The sound of my bare feet echoed in the gymnasium as I left it. I tried my best to ignore my heart beating so hard, I even felt it in my lungs.

I'm scared. I'm woman enough to admit that much. Malivore- Landivore, for now- is dangerous. Yes, as I said, most men or monsters we should fear don't include those who hide behind other men or monsters. But this monster has power over many other monsters and humans alike. He could summon them at will, promise them their freedom and they'd fight for him to earn it.

Who's to say he won't do just that? Who's to say he won't use that as a means to escape? To try killing us? And now that he's in Landon's human body, he can go out and about, freely, unassumingly, and devour the whole world.

There are several people I'd certainly wish an eternity of loneliness on, but there are billions of others I know don't deserve it.

And as much as I was right not to trust Landon because of who he's the spawn of, I can't help but feel sorry he's being used. By his kin, no less.

I stopped when I was far enough away from the gym. From him. My heart only slowed a little bit but it was enough for me to stop and collect my thoughts. I sat on the floor with my back against the wall and crossed my legs. I let my head fall back and closed my eyes.

"Are you okay, General?"

There was no need to open my eyes to know who that is. "Beau. Have you fully explored the school?"

"I've explored many things today, General. All but your mind. I'd very much like to know what's going on in there so I ask again. Are you okay?"

I scoffed. "I can't answer that honestly right now. I want to say yes but I can't lie."

"But you also can't say no. Why?"

"Hell if I knew why I can't say it out loud." I said before that I'm woman enough to admit I'm scared. But I didn't say I'm courageous enough to say it aloud. "I just need a moment alone." I stood from the floor and gave beau a grateful smile. "Thanks for asking, though. I appreciate it."

Beau pursed their lips, clearly biting their tongue. I'm grateful they didn't press the issue.

I rounded them to start heading back up to the room, but not before noticing Hope standing a few feet behind us. I only stopped for a second to realize she planned to join me in retreating to our room. But I didn't stay long enough for the three of us to be in immediate proximity to one another. I don't need another awkward situation on top of Malivore problems.

Hope closed the door behind us. I sighed internally when I was reminded of the laundry I have to do, but still, I scooped up all my clothes and ripped the sheets off my bed and pillows, then stuffed them into my laundry basket.

I got one of the spare comforter sets from the closet and made my bed up again. Which was a struggle because the damned corners wouldn't stay put. And Hope just sat there snickering at me. When I finally got it to stick, I exhaled slowly and stretched my back.

"You know I'd have helped... had you asked," she said, still laughing.

"I had it handled..."

"It looked like the sheet was kicking your ass. That's not handling it, that's getting handled."

"Heh." I gestured towards the rest of the bedding to silently ask for help. She bowed her head slightly and stood on the opposing side of the bed. I tossed her one-half of the top sheet.

"I'm happy for you."

"What?"

Hope glanced at me. "You and... and Beau."

"You're happy I got laid?"

"That's not what I meant, Mel."

"Well that's all it was." We finally put on the comforter and placed the pillows in their appropriate places. I moved on to unpacking the last of my clean clothes. "Beau's a vampire I just met a few weeks ago. They helped me and my brother find the vampire that killed our parents. Granted, Beau's from his clan, and Mark killed him before I could interrogate him more. Or make him suffer. Still, they helped me get more information in a few days than I've gotten in thirteen years."

After storing the last of my clothes, I reached under my bed and retrieved my old metal box. I plopped it on my bed. "Beau's loyal. Not to him, but to their friend that we saved from the vampires. Maybe even to me with their weird fascination with hybrids. So besides an alliance built on us helping one another, there's nothing going on between us."

Hope nodded slowly and watched me open the box. "Okay. But in any case something happens... you deserve happiness."

"We'll never be happy 'til we're done with Malivore. Of course, that won't happen until we find a way to erase his entire existence. Without harming anyone else." I sent my brother a quick message, telling him to bring that box of our parents' journals and things.

"Are you worried?" she asked. She rounded the bed and sat next to where I stood.

"Of course I'm worried. Malivore should've never existed. He was created to consume things. Those damn witches and whomever else should've known not to mess with something like that."

