After all I had been through, it was almost funny how little time it took to reach Mary's meeting point. We ate what nuts and berries Kat could scavenge and walked for only half a day before reaching the first sign that we were getting close. A deep red door that stood against a tree, as if it was built into it.

"We should still be a few hours from the meeting point," I said to Kat.

Kat didn't acknowledge me save for walking to the door and taking a look inside the tree, opening it only very slightly. "It's a junkyard," she announced to no one in particular as she closed it again. As soon as she did, the sides of the door glowed with a golden light before the entire thing vanished.

"I-Is that supposed to happen?" August asked with a shaky voice.

"She's probably letting us know we're close," I answered him.

The witch averted my eyes but nodded to my answer. I still caught him rubbing his neck every now and then, but thought it better than to apologize. We both knew I wouldn't really mean it.

"Where to then, fox?" Maple asked. She glared at me for a moment when I turned her way but, eventually, she too looked elsewhere.

I didn't have to focus long to relocate Mary's scent. She had the same overpowering smell as all the colorful know-nothings who lived in cities. The mixture of soap, recently washed clothing, and perfume stood out just as clear and bright as the dead cabin in this uninhabited wilderness.

Without answering Maple's question, I set off after my friend's lingering smell. Without a word, Kat, August, and Maple followed.

None of us talked much since I established my rule. Maple and August I could understand. It would take them awhile to accept a familiar being in charge, if they ever did. But Kat giving me the cold shoulder was a harder thing to endure. She hadn't looked my way once and only answered my questions with sharp, single sentences.

I knew she was mad at me, but what could be done? It was either this or continue suffering under Maple's madness. I wanted to be angry at her myself for not understanding what needed to happen, but I knew she would understand in time. If she was still by my side after everything else, there wasn't much I could do that would turn her away. She was mine. Forever.

"We are getting closer to that town," Kat spoke up suddenly, almost scaring me half to death after nearly an hour with nothing being said between any of us. "What if the witch lives there?"

The town was a hard thing to miss. The tight cluster of houses and buildings only grew bigger the further down the mountain we scaled. It was that same town where Quinn would go to work almost every day and I wondered, for the first time, what the know-nothings thought about their friendly doctor's home suddenly going up flames. Was he friends with any of them? Did they even care?

"Foxy?"

"Fawn would have told us if that were the case," I said but, even as I said it, I doubted it very much. Our former teacher would have withheld as much information as the witch allowed. "I mean, I have yet to meet a witch who could blend well with normal people."

Kat didn't have anything to say to that right away, but I could feel her watching me. I could feel Maple's eyes burning into the back of my head. It was my turn to avoid their look. I shouldn't have gotten sentimental just from seeing his town. It was a sign of weakness, a weakness the witches could exploit.

"But if she is—"

"Then we'll deal with it," I interrupted Kat, locking gazes with her one, cold eye. When she didn't look away, I turned to meet Maple's dark voids. "Any problem?"

"None whatsoever," the girl answered with a tight smile.

We moved on and the silence re-enveloped our small group. I thought more about what I had just suggested as I led them. If the witch really made her home among the know-nothings—among regular people, then what would happen if we went to meet her and things didn't go as I wanted it? Would she attack us and risk involving innocent people? Would I risk it?

Wildwood already knew we were here. If the bug girl and Maple's siblings couldn't handle us, it was only a matter of time until they sent someone who could. The faster we dealt with the witch who could hunt and control us, the sooner we could start a life free of Knowledge and it's madness.

Maybe it would be better to just kill her. It would definitely be faster and we couldn't afford to keep dragging our feet any longer. Besides, I was planning on killing Tusk and the bug girl, what was one more?

"Alright, that's far enough."

The four of us froze in place as Mary suddenly stepped out from behind a tree a good few meters ahead. She was dressed in a red and black checkered shirt, jeans, and smelled nothing like what I thought had been her smell. The perfume was still miles and miles ahead of us.

Mary had her gun out and trained it on Maple who, in response, tightened her fists as flames started to rise from the base of her feet. "Don't try anything," my friend warned. She clicked back something on the gun and I then noticed the familiar, bronze engravings. "I don't have to kill you with this to take you out of the picture."

"Mary—" I started, but Maple was louder.

"August!" she screamed.

