of action he's most likely going to take. Stupid me.

The one ray of hope that I have is the fact that I doubt Xalale will harm Clifford. Lately, I've seen a lack of violence from him and that reassures me. I don't know if the deadline he gave me was a bluff but I'm still shooting to make it before tomorrow evening. Then again, I can almost bet my life Xalale won't lay one hand against that kid...but Aelita might.

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, causing my blood to start pumping maniacally again.

"We need to get there before tomorrow," I say with a renewed determined mindset. "New plan, we're heading to the castle."

Though no one speaks out against this decision, I can sense not everyone's full-heartedly on board. To be honest, though, at this point I don't care- I'll play the dictator if I have to. Clifford is my responsibility still and it is my job to protect him- especially from people like Aelita.

Predictably, as we're hurrying along the path, Coxen is the first to voice his concerns.

"What are you going to do? Are you just going to give him the stone?"

Whirling around sharply on my heels, I scrutinize him.

"What would you have me do? I know you keep saying one life for millions of other lives but things have changed. Clifford is in trouble."

Though his frown deepens, he adds nothing more, allowing Sephora to pipe in.

"Perhaps we should establish a set plan to rescue Clifford instead of complying with the king's orders."

That could work, but it's risky. I still remember how we barely escaped through the skin of our teeth with the stones, I couldn't imagine trying to break in and smuggle an eight year old- who can't shut up- out. Still, it's another option.

"We might have to," I reply, starting back up.

The others, for once, are trying to keep up with my stride. Behind me, Elle quietly speaks up.

"He wouldn't hurt Clifford, would he?"

Glancing momentarily at her uncertain gaze, I look away with a nervous sigh.

"He won't but Aelita might just to get her hands on the stone."

Truth is, they're both desperate. But Aelita's desperation is different, and more potent, than Xalale's and that can create even more problems. I know Xalale won't hurt Clifford nor allow any harm to come to him, but all that certainty is thrown out of the window when Aelita comes into the picture. Aelita has so much control over Xalale it's practically unfathomable. With her whispering in his ear, his common sense might be overridden and he may do something he wouldn't normally do on his own accord.

"She gets exactly what she has her eyes set on." Those words of unknown truth taunt me now as I'm stuck on this current slippery slope.

Sensing my perplexity, Elle tries to quiet my worries with her soothing, therapeutic voice, but I know that our outcome isn't looking so good right now. This journey has been a trainwreck from the beginning and we're now just feeling the effects of it.

I begin voice these disappointments to Elle but am quickly shut down by a stern-

"No."

It takes me back for sure. The firmness of her words only was something completely unusual for her. She definitely has my full attention now.

"Mallory, you are my friend. However much you seem to doubt that, it's true. As a friend, I want to support you. I know I may not be the strongest or bravest or the most skilled person to have with you but I will never regret helping a friend, so don't apologize because I will never accept it- you have nothing to apologize for."

I give a weak but meaningful smile. "Thank you."

She nods, retreating back to her soft-spoken mannerism.

The rest of the time is mainly spent in silence. I knew Clifford drove away a lot of the silence but I never realized how little everyone else really talked until now. We break only twice- each a fairly brief rest- before starting back on the long stretch of road. I'm mostly the driving force behind such unrelenting progress but it's understandable.

I'm hardly keeping track of the time, but by the time I do notice the lack of light, the fire in my bones is still burning.

A part of me doesn't care if we have to march all night, but the other part does so we stop once the sky darkens to settle down for the night- though my mind is anything but settled.

Throughout the entire course of the day, even before the events that transpired this morning, my mind has been occupied. Memories come flooding in, leaving me trying to sort through them all. It leads me back to the thoughts I've been having since last night.

"Xalale's a good person who just does bad things." Occasionally would be putting it softly, saying somewhat frequently would be putting it into a more realistic perspective.

"Perspective."

He was always mentioning perspective, always bringing it up somehow. Now it churns in my mind.

"What's my point of view? Do I need to shift focus? How do I change my perspective?"

That's just a glimpse of the whirlwind occurring in my mind at this hour. It's frustrating to think that even sleep won't silence these thoughts.

Thankfully, though, when I eventually go to sleep, I'm able to rest without dreams disturbing me; it feels different without Clifford curled against my back, his soft wheezing in my ear. But it leaves me longing, longing for an answer of some kind. An answer I have yet to reach nor understand.

Today is the deadline. We have to make it to the castle before the sunset or else something's going to give.

To be sure we reach our destination before the deadline, I get us up plenty early to start back up. My nerves are the only things keeping me up and energized at this point since my sleep wasn't the best. The longer we delay, the more desperate Aelita becomes, and the less mercy she'll have on Clifford.

The others start to fully wake up when the sun is fully up- to be fair, I did drag them up before the sun emerged.

It's rather odd, though the sun is out, high in the sky, it's not as warm as yesterday or the past few days (the heavens must know that shit's about to hit the fan).

