Rowan dreamt of home. Not the Moondial on Crescent, but the place they were born. Inari. Rowan dreamt of obsidian walls and rivers of lava. The home Rowan's parents built. They taught Rowan how to dream before Rowan could speak. They taught Rowan to master the dream landscape.

Rowan returned home every night in their dreams. Painstakingly, they remembered every crack and cranny, never permitting themself to forget a single detail. Inside, in the human tradition, portraits of their family covered the walls, preserving every feature, every strand of hair, every signature expression. Days and days spent on each member, mourning and painting, before Lilith came.

It was in the Crystal Cavern that Lilith first entered Rowan's dreams. How many days and nights had they spent; starving, exhausted, dreaming of their dead family, wishing to join them, too ashamed to act?

One night Lilith came to them and offered Rowan a new purpose: revenge. She had a plan to use the Avalyns to get close to Adam. Lilith had been watching Adam for millennia. She knew his weakness, but she was trapped in Nod, unable to strike. Lilith needed a champion, and Rowan needed revenge for their people. That night, Rowan swore their life to Lilith's cause.

Since then, Rowan redecorated their astral home. It's cozier than it was before Adam destroyed the real thing. Rowan added splashes of color and flowers that didn't exist. There was the bedroom where Rowan and Lilith first made love. So many nights spent dreaming together, talking, plotting, laughing. Lilith had a wicked sense of humor. She could enter anyone's dreams. Most of the time, she only spied, maybe adding a scary monster for the fun of it. Most humans forget their dreams, making them unsuitable to be her champion. Sometimes Lilith would tell Rowan stories of embarrassed, compromised, or frightened dreamers, cackling madly all the while.

Rowan could sense Lilith on the edge of their dream. Reaching out with their mind, Rowan found themself in a long hall with a single door.

Along the walls were engraved stone images; Of a great war between humans and humanoid creatures with bat-like wings and fangs; Above, a dragon, raining destruction; Farther on, a violent scene of Adam and Lilith; Of Lilith falling from a high place; And a shadowy winged creature, come to Lilith, wrapping itself around her legs and body.

The door, too, was carved, depicting a scene of Lilith and the dark-winged creature, her belly swollen with his child. He entered her from behind, their arms intertwined, shadows encircling them.

Rowan opened the door, as they had done countless times before, and stepped into a black stone room lit with a dozen blue fire scones. No windows and only one door.

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Lilith stood in the center of the room like a queen, proud and unyielding. A soft smile broke her immortal face. Her waves of black hair shimmered in the flickering blue firelight. Her skin was the color of a foggy sky. Dark wings wrapped around her body like a sleeping bat, or a living, leathery dress. The rest of Lilith was bare except for an elegant gold band she wore on her head. It resembled a crown, but Rowan understood it was more like a wedding ring.

Lilith beckoned Rowan, her arms outstretched. "My darling," she said.

Rowan ran to her. They embraced and kissed.

Lilith became deathly serious. "I've been trying to reach you. Arthur is dead. Adam sent Timothy to find evidence or prove innocence. Evidence was found, and Arthur was executed. Soon the children will be as well. I'm sorry, Rowan. We have to move forward with plan B."

The news hit Rowan like a mace. Before Adam found the islands, humans living on Crescent worshiped the firefox of neighboring Inari. As island leaders, the Avalyn family had been known and trusted for generations. The Avalyns had been Rowan's surrogate human family for centuries. They felt this loss as they felt the loss of their Inarin family, ripping old wounds wide open.

"Wait," they pleaded. "Let me go back. You said Rafael and Morgan are still alive. Let me save them. I can do it. I can make it in time. I know it."

Lilith looked at Rowan with conflicted sympathy. "You can't go back," she said. "Moondial is lost to us. Your cover was blown. They'll be looking for you now."

"I can make myself invisible. Please. I'm not being sentimental. Rafael and Morgan are both skilled warriors. Rafael is the Holy Spirit! If Adam realizes it and captures him, we lose our strongest weapon-"

"Rafael is not our strongest weapon," Lilith interrupted. She turned from Rowan and walked to a table where chess pieces were spread across a checkerboard. She lifted the black bishop and considered it. Blue sconces lit the room. Her hair shimmered in the light.

Lilith reached a decision, putting the rook back in place, and saying, "The Holy Spirit cannot fall into Adam's hands. You might make it in time to rescue them, but if you fail, if the enemy captures Rafael, take him off the board. Adam cannot get hold of another ikon. He's already too powerful."

Rowan nodded grimly. Lilith continued.

"The only option left to us is a direct assassination. For that, we need our strongest weapon on the board. We need Samaal. Save the Avalyn children, then prepare a gateway. When the moon reaches its Perigee, we move Samaal to Eden."

Rowan almost woke up; they were so scared. Rowan had never met or seen Samaal before, but they knew he was Lilith's son. They knew enough to worry and wonder what it meant to bring him to Eden. A sacrifice would be needed. Did Lilith intend for Rowan to sacrifice Lyn to open the door?

Lilith put her hand on Rowan's face lovingly. "Remember your promise. To avenge your people. We can kill Adam. I need your strength, and we need Samaal on Eden. Are you ready?"

Rowan nodded resolutely.

"Good. Wake up, my love. Hurry. Save Rafael, or kill him.