"That's true. I think about that a lot. With most things in life. But we wouldn't be who we are if people didn't do dumb things."

I mumbled an agreement and started picking out my dad's grimoire and notes and things. Octavia mentioned more than once that his spells are what helped her learn magic. If I'm to pull my weight in helping defeat Malivore- first separating him from Landon- I need to find something that'll help me improve my magic. Though it's gotten better with Davina's help, Landivore still had a valid point about it being weak. Not to mention the fact that it's unreliable. How am I to help when I can't truly control it? Or understand it for that matter?

"I know how you feel, by the way."

"What are you talking about?"

"Malivore. What it's like inside him or his mind or whatever. I know how lonely it is."

"All due respect, Princess, you don't. You had someone with you in your time there. And for how long were you there? A week, give or take?" I shook my head. "You don't know what it's like to be there, truly alone. You lose all sense of time, of purpose, of willingness to keep going. You go crazy thinking about everything and nothing at once. I even started forgetting some of the people I held close to me. Did you experience that?"

Hope lowered her head, giving me the answer I already knew. I pursed my lips and sat next to her. "You don't know what it's like to be there for three years, as I don't know what it's like to be there for thirty years. And those who've been there for thirty years don't know what it's like after three hundred years."

"I'm sorry-"

"Be glad you didn't. No one wants to see the tribrid when she's not in her right mind. I certainly don't." Hope breathed a short laugh, but the smile stayed on her face. "I said before I'd be the one to sacrifice myself if it came to that. I don't want to do that. If death is anything like how it was in Malivore, I don't want to risk it. Because I know I won't find peace until I know you're truly safe."

"I'll never be safe being what I am."

"Maybe not. But with him gone, there won't be many people who stand a chance against you."

A knock sounded on the door before it opened. It was Mark, as I guessed, with the large box propped on his shoulder. Any boy would have toppled over at the sheer size of it. Luckily for him, he's no ordinary boy.

"I tried to find Davina," he huffed as he dropped the box. "I hoped she'd be able to translate some things if needed but it appears she's MIA."

"Davina's probably in some uncharted area with Uncle Kol." She turned to me. "She wanted me to continuously encourage you to practice control. Said you're well on your way to be the ice queen."

"You sure she didn't call me black Elsa? I would've. It's funny."

Hope rolled her eyes playfully. "I'm certain."

"Speaking of Davina's absence, I noticed some others were missing in the gym. Where's everyone?"

"Josie's with Finch- I'll tell you about her later. Jack's with Remy and his family. She wants a full report on your trip and also says, and I quote, 'Curse that bitch for leaving me to help with monsters without her.' But she wished you the best, of course. And Kaleb's... dealing with something. I'll also explain that later."

"And Raf?" At the mention of his name, Hope's face paled. Her eyes dropped to the floor quicker than I'd ever seen them. Something's off, and the way my heart sank confirmed it.

I stood and faced her completely. "Where's Rafael?" Hope but her bottom lip when it started to quiver. "Hope, what happened to him?"

"It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it. Explain to me why Rafael isn't here."

"It's a lot to explain, Melori."

"Cliffs notes versions exist for this very reason. He's not dead is he?"

Hope shook her head. She looked up at me but still avoided eye contact. "He... I put him in a prison world. To keep the Necromancer's magic from reversing."

"The-? So he died and..."

"The prison world keeps him alive but if he were to leave it, he would be gone."

"Don't sugar coat it, Princess. Rafael would be dead. For good." Hope pursed her lips and nodded. "How? Actually I don't... I don't want to know, just... Can I see him?"

"Sure," she said softly. "Come with me."

I gave my brother an apologetic look as we passed him. He nodded in understanding before pushing the box closer to my bed. I heard the door close behind us and assumed he'd either be coming with us or was just leaving so he didn't sit awkwardly in a room of two girls. Either way, it didn't matter. My concern right now is seeing Rafael and making sure he's truly okay. Or as okay as he can be in his situation.

Hope led me to the twins' room. She knocked twice before entering slowly. There sat the Saltzman twins, as well as another new face. I assumed this was Finch.

