“Jasper,” Mandy called out.

The young man paused and looked back at the medium. “I will accompany you to Miss Marlowe's place. I can assist in sensing what exactly has disturbed her,” Mandy’s voice was resolute and firm. She was determined not to leave Jasper alone with the heiress any more than she was willing to let an eccentric old woman declare Jasper and Ariel as soulmates.

Ariel took a step forward, her mouth opening as she desperately searched for something to say that would allow her to join the group. But before she could voice her concerns, Jasper spoke the words she was about to say.

“Very well. Makenzie, you will join us with John. Ariel, head to the theater with Thompson and run the routine tests.”

Mandy moved to stand beside Jasper, her eyes briefly meeting Ariel’s with a slight smile tugging at her pink lips. Ariel clenched her jaw tightly, frustration preventing her from speaking. John, looking uncertain, departed, but Leroy held Ariel’s shoulder firmly, sensing the fists she was clenching and the dark look she was casting at Jasper.

“Have fun. We’ll check in with you later,” the monk called out as the group finally began to move on.

Ariel shrugged off Leroy’s grip and looked up at him with a sour expression. “How can you be okay with this? He’s leaving us to do the grunt work!”

The monk gazed down at the flustered young woman with a knowing look. “Alone is the key word here. You’re just bothered because two of your rivals will be vying for Jasper’s attention all day. Meanwhile, you’ve got that soulmate thing going for you, and neither of them can compete with that.”

“That lady is crazy, Leroy.”

“She knew I was a monk and that you received a moon Magnolia—does that sound crazy to you? But that’s beside the point. What I’m trying to get at is that we will be alone in the theater.”

“Yes, Leroy, I realize we’ll be alone, and Jasper, on the other hand, will have plenty of company—”

“No,” Leroy interrupted, turning her to face him. “We will be alone. No one to see us. I don’t know—maybe we could use this time to figure out a certain mystery...?”

Suddenly, Ariel understood what the monk was suggesting. “Oh, alone, you’re right...”

The monk grinned. “Aren’t I always? Now, shall we?”

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With her dream replaying in her mind, Ariel took Leroy’s arm and allowed him to lead her across the scorching grounds of Magnolia Midlands. My dream... the hall... the nameplate—was it real?

“Hey—are you alright?” the monk asked after glancing at her and noticing the distant look in her eyes.

Ariel shook her head to clear it of the myriad thoughts crowding her mind and looked up at Leroy. What can I tell him? I can’t reveal Mr. Marlowe. Do I tell him I had a vision?

“Hello—earth to Ariel,” Leroy persisted, waving a hand in front of her face. “Are you with me?”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, Leroy... I was just thinking.”

“If it’s about Jasper, I don’t want to know.”

Ariel made a face and swatted Leroy’s arm. “Actually, it’s about the dream I had last night.”

Leroy gave her a sidelong look. “Again, if this is about Jasper—”

Ariel swatted his arm harder and narrowed her eyes at him. “No, this dream did not include Jasper. I was in the theater.”

The monk’s smirk was replaced with a thoughtful expression. “The theater? What kind of dream was it?”

Ariel paused, contemplating how much to reveal to her curious partner in crime. Finally, she took the plunge. “It was one of those dreams—at least, I think.”

Leroy nodded encouragingly. “And... what happened?”

The two of them reached the stairs leading up to the theater’s double doors. Ariel tightened her grip on Leroy’s arm. Her past experiences with these doors had been unsettling, and last night had only made things worse. As she recalled her latest dream, Leroy halted them just before the entrance.

“You didn’t die or anything when you walked through these doors, did you?” he asked, his concern evident.

“Hm? In my dream, you mean?” Ariel wondered, staring at the wooden barrier before them.

Leroy tugged her a step back. “We can always find another way in,” he suggested, glancing around the building.

Ariel smiled and patted him reassuringly. “No, I didn’t die in my dream. I’ll be fine.”

The monk eyed her carefully. “Are you sure?”

Ariel stood taller and nodded firmly. “Yes.”

Leroy still seemed uncertain but took Ariel’s hand and pushed open the door.

One...

Ariel counted in her head as she took her first step. A soft humming filled her ears.

Two...

She passed through the doors, her vision blurring and her head starting to throb.

Three.

Ariel drew a steadying breath as they entered the lobby of the theater. Her stomach was tight, and she noticed that she had squeezed Leroy’s hand until it was nearly white, but she had made it.

“You okay?” Leroy asked gently, pulling his hand from hers.

Ariel managed a weak smile as he flexed his fingers. “Sorry... yeah, I’m okay.”

“Good,” the monk said, satisfied that both his hand and Ariel were still intact. “Now, how about you fill me in on this dream while I make us some coffee?”

Ariel agreed, and the two of them continued on to base. With the sun blazing outside, the gas lamps in the Marlowe Playhouse seemed dull, unable to compete with the brilliant rays streaming in. Ariel looked away from the windows, her thoughts drifting to Miss Marlowe. Somewhere across Magnolia Midlands, the heiress was showing Jasper her home, inviting him to coffee, her blonde hair shimmering as she smiled that radiant smile...

“Ariel?”

Ariel blinked and looked up. “Huh?”

The monk had stopped in the middle of the hall, staring at her with concern. “Are you sure those doors didn’t affect you?”

Ariel straightened up and resumed walking.