Bowing my head, I lowered my face into my hands. It was one shocking revelation too many, and I struggled to process Adriel’s words. “All of you are scions?” I muttered, looking up a moment later.

“Former scions,” Adriel corrected.

“Even Castor and Avery?” I persisted.

The lich’s lips twitched again. “Even those two, yes.”

“But… but that must mean you entered the dungeon millennia ago!”

“We did. Just right after the Primes’ fall, in fact.”

My brows creased. “What House are you from?”

Adriel made a shooing motion with her hand. “We can discuss that later. I’m still waiting for your answer to my question.”

“What question?”

Adriel’s gaze sharpened. “Why have the Powers let you be? Why are you still in the Game?”

“I am a deception player—” I began.

“Your deception may be high enough to deceive an elite, but that would not stop the Powers from divining the truth about your House affiliations.”

Reluctantly, I nodded. “That is true. I have a trait that hides my Wolf heritage.”

“What trait?”

“Secret blood.”

“Secret blood?” Adriel mouthed. “I know it.” She paused. “Did you choose the trait as soon as you awoke your blood?”

I nodded mutely.

“Bloody Wolves,” she muttered. “Always hiding.” But, despite the disparaging words, Adriel’s tone was half admiring. “So, none of the new Powers know what you are?”

I hesitated a moment too long before responding.

“Don’t start lying to me now, Wolf. If you want my help, you will tell me the truth. All the truth.”

“One Power knows,” I conceded. “He figured it out.”

“Who?” Adriel rasped.

“Loken.”

“Loken,” she hissed. “Why am I not surprised?”

“You know him?” I asked, mildly alarmed at the notion.

“Unfortunately, I do. And he is no new Power. Loken is as ancient as they come.”

I frowned. “I’m not sure I follow you.”

“A discussion for another time,” she said, declining to explain herself. “So, Loken knows who you are, yet he has decided to let you live? That can only mean he wants something.”

I nodded. “You do know him. But Loken doesn’t know everything. He is aware that I’ve begun treading the path of the Wolf, but he does not suspect that I have already awoken my blood.”

“That’s good,” Adriel breathed. “Make sure you keep it that way.”

I stared at her searchingly. “I will. It sounds as if you believe me. More to the point, it also sounds as if your cause is mine.”

“Your cause,” Adriel mused. “And what exactly is that?”

“I mean to raise House Wolf again,” I said bluntly. And from your words, former scion or not, I take it that is something you desire too. Is it?”

Adriel’s hand lifted, no doubt to brush aside my question again.

I slashed my arm downwards first. “No. I’ve suffered your interrogation gladly. I’ve laid bare what I am and my own goals. It’s time you do the same.” I leaned forward. “Tell me, Adriel. Is bringing about a return of the ancients something you desire too?”

The lich leaned forward herself, her gaze roving over my face as if searching for weakness. I did not flinch as she inspected me minutely. “It is,” she breathed finally.

I sighed in relief. “Then, you will help me?”

“I will,” Adriel said, exhaling heavily. “But there is much you do not know yet. And I warn you, once you know the truth, you may not want my help.”

Before I could inquire what she meant, the lich rose to her feet. “We will speak of it further. This is something your companion should hear, too. Let’s see to her healing first.”

I did not protest. As much as I wanted to unpack Adriel’s cryptic statement, restoring Ghost was more important, and I stood with her.

✵ ✵ ✵

“So, what do we do?” I asked a moment later, standing with Adriel in front of the two blood-drawn circles.

“First, I transfer Ghost into that,” she said, pointing to the mishmash of body parts in the second circle.

I stared at the meat pile dubiously. “And what is that exactly?”

Adriel looked at me. “Do you really want to know?”

I didn’t particularly, but for Ghost’s sake, I felt it necessary to ask. “Go on, tell me.”

“It is a flesh golem,” Adriel replied. “Crudely fashioned, admittedly, but I was pressed for time and had to use what I had on hand. As a body, it will serve Ghost poorly. She will do well to even walk in it.”

“Then what is its purpose?”

