29 I'll Meet You Again, No Matter What

Zagiha brought Hana back to the ground and laid her down gently, turning back into his human form.

"Do the medics need to come check you out?" he asked.

Hana shook her head. "I'm not sick," she answered. "Just really tired…"

He sighed and crossed his arms. "It seems you gave all your mana to me. It'll regenerate, but in the meantime, no magic! Rest here for a while." He started walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"To get myself sealed. I went against my own system and committed a crime. If I didn't take the punishment, I'd be a hypocrite."

"But…"

Zagiha just smiled at her and shook his head, approaching the waiting cops. "I know my rights already," he told them. "Just take me away, boys."

"Ah-ah! Ziggy! That's enough now!" Isaana, battered and bruised, rushed to her feet and got between them. "You go overboard with everything, I swear. Our plan to make the Unforgivables retreat worked, so it's time to drop the ruse!"

"What?" Zagiha whispered at her sharply.

"Shut up and let me get you out of this," she hissed back.

"But that's a lie…"

"Look here, Zagiha, if you want to come clean later, that's your prerogative, but this mess hasn't been sorted out yet, so it's all hands on deck! We can't afford to lose even one of our ranks. Just smile and nod, mm'kay?"

"But…"

"Our sincerest apologies to you all!" said Isaana, louder. She gave a fake, cheesy smile, pushing Zagiha down with her as she bowed. "We dearly regret frightening you, but we couldn't let anyone in on anything or the gambit might not have paid off. His Holiness Zagiha and I collaborated together on a scheme to free Modrica. Unfortunately, we had to show our true power to scare the Unforgivables away."

"Is this true?" one person piped up, wringing their fingers. "Did the government know about this?"

"Uh-um!" she stammered. "As the government buildings were occupied by Unforgivables, we did not divulge the details. It was far too risky. Do you really think our government? Would willingly hide? Something from you? I thought not! These were drastic measures we took as guardians of Gesmaura. Again, we deeply regret any property damage that might have incurred. If you have experienced an injury or anything of the sort duer to our actions… Zagiha will be happy to pay restitution!"

"E-Eh?" he sputtered.

Isaana elbowed him in the ribs.

"I mean, uh, please send me an itemized statement signed by a notary."

The people began speaking amongst themselves.

"Should we believe them?"

"Why would the Gods lie to us?"

"I thought I was going to die of fright! But in the end… they did protect us."

"The Gods are very wise… surely they made the correct choice?"

So this was the true power of the Gods. Not their magic, nor their great strength—but their clout. Hana closed her eyes, breathing a sigh of relief. The Gods could get away with a lot more than humans could as long as it was under the guise of "protecting" them. And although she knew Zagiha never intended to hurt anyone in the first place, she couldn't believe the people bought Isaana's explanation.

"… We've reached a decision," said the police chief. "We've decided not to press charges against either of you as long as the damages are paid in full. Luckily, there are only minor injuries, and it's true that without your involvement we might've starved under the Unforgivables. But Zagiha-sa, as a good-faith move, it would probably be best for you to take a sabbatical from the Supreme Court until repairs are complete."

"So I'm being volun-told." Zagiha folded his arms. "Oh, what will I do without any work? I'll have free time! I'll…"

"… I'll teach you how to cook a steak." Hana waved at him and smiled, and he broke into a smile back.

"All right. You'd better do a good job, then. But for now…" He looked at all the destruction he caused. "I'd better help clean up."

--

"Why did you help me, Isaana?" asked Zagiha after a long day of clearing rubble. He washed his hands under an outdoor water pump.

Isaana dried her own, preparing to head back to Komouruska. "Hmm, I wonder why that would be?" she said. She turned off the faucet. "Think of it as my way of apologizing. For the record, I don't think you're the False One anymore. There's no way anyone as straightforward as you could ever be. I know you too well for that. Ah, what was I thinking?"

Zagiha stared off into the sunset.

"I'll try and clear your name with the other Gods, but I'm sure the Unforgivables will strike back soon. Might need to prioritize that for a while."