We're traveling in our usual silence until we pull over for a quick bathroom break upon which, after we're finished, Coxen breaks the barrier.

"It shouldn't be much longer now."

"That's good," I comment rather absentmindedly.

A flickering pause.

"What's the endgame?"

"Huh?" I look up at him.

"Is everything we fought for in vain? Are we going to let them have this win, this blatant victory?"

"We'll figure something-"

"What about all those people?" He stares in disbelief at me. "What about their lives?"

"What about Clifford?" I counter firmly.

He grows silent, thinking then sighing wearily. His shoulders sag, his eyes are worn, his hair even seems a little duller, but his voice constantly carries that fire that I've grown to know him by.

"So, this is it? We let them win?"

"Nobody wins."

I let that sink in, let it resound, before pressing on.

All of this and yet nobody wins. Well, nobody save Aelita, whose scheme this was. Xalale, I don't even know what side he's playing on but I have a feeling he's at a lost too- just a different kind.

With each step closer, my stomach churns into more complex knots. Every time I've traveled to this castle I'm always nervous- there's never been a time where I've been itching to return to the place. Today is no different. Though Coxen and the others estimate we'll probably arrive a little before dusk, I know my inside's are not going to settle until I confront this head on.

"Breathe," Elle advises me.

I exhale heavily. "I know, but breathing has never helped me relaxed."

"Then what has?"

"I don't know, I've never been this nervous before."

As she gives me an understanding nod, Sephora strides up beside us.

"Have you established a clear-cut plan for how you're going to act this out?"

"Not really...but I know it's probably best if I go in alone."

This seizes everyone's attention. I feel all their disbelieving eyes trained on me.

"I don't think that is the best course of action," She responds with apparent apprehension.

"I agree," Coxen voices. "Mallory, you need to think this through. You can't go in there alone-"

"Yes, I do. I can't have you guys getting hurt."

"You're not being logical. The last time you went alone to do something you could have gotten hurt or-"

"The last time I made a few mistakes, but I always do that," Just hearing this, I've positively made up my mind. "And this time is no different. I have to go into this alone."

"But why?" Olivos questions, puzzled.

"Yes, why?" Elle's soft, worried eyes search my face for a reason. "We're here to help you."

"The way you can help me is by staying safe. I'm not going to have you guys be in harm's way like I did Clifford."

They become silent, thinking over my words. I'm praying they'll understand but then Coxen speaks up again.

"We're not eight-year-olds, we can help you if you let us."

"You're not getting it," I say, starting to become a little frustrated. "Aelita is not about playing games. She doesn't care if you're there only to support me, she'll hurt you."

Coxen's brow furrows. "What about the king? Is he one to play antics?"

"Xalale...he's just confused right now, but that's not the point I'm trying to get at-"

"Confused?" He gives me a look of total disbelief. "Forgive me for my opposition, but the king doesn't appear confused in the least about any of this. He's chosen his side."

I sigh. "Coxen, it's not for you to understand-"

"Mallory, please," His voice increases in volume and aggravation then drops as he stares for a second at the ground before dragging his eyes up to meet mine. "We are not fools, none of us. Please be honest with us- and yourself- about this. This journey has always been a little more than just destroying a stone."

Like a warning bell in my head, the triggers go off, alerting me to where this conversation is leading- I say nothing to stop him though.

"Whatever excuse you're creating- Mallory, just tell us the truth."

I look away, my skin starting to burn under their attentive watch.

He takes a breath, his volume a little lower than usual. "Do you love him?"

"No."

I just want them to believe me. Though the answer rings out hollow, I want them to believe it.

"Mallor-"

I finally look up at them to convince them further.

"No. I don't love him."

Thankfully, he doesn't pursue this topic any further but I can see in his eyes that he isn't swayed.

"We're wasting time beating a dead horse," I say, already taking the lead again. "We need to reach the castle before sundown."

Everyone, though still fixed on me, starts back up. Everyone, that is, but Sephora.

"Mallory?"

Turning around to look at her, I notice how uneasy she's become. Her eyes are cast at the hard packed ground and she's rubbing her hands together in a way I've never known her to do.

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

Pausing in her anxious shifting, she briefly glances up at me.

"Might I have a private word with you before we continue? I know we are under strict time constraints but this matter is rather important."

Her natural pitch was too high and tight for it not to be important. I've never seen her this on edge about anything before and we've been through the gutters the last few days.

"Of course."

While the others wait in the road, we pull off to the side to quietly discuss what's bothering her.

Once we're off from the others, she lets out a strangled sigh of air as if it's been trapped in her for days, trying to claw its way out for ages. She looks up at me, her usually peaches-and-cream skin blotchy and red. She bites her lower lip, her wary eyes hastily moving over my face.

She releases another captive sigh before starting up.

