I think their dining room is, too… The intimidation must have shown through on Hailey's face, because Mary immediately waved them out of the huge hall. "We'll dine in the sitting room, Collins."

"Of course, marm."

Soon enough, Hailey was wolfing down the best lunch she'd ever tasted, grilled chicken with an array of steamed vegetables and a baked potato filling out the plate. The Laushires watched in alarm as Hailey swallowed down two huge pieces of chicken both before either had even made it halfway through one.

Hailey cleared her throat, face red with embarrassment. "I haven't eaten in almost a day," she explained. "And flying really takes it out of you."

Mary smiled. "That must be marvelous, soaring through the clouds."

"It really is," said Hailey, feeling a lot more calmed down now that she'd gotten something to eat. "It's also really, really wet."

"Is that something Kendra could do, too? Fly?" asked Thomas.

"No. Just me," said Hailey. "Though she might be able to figure it out someday. She's way smarter than I am, I wouldn't be surprised."

"In the bits we were able to read, the author went into great detail about this 'astral market'," said Thomas.

"Wasn't Kendra's name for it," said Hailey quickly, seeing his skeptical expression. "But yeah. She basically made her own giant bubble of space and created a market from nothing. You should be really proud of what she accomplished."

"I am," said Thomas. Mary put a hand on his, before he got indignant.

"Not just that, though," said Hailey, buttering her potato before she dug into it. "She was an amazing teacher. I mean, my mom's in business so I had an advantage, but she really got into it with the other students. I don't think a single person failed her class, and she didn't take it easy on us. She just understood everything perfectly, and in that way where you can actually explain it to other people. That's really rare, even with teachers."

"She's always been that way," said Mary. "Honestly, I don't know where she gets it."

"From you, dear," said Thomas, toasting his wife with his glass. "She always got it from you. She's absolutely your daughter, in every way."

"Not every way," said Mary with a sigh.

Hailey glanced between them. The tone had gotten personal very quickly, and Hailey felt like she wasn't supposed to be in the room. She decided to try and shift the topic a bit, but she still wanted to stay on Kendra. Hailey wanted to know more about the other natural awakened, and who better than Kendra's own parents?

"She definitely got your beauty," said Hailey, nodding at Mary. "You look great, Mrs. Laushire."

"Mary, please." Mary shook her head. "And honestly, I wish she hadn't. It might have made things a lot easier."

"Dear," said Thomas, "that's not true, and you're well aware of it."

"...Did she have a lot of trouble with guys or something?" asked Hailey.

"Quite," said Thomas. "Particularly with those whom she couldn't determine if they were genuine, or if their interests were borne of greed."

"Not that either would've done any good," said Mary, rolling her eyes. "No man would've ever drawn our Kenni's eye."

Kenni? Hailey wondered, suppressing a giggle. To hear prim and proper Professor Laushire called 'Kenni' just sounded so strange. Mary appeared to realize the same a moment later, putting a hand to her mouth. "Goodness, I've become so familiar. I do apologize."

"It's okay," said Hailey. "I… well, I felt pretty close to your daughter. I was her student for four years, and I fought alongside her in May." I felt her essence, too, when we did the ritual. Never known anything like it… Even if it was faint.

"She fought?" asked Thomas sharply.

"...Kinda." Hailey shrugged. "She was never injured. Shook up a bit, but she made it out just fine."

"Oh, thank goodness," said Mary, letting out a breath.

"They were a lot of help though," Hailey went on. "We would have lost some really good people without Kendra's market." Hailey paused, thinking back a moment. "I'm sorry, I just… tell me if this is too personal, but you said Kendra wasn't interested in men?"

Mary rolled her eyes. "Yes, and if I'd've known sooner, she probably wouldn't hate me so much. I sent so many potential suitors to meet her."

"So she's—"

"Asexual," said Mary, "as I understand it."

"She explained to us, in no uncertain terms, that she held no interest in a courtship and to kindly stop trying to find her a partner, as she was quite content on her own," said Thomas, smiling slightly. "I've never heard such a polite request to bugger off in my life."

"Thomas!"

Hailey smiled. "That's the most Kendra thing I've ever heard."

