If there hadn’t been so many people out that night, Castor’s streets would have felt claustrophobic. Much like Steamtown, the towering buildings on all sides seemed to nearly close in around them. But where only sand and emptiness could be found in Steamtown’s streets, cobbled roads and open shops welcomed them here. Crystal streetlamps provided cheery light, and horse-drawn wagons lined with holly clattered up and down every avenue.

  Charlotte expertly mingled among the other shoppers and passersby, entering into every other store to browse and peruse various wares. Micah was used to Charlotte’s ritualistic habits by now, as she did this in every town they entered. But the sheer size of Castor was a first, and the time she spent window-shopping likewise increased. Rarely did she buy anything, but tonight her hands were full of purchases. Fresh-baked breads, handmade jewelry, shoes of the latest fashions. And she obtained an exquisite green shawl, donning it immediately for warmth. She pulled Micah through the crowds as each new point of interest came to her attention, which seemed an endless procession. Cal joined them, trailing behind and complaining under his breath that someone was going to step on his tail.

  Micah didn’t mind, for Castor was a marvel. He enjoyed the sights and smells, reveling in the crisp night air. The black skyscrapers truly did sparkle, proving it was no illusion. Crystal shards were embedded into the stone in even rows. Individually, they weren’t much to look at, but shining in uniform, the buildings truly were something to behold. Charlotte, having visited the Twin Cities before as a child, gave them a whirlwind tour of the places she remembered. The Castor Fountain, spouting great jets of water over marble statues; the King’s Courthouse, with its gold leaf inlay covering nearly the entire structure; Violet’s Narrow, an expansive park in the middle of the city with winding, peaceful paths through flowery meadows and clusters of cherry trees. Even at night, the places Charlotte showed them attested to the beauty of the city, and Micah wanted very much to see them again when the sun rose.

  And despite the oddness of her behavior, Micah never tired of Charlotte’s company. He enjoyed her voice as she talked non-stop through slightly chattering teeth. Her cheeks were violent pink from the cold, but her smile never left. Not a single Castor man could resist a glance as she passed, yet she barely seemed to notice the attention.

  As much as he wished they could continue, however, there was work to be done. Charlotte seemed to sense his oncoming resolution, because she stopped and turned back to him and Cal.

  “I’ll get us rooms here,” she said.

  They looked up. A sign over a door into a particularly tall building read The Blue Grasshopper. Through wide windows, they could see hundreds of well-dressed patrons of the establishment, mingling about in a dark, yet haimish atmosphere. Comfortable-looking couches surrounded low-lit fireplaces, where men with handlebar mustaches sat smoking cigars and women dressed very much like Charlotte gathered in several multi-colored flocks. There was genteel dancing, and wine sipping, and the characteristic mannerisms of the king’s court that Micah had once observed in his singular visit to the White Palace. He felt out of place, and he wasn’t even inside.

  “Charming, isn’t it?” Charlotte said.

  “Quite,” Cal said in a droll voice. He padded up to the window, looking inside. “I must say, the phrase rings true at the moment. ‘Birds of a feather’ indeed.”

  “Oh hush.” Charlotte began to fuss with her hair. “They’re just like us, except dressed better. Now, I believe you two have some work to do?”

  Micah nodded. “It’s time to find John Halifax. Hopefully, he’s in the city. If he is, it shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

  She seemed impressed. “Then, I’ll leave you to it.” Reaching into a pocket, she pulled out a small pin shaped like the sun, identical to the symbolic plate around the bridge on the Pollux side. She attached it to the fabric over her chest, adjusting it in the reflection of the window.

  “What is that?” Cal asked.

  “It’s a Sun Pendant,” she answered with enthusiasm. “It’s a sort of fashion in the Twin Cities. Here in Castor, men love women from Pollux, and vise versa. The cities have a sort of rivalry, so winning someone over from the other side is considered a whimsical accomplishment and a source of bragging rights. By wearing this pin, everyone inside will believe I’m from Pollux. It should draw the attention of the men in the room.”

  Micah looked back inside, noticing now that nearly everyone was wearing either a sun or moon pendant. “So, that really is what you’re doing each time? Trying to attract men?”