August jumped, but quickly obeyed and raised his hand in Mary's direction. We all jumped when the gun went off and the weather witch hit the ground, holding his shoulder and screaming as blood spilled through his fingers. It all happened in an instant, but even before he hit the ground, the light sprinkling of rain stopped. The dark clouds and rolling sounds of thunder faded away. Bright rays of sunshine fell down on our group in its place as Mary readjusted her sights from August to Maple.

"That was a warning shot," she said, then grinned. "Also a little payback for all the headaches he's caused me."

"You bitch," Maple swore. She took a step towards my friend, and her flames rose higher around her body.

"Maple, stop!" I ordered, but she wasn't listening. I tried to approach her, but these flames were bright yellow and impossibly hot. I could see the ground melting to molten mush beneath her feet and trees igniting by simply being too close to her. If anything, I was backing away, everything in my body telling me to stay far away from this witch and her terrible power.

"Kat, get out of the way!" Mary shouted, drawing my attention back to her.

In the sudden chaos, I had lost what happened to Kat. She had moved too, but not away from the burning girl. She stood right in her path, in between Mary's gun and her Master's fire.

"Master," she said. She squinted her eyes at the intense glow from the raging flames and I could practically see steam rising from her browned skin, but she did not budge. Even when Maple and her fire grew closer, she only widened her arms as if to embrace the girl. "Stop this."

Maple did not answer. Instead, she raised her hand and pointed it right at Kat.

"Maple, stop it!" I roared. Somewhere down the line, I had fallen to my knees without realizing. It was only when I tried and failed to stand that I knew why.

I could die, a voice said. A voice I hadn't heard since the gun Mary held was pointed my way. If I died, everything leading up to now would be pointless. Everything I fought for would be wasted effort.

Wouldn't it be the same thing if Kat died, I argued with the voice as I regained my feet.

There was still Mary, it pointed out. There was Stallion, the other Quincy children, and possibly Lady Louise and Rosetta. You lost one friend. What was one more?

"Shut-up," I hissed.

"Get out of my way, Kat."

I tried to look up to see what was happening, but the flames were too bright. I tried to move forward, to protect my friend, but the fire was too hot. It was all too much. My friend was going to die again while I was powerless to do anything.

Figure out what you want. A different voice whispered in my head, with words that made me think of a world that wasn't this one. Then, direct your pain towards it.

"Maple, it's okay," August said, muttering as he laid on his back and stared up at the bright sky. It wasn't bright enough for me to miss the smile on his face. "I'm okay"

All at once, Maple's fire retreated. It still clung to branches and grass, still danced threateningly around her legs, but the expression on her face had changed. It changed to something that hurt me deep inside my chest when she turned and looked upon August and his smile.

"Alex," she said, a smile growing on her own face.

Bang.

Kat screamed, and I did because she did. Because Maple was falling. She hit the ground face-first and did not get back up as a red stain spread out wide on her tattered shirt. Her fire left her like it had never been there.

Kat rushed to her side as I stood there, staring stupidly between Master and familiar and Mary. She kept her gun trained between the two witches who remained on the ground, her smile gone. "I didn't kill her," she informed us with an even tone. "I aimed for non-vital organs. She will live as long as you keep pressure on the wound."

"What about the bullet?!" Kat snapped in a much less even tone. She was tearing away part of Maple's sweat pants and crying furiously. Harder than I had ever seen her cry before.

"It's dissolved in her bloodstream by now," Mary answered. "Nothing to worry about."

Kat didn't say anything back to that. Instead, she focused entirely on her Master and the wound in her back. I looked on, again not knowing what to do. What she wanted me to do. It was only when I took a step forward and she snapped at me to stay away that I knew.

I looked to August, but he had his eyes closed and seemed to be sleeping. When I turned to Mary instead, her's were wide open and staring right at me.

"Been awhile," she said with a renewed smile, "hasn't it, Alex?"

...

August woke up soon after he was bandaged, but he was in a weary state at best and his rain had yet to return. Mary helpfully informed us it could take anywhere from a few hours up to an entire day before either he or Maple recovered their Knowledge. Either way, the two witches were out of commission and useless to us.

"You were risking a lot thinking they could be trusted," Mary went on as she paced the grass. Her gun was holstered again, but her hands never strayed far from it.

