Sleep was difficult to come by as my imagination was running wild. While I was still scared of my new Dalari companion, my real fear was Prajio. My mind kept conjuring images of him sneaking into our den and slitting my throat while I slept.

I managed to get a few hours in but was already awake when Val informed me that the sun was beginning to rise.

I roused the women and shared the last of my old jerky and hard bread from my inventory. It wasn’t much, but would do for now.

Despite the sunrise, it was still dark in our rocky cavern, so Ersabet conjured her light while we ate our less-than-desirable breakfast.

I turned to Tara. “We’re going to get you back to Danver today. You had told me before that you have family there. Was that the truth?”

She looked at her feet and nodded. “My father lives there, but I can’t go back. Not after what I’ve done to him.”

“We’re taking you home,” I said, pushing past her comment. “Unless your father is a complete bastard, staying with him is your best option for the time being.”

She let out a slow breath. “He’s a good man. That’s why I can’t go back to him. I abandoned him after discovering I could use magic.” She managed to fight off a bubbling sob. “I don’t deserve to go back.”

I walked up to Tara and pulled her into an embrace, which she returned. After we broke apart, I kept my hands on her shoulders. “I’ll bet you all the gold in the world that he would be overjoyed to see his daughter home. Your sins would be forgiven the moment he sees you.”

I smiled, and she wiped a tear from her eye.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I guess it won't hurt to try.”

Her eyes locked briefly on mine before darting to the ground. “All the things you and Ersabet said last night…am I crazy?”

I grimaced, unsure of how to adequately address that conversation. There was too much she wouldn’t understand.

“I can tell you there’s more to this world than you know. But it may be easier just to believe I’m the crazy one. Either way, I’m here for you.”

A small smirk formed at the corner of her mouth. “I already thought you were crazy.”

I grinned. Tara was going to be okay. Now, I just had to get the Dalari on board. “Ersabet, shall we travel to Danver today?”

She leaned against a boulder in our cave-that-was-not-actually-a-cave. “Prajio will not give up his hunt after one night. He has the light now and will be scouring the land for signs of our presence. There is no harm in staying one more night.”

I wanted to protest, and from the look in Tara’s eyes, so did she. But Ersabet’s logic was sound. Prajio was not one to give up easily.

I wasn’t happy about it but nodded. It would be a long day, but it would be an excellent opportunity to get some answers.

“Since we have some time to kill, I have a question for you, Ersabet.”

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“Ask if you must.”

“How do you know Prajio?”

She huffed. “Do you really need to know?"

“If you want to work with me in any capacity, you’re going to let me take the lead. And when the person in charge asks a question, they expect an answer.”

She stared at me in disbelief. “I am Dalari. We do not take orders from beyond our kin.”

“Then tomorrow, we part ways.”

She crossed her arms. “I wish to aid you, not serve you. Why should you be in charge?”

I walked closer to her, nervous that this test was going too far. But I needed to know what type of woman Ersabet was.

I put some gravel in my voice. “Your people murdered billions of humans and then placed the rest of us in a fake world with a fake life, so they could be used as fodder for you to play a fucking game. If you’re going to be anywhere near me, it means you are following my path. The other Players are my enemy.” I stared into her deep purple eyes. “If you want to be a part of the biggest story in the galaxy, they’ll be your enemy, too.”

Ersabet’s face went through a myriad of emotions as I spoke, and I could see she was calculating the risk versus the reward.

I stuck out my hand. “What do you say, partner?”

She glared at me, but I could see a twinkle in her eye. She wrapped her delicate, light blue hand around mine. It was soft.

“Partners,” she said. “For now.”

I smiled brightly at her. “So, what can you tell me about Prajio?”

“Before I tell you, it would be prudent to understand you better.” She grabbed my arm and brought me further away from Tara.

“Tell me,” she said. “Do you believe I am evil?”

I shrugged. “Everyone playing this game is evil.”

“I am not here to hurt the humans. I am not here to plunder your world. I am here to gain knowledge.”

“What sort of knowledge?”

“I do not think you would understand. It is far beyond human scientific advancement.”

“Try me,” I said.

“Fine. I am here to study the generation of quantized materials in a zero-point energy field. My people cannot create zero-point energy on their own. This is the only place it can be studied.”

“I don’t trust her,” Val said, adding her two cents.

‘Why? Because she is smart?’

“Because she thinks she’s smart. And she’s too ambitious.”

There was a real-world conversation happening, so I ignored Val.

“Wow,” I scratched my head, not wanting to give away any of what Val had told me about this. “I’ve heard of zero-point energy before. It’s essentially limitless energy, right?”

She tilted her head. “Yes, actually, that’s correct. But I’m trying to point out that I am not here for nefarious purposes. I recognize the immorality of what has been done to your planet. But it would have happened whether I came or not.”

“Maybe you’ll find answers to cracking zero-point energy at the top of the mountain of corpses your people have built.”

Her face scrunched up in anger. “Fine, think me evil. It doesn’t change anything. It still makes sense for us to stick together. You get a helping hand, and I get to be famous when this game finally ends.”

I laughed bitterly. “You’re giving up your studies for fame? Seriously?”

“I can have both,” she said, hands on hips. “I won’t give up my studies, but turning away a gift like yourself would be foolish. It will be well worth the effort if I can keep you alive to the end.”

“If you can keep me alive?”

“Prajio will tell others about you eventually. It is inevitable. Unless you kill him.” She looked down her nose at me. “But you will never kill Prajio alone.”

“Why not?”

“Prajio Vrentris is his real name. He did not change his name when he became a Player like you and I did. He did not change his name because his name carries weight.”

She paused, presumably for dramatic effect.

“Why does everyone know his name?” I asked, annoyed by her theatrics.

“Because his grandfather is a Kushar, one of the most powerful among the ruling class. Additionally, Prajio’s father participated in the last iteration of the game. It was before I was born, but his father’s exploits are legendary, and Prajio intends to exceed them. He’s trained his whole life for this.”

“How do you know all this?”

“All know his family, and Prajio has made a name for himself as a professional fighter. He may not be a streamer, but he has never shied away from a camera. And although I find it barbaric, I have seen him fight. He is undefeated as far as I know.”

I scratched my chin. “So, I just pissed off one of the best fighters in the galaxy, and now he has superhuman abilities and wants to kill me?”

“Yes.”

“Shit.”

“I told you so,” Val said.