  “N-no,” she stammered, looking troubled. “I just like meeting new people.”

  “Always men.”

  She flipped her hair, recovering. “Well, as you can see from present company, perhaps it’s my talent.”

  “I suppose I can’t argue with that. But it sounds like a risky venture to me, mingling with so many strangers.”

  Charlotte smiled brightly. “Are you worried about me?”

  “Worry might be the wrong word. I suppose I simply don’t understand your goals. I’m not experienced in these things, but when the day comes and our time together is over and we part ways, aren’t you worried you could run into someone with evil intentions?”

  Her smile slowly died away with the night breeze, leaving an expression Micah couldn’t quite fathom. She seemed to resolve herself to something as she looked down at her feet. “You don’t have to worry,” she said in a small voice. “I can tell when someone plans to harm me, remember? I’ve looked out for myself for a while now, and I guess I’ll be doing it the rest of my life.”

  Micah’s own intuition and the disapproving look on Cal’s face told him he had said something wrong. She stood stiff before him, arms at her side and looking smaller than ever, but he didn’t know how to amend the situation.

  He looked away, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, you have my Eye of Mahaado. If there’s any trouble at all, don’t hesitate to use it.”

  “I won’t.”

  She turned and silently made for the double doors. Micah watched her go inside and immediately impress herself into a large gathering of people with no trouble whatsoever. In moments, both men and women were chatting with her like old friends.

  “What did I do?” Micah asked.

  “I’m afraid I don’t have the words to explain it to you,” Cal replied. “Let’s just say you still have a lot to learn.”

  “Did I offend her?”

  “No, you didn’t offend her. The best way I could put it is that you and she have different ideas about what your relationship is.”

  “Actually, I have no ideas. What is it?”

  “Friendship.”

  “Besides that.”

  “There’s nothing besides that, which is my point.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Hence my hesitance to explain it.”

  “I see.”

  There was a long silence as they stood in the middle of the street, watching Charlotte through the window. The streets thinned of people as the hour grew long and the cold of night took a stronger grip.

  “Try this,” Cal said, long tail flicking. “Going forward, try to figure out what you want in life, now that it’s your own.”

  “What I want?” Micah repeated, folding his arms. “What do you mean?”

  Cal sighed. “I can’t explain that any further. Dwell on it, though. As much as possible. What do you… want?”

  “I can do that.” He looked up to the sky. “Shall we?”

  Cal smiled his cat-like grin. “Yes. It’s been a while since I’ve done anything besides lug your stuff cross-country. I could use a little hunt.” He nodded toward the windows. “But what about Charlotte? Won’t she be in danger without us nearby?”

  “Marshall sinKalem took a calculated risk sending the Seraphs after us. He would never do such a thing if he wasn’t more than two days behind. He was undoubtedly trying to slow us down, and he did, but he revealed his position as a result. Assuming he kept pace, which I doubt, then we should still have a two-day lead. There will be no danger from him tonight. And among these people, Charlotte will be well hidden. She understood right away. She can’t come with us, and she will be safer among strangers than alone in her room. As long as she keeps my Eye with her, this is our best opportunity to find Halifax without fear of her safety.”

  Micah produced three Life Stones, situating them between his fingers. He whispered a quick incantation, and the white jewels began to glow. Cal raised his tail high over his head, and the crystals floated out of Micah’s hand to slowly rotate around the tip. The Murr beat his wings, lifting into the air while holding his tail out before him like a lantern.

  They nodded to each other. “Vesper Aria Bound, complete,” Micah said. “It’s time to locate John Halifax.”

  He crouched and jumped, launching into the night sky. With a few well-footed landings against the sides of the buildings, he soon cleared the sightlines, landing on one of the tallest structures in Castor. The whole of the Twin Cities spread before him, holding its four-hundred thousand citizens in a twinkling span to the horizon, but there would be nowhere to hide from him tonight. He ran and jumped again, bounding from rooftop to rooftop with Cal in close pursuit.

  .

  It took less than three hours to locate him. Micah descended onto a staircase which climbed to the entryway of one apartment among many. This particular ten-story construction featured four living spaces per floor, with the entryways to each located outside, rather than in, and a winding staircase crawling around the black building complex to reach every single one.