We had made it to the meeting spot, a small pool of water that formed from nearly invisible streams that flowed down the mountain. Kat was using it to wipe handfuls of water across her Master's face, trying her best to clear the soot that stained her cheeks and forehead. She was still obviously ignoring her fellow familiar.

"There wasn't really another option," I answered lamely. A weak answer. There were definitely other options. "They were going to help us confront the witch."

"And then what?" Mary asked.

I didn't have an answer to that, weak or otherwise.

My friend sighed. "You guys had me worried, taking as long as you did. It was a good thing I decided to try and find you..." She trailed off as her eyes ventured between everyone gathered. When they settled back on me, I knew what she was going to ask. "Where's Stallion?"

"We were separated for awhile, but I ran into him yesterday," Kat answered before I could. She didn't look up from her Master or stop smearing water across her face. "Maple scared him off and we haven't seen him since."

"Why didn't..." I started to say, but I couldn't get the words out. It wasn't the only thing she had kept from me. What was the point of acting surprised?

Mary glanced between the two of us before closing her eyes and sighing again. "Well, we can't afford to wait any longer. He'll just have to sit this one out."

Mary didn't say it, but I knew she thought this was for the best. At this stage, he would just be getting in the way.

"I'll stay here," Kat said, still avoiding looking at either of us.

"Kat, no. The three of us have to do this together," Mary said right away, stopping her pacing to give Kat a hard look. "Stallion is one thing, but we don't know entirely what this witch is capable of. Alex and I need you there in case things go sideways."

I thought to speak up, but I didn't want to risk saying something that would instead make her want to stay even more. At this point, I was worried just hearing my voice would ruin the logic in Mary's words.

"Someone has to stay and watch them," Kat answered back.

"I'm telling you, we have a few hours at the very least before they are a threat again. Plenty enough time to do what we have to do if we leave now."

But Kat didn't move. Mary looked at me and used her eyes to point at her. I started to shake my head, but then she stabbed her finger into my chest and pointed back at Kat. With a sigh of my own, I took a hesitant step forward.

"Hey, Kat," I started. But it was too quiet. I could hardly get the words out.

"I'll watch her for you," August spoke up. He was laying against a nearby boulder, hand still gripping his wounded shoulder, and had been completely silent up until now. When Kat looked his way, he smiled. "I owe her at least that much."

Kat was quiet. She laid her Master down by the pond and in one, smooth motion walked over to August and pulled her knife from its holster. August flinched when she pointed it towards him, but soon realized she was holding the bladed half while offering him the handle. With a slow, shaking hand, he grabbed it.

"I'm counting on you," she said. When she turned to face us she met Mary's eyes, not mine. "Where do we need to go?"

Mary pointed without comment, and Kat headed off in that direction. The former gave me a look I couldn't meet before she followed. I waited a bit longer, looking back at August as he carefully examined Kat's knife. When he glanced my way, I spun back around and followed after the girls.

"Is it a good idea to leave the witches alone?" I asked Mary when I caught up, keeping my voice intentionally low as I watched the back of Kat's head.

Mary looked between the two of us. Kat was pretty far ahead, but it was never a sure thing just how good any of our hearing had become.

"What, you think it would be better to carry them everywhere?" Mary asked back. When I didn't answer right away, she shrugged. "If they leave, they leave. If they come back, I've still got plenty bullets."

Her words, and the nonchalant way she said them, made me shudder. It had been awhile since I had the opportunity to talk to Mary one-on-one, but a lot had changed in that time. She admitted that she hated me, but at the same time could not let me go. Of course why she was here, and whatever she had done to get here, was partly for her own benefit, but how much more of it did she still blame on me?

"So, does this witch live in the town or something?" I asked instead, making my voice loud enough to know for sure that Kat was listening. There were too many uncertainties if I asked anything else and, right now, I didn't really want to know what Mary thought of me.

"Of course not. She lives in a cabin, of sorts," Mary answered, immediately shooting down a series of building anxieties while at the same time giving rise to all new ones. "Not the sort you are thinking of," she quickly added after seeing the look on my face. "It's small. Like, one room small."

"What's the plan then?" Kat asked without turning around or slowing down.

"The witch hasn't been home in a week. If we wait inside her home and ambush her there there wont be much room for her to move. We'll have the advantage. If she realizes we are inside and tries something, her home isn't made of anything we can't break through in seconds. Either way, she has to come home eventually, and that's where we should strike."