Adriel shrugged. “The flesh golem may not look like much, but it will anchor Ghost’s spirit and allow me to cast the mending spells necessary to re-knit her torn spirit. That part will take time, though. Days, perhaps, and much will depend on Ghost herself.”

“When will she regain consciousness?”

“After she is clothed in flesh, she will be able to speak to us again.”

I nodded, not knowing enough to question her further. “What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing. Just stay out of the way and deal with any unwanted visitors if it becomes necessary. Can you do that?”

“Of course.” Placing myself against one of the walls that gave me a clear view of both the door and the lich, I crossed my arms and settled down to wait.

Turning back to face the blood circles, Adriel began chanting anew.

✵ ✵ ✵

Adriel chanted for hours.

I stayed vigilant the entire time, despite my own tiredness. It had been a long day, beginning with my adrenaline-fueled escape from the safe zone and ending with the lich’s revelations.

Reflecting on those revelations gave me much food for thought and the hours slipped by almost unnoticed. That the possessed were scions opened up a whole host of questions: like what they were doing in the dungeon, how they had survived as long as they had, why they had abandoned the fight against the new Powers—and surely they must have—to finally, and most importantly, what had led them to become possessed.

This aspect troubled me the most.

It was not that the possessed were former scions, but the manner in which they had chosen to prolong their lives, that disturbed me. There were no two ways about it; the possessed were ruthless, oppressive, and in many respects, evil. According to Elron, the archlich had been oppressing New Haven For centuries.

How many young players’ bodies had been stolen?

How many New Havens had died because of the possessed?

Could I ally myself with such, even if they were scions?

I was not sure what I’d expected to find when I had set out to locate the exile. Admittedly, I hadn’t given the matter much thought. I knew we needed allies, and on Elron’s advice, sought out the exile. Now I was faced with the reality of what allying with her might mean.

My gaze drifted to Adriel, recalling her earlier words. Her decision to cut short our conversation and see Ghost healed first was a wiser one than I’d grasped at the time. Knowing the truth, I realized I may not be able to stomach her help—even to save Ghost. Mercifully, Adriel had taken that choice out of my hands.

Do I want to know the truth?

I did. Ignorance was no excuse.

I had to know who Adriel was and what she stood for before I accepted more of her ‘aid’. I walked a gray path myself, and there was not much I would not do to protect those I cared for, but there were some lines I refused to cross.

I squeezed my eyes shut. It did not matter that Elron had sent me here. It did not matter that many New Haven lives hung in the balance. If Adriel’s path was one too black for me to follow, then I would have no choice but to refuse her help.

With these bleak thoughts for company, I watched both Adriel and the door with growing misgivings.

✵ ✵ ✵

Six hours later, Adriel finally fell silent.

My eyes darted to the first blood circle. Ghost no longer occupied it. My gaze cut right to the second circle. The meat pile looked no different, but I could sense a familiar mindglow inside.

Kicking off the wall, I rushed to the sagging lich’s side. “It worked?”

She nodded tiredly. “It did.”

I gestured to the circle. “Can I...?”

“Yes, the ritual is over, the blood sigils can be broken.”

Not waiting further, I rushed to my companion’s side. “Ghost... are you in there?”

Eyes that had been sewn into a head too small for them opened sleepily. “Prime?”

I smiled broadly. Even after everything she’d said, I had not been sure how far to trust Adriel. “I’m here. How are you feeling?”

“Strange... Where am I?”

“In the body Adriel prepared for you.”

Ghost’s head quivered, and I guessed she was trying to raise it, but then her whole body began to shake, and she gave up. “Did the spell work? Is it done?”

“Only the first part is complete,” Adriel said before I could answer. Coming up from behind, she knelt next to me. “There is more work to be done.”

Ghost sighed. “Thank you, Adriel. This already feels better.”

The lich patted Ghost’s head, unfazed by its gruesome appearance. “You’re welcome, little one. Rest now. We have a lot to do tomorrow.” She glanced at me. “You should also get some sleep. The complex is safe. I have rooms in—”

“I’ll stay here,” I interjected.

Adriel did not try to convince me otherwise. “As you wish.” Rising to her feet, she headed for the door. “Rest well. I will see both of you tomorrow.”