  Micah and Cal ascended to the seventh floor and stepped into a small, open vestibule. Two wicker chairs and a pipe stove overlooked the city from a cozy nook. A hand-woven welcome mat lay before the green-painted door, and a planter hung from a hook near the front. A tiny plate was fixed over the door handle, which read “No. 299.”

  “I thought Biblio described this John Halifax as a horrible person?” Cal whispered. “This looks like the home of a perfectly normal human being.”

  “Yes, but that’s Biblio,” Micah replied. “I take everything he says with a grain of salt. Regardless, it would serve us best to be on our guard.”

  “So, how are you going to handle this if he won’t talk? Torture? Threats?”

  “Neither.”

  “What method will you use, then?”

  He leaned his hands against the short wall of the patio space, looking out over the city and thinking long and hard. “I know it may sound strange, but Charlotte is slowly teaching me things I never understood. All I’ve ever known is force. Making people do as I wish in order to achieve the results desired by someone else, no matter the cost. But she’s showing me both what I am and what I’m capable of becoming. I can be… what they call a ‘better man.’”

  Cal sat, looking uneasy. “That’s certainly a long path if I ever heard one. What will you do if this John Halifax won’t talk to you? We would have traveled across half the continent for nothing!”

  “I don’t know,” he replied, approaching the door. “But I want to try. There’s a feeling in my heart that won’t go away, and I have to know what it is, if not for my own sake then for the victims of my past.”

  He knocked and waited. It wasn’t long before there was a click and the door opened just a crack. A man’s face peeked through it, wary and observant. His eye clouded with suspicion when his gaze fell on the mask.

  “Yes?” he said.

  “I am seeking information about the Moon Eyes,” Micah said.

  The door shut in his face.

  “You have a lot to learn about subtlety, that’s for sure,” Cal said.

  “I’m starting to see that.” He knocked again.

  The door opened. The face behind the crack now looked dangerous. “Go away, lad. I know nothing of what you seek. Don’t make me turn you away by force.” He made to shut the door again, but Micah quickly reached out, keeping it open.

  “Let go!” the man growled.

  Micah was about to reply, when he realized the panic in his expression. The man was afraid. Micah looked down at Cal. The Murr shook his head, but Micah decided to go on instinct and do something he’d never tried before when seeking information… the truth.

  “Sir, I mean no harm,” he began, speaking in a meek voice and choosing his words carefully. “My companions and I have come a very long way, seeking information we desperately need. You are John Halifax, correct? We were told you could help us.”

  “I’m no fool. You’re a Black Son sent here by one of the governors.”

  Again Micah chanced a glance at Cal, who immediately shook his head vigorously. But after a short inner debate, he decided on the truth again.

  “I am a Black Son, but I abandoned the governor in order to protect the Moon Eye Child. Now she is with us, and we need your help to protect her.”

  In a startling reaction, Halifax immediately swung the door open, eyes wide with wonder. He was tall and portly with bulky spectacles and a small braid trailing down the side of his head from otherwise short-cropped hair.

  “The Moon Eye Child?” he said with a bewildered look. “Are you telling me she’s here in Castor? She’s actually come?”

  “Yes.”

  He laughed, silencing it with two hands to his mouth. A bizarre, rapid-fire mix of happy and sad looks crossed his face, as if he couldn’t decide whether he was elated or devastated. “I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it.”

  Micah frowned. “But it’s true! You can meet her if you like—”

  “Micah, he believes you,” Cal interrupted. “He’s using a figure of speech.”

  “Ah, what am I doing?” Halifax said, grasping Micah’s shoulder. “Please, come in! Come in. My family was just about to sit down for dinner. You must join us, and we can talk about anything you like. Your Murr, too, of course.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Halifax.” Micah and Cal stepped into a narrow entrance hall while he shut the door. The smooth wooden floors trailed down to a well-lit kitchen, where a woman and two small children were watching them. Their eyes lit up when they saw Cal, the children’s with delight, the woman’s with concern. The home was comfortable with many well-furnished rooms from what Micah could see.

  “Call me John. This way.” He led them down the hall, bristling with excitement. “And what is your name, sir?”