"Zagiha?"

The two Gods turned around.

"Ah, Girl Sabatka!" said Isaana cheerfully. "That wasn't bad for a first spell! B-!"

Hana gave her the side-eye. A few shoe-lengths behind her stood Crowe.

"The medics say I have a minor concussion," he slurred. "I need some time off…"

"Granted." Isaana scowled. "I'm still mad at you! Take a couple months off and think of what you've done! And once you've learned your lesson, maybe I'll reconsider!" Making a point to ignore him after that, she turned back to Zagiha. "Look, our goals are similar, right?"

"To protect the Earth?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't given up on hunting the False One. Would you consider joining me?"

"Hmm…" He paused for dramatic event. "Suck my dirty socks, Isaana. For one thing, you have a lot to make up to me. Secondly, I promised Hana I'd help her find her brother."

"My offer extends to Girl Sabatka too."

"Pass," said Hana. "I know you want to kill Silvio. And I don't care if you're a Goddess. I won't let you do that."

"I see." Isaana summoned one of her arrows and opened a portal, putting one foot through. "Fair enough. You know, I always did regret losing you as my student. If you kept up with magic school, you would've been one of the greats. Far better than Iggy. But fate seldom works out the way you expect it to. Listen up, Girl Sabatka—I have an offer. A wager, if you will." Her lips curled downwards. "There's only so much we Gods can tell humans about the way this world works, but the False One and Silvio Sabatka are hopelessly intertwined with one another. One or the other or both must die. However, it's only the False One who poses any significant threat." Her eyes narrowed. "I don't really want to kill Silvio. If I discover the False One's identity, I'll destroy them and leave Silvio alone. But I think perhaps I'm so entangled with the other Gods, I'll never figure them out. Maybe an outsider's perspective would be more astute in finding which of us is the traitor. That's where you come in."

Hana raised an eyebrow.

"If you're able to figure out who is the False One and turn them in, I'll never lay a finger on your brother. But the moment tensions escalate into all-out war, I'll snuff out his life. How does that sound?"

"I'd rather you didn't drag my brother into this at all," Hana replied with a scowl, "but if there's any way to protect him from you, I'll accept."

"Deal."

Isaana extended her hand. Hana grasped it, and they shook on it.

"Please succeed, Sabatka," she said, and she started back through the portal, when she hesitated. "Oh? And Ziggy? One more thing."

"What?" he huffed.

"You were an imperfect person five hundred years ago. Even more so than today. Some of your reasons for starting the war were selfless, but many others were selfish. But there's no person in this rotten world we live in who acts altruistically all the time." One corner of her mouth turned up. "Let me put it this way. The war was bad, but the Aclarian Empire was even worse. If you hadn't started the war, we wouldn't have had any of the freedoms we do today. Your actions paved the road for a better future. Even if you fail today, there's always someone you can help tomorrow. Goodbye. Enjoy your so-called 'sabbatical.'"

"Huh." The opposite corner of his mouth turned up. "Thanks."

She nodded at him, and with that, she made her exit.

By now, the sun dipped beneath the clouds. Crowe rubbed his head, swaying a bit.

"Well," said Zagiha. "Now what?"

"Let's rest," said Hana and Crowe in unison.

Hana looked at her uncle and rolled her eyes.

"I'll help you find the False One," said Crowe. "I didn't do anything to protect Silvio back then, but now I can. Will you let me?"

Hana rolled her eyes again. "… It's a start," she said. "Let's go back to the apartment and nap for a bit. Then we should get back to Minumna. You want to visit Astrid, right?"

Zagiha nodded.

"Speaking of Minumna," said Crowe. "I feel like we're forgetting something?"

Zagiha and Hana shrugged.

"Probably nothing," he said.

"Probably nothing," the other two echoed in agreement.

--

Zagiha entered the jailhouse, peering into cells as he walked the corridor. That wasn't him… no, he wasn't there, either. He was booked here, wasn't he?

Suddenly, he heard the most high-pitched, annoying string of screeches in his life, emanating from the cell catty-corner to him.

