I was jolted awake by the sudden knocking at the door, my heart racing as I scrambled for blankets to cover myself. Lennon was already on his feet, slipping on his pants and peering out the front window. His groan was low and menacing, and my body tensed as I wondered who could be visiting at such an ungodly hour.

"What the fuck is she doing here?" Lennon muttered, his eyes narrowing as he turned back to me.

"Who?" I asked.

"Fucking Veronika is here," Lennon spat, his tone dripping with annoyance.

He opened the door just wide enough for her to see him, keeping me hidden from sight. "Leave, Veroni..."

She nudged her way past Lennon, pushing into the cottage with a mischievous glint in her eye. I felt a surge of surprise, my hands instinctively tightening on the blankets as I checked to make sure I was covered.

Veronika's laughter was like a tinkling bell, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she took in the scene before her. "I can see through it if I want to, remember?"

I scowled, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "Well, could you please not?"

Lennon was visibly annoyed, his eyes flashing with irritation as he turned to her. "What the fuck is this about, Veronika?"

Her expression turned innocent, her eyes wide with feigned surprise. "Excuse me, Lennon, I'm here to visit my friend Ace, and you're interrupting."

He rolled his eyes.

I sighed, feeling a sense of resignation wash over me. "What do you want, Veronika?"

Her grin was like a sunburst, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I heard you got closer to finding an answer, and I want to help."

I was taken aback, my mind racing with questions. How could Veronika possibly know about my recent findings? But then, like a puzzle piece falling into place, I remembered. I had written to Cade about my discoveries, and maybe they had shared the information with Veronika. Or perhaps she had heard from Sorelle or Thadeus.

I shook my head, trying to clear the cobwebs. "I already told you, I don't need your help."

Lennon's brows furrowed, his eyes narrowing. "Already told her? When?"

Veronika's snicker cut through the air. "I've been seeing your pet a lot more than you, it seems."

I laughed, "Yeah, since you're practically stalking me now."

Veronika's smile was like a knife's edge, "Don't flatter yourself, Ace. I already have an ass, I don't need another one. I'm more concerned with the phantom following you around that no one else seems to be able to see."

My heart skipped a beat as she motioned to the space behind me. Lennon's eyes snapped to me, his gaze burning with intensity. My muscles tensed as I turned to glance behind me, my mind racing with questions. What did Veronika see? What was she talking about?

But then, like a switch had been flipped, Veronika's expression changed. She was no longer the sly, mischievous creature she had been just moments before. Instead, she looked...serious. "Ugh, relax! I'm joking, Ace. I'm Anjan, remember? I have clear sight. Let me help you with the runes."

I felt a surge of skepticism, my mind wary of her sudden change in demeanor. "Why do you want to help so badly? How can I trust you?"

Her grin was like a spark of mischief as she waved a hand, motioning to her runes. "I can get naked and you can ask me if you want," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Lennon sighed, his expression tired and exasperated. "It's not happening, Veronika. Fuck off already."

She crinkled her nose at him, but she didn't seem to take offense.

"No, she's right.” I sighed, my gaze meeting hers, “I didn't consider your powers, I was too distracted by your terrible attitude."

She winked at me, her expression playful. "Touché."

I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the task at hand. I wasn’t sure if I could trust her with the knowledge of the book of runes, so I kept my explanation as vague as possible. "Well, we found a way to decode the meaning of the runes. I studied Lennon's and there seems to be a pattern. It's some sort of riddle, maybe."

But her eyes widened as she spotted the book of rune meanings lying on the bed. She picked it up, her fingers tracing the intricate symbols. "This is power bound in leather, here in Visu. Don't let anyone get their hands on this."

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Lennon snatched the book from her hands, his expression stern. "Good advice."

She rolled her eyes at him, her expression dismissive. "So, what's the riddle? I'll see if I can decode it."

I hesitated for a moment before handing her the list I had written, my eyes scanning the words as I did so: fertility, magic, gypsum, water, limestone, ore, divine union. Veronika's gaze fell upon the list, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the words. The stone on her forehead, a deep, rich purple, began to glow with a soft, ethereal light, and I could feel the power of the Anja buzzing through the air. As she stared at the list, her eyes became glazed over, and she slowly closed them, her face tilting upwards as if she were searching for something. The air around her seemed to vibrate with energy, and I could feel the weight of her power bearing down upon me.

"I'm seeing a waterfall," she said, her voice seemed to hum like she was entranced, "and crystals are forming. The fertility, magic, and divine union are hazy for me. But I think the gypsum, water, limestone, and ore is a recipe for selenite. Selenite is super rare crystal in Numariya, but I think if you can find this waterfall, you'll find the selenite."

