“Who is Gyre?” I ask.

“Our only hope at this point.”

“You don’t believe that,” I say as we walk alone.

“I don’t know what to believe.” He takes a moment to gather his thoughts. “This is the first time in my life that I don’t trust my instincts,” he nearly whispers as a bead of sweat drops from his head.

The weight of the world sits just above his eyebrows and in the long muscles just below his neck.

A young servant with jet black hair and thick eyebrows appears twenty feet ahead where he passes the pond by walking across the grass. He keeps his head down, but unexpectedly veers toward us. Arek watches him strangely while I pay little attention. It isn’t until Arek reaches across my body to stop me from walking that I’m aware of something wrong. The stale air is mildly wet, and the birds are back to a sing song, until the sudden severity fills the space between us.

“Get behind me,” he whispers. I have no choice when his arm presses heavy against my chest and I step back. Slowly the servant’s eyes rise, noticing Arek’s attention. The servant reveals he is only the distraction of what is coming next by peering behind us. Arek turns, but it is too late. A man has drawn so close he grabs my hair, swinging a knife toward my face, but my hands catch his bicep. I groan under the pressure of his arm.

Arek wedges between us, taking the man down with a heavy thud. They scramble as I crawl away. The servant with the thick eyebrows lands on Arek while he fights the second man. My eyes scan the area hoping to find some way to help Arek, until he flips the second man over his head and grasps the servant’s leg. He jumps to his feet, never letting go of the servant’s ankle, so the servant crashes to the ground.

The fighting is excessive. The moves are so fast and intricate that I can barely understand all that is happening. Then suddenly Mak appears from somewhere down the path. It only takes him a moment to realize that he is out of his league with these men, but at least he can free Arek for a moment. Finally, Arek outmaneuvers the first, then knocks the other off his feet. Mak quickly straddles this man, yanks the knife from his hand, and plunges it deep behind his ear.

Mak and Arek are out of breath, their eyes cast on each other for just a moment telling of the severe danger this attack meant.

“The secret is out,” Arek says.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

In the evening we gather. “I’ve doubled the security,” Kenichi tells Mak and Arek as he enters the main room. The Japanese home has been a source of comfort for me, from the sound of the waterfalls and soothing breezes to the rhythm of the jungle leaves. It is here that I have memories. Mak and I were children here and fell in love here. Long walks before dinner have been our normal with long conversations before bed, yet today we were warned. Times are changing. It only reminds everyone, especially me, that I have no business in this world. From the pit of my stomach to the nerve endings on my skin, I am still just the teacher from San Francisco.

I lean against the wall with my hands tucked tightly behind my back, possibly trying to disappear. The moment is heavy as confusion sets in. A couple of wounds on Arek’s hands and face are already healing, yet he seems to drag the world’s chains behind him. Briston stands next to Kenichi studying something on his phone, while Peter sits uncomfortably on the couch beneath a large golden dragon statue that nearly dips down to touch his head. This is new. I have never seen it.

Kenichi shakes his head, “With everything shared now . . . social media and everything . . .”

“So, two men who seem to work here, just happen to have orders for Willow. What did they want? Were they with Navin? I thought this was supposed to be the best place to go?” Peter is still a teenager, inquisitive with little care to the accusations toward Kenichi and Mak.

Briston looks up, his silver hair and low glasses still unable to hide his strong features. “Peter!” Briston says roughly.

Beckah, Geo, and Kilon pour into the room only to immediately notice the tension.

“Might you ask Aita?” Peter says what no one else dares.

Mak’s eyes suddenly drop with concern.

Peter stands up, barely missing the dragon above him. “The first woman Mak takes in front of the Powers and to whom is denied marriage, is now within biting distance of Aita. She’s wanted to sink her teeth in you for years! Now is her chance.”

It all makes sense suddenly and I turn to Mak. “You and Aita . . . that’s why she looks at me like that?” I ask.

Mak doesn’t respond.

“Peter!” Briston yells, forcing Peter to back off, but not without a large sigh.

Mak storms off.

Geo interrupts, “What happened?”

The silence drops like a bomb, leaving many questions in its wake until finally Briston fills his chest with breath. “Somehow someone found out about Willow. They attacked.”

As the room continues to cascade in conversation, my eyes survey everyone until they stop on Arek. His concern as he looks at me makes me stand upright. For a moment, just like before when he has been on my street corner, he watches me. My stomach tumbles with the nerves that only Arek seems to activate.

“But who—” Geo is interrupted when the large glass door from the garden opens, letting the last of the falling sun fill the tiled hall.

Mak steps inside with Aita, who looks porcelain and perfect. Kenichi furrows his brow, as does most everyone.

“Say it,” Mak commands. He can’t look at her. “Say it!” Mak yells, which doesn’t scare her at all.

Aita averts her eyes from me as she confidently crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“I told my sister Remy is here,” she says briskly.

“So?” Briston doesn’t care about this information.

“She shared it with others,” Aita admits.

“You were warned, Aita,” Briston says angrily.

Aita doesn’t seem too displeased about the turn of events and her eyes dig into mine.

Kenichi shakes his head. “Aita . . .” then he says something in Japanese that is obviously reprimanding.

“Per usual,” Beckah quips.

Then Sassi enters, her phone at her side and her shoulders tight with frustration, caring nothing about the heavy faces. “We need to talk,” she informs everyone.

This calls them immediately to attention. Her voice needs no more than a gentle hum to display her relevance. It takes only the behavior of those around her to tell me that she is the best of the best, a woman who has earned the respect of everyone in her path.

“Covey—” she begins, but Mak raises a hand to stop her.

“Aita, leave,” he commands.

Aita’s eyes grow with rage. “I am your wife. I belong here.”

“You’ve proven you can’t be trusted.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose,” Aita cries out.

“Prove it,” Peter spits at her.

Aita speeds out the door, so Sassi continues once she’s out of earshot. “Covey has decided Remy’s return is out now and he doesn’t like it. The media and social media are challenging everything—Navin could simply turn on a television to find out anything he wants. So, Covey has convinced the Prophets and the Powers that we should be given no longer than tomorrow.”

“What?” Briston raises his voice.

“Apparently Covey had a secret meeting with Master Niya. In fact, I’ve been told from my sources that he’s spent the last few days meeting with everyone personally.” Sassi throws her phone on the chair next to her. “He’s gotten his hands on everyone.”