Outside, the sky was gray with clouds. Abrial discovered that the cottage was surrounded by a circular garden, which was closed in by a thin wooden fence, which was so thin that Abrial stopped to stare at it in confusion. How could a fence with such big holes keep animals out? What was even the use of that kind of fence? This woman was just weirder and weirder…

There was a cobblestone path leading through the garden, much like the paths at paradise gardens at Abrial’s parents’ house. Despite the paradise gardens being filled with all variety of exquisite flora, there were many plants here that she’d never seen before, and were strangely, mysteriously shaped: weaving black thorns that grew along the fence, white flowers blooming off them; a flower stem taller than Abrial’s head, ending in a drooping blue flower that dripped some honey-colored liquid into a bucket; rows of golden-white lilies that seemed to pulse slightly, glowing even in the daylight.

She got caught up in the mysterious, wondrous plants that filled her vision everywhere she turned, carrying sweet and foreign smells that perfumed the air and filled her nostrils. It took her some time to reach the back of the house.

When she finally arrived, she saw the woman still standing there patiently, her arms crossed. A friendly smirk still rested on her lips. When she saw Abrial, her dark eyes sparkled.

She pointed to an opening in the garden. There was laundry hanging there on a rope tied between two tall wooden stakes.

“Your robes,” she said simply.

Abrial’s shadowy black and blood-scarlet robes weren’t hard to pick out among the other pale-colored clothes drying on the line. Relieved, Abrial hurried to take them all down. When she’d finished unpinning them, she turned away from the woman and quickly redressed.

Ah…that was much better! She felt so much more comfortable, now that she was wearing her own robes. When she’d finished briskly tying her belt, she turned back to the woman and opened her mouth. But before she could speak, the woman answered her question:

“Your dagger’s over there,” the woman smiled, pointing at a large, smooth rock near the laundry.

Sure enough, there was Dohyun, sparkling clean and silver in the early afternoon sun. It had been cleaned so thoroughly that it glinted like the purest obsidian night sky.

Abrial darted over and picked it up, slipping it into her belt.

“So…” she started hesitantly, turning to the woman. “Can I just…leave? Now?”

The woman scrunched her nose. She leaned back easily against the side of the cottage. The sparrow glared disdainfully at Abrial from her shoulder.

“I’m afraid you’re gonna have to stay for a bit,” sighed the woman. She sounded glum, but the corners of her mouth were still curved into that mischievous smile. “You can’t leave until you’re fully healed, unfortunately. One or two weeks, at least.”

Abrial paled.

“Wh-What do you mean, I have to stay? One or two weeks? I — I need to go help my friend!”

The woman squished her lips to the side. She studied Abrial with twinkling, dark eyes, drawing her shawl tighter around herself. Abrial noticed for the first time that the woman was wearing multiple layers of outer robes, though it was a warm summer day. Huh.

“If you leave now, you will get an infection in your wounds along the way, and die an avoidable death. If you want to see your friend again, you need to rest and heal. You seem to have been pushing yourself much too hard. But…if you’re worried about your friend, I can show you something that might ease your anxiety. I can tell you’re not the type to take others’ word for anything or listen to advice about your health.”

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Abrial’s fists repeatedly clenched and unclenched as the woman spoke, oscillating between white and red.

Who did lady think she was, to put a demand on how long Abrial had to stay and how bad her level of injury was?! She felt just fine, thank you very much! The wounds stung a bit, but once she could get to Finley, she could focus on healing then!

Still, ever since that fortune teller back in Gananjag, Abrial had been itching to get information on how Finley was right now, and if she was okay. The idea of someone, finally, who could actually “ease her anxiety” — whatever that meant — about Finley, was…very, very attractive. Abrial eyed the woman suspiciously, intrigued.

“What can you show me? To ease my anxieties, or whatever?”

The woman smiled. She strode over to Abrial, gliding as though her feet weren’t touching the ground at all. Her shawls and outer robes fluttered around her, a mix of cloud-colored cloth and plain peasant’s robes.

When she reached Abrial, Abrial tensed, her hand gravitating to her dagger. But the woman simply reached up and touched Abrial with both hands on either side of her head.

Her fingers were gentle, but her skin was like ice. A frosty sensation spread through Abrial’s temples, as though snow was filling her skull.

Then, the woman’s pale, pointed dainty face in front of her melted away.

A new scene painted itself into view: a figure wandering through a loud and crowded market, wearing a long, heavy and hooded burlap cloak. Their face was obscured by their large hood. Like a breeze, they floated through the crowd, stopping at stands here and there to purchase fruits.

Suddenly, the figure’s hood shifted, bumped by the shoulder of a passerby. As the person deftly reached up to reposition the hood to cover their face, Abrial’s eyes widened.

…Finley?

Finley?!

That young woman — she was — Finley!!! Abrial was sure of it. That pale, regal heart-shaped face, those serious hazel eyes and the brief flash of honey-colored hair were absolutely unmistakable.

“Finley!!!” she tried to holler. Only…her throat wouldn’t make a single noise. She tried shouting again, and screaming, and whispering, too, but weirdly, she couldn’t even feel where her own mouth was!

Finley continued down the market and past Abrial. Abrial caught another glimpse of her face as she swept by.

She looks pale, Abrial thought, her stomach sinking. Paler than usual. And she has eye bags…But at least she’s eating all right! She doesn’t look overly thin!

She reached out to grasp Finley’s cloak, but her hands went straight through it.

As she watched Finley go, her obsidian eyes glimmering with longing, the market melted away.

The mischievously smiling woman’s face reappeared in front of her, very close. She was watching Abrial carefully.

Finally, she released Abrial’s head. The icy feeling dissipated with a shiver down Abrial’s spine.

“You must miss your friend a lot, huh?” the woman smiled. There was something different in her eyes as she gazed at Abrial now, very different from the teasing mischief that had sparkled in them before. They still sparkled, but they looked grayer, a little regretful, almost.

Abrial ignored the woman’s question. She stepped back, crossing her arms. Her mouth couldn’t seem to decide whether it should be grinning widely and whooping from having seen Finley safe, scowling in suspicion at this magical woman, or pursing in thought as to where Finley was right at this moment — what town, and how far, and how long it would take to meet her wherever she was. Abrial looked seriously up at the woman in front of her, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

“So, you’re saying this vision is from recently? Or, is it from right now? Which means that my friend’s safe and traveling to that camp she talked about?” Her eyes flickered with concentration. “But, if I’m going to meet up with her, where is she right now?”

The woman held out her hand, and the little sparrow hopped into it happily. With gentle fingers, she began to stroke the sparrow’s feathers. The sparrow chirped in delight.

“If you can find it in yourself to trust me, I can tell you that your friend is indeed headed for the place you two were supposed to meet — the camp beneath the largest star. She will probably reach it in a week or so.”

“But where is she right now, I mean?” Abrial’s eyes gleamed urgently up at the woman. “I want to go find her right now.”

“She’s on her way,” the woman shrugged, continuing to pet the sparrow nonchalantly. “You can go and meet her once you’re healed.”

Abrial’s lips twitched. Her stomach turned over in annoyance.

“Hey, lady — would you stop me if I left?”

The woman glanced up, an amused smile playing on her lips.

“Not really.”

With that, Abrial turned on her heel and left.