I look around at the cheery meadow and feel the warm breeze on my face. I can hear the happy chirping of a nearby bird, resting in a tree. I never thought I would get to see something so beautiful in my life. As I stare at the swaying meadow I see a man start to cross it. I have no idea why, nor do I care, but it's enough to put me in a bad mood. There's something about humans in this beautiful place that just makes it less amazing.

After all, humans are completely undeserving of all they have gotten. I have faith that we will not mess it up this time, but I can't be sure of that. Faith and fact are polar opposite. I don't believe that we deserve a second chance. But I know that we've gotten one, and we better do the best we can with it. We will not be shown mercy again.

"Lark!" I turn and see Ash jogging towards me. "I haven't seen you in a while. How's life going?"

"Bad. Then good, then bad again. And now I'm good...but on edge."

"Aren't we all? Rook, Rowan, and Carnelian have been missing twenty-four hours. Whatever they're doing though, it must be together. Hopefully, they aren't getting into too much trouble, but I'm sure if Rowan's with them she'll be fine," Ash reassures me, flashing a grin. My Ash! I know that he had feelings for me that I had never returned, but he was still my best friend. I love him and I've missed him. I couldn't be happier that he's safe and happy with Angel.

"There's just this sick sense of déjà vu anytime she's missing, you know?" I ask, starting to walk towards the woods with him.

"Yeah. Trust me, no one understands better than me. She's my sister, and I worry about her more than anyone." He tucks his hands into his pockets.

"I just can't imagine why she left," I continue. "I mean what could be so important?"

"I don't know, but you're not the only one having a hard time with it," Ash says, and we both know what he means.

"Yeah, and I thought I was a worrier," I roll my eyes as I think about him.

"Yeah, Lachlan is a whole different kind of protective," Ash starts to lower his voice as we enter the woods. "He should be around here somewhere."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"He's chopping wood. Look, he's there!" Ash points and a few yards ahead Lachlan and some other men are chopping wood. "You should go talk to him."

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" I say looking at Ash as if he has two heads. "Anything I have to so to Lachlan, I've already said."

"Well, I just thought you might want to talk to him about it. You guys understand each other, you know?" Ash raises his eyebrows at me. As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. I don't like Lachlan, and he doesn't particularly like me either, but we understand each other. If it weren't for Rowan we might have been good friends. Somehow we balance each other out, and I walk away from every conversation I have with him, curious. His point of view and understanding of my love for Rowan is intriguing. Ash chuckles, seeing it on my face. "Go ask him how he is."

"But he's working-"

"Goodbye Lark," Ash laughs then walks in the opposite direction. I sigh, looking forward at Lachlan from afar. I could always turn back around, Ash could never physically stop me, but I don't. Instead, I find myself walking towards Lachlan as a bitter taste fills my mouth. When I'm a few yards away he looks up, making eye contact with me.

"Do you have a minute?" I ask, stuffing my hands in my pockets. His eyes flicker looking at his surrounds before he looks back at me.

"Why?" He asks. I see the concern in his eyes, but I know it isn't concern for me.

"There's still no news on Rowan," I say, pursing my lips. I see his shoulders slump slightly, and his face slacks. "But, I thought you might need some company. Even if you don't, I need some." Lachlan starts to stretch his neck as he looks around at the men still chopping wood.

"I'm taking a ten minute break!" Lachlan announces. They nod quickly, then get back to work. Lachlan starts to walk with me. I hug myself, looking at the ground as I walk a few feet away from Lachlan. "You needed to talk?"

"I just don't know Lachlan," I sigh, hugging myself tighter. "I used to be so hopeful...and I still am just...since being at the Center everything looks a little different. I'm not so faithful that she will come back anymore."

I see a shiver run down his spine as he imagines that. "I know that we're probably being paranoid. It's only because we've lost her so many times, but still...when Rook woke me up it sounded like a goodbye. And maybe it was because he knew he would be away at least a few days, maybe he is completely safe right now, helping Rowan and Carnelian with something not too far away. Maybe they wrote a note saying why they're leaving and it somehow went missing. Obviously, we know nothing, but when he woke me...I swear I know my brother and it sounded like goodbye. He sounded regretful..."

