The crazy winds of the plains howled in my ears from the moment we first set foot onto that nameless cape.

Sea-Sea dashed up to Twina-Twin, prodding the parent’s side with its nose. The older crocoboat nipped at its back lovingly.

A minute later, after both generations had apparently expressed all their love and affection, Sea-Sea turned around and dove into the water, cleaving it like a flat, green torpedo. Most likely to catch some fish for dinner.

Twina-Twin, once Kasamarchi stopped patting its nostril, lost any interest in us and, waving its tail, paddled along the surf to the north, probably back to Lizard’s mouth.

Enjoying the solid ground beneath our feet, Kasamarchi and I walked away from the sea and down to a small hollow that provided some protection from the wind. There we made our camp.

Oh, how I had missed the land life!

Now I enjoyed all of its wonderful opportunities: running on the dry, prickly grass, drinking from a spring, and inhaling the fragrant smoke from the campfire.

Later in the evening, as we sat around a crackling fire, Kasamarchi told me about his plans. As I heard him out, all my desire to sleep vanished.

Not that I lacked trust in him; I was already used to all of his plans eventually working out, even the craziest ones. But hearing what he was up to this time, I couldn’t keep the anxious thoughts out of my head, shaking them off like a swarming cloud of night butterflies as I lay awake next to the dying fire.

***

In the morning, we headed northwest. To our final destination, dammit.

My mind played his words from last night over and over again.

Look, Ana. The way around the sea took us less than a month. If it weren’t for training the Budrahs, we could’ve done it in three weeks. That’s how long it took the soldiers.

It will take them at least three more weeks to get back to Lerk, no matter how much they hurry. They have no boats to cross the sea. And then two more days to reach the capital. And we did it in ten days. Then five days more to reach the Magisterium. We’ll be there ten days ahead of Erderak’s army.

The whole of Crealia has no protection except for several groups of patrols that pose no danger to us. The capital city is unprotected except for a small garrison.

Do you understand? If we don’t waste any time before their main forces come back…

…we can take over the Magisterium. It has enough animated objects for us to withstand an attack by Erderak’s army. With the protection of its walls and towers, we will smash them.

That’s our only chance. It’s time for the Magister to pay for all he’s done. You and I—we will restore the Old Way.

I didn’t like the plan at all, but I had no arguments against it, so I just followed Kasamarchi, playing his words over and over again in my head.

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Look, Ana. The way around the sea took us less than a month. If it weren’t for training the Budrahs…

The wind never stopped. It seemed to be blowing my brain out through my ears. Whatever remained of it was now working hard to make sense of what was going on.

Kasamarchi had been too pushy when convincing me to go to the capital city. And I didn’t like that feverish gleam in his sly black eyes.

Why? Why would he need that? I cried out silently, looking down at the ground at its endless pattern of intricately entwined small, dry roots. A tangled mess, just like my mind.

It took me a moment to realize that my leather band had clicked open. The crazy wind tugged at my hair, throwing it in my face.

A moment later, a violet flag appeared on the horizon. On that piece of cloth flapping in the wind, in a silver circle, was a black raven staring at us with its gleaming eye.

***

The patrol’s officer, a young boy, was sitting on the charred ground. His back rested against his horse’s dead body; he was breathing fast, his eyes cloudy, his red-stained hands covering a dark spot spreading over his belly.

His wound was lethal. That was clear the very moment Asp had slashed at him with his tail. I wondered why he hadn’t killed the boy immediately, like everyone else. A bunch of soldiers and Budrahs with two animated objects had been literally swept away by our monster. The freeze-frame had been brief as I quickly found the perfect solution.

Unfreezing time, I understood the scope of Asp’s full strength. Now my serpent was an unstoppable avalanche of fire, metal, and ice, instantly transforming and twisting the space around it.

Had he spared the officer on purpose?

Not that I hated this wounded man. A few minutes ago, his patrol was going to destroy us, but now…now it no longer mattered as he was the only survivor.

I turned to Kasamarchi and warily asked, “Can’t we help him? We can’t leave him like this.”

My companion’s face was impenetrable.

Then the officer’s pale face brightened.

He looked up and, sliding his gaze across Kasamarchi, stared at me and suddenly forced out through his ragged breath, “Stop, Ana! Leave...the way…of Chaos.”

I froze, feeling as though he had slapped me across the face. “What way?” Then I turned to Kasamarchi. “What is he talking about?”

My companion was silent, staring at the officer who now stared back at him. The two of them apparently shared some knowledge. Their eyes had some strange understanding as if they were reading each other’s minds.

A cold wave of fear rolled up my throat. I looked at the wounded man. “What way of Chaos?”

He was still glaring at Kasamarchi, now with contempt. Then he shifted his gaze to me and, apparently coming to a decision, said wearily, “You can…return. To your world.”

“What? How? How can I do that?” I turned to Kasamarchi—and saw him reach for his dagger.

The officer closed his eyes and continued in a dying voice. “Coming around the Ironsea…the Child of Evil will complete the Way of Power…and face a choice. Either begin the next round of Chaos, destroying Crealia...or go back to her world.”

“How can I go back? How?!” I yelled.

“Find that…that place…between land and water…where you arri—”

Leaping ahead, Kasamarchi stood over him and, seizing him by the hair, slashed his throat open.

The officer gasped, staring at me with bloodshot eyes. The next moment his body went limp; his eyes turned glassy.

I hid my face in my hands and collapsed to my knees, screaming. “Whyyyyy…”

For some reason, I remembered Kasamarchi jumping onto the Ice Hawk’s back with the same agility two months ago.

“…yyyyyy….” I knew I was just screaming the same sound for several seconds, but it felt like two months.

“…yyyyyy….” All the past events flashed before my eyes like a whirlwind.

“…yyyyyy….” And the puzzle was complete.

“…yyyyyy kill him?!” The drawn-out shriek was still bursting from my mouth when I realized with merciless clearness: Kasamarchi didn’t want me to return home. He didn’t even want me to know about the possibility of it.

He was using me. Using Asp.

I took my hands off of my eyes. My mind was calm and empty. I stood up, looked at the setting sun, and walked off to the northeast without looking back.

Kasamarchi stood there, silent.

Several hours later, when my numbness was gone, I looked back.

No one was following me.