A more humanoid shadow passed over him, and Asher turned, then froze. Navarre stood by the rise, hugging his arms into his elbows and shifting back and forth.

‘Hi,’ he said.

Asher struggled to his feet, leaning heavily on his cane to push upright. ‘Hi,’ he said.

Navarre looked awful. His face was gaunt and his hair had grown out into a ratty mess. His clothes were torn, and scars along his arms and chest had healed badly, leaving bumpy, scabbing marks along his flesh. Still, it was Navarre. Standing right in front of him, watching him with that same look that had captivated Asher’s complete attention not so long ago.

Asher’s stomach churned.

‘It’s you,’ Navarre said. ‘Really you. Why are you here? What are you—’ he stepped forward, but Asher stepped back, the move automatic until he realised he no longer cared about the man in front of him. This was the man who had tried to set him up as a puppet for the locals, who had started experiments that had almost ended the world. No longer was this a beautiful man with a quick smile and a relaxing aura, but the same bully Asher had met all those years ago as a lonely teen. The kind that made him feel small, powerless, a poor dock-boy, an outsider who would never be anything more. Navarre had always been awful, and now his memories wouldn’t let him see it another way.

‘You’re still mad at me,’ Navarre mumbled. ‘That makes sense. Though I should be more afraid of you. Interesting friends you’ve made.’

‘They’re friends,’ Asher pressed.

‘Easy,’ Navarre said. ‘I wasn’t making any kind of comment on our… situation. I heard you, okay? I should have reacted better, or listened better, or both. I… I’m sorry, about all of this. You don’t know how glad I am to see you now, you can at least see that, right?’

Asher regarded the man in front of him. Had he always been so smarmy and manipulative? ‘Are you?’ he asked. ‘Glad?’

Navarre frowned. ‘Of course.’

‘Because you care about me?’

‘Asher, what are you doing? Of course I—’

‘Do you?’ Asher asked. ‘Or are you telling me these things to make me easier to control?’

Navarre froze, then swallowed. ‘You’ve been talking to Magnus.’

‘Answer the question,’ Asher snapped.

‘You won’t believe him over me, will you?’ Navarre said. ‘It was never about control, Asher. I wanted you to work with us, because I care about you, because I trust you. Magnus only told himself those things to justify a decision that wasn’t his.’

Asher shook his head. That anger from his hanging was building again, bubbling under the surface with everything he’d wanted to say, but it didn’t only hold their current circumstances. It had been Navarre who had switched from being a bully to a friend, who had pushed Asher beyond his comfort over and over, who never listened to him. ‘I never would have worked with you,’ he said. ‘I was never going to help you tear a hole in the world.’

Navarre flinched. ‘I can—’

‘Don’t,’ Asher said. ‘Don’t. All of this was your fault. The Gate broke down because you couldn’t stop poking holes in it! I can’t even… do you have any idea how much damage there is?’

‘I know I messed up,’ Navarre said. ‘Is that what you wanted to hear? Yes, I made some very poor decisions, but you have to believe me now when I say there’s nothing I regret more.’

Asher swallowed his words down, sure that anything that came out would kill the civility of the conversation.

‘Yeah, when I learned this place existed, I made some poor decisions,’ Navarre continued. ‘But… Look at this place, Asher! So many stories talk about these two worlds colliding, and we aren’t ready. We can’t face it. I was scared; we all were. There was a threat we’d never heard about and had no hope of standing against. All I wanted to do was… my duty. To my kingdom. It’s people.’

‘And all the people who you murdered to keep silent?’ Asher asked.

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Navarre ran his hands through his hair, then held them up in surrender. ‘You have to believe me when I say that wasn’t me. I never touched anything to do with the hangings. All I know is that I thought it was sabotage until one of them… she showed me it was a warning. That an attack was coming if we didn’t stop.’

‘You mean Hadley,’ Asher mumbled.

Navarre chuckled nervously. ‘You’ve done a good investigation if you dug that deep, but yes. That was the moment I realised we’d poked a beast that was ready to attack, and the people who worked for these… creatures, they were already onto us. Henri told me that others were thrown in with them to stop a panic, but I didn’t know it’d gotten that bad, I swear.’

Asher pinched the bridge of his nose. He was tired of hearing the same thing over and over, and he bit down the desire to tell this man to his face that he had no idea what he was saying, but he knew there was no point. He’d already tried to explain it to Olive and Magnus – neither of whom could even see the spirits – but there was no point now.

‘I’m willing to face the consequences,’ Navarre said. ‘Throw me in prison and throw away the key. Hang me, I don’t care. I’ll face judgement for what I’ve done. Just please, don’t leave me here. If you have to tie my hands together, then do it. Please, don’t leave me in this place.’

‘I wasn’t going to leave you here,’ Asher mumbled.

