By the looks on everyone''s faces, they''re thinking the exact thing I am.


    "So, we won''t only be fighting the enemy. We''ll be fighting our friends. Family. Lovers."


    My voice is flat and distant, the words feeling like they''re coming from thousands of miles away.


    "It is possible," Acarus murmurs, rubbing his eyebrow as he sighs. "Without knowing how they do it, how long it takes, what it involves..."


    But my ears aren''t listening. I''m thinking back to Sister Miriam and how she popped into my room out of nowhere to give me cryptic warnings.


    "Sister Miriam knew what they were doing."


    Acarus hesitates. "In a sense, yes."@@@@


    I pin him with a hard stare. "She knew what they were doing and never told us."


    Marcus and Vanessa''s gazes go dark; Sister Miriam has been a solid ally of recent times, but her nonanswers have not endeared her to the wolves.


    The man claiming to be Sister Miriam''s son holds up his hands. "Don''t look at me like that. I do not have power over the knowledge my mother divulges, or doesn''t."


    Marcus scowls, and Acarus sighs. "Understand, my mother is full of knowledge. Some relevant. Some not. Things that never came to pass. Things that did.


    Most with clairvoyance go mad, living half in this world and half in another. Whatever information my mother deigns to share is a gift. It is not fair to put the weight of your world on her shoulders, don''t you think? If she does it for you—then who next? How many more times must she go through several possibilities, never knowing which will come to pass?"


    When he puts it like that...


    I shift uncomfortably, realizing that I''ve shredded my last piece of bread into little more than crumbs. "Where is she now?"


    "She and your dog-wolf are with your alpha. From what I understand, the wolf won''t leave his side."


    "Wait," she interjects. "If there''s no wolf presence, how is Lucas being treated in a hospital?"


    It''s a valid question, one I hadn''t even thought to ask. My mind had been so focused on the possibility of seeing Lucas that I''d overlooked the logistics.


    Acarus nods, acknowledging Vanessa''s point. "He''s in a small hospital run by supernaturals with no affiliations. They''re registered supernaturals, to be clear."


    Marcus frowns, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. "There are no supernatural communities on the far border."


    But Acarus doesn''t seem fazed by Marcus''s doubt. "These are registered supernaturals who have chosen to integrate with human society. They''re not part of established communities in the traditional sense, though they abide by the laws of the land."


    But if there are supernaturals in this place, how can it be safe?


    Acarus glances at me, seeming to understanding my unspoken question. "While human cities have been attacked, they are all major cities or those with established pack presences. The country is still safe, for now."


    For now. For how long, though?


    Marcus grunts. "Do you have a map?"


    "I do." Acarus gets up immediately, heading to a large cabinet. "There''s more news that should make you happy, Ava," he adds over his shoulder.


    "What?"


    "Your friend—the one liberated from the Mad Prince''s dungeon—should be there soon. These are refugees from the supernatural communities to the north."


    My heart beats furiously. "Lisa''s coming?"


    Knowing she''s safe and being able to see her with my own eyes are two very different things. Knowing I''ll be reunited with the people I care about most has my limbs limp with relief, despite the horrors and atrocity outside of this house. "That''s wonderful. Do you know how she''s doing? Who she''s with? Is she okay?


    Healing fine?"


    "She''s doing well, from what I hear. Aside from malnutrition, she''s been fine. I assume trauma as well, but they aren''t great with therapy in that community. Not very modern. Supernatural mental health falls behind advances in modern medicine."