"It took us a while to comprehend what she meant, but I believe we got there in the end." Thomas' expression darkened. "If only I'd been so understanding with her professional life…"

"She's alive, dear," Mary reminded him. "Hailey's seen her."

"Spoken to her, too," added Hailey. And her parents seem like such good people. They don't deserve this, no matter what went down in the past. "I can get a message to her."

"You can?" asked Thomas, hope blooming on his face like the sun had just come out from behind the heavy clouds hanging over London.

Hailey nodded. "I won't tell you where she is, because that's her choice—"

"Of course," Thomas interrupted quickly. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"But… yeah. Whatever you want to say, I'll make sure she hears it when I can."

Thomas looked like he might actually leap up and hug her. He didn't, of course, but for a man of his standing and stature, Hailey knew it was a huge gesture. She liked them—both of them, really—and she didn't really want to treat them like the rest of the cold and cutthroat business world she'd grown up around, or the harsh distrusting world she'd come to know.

"It's the software," Hailey added, cleaning her face with the softest cloth napkin she'd ever felt. "The way Malton's getting into your company."

"...Pardon me?" asked Thomas.

Hailey stood up. "I still want your help, whenever I find him, and I'll bring you everything I can get. But you should probably cut him off while you can." She stretched out her shoulders, flaring her wings a bit as well. Even if they didn't really exist, for whatever reason stretching them felt just as satisfying. The sudden wind current fluttered the curtains behind her. "Your company uses some kind of software from a Japanese company, right? Nishimura, I think?"

"Yes. We acquired them about nine years ago." Thomas frowned. "There's no way Kazuo would do this. I know that man. It's simply not in his character."

"Well, you might be right. But it is in his daughter's." Hailey pulled on her jacket, which she'd refused to allow Collins to take. "Rika Nishimura made a deal with one of Malton's men to give him access to your stuff—in exchange for her life," Hailey added, not wanting to throw Rika totally under the bus. She couldn't exactly blame the girl for playing the only card she had, at a time they were all expecting to die in horrible, horrible ways. "You need to patch that hole, whatever it is."

"Little Rika?" asked Mary, creasing her eyebrows. "I can't believe it."

"It's true, believe me." Alden saw it happen, after all. Thanks, man. Couldn't've pulled this off without you. Next time I see you, I'm gonna owe you way more than just that one drink.

"Thank you," said Thomas, quickly getting to his feet. He extended his hand, and Hailey shook it firmly. "As I said, anything you need, don't hesitate to phone."

"Hailey dear, you don't have anywhere to stay yet, do you?" asked Mary.

Hailey hesitated, blushing a little. "I… hadn't really thought that far ahead."

"This sounds like it will take longer than just a day. Stay here in our home."

Thomas nodded in agreement. "I daresay we've more than enough space."

"...Thanks," said Hailey. "That's really generous of you. I'm grateful." She turned to leave. "I'll get in touch with your daughters as soon as I can."

"...Daughters?"

Mary's tone stopped Hailey dead. She whipped back around, and saw two totally blank expressions. Oh no…

"Yeah. Kendra and Lily."

"Who is Lily?" asked Thomas.

"Your… I…" Hailey paused. What if Beverly… what if it hit them too? I don't… how am I supposed to explain this?

"Hailey?" said Mary, rising to her husband's side and taking his arm. "Is something wrong, dear?"

I need to figure this out first. "I'm so sorry." She shook her head. "I was thinking of someone else. I must be more tired that I thought."

Mary nodded sympathetically. "I can't imagine how difficult it must be to fly yourself across the ocean. Please, I insist you take one of the guest rooms. Collins!" Instantly upon her summons, Collins appeared at the door. "Show Miss Winscombe to the guest wing, and let her have her choice of room."

"Very good, marm." Collins turned to Hailey. "By your leave, miss."

Hailey hurried out of room and followed Collins up the winged staircase and into the guest wing. The rooms were as nice as everything else in the house, if a bit smaller, but Hailey didn't have the presence of mind to really enjoy the sights. The moment she dismissed Collins, Hailey shut the door and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Beverly?" she whispered to the empty room.