  “My name is Micah sinChamplain, Commander of the Black Sons and Third Keeper of the Nightbreaker Charge,” he replied as he examined the various paintings decorating the hallway. “This is my companion, Cal.”

  “So, you’re the new Keeper. Then, it must have been Biblio who sent you to me.”

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  “Yes, sir.”

  “I can’t imagine he gave me a warm introduction.”

  “No, sir.”

  John roared with laughter as they entered the kitchen. The spacious room greeted them with white walls, clean floors, and windows with frilly yellow curtains. A simple table and five chairs sat near an oven, where something that smelled delicious was bubbling in a large pot over crystal burners.

  John put his hand on the woman’s waist. “My dear, I’m sorry for the short notice, but we have important guests for dinner. This is Micah Champlain and Cal.”

  She came forward, direct yet still uneasy, and offered her hand, which Micah shook. “I’m Miriam. We’re glad to have you.”

  Miriam was beautiful, nearly as tall as John with short brown hair and winter gray eyes. But her beauty was robbed by a stern expression. She eyed the Murr and Micah’s sword carefully and kept her children close, a boy and girl bursting with curiosity over Cal. A third child, an infant, sat in a high chair at the table.

  “I… apologize for the intrusion,” Micah said. “I could offer to come back another time, but the reality is we don’t have any. As I said, I defied the governor, and he is hunting us as we speak.”

  Miriam gasped, turning to her husband, but John held up his hand.

  “My dear, it’s alright! You see, he’s with the Moon Eye Child.”

  “The Moon…” Miriam looked back and forth from Micah to John, comprehension slowly dawning on her. “Then…”

  John laughed with sincere happiness, as if a burden was being lifted from their collective chest. He hugged his family together. “She has come! In my time! Can you believe it?”

  Miriam abruptly let go of him, wiping away stray tears. Her stern manner stayed, but all fear was gone. “Where are our manners? We have guests. John, go get two chairs from the parlor.”

  “Yes, quite right!” John replied, clearing his throat. “We have much to discuss. Much to talk about! I hope you’re hungry, lad.”

  “We have not had dinner.”

  Miriam scrutinized Micah as John left to retrieve the chairs. The children inched closer to Cal, who regarded them coolly. His blue tail flicked over his head, a sign there wouldn’t be a problem.

  “How old are you, Micah?” she asked.

  “Sixteen, ma’am.”

  “Sixteen?” She covered her mouth. “You’re just a boy! Where are your parents?”

  “I don’t have parents, ma’am.”

  The hard lines eased away, leaving a sympathetic face full of the beauty Micah knew was there. She was young, probably not yet to her thirties, but her cool eyes displayed great wisdom and understanding.

  “Well, it’s good to have you. Perhaps you realize, but I’m guessing you don’t, just what the Moon Eye Child means to us. Your presence here… well, it’s of great importance.”

  “I’m familiar with the prophesy,” Micah replied. “But we’re ignorant of further presage. In fact, I know more about it than even she does.”

  “Prophesy?” She laughed sweetly. “There’s no prophesy. At least, none of real importance. Rather, the Moon Eye Child was supposed to be a sign.”

  “That’s right!” John said, coming back into the kitchen with two chairs. “Micah, I am an apprentice of Lord Kyba of Canis. Have you heard of him?”

  “I have, but there are many references to that name in history.” He sat at the table as Miriam directed, and Cal hopped onto a seat beside him. “Which one are you referring to?”

  “All of them,” John replied with a chuckle, sitting down with his family. “You see, Kyba of Canis is an immortal, an Avalon from long before the days of the Lord and Queen. And I am his apprentice, a man watchful for the coming of the Moon Eye Child. All references of Lord Kyba in history are about him.”

  “An immortal…” Micah sat puzzled in silence as Miriam doled healthy portions of roast beef and potatoes onto their plates. The enticing smell made his thoughts fuzzy. “Biblio told me Kyba of Canis has lived a thousand years, but is such a thing as immortality really possible?”

