Alois had been anticipating and dreading this day ever since he had returned to the past. He could still remember every painstaking detail about that day. The cold brick walls of that cellar. The secret key his father had used to open the hidden passage. Most of all, he could remember the Raven’s Eye. It was as if it had been watching him always from the moment he left.

He had stolen the key long ago and made his own copy, returning the original so his father wouldn’t notice. Alois had also carefully memorized the path to the cellar so he could slip in at any time he wanted without being noticed. His family’s defenses had never been his concern. What he was most concerned about was the Eye itself.

Perhaps it was because he remembered that cellar so well, the archway opened the way into that very cellar for them. It was almost disappointing that all of the preparations he had made to sneak inside had been for nothing, but it was far easier this way.

“We are right outside the secret passage,” Alois informed Keane and Caleb, “Keane, would you be able to disguise the arch if anyone comes down here to search for merchandise?”

“I can think of something,” Keane assured, “but it would be better if the cellar door jammed so no one can come down while we are here.”

“Don’t bother. They protected the entire estate from magical jamming or unlocking, for that matter,” Alois told him.

“I can’t use magic, so that won’t be a problem,” Keane reminded, “Autumn is too far away right now.”

“Sorry,” Alois backtracked with a slight wince, “You are so good with magic and magical theory it’s easy to forget…”

Keane shrugged, seeming completely unbothered by his words. “Get going. We don’t have time to waste.”

Alois quickly dug the key out of his pocket and felt the bricks on the far wall until he found it. This was it. The moment he had been fighting for. The fight he needed to finish no matter what. He could not afford to turn back now no matter how much he wanted to. The key slipped into the hidden lock with a soft click, and the way slid open.

“It’s through here,” he told Caleb, “Whatever you do, don’t touch it. That’s how I- How people were sacrificed to it before.”

Caleb nodded gravely and carefully stepped into the passage. Alois followed closely behind, ready to pull him back at the first sign of anything going wrong. Before he even saw it, Alois could feel the greedy pull pulsing through the atmosphere. It felt familiar and deadly.

The Eye itself was smaller than he remembered, though it still rested on the very same pedestal. The eerie glow disgustingly similar to the aura of the Pavilion was also the same, as if the Pavilion’s endless skies of dusk had been captured in a perfectly smooth miniature globe.

For a moment, Caleb seemed entranced by the sight causing Alois to tightly grasp his arm. They shared a glance before Caleb nodded and stepped back into the passage. It was safer there than in the room itself.

“It seems to have a mind, and a will of its own,” Caleb told Alois, “It can think, it can plan, and it can remember. I don’t know how smart it is, but our best option may be negotiation. Like you said, touching the Raven’s Eye is certain death.”

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“Negotiate? How do we communicate with something we have no way of understanding?” Alois asked.

“I can’t understand it,” Caleb agreed, “but I get the feeling you can. From the moment we entered the passage you have been reacting to the most subtle of magical waves sent out by this thing. It’s like you are bonded with it. Perhaps it is a trait passed down through your family.”

“It’s not,” Alois denied, and nervously ran a hand through his hair. He would have to tell him the truth. Keeping the secret wasn’t worth risking both of their lives here, and Caleb might be able to use the knowledge to come up with a solution. “Earlier, you wanted to know where I got the eyepatch, and how I know so much about the Eye.”

“We did,” Caleb confirmed, “Did you want to go back and meet with Keane?”

“No. The less people who know the truth the better,” Alois denied, “I wouldn’t even tell you if it weren’t for the situation.”

Caleb glanced back but nodded. “Alright.”

“It may be hard for you to believe, but I have already died once and returned to the past,” Alois explained, watching for any signs that Caleb doubted him, “Right after I received that eyepatch as a gift, my father sacrificed me to the Raven’s Eye. The eyepatch is the only thing that returned to the past with me.”

“That explains a lot,” Caleb considered, “In that case, is it possible that the Eye returned with you?”

Alois hadn’t considered that possibility. In that case, Caleb’s theory about him being linked or bonded to that thing wasn't too far-fetched. If he succeeded at sealing it tonight, it might become even more of a reality. Still, it was surprising that Caleb accepted his story so readily. Was he gullible or did he have some method to be confident of the truth?

“It might be possible,” Alois finally answered, “Does it change things if it did?”

“Definitely,” Caleb confirmed, “If your story is true, I know just how to negotiate. After all, you already sacrificed yourself to it once. It is time for the Eye to hold its end of the bargain.”

A strong pulse flew from the Eye that Alois could only translate as anger. “Then what do you want?” Alois demanded, “Or is it because you know about this?” He held out the eyepatch.

He felt as if the eye was cringing back away from the eyepatch. It felt threatened. This was good. Now that he felt he was in control of the situation, Alois was able to return to thinking like a merchant. Right now, the thing he was dealing with was the personification of greed. The thing greedy people liked most was being showered with gifts, but this thing had been locked in a secret cellar for ages.

“How about this,” Alois offered with a smile, “Become part of me and let me partially seal you. In return, I will give you one of my eyes. An eye for an eye, after all.” He felt a sense of dissatisfaction from it and held up his hand. “Did you think I would stop there? Of course not. I am the future Headmaster of Tethia. If you become one with me, we will be showered with gifts suiting our position. Not to mention those I happen to obtain.”

For the first time the Eye shone with pure greed as Alois held out two things to it. The key that opened this passage, and one of the treasures he had snagged from the cellar on the way. Just as he had suspected, the greed was boundless and unrefined. This thing would take anything offered to it.

“Why did you offer it your eye?” Caleb hissed.

“Convenience?” Alois replied, “How else am I meant to use this eyepatch?”

Before Caleb could argue any further, the intense glow of the marble changed to match the color of Alois’ own eyes as it launched itself from the pedestal. Alois only had enough time to see the thing flying straight for his face before he felt a searing pain in his left eye and lost consciousness.

==========

Cassandra leapt to her feet when the boys returned through the archway. Keane and Caleb were both supporting an unconscious Alois with the eyepatch haphazardly strapped onto his left eye. His face was pale, and the eye that was not covered by the eyepatch was leaking tears.

“What happened?” she asked, doing her best to help them.

“We succeeded,” Caleb said, “but this idiot sacrificed his eye for convenience. At least that is the reason he gave me.”

“Idiot,” Keane muttered.

They succeeded, but Alois still sacrificed his eye. Caleb seemed to think there was no reason for it. Should she have gone with them after all? She glanced down to check on Yuki only to find he had vanished again.

“Let’s get him to bed at least,” Cassandra decided, “Do either of you know where his room is?”

“I can take him there with Caleb,” Keane assured, “You should go back to your room so you don’t get any further involved.”

Right, she was never meant to be involved from the beginning. She was just an unwelcome eavesdropper. Now that the crisis was over, it was time to keep her distance. Cassandra should be the one frustrated that this took away from her bonding time with Yuki. Her own thoughts seemed empty in her head.