"Oh good! You just saved us from furthering this awkward conversation," Lizzie sighed, earning a sigh and an eye roll from her sister. "Where'd you two run off to? Playing hooky?"

"We need the ascendant," Hope said, effectively ignoring Lizzie's comment.

Josie perked up. "The...? That ascendant?" Her eyes darted toward me. "You're sure?"

"I told her. She wants-she needs-to see him."

"I need to hear from him how it came to happen and if he's content with being in a prison world." All by his lonesome, probably thinking about how he'd die if he left there. That's a formula for insanity.

Josie pursed her lips and nodded as she looked at her sister. She then stood from sitting next to Finch and rounded her bed to the nightstand on the other side. She reached for the bottom drawer and retrieved a small mechanical device. To anyone that didn't know magic, it'd look like some invention from the 1800s that never saw the light of day. But we all know that's where our friend currently lives.

If you can even call it that.

Josie handed the ascendant to Hope. She took it as if it could break at any moment, handling it with utmost care. She held it gently in the palm of one hand, then held the other out towards Josie. It was only when she cut Hope's palm that I noticed the steel dagger in her hand. Seeing the blood ooze from her skin made my heart race and I could feel my blood rush to my face. I stepped back a little to create some distance, realizing I haven't "eaten" in a long while.

Hope closed her hand over the ascendant and squeezed it to let the blood drip onto the device. Josie helped wrap her palm in a bandage she retrieved from another drawer. I felt myself calming down when the open, bleeding wound was covered up. The two then joined hands, bowed their heads with their eyes closed, and mumbled an incantation. It was a one-and-done type of spell and shortly after, the ascendant clicked and the gears turned sharply. I assumed that was the opening mechanism, though it didn't physically open.

"That was so unnecessarily cool," Finch scoffed.

Josie smiled back at her briefly then turned to me. She reached over to take my hand in her free one and pulled me closer to them. "Close your eyes," she told me. I followed. "Try to clear your head. It helps with the transition."

I did as I was told, thinking of almost nothing. With a ton of crap on my mind, it was hard not to think of something. But thinking only of the here and now seemed to help, because the moment I opened my eyes again, Hope, Josie and I were standing on the porch of some cabin in the woods with a small lake in the backyard. It reminded me so much of the bayou back home, but the lack of swamp vibes was a clear differential.

The sun was up high in the sky. I figured we were in the prison world now, especially considering it was nighttime in the real world.

The sound of a baseball bat cracking carried throughout the yard. It drew our attention to a spot near the lake where we saw Rafael swinging at a ball on a batting rack. Behind him was a large tote full of baseballs. At the very least, he's found a way to entertain himself.

When he turned to get another ball he spotted the three of us standing on the porch. Confused, he waved at us, placed the bat down, and waited expectantly for something. Hope placed a hand on my back and urged me forward. Josie encouraged me as well with a nod of her head. I sighed internally as I decided on the steps and walked the dirt path to Rafael. I couldn't keep myself from smiling when he did, and the moment we were within arm's reach I wrapped my arms around him.

I hugged him so tight that I feared I'd crush his ribs or something, but Rafael's laughter as he hugged back told me he fully accepted the gesture. As he should.

When I pulled back, he looked up, he waved again at Hope and Josie. They waved back and then turned to talk to one another. Raf led me to a spot closer to the water and gestured toward the ground next to him. We sat and stared out over the lake.

"Man, it's good to see you," he chuckled. "I'm guessing everyone's busy with... whatever... I mean, you're the first visitor in a while."

"Yeah, it's crazy out there," I said, not knowing how to feel or what to say right now.

"Did you just get back?" I nodded and earned a nod from him in return. "Well, tell me, how was your trip? Find anything interesting."

"Mostly just more questions and a little more anger than before. I guess a little clarity as well." I looked at him, shrugging. "I don't know, I haven't fully processed everything. I have things to look into when I leave here." Rafael nodded and turned back to look at the water again. I winced slightly at the realization that I rubbed it in his face that I'd be leaving. I turned my entire body towards him then pulled my knees up to my chest. "Raf... how did it happen?"