  “Technically… no,” John said. He bowed his head for a moment, and Miriam rubbed his arm consolingly, but he quickly shook his attention back. “However, he has lived these thousand years waiting for the Moon Eye Child. And since the day he was told of his… or rather her coming, Lord Kyba has trained apprentices to search for her. I am the 299th and, as we now know it, the last.”

  “Incredible.”

  “Yes, indeed! Which leads to my next question, the most important and something I should have asked the moment I opened the door: Where is she?”

  “Thank you!” Cal moaned through a mouthful of roast beef. “The most pertinent question and it took twenty minutes to come to it.”

  Micah frowned, glad they couldn’t understand him. “Charlotte Goodsteel is her name. We left her where we’re staying for the night while we searched for you. We just arrived in the Twin Cities this evening, but we were hoping to leave as soon as possible. Biblio told us Lord Kyba might be able to help us find a way out of Carnel.”

  “And he’s right. It’s no coincidence you need Lord Kyba. It was destined those two should meet. And I will guide you to him.”

  Micah picked up his fork, unable to ignore the delicious smells any longer. He wrapped his scarf around the lower half of his face and pulled down his mask, which drew odd looks from Miriam and the kids.

  “Is he close?” he asked.

  “He dwells on the Mountain of the Wolf, a few days east of here.” John twirled his fork as he contemplated something while chewing. “Why don’t we meet tomorrow night at White Turtle Hill, just outside the city? It’s southeast of Castor; you can’t miss it. That should give me just enough time to get my affairs in order before a trip like that on such short notice… as long as you don’t have a problem starting off at night, of course.”

  “None. We greatly appreciate your kindness. In exchange, I swear to protect you with my life.”

  “I still can’t believe it,” he said as he scraped up the last bits of potato on his plate. “To think that I should be the apprentice to discover the Moon Eye Child. I suppose I won’t fully comprehend the magnitude of it until I actually meet her. Tell me, are her eyes truly as wonderful as I have imagined?”

  Micah smiled. “They’re incredible.”

  Miriam raised an eyebrow. “How old is she?”

  “Sixteen, ma’am.”

  Her disapproving look returned. “Two teenagers traveling alone together… well that’s just peachy.”

  “Now now, dear. As you can see, Micah is a responsible young man. And I’m sure Charlotte is the same.”

  “Actually, no,” Micah said between bites of the delicious food he forked to his mouth under the scarf. “She’s a reckless, short-tempered, loud-mouthed busybody with little regard for the gravity of her own situation.”

  Cal nodded vigorously.

  John and Miriam looked at each other. “Then, why are you with her?” he asked.

  “Through extenuating circumstances, we met, and now we are friends.”

  “But you don’t like her?”

  “Oh no, I like her very much. I was simply disputing the claim that Charlotte is ‘responsible’ in any capacity.”

  Cal again nodded vigorously.

  John burst into laughter, and his wife and the kids joined him. “I can’t wait to meet her!”

  Micah finished his dinner, content to listen to conversation between them and answer any of their questions. The children eventually made their way to Cal, venturing to pet him. He allowed it, to Micah’s surprise. He even used his tail to entertain the baby, swishing it above the infant to her bubbling delight.

  After dinner, John, Micah, and Cal retired to the living room while Miriam cleaned up and put the children to bed. As with the others Micah had seen, the room was comfortable, with plush chairs, stained mahogany furniture, and clean rugs. Cal situated himself in front of a fire smoldering within a hearth while Micah and John sat in the chairs.

  John produced two cigars. “Do you mind?”

  “No, but I will decline.”

  He shrugged, putting one away. After a quick light and a deep puff, he relaxed in his chair, seeming truly relaxed for the first time since they met. “So, Micah. I guess my first question is, how much do you know about the Moon Eyes?”

  “We have garnered knowledge on six of the ancient powers,” he replied. “The Sealed Eyes of Ursa, Gemini, Pegasus, Canis, Scorpius, and through Biblio, we learned of Taurus as well. Charlotte has opened them all save for Scorpius and has achieved the first level in three.”

  “Three you say? Impressive for sixteen years old. Which ones?”

  “Canis, Gemini and Pegasus.”

  “Pegasus? So, she found Heartbreaker.” He shook his head, smiling. “Do you know how long it’s been since someone was born with the Waning Half Moon, let alone someone who was able to achieve the first level? What a marvelous thing.”