As she spoke, a pen appeared in her hand, and she began to sketch the waterfall, her movements swift and sure. The pencil moved across the paper with a life of its own, as if guided by an unseen force. And as she continued to sketch, I saw that she was drawing another temple of truth, one that seemed to be hidden deep within Visu. Veronika's eyes slowly opened, her face serene, as she emerged from her entranced state. She looked down at her drawing, her eyes scanning the lines and curves of the temple.

"How do we get to the waterfall?" Lennon asked, his voice low and urgent.

Her third eye stone flickered, and a solemn expression spread across her face. "Forget it," she said, her voice flat and unyielding.

I felt a surge of frustration, my mind racing with questions. "What did you see? How do we get there?" I demanded.

Her expression didn't change, her eyes remaining fixed on some point beyond us. "I said forget it," she repeated firmly.

She flicked the list at me, turning to leave, but Lennon blocked the door, his eyes blazing with intensity. "What. Did. You. See?" he growled.

I was seething, my anger boiling over like a cauldron left unattended. I was done with Veronika's games, done with her constant trickery and manipulation. I'd never done anything to her, and yet, since the moment I'd met her, she'd been a thorn in my side, always poking and prodding, always trying to get under my skin. "Was this all some fucking game to come over and fuck with us some more?"

Her eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, I thought she might actually attack me. But then, her expression changed, and she looked at me with a mixture of frustration and pity. "It's a fucking suicide mission, Ace," she said, her voice low and deadly. "You have to cross The Bale to get there. I wouldn't wish that on my worst Sidhe enemy, let alone a weak little human like you."

Lennon sighed, lowering his arm and allowing her to leave. But I wasn't ready to let her go yet. I was furious, and I wanted answers.

"What's The Bale?" I demanded, my voice rising. "I can do it, I'll figure it out!"

Veronika laughed, a cold, mirthless sound. "Your little encounter with The Frygt was a cakewalk compared to the other creatures in The Bale. You might as well take your happy ass right over to those cliffs and jump off."

She turned to Lennon, her expression somber. "We'll be stuck in this hell hole forever," she seethed, and then she turned to leave, slamming the door behind her.

The room was left in a dim, solemn silence, the only sound the echo of Veronika's words, and the pounding of my own heart.

I tried to sound optimistic, despite the weight of Veronika's words still lingering in the air. "Maybe I can research the creatures in The Bale and train with Za...,"

"I never thought I'd be saying this, Ace, but Veronika is right," he said, his words dripping with resignation. "Very few Sidhe have ever survived The Bale."

I felt a pang of frustration, but I refused to give up. "Okay, but we can't lose hope," I sighed. "Maybe if we uncover the rest of the message, there will be more, like a shortcut or something. We can't lose hope, Lennon."

Lennon sat down, resting his head in his palms, his eyes closed as if he was trying to shut out the world. I could see the defeat in his posture, but it only strengthened my resolve.

"Look, we already have most of it figured out!" I said, trying to inject some enthusiasm into my voice. "Fertility, magic, selenite, union. We know where to get the selenite, impossible as it may be. We just need to decode the rest!"

Lennon's eyes snapped open, and he looked at me with a mixture of sadness and frustration. "Your optimism is endearing, Ace, but forgive me if I can't muster it up myself," he said, his voice laced with a hint of desperation. "If you saw the types of creatures that lurk in The Bale...," he trailed off, shaking his head.

I remembered Cade's words, and I felt a surge of determination. "Cade said there's no coincidences in Numariya," I said, my voice firm. "Everything has lined up to bring us to this moment. You don't have to share my hope, I'll be hopeful for us both. I'm going to figure this out. I'll do more research, I'll figure it out."

As I surveyed Lennon slumped back into the chair, a sigh escaping his lips, I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. Maybe it was the guilt I felt for being attracted to Zane, or the shame of reading Lennon's journal without his knowledge. But as I looked at him, sitting in somber silence, I knew that I had to do this for him. I had to get him out of The Dread, no matter the cost. The thought of The Bale being a suicide mission didn't deter me. If anything, it only strengthened my resolve. I didn't care about Veronika's motives or her condescending attitude. All I cared about was the fact that she had given us a lead, a glimmer of hope in the darkness. As I glanced at the temple she had sketched, I noticed the words "Veritas VII" written above it. Truth Seven. The seventh temple. My mind reeled with the implications. We had already been to the eighth temple, and now we were being led to the seventh. Was it a coincidence? I remembered Cade's words, "There's no coincidences in Numariya." A surge of determination rose within me, and I felt a newfound sense of purpose. I looked at Lennon, his eyes fixed on some point beyond me, his expression lost in thought. I was going to prove to him that this wasn't a lost cause. I was going to make him see that there was still hope, that we could still escape The Dread and find a way out of this hellhole. I felt a sense of resolve settle within me, a sense of determination that I had never felt before. I was going to do this, no matter what it took. I was going to find a way to get Lennon out of The Dread, even if it killed me.