"I have always thought myself a morally upstanding individual, especially when weighing the goods and evils of a decision. Perhaps this sort of thinking of myself caused my biggest flaw. Nevertheless, I felt like the decision I made was just- not for you perhaps, but for others."

I frown. "I don't understand. What are you talking about? Maybe I'm not underst-"

"No," She pauses for a shaky breath. "I'm not being understandable. The easiest manner in which I can rid my conscious of negativity and worry while falling back in your good graces is to make a humble request of forgiveness."

I'm still confused. She's not making any sense and her guilty rambling is making me nervous.

"Seph-"

"Mallory, please forgive me."

"Sephora, forgive you for what?"

She looks away in shame, her voice weak but never lowering. Her eyes labor to meet mine.

"The king is not your true love."

I allow a long stretch of silence to pass. A silence that makes her draw back even more in chagrin.

The only word I can choke out in such thick disbelief is-

"What?"

"I lied. I lied because I thought it was the only way."

I blink, unable to comprehend this in one piece.

"You lied about Xalale being my true love?" She wilts from my gaze as if there's a flame behind them, but I'm just utterly taken for a sharp turn. "Why?"

"Because I thought- I thought it was for the best. The darkness was prominent and I knew so many lives would be at risk and I didn't know what else to do and you were there and it just seemed like a sign from the Fates to-"

"But..."

I really don't know what to think.

Glancing away for a moment, I return my baffled attention to her again, finishing my previous thought.

"But I stopped him from turning to stone. Only true love could have..."

My sentence dies as she sorrowfully shakes her head at the ground.

"You only had to care about the king to free him. Anyone could have done so had they established a connection with him. I knew no one else would, though, and the king was the only one who could have prevented the darkness from destroying everything. If he wasn't alive to do so then the results for all of us could have been devastating. I thought what I did was morally correct, but it's been weighing on my mind since I first spoke that lie."

This was an overload.

I could handle trying to stop two universes from ending, I could meet a deadline for someone's life, but I'm overwhelmed by news like this. This changes everything.

"I need a moment," I mumble to her, already moving away to collect my bearings and take a break.

This is certainly a betrayal, but not like Xalale's- this is different. Perhaps the best way to explain this is deception, but for a good cause- still, this is not a little, white lie.

Just that one misgiving affected everything. I would have never tried to stay and work with Xalale if I knew we weren't actually bound by anything- I would have thought the issue futile. I would have left and never looked back. I would have returned to Cauldron with a tale to tell but no one to drag around town or attended the dance with. There would never have been a ring that led to me trying to give it back. Hell, maybe Aelita wouldn't be a big issue right now if the truth came out.

"Yet..."

Who honestly knows what would have occurred had she not told that lie. Maybe everything would have come to this, maybe it wouldn't, but that's not important right now. It did happen.

I know one thing's for sure. I would have never been stabbed in the back. But that's neither here nor there at this point. What's happened has happened. I did help Xalale, Aelita did come back into the picture, there was a memorable dance that devolved into a painful night, I did come back to return a ring- and maybe more- we are in the midst of a dilemma, but that's just the way it worked out.

Looking over at where the fuchsia-haired enchantress hangs her head in shame, I sigh, letting go of every thought- negative or positive- and return to her side.

"Sephora," I wait until I have her attention. "You lied and let me believe for all this time that Xalale was my soul mate."

Though she keeps her head up, her eyes shift to the ground.

"And if I had to do it all over again, I would want it the exact same."

The words I speak are not filled with bitterness or anger, re-capturing her attention.

She gives me a cautious, mystified look.

"I don't understand."

"Well, I do," I say. "We wouldn't be here if you hadn't lied."

"But that's the point. We are here because of what I did- what I thought was right."

"Hey," I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "I've screwed up a million times worse than this. You're not bad, Sephora, not at all."

She bites her lip, still mulling it over, at war with herself.

"You forgive me, right?"

Letting out a soft chortle, I envelop her in a brief hug.

"There's nothing to forgive. Everything worked out and it will continue to work out."

Finally, she begins to brighten up, color returning to her rosy cheeks.

"We don't have much time to waste."

Back in determination, kickass mode, she promptly nods and we rejoin the others to continue our final trek to the castle.

Despite my reassurance to her, I'm still not entirely sure how to feel about such a reveal. On one hand, it was for the common good and if I'm being honest with myself, I probably would have skipped out if I knew I had no binding obligation to help Xalale. But on the other hand, there's a small seed of hurt and feeling used- it's nowhere close to what Xalale dealt me, but still. Yet, I can't fully compare this to Xalale because of the intention behind the action. Sephora lied to help save her world, Xalale- I don't know what his reasons were, but at this point, I'm so tired of wondering, I just don't care anymore.

Fiddling with the ring on my finger, I know that we're coming up to a crossroad- at least I am. Something's brewing on the horizon and once we get there, there's no backing out.