  Micah nodded. “Indeed.”

  “Then, regardless of the personality you described, she has talent.”

  “Unfortunately, she doesn’t train.”

  John took another long puff of his cigar. Tendrils of smoke curled around his head. “I wouldn’t worry about it, lad. Training may help warriors develop their power, but history has shown that the surest way to bring about the capacity of Inherent Magic is through necessity. You said you rescued her from the governor. Well, it sounds like Miss Goodsteel has been in tight spots before, maybe her whole life. It’s not surprising she’s achieved so much. She probably found each of them when they were needed most.”

  Micah sat up. “Interesting. I never considered that.”

  “One of many things Lord Kyba has taught me. So then, to the powers you aren’t aware of. The Waning Crescent and the New Moon.”

  Micah and Cal looked at each other. “So there is a New Moon?” Micah said.

  John’s look faltered, and the same gentle sadness came over him again. “Yes, but I will leave Lord Kyba to explain that phase to you. Tonight, I will tell you about the other: the Sealed Eye of Orion – called the Hero Horn.”

  Cal’s ears perked, and he looked at Micah. “I’ve heard of that before. There’s a depiction of a man on one of the tapestries in the White Palace. Do you remember it? The one in the Grand Hall? Orion is blowing into a horn, and a beautiful woman descends from Heaven to aid him.”

  Micah nodded, turning back to John to tell him what Cal said.

  John chuckled. “Well, the legend of the Hero Horn has been distorted over time. It’s not an actual instrument. Rather, it’s the power of Orion’s Sealed Eye. You said Miss Goodsteel has activated this eye already, correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “But nothing happens, right?” He winked when Micah nodded. “Or so it seems. But in reality, the power of the Sealed Eye of Orion is a magnificent source of strength. In fact, Orion was lauded as the greatest of Ursa’s offspring for his unrivaled will. You see, the Waning Crescent gives its possessor courage.”

  Micah tilted his head. “I don’t understand. Bravery is an intangible characteristic, is it not? How can it be manufactured?”

  John harrumphed, eyes twinkling. “Classic Black Son response. But matters of the heart and soul are far more powerful than any magic this world could produce, trust me on that.”

  Micah smirked. Thanks to Charlotte, he understood John Halifax’s words. He understood them well. “So, the Sealed Eye grants courage,” he said, rising from his chair so he could pace. It helped him think.

  “Yes, and great amounts of it. You have to understand what I’m saying, though. The eye doesn’t just give its possessor some kind of cheap boost. It grants unhindered nerve. Pure, raw guts. The kind legends are made of and songs are written about. Orion accomplished more than any of his siblings because he took risks no one else would take. He challenged his teachers, hunted villains, defied kings, and pursued their daughters! He braved dark waters, fought demons, led battles, and…” John leaned in, smiling an impetuous grin. “…he even talked back to his own mother.”

  He and Cal snickered, but Micah didn’t get it.

  “But that’s not the best part,” John continued, finishing off his cigar before tossing the butt into the fire. “The Sealed Eye of Orion is called the Hero Horn because Orion was said to be able to call heroes to his aid!”

  Micah stopped and turned. “What do you mean?”

  “Ghosts, phantoms, specters… the legends tell it a hundred different ways, but the truth is that Orion was able to call on the spirits of past heroes in time of need. And when he achieved the second level, he was able to call two at once. Just imagine! Legendary heroes of old fighting by your side! Lord Kyba even told me that late in life, Orion once called Ursa herself.”

  “Good Lord,” Cal exclaimed.

  Micah shook his head, confounded by the new information. Such ancient power was beyond his current understanding. Who could fathom it? He leaned against the wall, staring out through a stained glass window portraying a small house on a hillside.

  Charlotte… I feel I now understand you a little better. You possess so many of the rarest powers mankind has ever known. It’s no wonder men like the king, the governor, and Nathanial Vash want you in their clutches.

  “It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it?” Cal said.

  “This is too much for her,” Micah replied. “Just one of her gifts would be enough motivation for a man of evil intent to hunt her forever. I’m starting to see it all so clearly.” He looked at John. “Charlotte will never be free of this, will she?”