I swallow, looking away from Lachlan. "You think they're in danger?" He shrugs. "Why would you immediately assume that? They could be anywhere, doing anything."

"Maybe." Lachlan shrugs again. "But I know you believe it too."

"I don't believe it," I correct him defensively. "I fear it."

"Well." Lachlan's jaw gets tighter as he nervously tilts his head to the side. "Prepare for the worst, hope for the best, right?"

I stop in my tracks. "There's nothing we can do to prepare for the death of the love of our lives," I whisper. He looks down. The hands he has stuffed in his pocket are now in fists.

"I know," He whispers back. He hates showing emotions, especially not to me. "Believe me I'm a worried mess on the inside."

Well, you have a funny way of showing it. "I know you are," I say with a sigh. It almost physically hurts me to admit to myself that he could actually care about her. "Whatever they're doing it better be worth it."

"I'm going to kill them both when they get back!" Lachlan curses under his breath.

"I don't think you'll have the chance," Fern says, who we just now notice is watching us at the tree line. "Rowan is definitely going to be in big enough trouble with her mom, and earth knows Rook's going to be in huge trouble with me."

Her eyes flicker as she speaks. She crosses her arms and bites her lip.

"Fern." Lachlan raises an eyebrow. "I may not have known you well, but I've known you for years. You will soon be my sister in law, based on that ring on your finger you keep nervously twisting. But only today did I realize you were a terrible liar."

"What do you mean?" Fern asks, her eyes sharp. She's intense like Flame, but I see what Lachlan's saying, she's a terrible liar. Her eyes keep flickering, she keeps biting her lip, she's playing with her engagement ring...she's tense. "I'm worried about Rook."

"I believe that. But I also believe that you know where he is," Lachlan says firmly. "Tell me where Rowan is."

"I can't do that," She says, glaring at Lachlan. She looks less nervous now, but still afraid. If she's afraid for Rook then...does that mean Rowan's in danger too? "I let Rook go with her because I believe in what they're doing. I believe in them."

"At least tell us what they're doing," I plead. She presses her lips into an unfortunate tight line and shakes her head.

"I can't tell you that, it's a delicate situation. Too many people know already and they should be back in a day or two. It's my duty, and yours too, to do what's best for humanity. And staying put, not knowing what's happening, is for the best."

"I swear to the bikking earth if you don't-" I start to hastily approah Fern, my voice low. But Lachlan grabs me by my shoulders, tugging my back.

"Fern! If they're in danger and you don't tell me, they could die," Lachlan warns her. She glances to the side again and she looks uncertain.

"Okay, I'll tell you because I know you can help-" Her eyes flicker to me. "-but not her. There's nothing she can do."

This frustrates me. She doesn't know what I'm capable of. I did missions for the Underground the six months I lived there, and I worked for The Edge for several years. I'm not completely useless, but I keep my mouth shut and let her speak. If those are her terms, I will accept them. As much as it hurts, Lachlan would do anything for Rowan, and he can keep her safe...I can't.

"Okay, then let's go someplace private," Lachlan suggests and they walk back into the thick of the woods. I let out a sigh and feel myself frown. Oh, don't frown or you'll get wrinkles! I try to push that artificial worry from my mind and I shake my head to clear it. I hate that in the midst of this historic time I still have such awful thoughts about such insignificant little things. My Rowan is missing and some part of me still has such nerve? And then I feel guilty. I try to tell myself that I shouldn't, that those thoughts aren't mine and they're not my fault, but I still can't seem to shake all the voices in my head.

I see you, Lark, A voice in my head says. It sounds like a man's voice but something about it, I have no idea what though, makes it feel like Rowans. I whip around with a gasp...nothings there. No, this is all just in my head. My vision goes blurry and my breath shallows.

Why do you care so much about her anyway? You're better than her. You're better than them all. Besides, Rowan betrayed you. This time it isn't the male/Rowan voice. It's my own. No, not my own, it's Elena's. The voice she put in my head.

"No, that's not what happened," I try to mummble, but it's useless. Both of those voices start to scream to me and I feel disoriented and dizzy. My whole body goes light then heavy, and I fall to the floor thrashing. I'm having a seizure.

***

I wake up tired and hurt. I let out a soft moan but before I can do anything Lachlan's face comes into my line of sight.

He says, "I'm going back to Eden."