The crow swooped low over the rise, circling above their heads with a loud caw, quickly followed by a dozen more that sailed downwards in a smooth line. The ruffle of feathers next to him told him they weren’t alone, and when he lowered his gaze, he noticed Hadley standing next to him, with yet another bird on her shoulder.

‘The Gate’s about to close,’ she said. She then tilted her head and gave a sly grin. ‘The change fits you well. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more.’

‘I think I did okay,’ Asher said. ‘I’m still alive at least.’

‘That you are.’ Hadley raised her hand upward, and one of the crows swooped down to land on her hand, its throat bobbing with a trilling noise. A large red eye fixed on Asher. Asher slowly raised his hand and ran his fingers down its shining chest, and the crow warbled happily.

‘They’re not so bad, you know,’ Hadley said. ‘They’re smarter than most people, and loyal to a fault.’

‘They’re not going to carry me out again, are they?’ Asher asked.

‘You’re standing,’ Hadley said. ‘You can use the door this time.’

‘You’re…’ Navarre stepped forward, his throat bobbling nervously. ‘Hadley Derrian. It’s you.’

‘Calm yourself, Captain,’ Hadley growled. ‘I am a ghost. Fixing your mistake took my life.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Navarre said. ‘How do you two…’ he turned to Asher. ‘Shouldn’t you be arresting her too?’

‘She’s dead,’ Asher said. He sighed. ‘I’m not going to arrest you either. I’m just going to hand you over.’

‘I would happily look the other way if you want to leave him here,’ Hadley muttered.

Asher shook his head. ‘If he doesn’t belong here, then I’ll let the legal system deal with him. There’s a new Duchess in charge that has very little patience for him and what he’s done.’

‘Working with Norrah then?’ Navarre asked. ‘At least she had one fan, but I’d still rather you do this. If I’m going to die, at least let me walk to my death with a friend.’

‘I’m not your friend,’ Asher said. ‘And I’m not a Lieutenant anymore.’

‘A captain?’ Navarre asked. ‘Don’t tell me you took my job—’

‘No.’

Navarre frowned, and Hadley rested a hand on Asher’s shoulder. ‘It’s time. Can you help lead the people out?’

Asher nodded, then turned to Penn, who Nadu was helping get to his feet. Penn was grey in the face, and he leaned heavily on Nadu’s shoulder as the other Nakati crowded around him. Nadu nodded at him, tapping his other shoulder as they eased past.

‘Wait.’ Asher took Penn’s arm. ‘Norrah knows you, but the Nakati are being confused for Fienta.’

‘I will tell them to look human,’ Penn said. ‘No more fighting today.’

‘No more fighting for a long time,’ Asher said.

Penn shook his arm free of Asher’s grip, then took his hand and lifted it up, resting his chin on the knuckles. ‘You have done more than you will know,’ he said. ‘I am glad we have bonded. I wouldn’t have anyone else.’

Heat rushed through Asher’s face. ‘I’m just glad your safe.’

‘Next time you jump into Le Torkani, I am leaving you here,’ Penn muttered. Asher chuckled, which prompted a smile in him, then Nadu eased him past and the line of Nakati scampered along after him. One of them, a small green skinned human with large butterfly wings and antennae sticking out of their head, had taken a human girl by the hand and was pulling her along.

‘I don’t understand,’ Navarre said. ‘These ones are okay?’

‘There’s more than one world,’ Asher said. ‘And this is a good one, yes.’

Navarre’s brow furrowed. ‘What’s happened to you? I… Wait.’ He glanced around, as Asher motioned for the humans still peering out from their corner to follow. He gave the old woman an encouraging nod, and she began speaking softly to a little boy. She took his hand and slowly started walking after the Nakati, stopping to squeeze Asher’s hand in both of hers as she passed.

‘It’s alright,’ Asher said. ‘This is going to end up being just a bad dream.’

‘Don’t you lie to me, boy,’ the woman snapped. Asher gave a sheepish grin, and she clicked her tongue at him playfully before moving on. The little boy stared up at him with wide eyes, even as they made for the edge of the hollow. Slowly, the others began to follow.

‘Asher,’ Navarre said. ‘How did you get here? How do you know these things?’

‘I fell in with you, remember?’ Asher said.

‘No, that’s not what I mean,’ Navarre said. ‘What’s going on—’

‘You have to go,’ Hadley said. ‘Now. Or the Gate is going to close on you.’ She gave another sly smile. ‘When we meet again, it will be in better circumstances.’

Asher nodded, unsure of what to say. He sighed and held his and out to Navarre, but Navarre didn’t take it, still staring at Asher as though he were a question that couldn’t be answered. Asher thought about saying something, but thought better of it and followed the last of the humans out of the hollow.