  John sighed. “No. But listen to me now, lad. It wasn’t luck that granted Ms. Goodsteel the Moon Eyes, just as it wasn’t luck that led her here to Castor. It’s her destiny. And, in the same vein, it’s my belief providence led her to you as well.”

  “To me?”

  “Have you ever heard of a Black Son defying his master? I sure haven’t.”

  “But that is a different matter. It was Charlotte who caused that to happen. She freed me from a prison of my own. In return, I freed her.”

  “Was one because of the other? Or did you free each other?” John leaned forward in his chair, clasping his hands together and staring intently at him. “Why are you with Charlotte Goodsteel right now, Micah sinChamplain? Tell me. Explain to me why you are with her right… now.”

  Micah slumped into his chair. Chills ran up and down his body.

  John sniffed, smiling a satisfied grin and sitting back. “Because you’re the only one who could have brought her to me this night. And I think you now realize this. You were the only one in the world.”

  Before, whenever Micah heard the word “destiny,” all meaning of it escaped him. Similar to magic, he had considered it to be an unexplainable force linked to another mysterious concept – the “soul.” And he left those things to experts in the spiritual to study and understand. But now, a new feeling came over him, deep and dark and full of frightening possibilities. An emotion he never recognized nor understood, a small seed planted within him the night he met Charlotte, steadily growing ever since. What was it? What was this longing, this irrational desire to accept what John Halifax was telling him? A question stirred in his mind, pulling him in different directions and refusing to let go. A single, unavoidable question to which he needed a concrete answer.

  What is my destiny?

  It ached in his eyes and churned in his chest. Could his very existence have reason? Had he been created for more than to simply serve and die? Could it be even remotely possible his life meant more? Now, Micah began to realize what Cal meant when he told him to seek what he wanted in life. Because he knew what he wanted now, and it meant more to him than anything.

  “My purpose,” he whispered.

  “Excuse me?” John asked.

  Micah rubbed his face uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at John. “You said Orion could call on heroes of old.”

  “That’s right.”

  “How did one become a hero? What were the qualifications?”

  “Well…” He thought for a moment, rubbing his chin. “That’s a difficult question, much more difficult than it first sounds. While I know of the Hero Horn, I only know what I’ve been told. I’ve never actually seen it at work. Who has? So, who could possibly know just what Orion’s limits were? Perhaps he could call any spirit he wanted for all we know.”

  “Well what do you think?”

  John grinned to himself, still rubbing his chin. “You know… when I was a boy, my father told me that a hero isn’t the bravest or the strongest man. And it’s not always the leader. He told me that a true hero is the man who makes the right decision when it matters most. To this day, I still find wisdom and comfort in that.”

  Micah didn’t reply, thinking hard about his response. In the new silence, John reached into his pocket. While he fiddled with a second cigar in an obvious self-battle over whether or not to smoke it, Micah looked back out the stained glass window. Moonlight filtered in through the green and red glass, casting soft colors across the room.

  The man who makes the right decision when it matters most.

  As much as he liked John and the comfortable setting, Micah had a lot to think about and wanted nothing better than to be back under that moon where thinking would be easier. Cal seemed to guess his thoughts, as he abruptly stretched and issued a giant yawn.

  “It’s late, your Murr is saying,” John said with a laugh. He got up. “So then, I will meet you and Miss Goodsteel tomorrow night.”

  “White Turtle Hill,” Micah said with a nod, rising with him and shaking his hand. “We’ll get there early.”

  *       *       *

  “That must be the place,” Charlotte said, pointing up the hill to a grassy stretch littered with large, white boulders. “From here those rocks looks like turtles, don’t they?”

  Micah agreed with her assessment, also noting the rocks were much smoother than ordinary boulders, ranging from the size of actual turtles to that of a small house. The silver lilies surrounding them swayed into a fine orchestra with the breeze, oddly silent. The night was crisp as they walked along the dirt path under a full moon.

  Charlotte looked back down the road to Castor every few minutes, ever watchful as always. And her face registered the same disappointment.

  “It was… fun today,” Micah said, looking away. “Wasn’t it?”