What if she just wants to talk. The thought came back, but I did not voice it. If Kat remembered my original plan, she didn't voice it either. She knew just as much as I did that my plan was weak. It left too much uncertain.

Kat continued to walk without looking back at us. Mary stayed by my side and seemed to be studying my face as I tried my hardest to pretend I didn't notice.

Our short journey was too quiet and peaceful for what we were planning to do. The impossibly tall trees swayed back and forth over our heads against the wind in a calm rhythm. The rustling that kicked up from outstretched grass and thick bushes was soft and almost soothing. Before I knew it, I had completely forgotten Kat ignoring me and Mary watching too closely.

I was far away from the body walking to meet its latest fate. I didn't know where I was, exactly, only that is was far away. Somewhere deep and dark and tucked away from the world. I was alone and I was warm. It was safe there. Nothing made a sound and I could see nothing. I was happy.

A touch on my arm pulled me away from my dreams. Mary was still watching me, but the expression on her face had changed.

"There's a scary look on your face," she whispered to me.

Kat stopped and turned to face us. She looked right at me. "Foxy?"

"I don't want to fight the witch," I said. Mary immediately sucked in a tight breath, but I locked eyes and continued before she could speak. "At least not until she explains herself. If she wants to talk, I want to listen."

Mary's expression changed again. Her glaring and frown was something I was quickly growing used to. "You—"

"I don't want to hear it," I interrupted. "This is what I want to do. Those witches back there get it, Kat gets it, and if you don't like it," I pointed back the way we came, "then I don't want you here."

Mary held my glare. Her bright blues burned as she stared at me, but it was with a level of hate I was used to. I wasn't going to back down for anyone. Not even her.

Finally, she looked away as her eyes darted to my hand and then the road. With nothing but an irritated scoff and a growled, "Fine" she walked back the way we came. I watched her go for a few seconds before calling her name.

"Stuff it, Alex," she said over her shoulder. "If you want to get yourself killed, I won't be responsible for saving your dumbass any longer."

With those colorful words, she continued walking away. I didn't stop watching until I couldn't see her. When I turned back around and made my own way forward, Kat waited for me to catch up.

"You sure about this?" she asked as she walked alongside me.

"Yeah," I said back.

I didn't expect Mary to actually leave, but I also doubted very much that she was really gone. Her complicated feelings for me aside, this was too big a moment for her to just walk away from. She was probably going to hide and wait for things to take the turn she expected it to take. Once things looked bad, she'd step in and save the day with a smug grin and many 'I told you so's'.

I just hoped she wouldn't misjudge the situation and strike too soon. Even if things had to end in bloodshed with the witch, I wanted to know why this all happened. From Wolf all the way to me, I wanted answers for forcing helpless know-nothing's to become monsters. So many, horrible possibilities danced around in my head, but I wanted the truth. I wanted to know what motivated her. I wanted to know the perfect example to turn her into to keep the other witches far away from us.

"I think I see it up ahead," Kat said as she grabbed my arm, forcing us to stop.

My first instinct was to tear my arm away from her. I swallowed the sudden, bubbling anger as I looked from her steadfast eye to the trees that still lay before us.

We were nearing what was almost a wall of stone made by an adjacent mountain. The top of it had to be at least several hundred feet above our heads. But at the bottom, slightly obscured by the dense foliage, was a shack.

It was like Maple had said. It was small. It couldn't be much bigger than the shed where my Master used to train. Thick moss that grew on the stone draped over it like a roof while grass and vines snaked up and around its walls. If Kat didn't point it out, I would have mistaken it as just another part of the mountain.

As I looked on, there was movement from the moss that connected the roof to the cliff side. I saw a face and dark hair emerge just before Kat dragged us to the ground. As quickly and quietly as we could, we crawled and hid behind two nearby trees. Nothing happened in that time. Not a sound or change in our surroundings. We leaned against our cover and listened in silence.

"Hey, we know you're out there!" someone shouted out. It was a man, but I had never heard the voice before in my life. "You might as well come out!"

I looked to Kat, a "What" starting to form before I caught her watching me.

"It's your call," she said.

I nodded before standing up. With a deep sigh, I turned to face the shack and the two figures who now stood on its roof.

Kat watched me, but did not move. Not until I offered her my hand with the most genuine smile I could muster. I doubted it looked very convincing.

"Well, I did say I would try and talk things out first, right?"