There was no response. Hailey pressed her hands to her forehead, trying to think. Of course there wouldn't be a response. Beverly wasn't omniscient. She only knew when awakenings were happening, and that was incredibly complex magic on its own. Hailey had to get in touch with her in a different way—but the girl had no phone number, no email, no identity whatsoever. How was Hailey supposed to talk to her?

Use a spell. Beverly could sense magic being used. More importantly, she could sense when someone like Hailey was casting a spell. Hailey just had to get her attention.

She started casting an array of random spells, whatever came to mind. Her hair changed colors in a kaleidoscope of hues. She drew a picture on the notepad by the bed with her mind. She flew around the room—until she nearly plowed into the wall, and stopped before she broke something irreplaceable.

Still nothing. Hailey fell onto the bed, exhausted. Next time I see her, she's not getting away without a cell phone number.

As Hailey laid back atop the sheets, she felt a wave of pain wash through her. Not just pain, but loneliness too. She felt so empty and cold, even though the Laushire house was quite warm and sealed off from the pre-winter chill outside. No, this was something much deeper, something no beautiful house, crackling fireplace or impossibly soft bed could ward away.

Hailey had naturally laid down with a space open under her arm. There should have been someone curled up next to her, filling that spot. There should have been another weight on the bed, another body, another person.

I can't sleep. Not yet. I have to find him.

Find him. How could she have missed it? Hailey sat up so fast that blood rushed into her skull and dimmed her vision for a moment. She flung her hand out, catching her phone out of midair as it zoomed across the room from her bag.

"...Hello?"

"Nikki, I need your help."

Nikki gasped. "Hailey? But… what—"

"Nikki, I need you to explain it again. Exactly how you do that spell."

"Hailey, what are you doing? Everyone's really worried about you—"

Hailey cleared her throat, trying not to shout at Nikki, forcing her impatience away. "Nikki, seriously. I need to know how to find people."

"But… nobody can do it, unless you're my affinity. It nearly killed Josh just trying."

"I know. He told me." Hailey paused. "Look, you know that I'm different. I'm a lot more powerful than you guys. I think I'll be okay. I only have to find one person, and he's not far away."

"I don't think distance really affects it…"

"Nikki, please?"

She hesitated. "I think you should talk to Cinza first."

"I don't have time for that," said Hailey. "This is really important."

"...Okay." Nikki took a deep breath, like she were psyching herself up. "Don't forget I warned you. This shit is painful, even for me. So… it's like this huge ball of thread…"

It took three repeats before Hailey really felt like she understood it. She tested the beginning of the spell there in the room and felt the impossibly huge wall, just as Nikki described. It was painful even to try and comprehend it, but Hailey felt like she could do it. She'd need help—she'd need a lot of help—but it could be done.

It sounds so much like what Jess used to talk about…

"How's London?" Nikki asked, while Hailey caught her breath, recovering from her second test that went a bit too far.

"...Not bad…" Hailey cleared her throat again, coughing a few times. "I'm not really here to sight see though."

"No kidding…" Nikki trailed off as Hailey coughed again. "Seriously, are you sure about this?"

"I am."

"Like I said, distance apparently doesn't matter for Knowledge magic. I could probably do it from here."

"You never met him though, not since you awakened."

"...Oh." Nikki paused. "You're going after Viper, then."

"Yeah."

"I'd be there if I could, Hales."

"I know." Hailey smiled, even though Nikki couldn't see it, half a world away. "Thanks, Nikki."

"Use a shit-ton of amethyst, or so help me, I'll fly out there and choke you myself."

"Will do."

"Bye."

Hailey hung up. Though fatigue was really setting in now, and Hailey could barely lift her arms, she couldn't sleep yet. She would soon, very soon, but she needed one last thing first. She hurried downstairs, straight to the sitting room where she could hear the Laushires still talking. Hailey knocked on the door before she burst in, to startled jumps from the both of them.

"Actually, there is something you can do for me," she announced, before either could speak. "I need amethyst. As much as you can get me by tomorrow."

Tomorrow, Viper. I'm coming for you. You, Malton, and everybody else who's responsible for her death. I'll find you, and I'll make you pay for what you did.

You're going down.