"Ah... Well, I was killed. It's some crap with the Necromancer's attempt at a power grab or something and nis acolyte killed me."

I blinked a few times, taken aback by the information. I didn't realize that guy was still around, let alone making moves to get more power. Either Hope forgot to mention it or I've not called enough times for her to get the chance.

Rafael saw the lost and confused look on my face. He chuckled lightly as he continued. "The Necromancer brought me back to use me for his plans. And he could... control me, too, because his magic brought me back. So he made me do things I'd never do... including killing Landon."

I looked at him funny again and shook my head. "I don't get it. You... he killed Landon, but he's still around?"

"As a human, now, yes. I killed him as a phoenix. With a golden arrow-the golden arrow. The only thing that could kill a phoenix." I refused to ask any further questions regarding the necromancer's plans, and why he'd want to kill off Phoenix Landon. I urged Rafael forward with how and why he was here.

"Something happened that disrupted the Necromancer's magic, I guess. I don't know, but all I know is that his magic was the only thing keeping me up and going. So when it was disrupted, I started to die all over again. Hope was quick with coming up with something that'll keep me relatively alive. Ergo..." he gestured around him with his hands, looking up at the partly cloudy sky. He stared up at the clouds for a second before turning to me with a smile. "I am okay, Melori, I promise. It's peaceful here, you know?"

"But... you're alone."

"Only sometimes. Besides you visiting, I have my parents. Landon and I spent my last day finding them. Now I get to see them every day, talk to them, fish with them."

"Oh god, not fishing," I cringed, earning a hearty laugh from Raf.

"It's not so bad."

"Raf, come on. You can't possibly enjoy touching those scaly, slimy creatures."

"No, but the fried meat and fish tacos are so worth it." I couldn't argue with that, so I just nodded.

I rested my chin on my knees, staring at Raf as he enjoyed the scenery even more. I felt helpless, too, unknowing of how Rafael could be saved from his situation. I figured that if he left this prison world, he'd be in the same state he was before being sent here; dying with no time or chance to help him. Rafael doesn't deserve to die, and he certainly didn't deserve to be used the way he was. Sitting here next to him only made me feel like I had to do something. The problem was that it seemed impossible.

I saw, in the corner of my eye, that Hope and Lizzie had stood from the stairs on the dock. As much as I wanted to say, we all knew I couldn't. Malivore was currently possessing Landon, Rafael's best friend and brother, and needed to be purged from the boy's body and killed once and for all. But that requires information, spells, and a means to kill him. Staying here meant less time out there figuring out how to do that.

I sighed internally and stood from the ground. Raf looked at me, then back at the others. "Time to go, huh?" I pursed my lips as I helped him to stand. He pulled me into one last brief, but heartfelt hug. "I'm guessing time is of the essence? Malivore?"

I nodded. "He's getting worse. More difficult to kill, but I think my dad was involved, somehow. I wish I could explain more, but the bottom line is that he either had a way to kill Malivore, or he was close to it. I'm gonna figure it out, then kill him myself." I couldn't tell him about Landon. That'd break his heart.

"Sounds like a plan," he said. I was ready to leave him, not bothering to say goodbye. I'll see him again, out in the real world. But before I could go, he grabbed my hand. "Can you do me a favor?" I stopped and waited for his request, sending Hope and Lizzie a look, silently asking them to wait a little longer.

Raf inhaled as he folded his arms. "I have two main regrets... One was not telling Landon that I'm sorry and that I love him. And the only thing I hate about being here is that I'm not out there, by his side while you guys are fighting that dick of a monster." He scratched at the back of his head and sighed. "Basically what I'm asking is if you could tell him that. Tell him I'm sorry for what I did. Tell him I love him. And please, Mel, just be there while I can't."

"That's more like three favors," I half-joked. "But yeah... I'll do that. And if you don't mind me asking, what was that second regret?"

Raf blew out a short breath of air, then chuckled nervously as he shook his head. I tilted my head to urge him to spill but he only looked at me with his eyebrows raised. After a few seconds, I understood what the silence meant, and once he knew I understood, Rafael awkwardly shoved his hands in his pockets.