The path from the Cavern of Yourself to the mountaintop was short, but it felt long. For the first time, Thyssa and Merryway had nothing to say to each other. The only sounds were the wind, and their footsteps on the rock.

Thyssa desperately wanted to confide in Merryway. But seeing her own monstrous reflection filled her heart with fear and doubt. She knew Merryway was a good person. But was she? If Merryway knew what she really was, would they still want her around?

She’d only known them for two days, but she’d lived more in those two days than in two years with Lili. She’d gotten attached – it was funny how easily she bonded, after losing everyone else, as if her heart was just a glutton for punishment. Risk what she had to get what she needed. She couldn’t bring herself to do that. Not again.

“This is it,” said Merryway, bringing her back to reality.

At the top of the mountain stood a stone temple, topped with a stained glass dome.

“The Goddess Fountain’s in there?”

Merryway nodded. “It’s every bit as beautiful as I dreamed.”

As they approached the temple, Thyssa saw it was decorated with stoic stone women, carved into the walls. She thought they looked like the Benevolent Heart. Was that what the Goddess looked like?

As they walked inside, they found the temple brightly lit. The stained glass carried light evenly throughout the interior, illuminating a pattern in the glass. The glass showed pilgrims, close together but showing different places and times – some were climbing the mountain, some drinking from a fountain, some throwing off bloody bandages and dancing in exultation.

“The first to complete the pilgrimage in two generations,” said Merryway, as they ventured deeper into the temple. “I have proven myself worthy.” They turned to Thyssa. “And so have you. You passed the trials, not even believing in the Goddess.”

Thyssa sniffed. “Only with your help.”

“And I would not have succeeded without your help.” Merryway smiled. “We make a good team.”

Thyssa found herself smiling back. “Yes.”

“Come. We’ll heal your poison, fill a flask for mother, and we’ll both return as heroes.”

Soon they reached the centre of the temple – a great ring around a pool. Merryway rushed forth with the flask, then froze.

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“What’s wrong?” asked Thyssa, but as she reached the edge of the ring, she knew exactly what was wrong.

Inside the pool was not sparkling healing waters, but churning grey sludge.

Thyssa understood why this place felt so familiar. This was the Muckpool, the womb from which malforms were conceived. From which they flowed, into their various poisonous lakes – the Lake of Fire, the Lake of Plagues, and the Lake of Acid, where Thyssa had crawled out into the world. All these monstrous places came from a human temple? She wracked her brain for memories, but she was an infant at the time, so nothing came.

Merryway just kept shaking their head. “It’s…it’s not right…”

“Are you sure this is the right place?”

“The very centre of the temple. It was here! Look at the chalices around it! For drinking!”

Thyssa had an idea. “What if this is the healing water?”

Merryway shook their head sharply. “No. It was water. Look at the glass – water! It was clear, it tasted good.”

“It may have changed form,” said Thyssa, “but it still has its life-giving power.”

“Look at that filth! How could that bring life to anyone?”

Thyssa winced. Merryway’s expression softened.

“I’m sorry,” said Merryway. “There was no need to be rude.”

“It’s okay.”

Merryway’s eyes widened. “Your…your necklace!”

Thyssa grasped the Benevolent Heart hanging around her neck. “What about it?”

But no sooner did she speak than she saw it too – the Benevolent Heart glowing. She felt it. The stone was warm, pulsing, alive. Like it had been when Lili gave it to her but more – and it brightened even as she looked.

Merryway narrowed their eyes. “Where did you say you got that from?”

Thyssa shook her head. “Far from here.”

“Where.”

“A hospital far to the west. I stole it from Lili – a scientist exiled from the Walled Garden.”

“The Walled Garden! I should have known. Thieves, all of them. They loot our most sacred places. But I didn’t think even they would steal the Fountain!”

“They stole…the Fountain?”

“Its power! They must have found a way to steal it. Seal it inside that stone.”

“But the Fountain is supposed to heal poison completely. This only stems the tide.”

“Trapping it inside that stone must have weakened it,” said Merryway. “Like if you had your arms tied.” They looked up at Thyssa. “You have to put it back.”

“Put it back?”

“Throw that stone into the Fountain.”

Thyssa tightened her grip on the Benevolent Heart. “That thing is…it’s keeping me alive!”

“And if you give it back, it can cure you outright.” Their gaze was intense. “As it could my mother.”

“There’s…there’s no guarantee it would work.”

“Then why does it resonate with this place? It recognizes where it was torn from. And it wants to go back.”

Merryway held Thyssa’s hands.

“Have faith. Return it where it belongs.”

“I…I can’t…”

“Then let me help you.”

Merryway’s gentle hand moved to lift the Benevolent Heart. Thyssa jerked back.

“Thyssa, you have to trust me!”

“I trust you. I just don’t believe this conjecture.”

“Don’t believe, or don’t want to?”

Thyssa couldn’t answer.

“If you don’t, you’ll die! My mother will die!”

Thyssa reached in her mind for another way, but she was coming up blank.

“Put it back, Thyssa.” Their voice was gentle, but commanding. “Drop it in the Fountain.”

“You’ll do no such thing.”

The cold voice echoed throughout the temple, as did the relentless ticking of clockwork.