  Charlotte snapped her attention back to him. Without looking at her, he could feel her gaze on him, searching with those wide eyes. “Yes, it really was,” she replied. “I wish we could have spent more than a day, but we did get to see a lot. Thank you for accompanying me. I know I don’t make it easy on you sometimes, but I wanted to see as much as we could. Make memories.”

  “I was glad to… I enjoyed your company.” They came to the top of the hill, stopping beside one of the larger boulders off the side of the road.

  She looked up at him, blue and purple eyes searching. He looked away again. For some reason, looking her in the eyes was unbearable at times. It felt uncomfortable, as if she saw right through his mask. Never had anyone had such an effect on him, and he still didn’t know quite how to deal with it. He wished he could look at her face all the time, but something about her exposed him, and her proficiency increased each day.

  She leaned back against the rock, smiling as she tucked a swirling lock of hair behind her ear. “I’m glad to hear it,” she said. “Last night, I was afraid you might have gotten tired of me… it wouldn’t be the first time I pushed a man out of my life because I didn’t know the limits of my enthusiasm.”

  “Maybe one day we could visit again… the Twin Cities, I mean.”

  She immediately approached, demanding his attention as she looked up at him. Again, he stared into those eyes of wonder, watching as the glow of her right eye filled her face and chased away the darkness of night. This time, he couldn’t look away.

  “Do you mean it?” she asked.

  He took her shoulders. “I…”

  A terrible chill plunged through Micah’s chest in that moment, and he looked over her head. Atop one of the tallest rocks, he stood. Arms folded, eyes narrowed, clothes black as shadow.

  Marshall sinKalem had finally found them.

  So, it comes to this.

  “Micah…?” Charlotte said.

  Marshall jumped, rocketing toward them. Micah leapt back, whipping an Element Stone from his jacket. Water erupted from the tip, quickly freezing into a large ice plate.

  She gasped. “Micah, what are you doing?”

  He opened his hands and the transparent plate floating before him spun like a revolving door. “Soul End Tunnel!” he shouted. Charlotte disappeared in the length of a single turn, reappearing within the glass as a ghostly image.

  Marshall reached the nearest rock and lunged, sword drawn fast. Micah pulled back and smashed his fist through the ice, shattering it into a hundred pieces just before the enemy could touch it. Marshall sliced his sword across, gashing Micah in the arm. Micah jumped away, quickly drawing Glad and ignoring the pain.

  Marshall looked down at the pieces of ice in contempt. “That won’t save her from me.”

  Micah pointed his glass blade. “Who will save you from me?”

  .

  Charlotte screamed as she crashed through red and green glass to land on a wooden floor. “Ooh, ooh,” she moaned, gingerly picking herself up.

  “Who are you?” a woman shrieked nearby.

  Charlotte looked up to find a family standing beside a door and looking at her as if she were a ghost. Charlotte was inside some kind of house. A large man took hold of the two children while his wife clutched an infant. They appeared to be about to send him off on a journey.

  “Where am I?” Charlotte asked in a sudden panic. She realized Micah must have done something to whisk her away somewhere.

  “Oh, my!” the man exclaimed. “Miriam, look at her eye! It must be her!”

  “Miriam?” Charlotte repeated. “Are you John Halifax?”

  “Yes! Are you Charlotte Goodsteel?”

  “Yes!” She rushed up to them. “Please, you have to help me! I think we were attacked! Micah did something to send me here, but I know from the look in his eye that something awful was about to happen. Now he’s at White Turtle Hill all alone!” Tears filled her eyes as she pleaded. “We have to help him. Please! I just can’t lose him!”

  John looked to Miriam, who nodded solemnly. “Go, John. Now is the appointed time, and I won’t keep you from it. I love you so much.”

  John kissed his wife. “I love you, too.” He kissed his children before opening the door and picking up a large pack. “Come now, Miss Goodsteel. Come. If we hurry, we can make it there in no time.”

  “Oh, thank you!” she exclaimed, wiping her eyes as she followed. “I’m very sorry about your window.”

  Miriam watched as they left, following them down the staircase until out of sight.

  “My God, be with them,” she whispered fearfully. “And give them the strength to deliver the end of this age.”