"… That's the call of the Tree Pipit," a familiar voice trailed after it. "Its scientific name is Anthus trivialis. In Eastern Gesmauran, we call it metsäkirvinen. Say it with me, okay?"

"… There you are." Zagiha stopped in front of the cell and crossed his arms. On the other side was Mica, making shadow puppets for two burly men beside him.

"Oh, Your Holiness!" said Mica with a bright smile, "so kind of you to remember me after three days."

"Don't get snarky, Mocha," Zagiha sighed. He produced a set of keys, placing one in the lock. "Do you know how many strings I had to pull to get the charges against you dropped? You destroyed the barrier, incited public mayhem, and assaulted multiple police officers!"

"He's an inspiration to us all," said one of Mica's cellmates, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Oh! Have you met my new friends?" Mica asked. "This is Big Bubba The Punishment Man, and this is Axe Knife, but you can call him Jon."

"N-Nice to meet you," Zagiha stammered, trying not to make eye contact. It wasn't hard, because there were maybe three eyes between the two of them. "Anyway, I can't believe you don't even have any legal documents! You could've been deported, and we only didn't because we had no idea where to send you! But lucky you, you have the literal Law God as your lawyer. Let's get you out of here." He opened the door.

"Hmm, but this is such a nice place?" Mica replied. "There's a bed, a yard, and three square meals a day. I don't know what's in 'em, but that's never stopped me before. And everyone is so nice! Prison is so nice!"

"I can never tell if you're being sarcastic, or if you're just stupid. Come on. Up and at 'em." Zagiha grabbed Mica's arm and yanked him out, slamming the door shut before the other two could make a run for it.

"See you on the other side!" said Axe Knife.

"Be free as the birds you love, Little Red Cop-Puncher!" cried Bubba.

"Moi-moi!" said Mica as Zagiha led him outside.

"I got your damn dogs from the pound already," said Zagiha, massaging his temples. It was already dark out, but the city lights blotted out the stars. Even now that the immediate danger passed, only a few people ventured out into the nightlife to grasp any speck of normality they could. "They're in Minumna. And, listen…" He sighed. "Thank you."

"Thank you?" Mica echoed, sounding as though he were surprised at Zagiha's sudden attention to manners.

"What's with that tone…? Ugh, never mind. As I said, thank you. You don't have a stake in this conflict at all, but you still brought Hana back to Modrica. And without her—to be honest, I don't know if I'd have had the heart to use my light beam on the city, but if you all didn't stop me, I would've found out." They crossed a bridge, heading into the downtown district. Zagiha snatched his ponytail and stuffed it under his hat, keeping a low profile. "Do you drink, Rebane?"

"Socially," Mica replied.

"How about I treat you to a pint for your troubles?"

"All right."

Zagiha led him down the main drag, suddenly ducking into a back alley and entering a musty dive bar. There were few customers inside.

"Isn't this a little low class for you?" asked Mica.

"Shut up. It's best I stay out of the public eye for now. What do you want?"

They ordered their beers and sat down at a table in the back, far away from the other patrons. And the both of them stayed there, nursing their drinks in awkward silence. Finally, Zagiha set down his stein and broke the ice.

"… This was Astrid's favorite beer," he said, watching the amber liquid slosh around.

"How is she doing?"

He shook his head. "There's nothing more that can be done."

"I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Save your canned platitudes for someone else," said Zagiha, taking a deep swig. "It's best not to humiliate her by keeping her body alive any longer…" He shook his head. "And of course, the last memory I have of her is us fighting." His fingers curled around the stein. "If I could go back in time, I would've been kinder."

"Yes," said Mica. "You should have been kinder."

Zagiha didn't even let his temper flare. Perhaps he was surprised a Worker said that directly to his face, or maybe there was a part of him that appreciated Mica's honesty, but he just silently agreed. "You're a strange one, Nico," said Zagiha.

"I'm the strange one?" Mica took a sip. Compared to Zagiha, Mica's handling of the drink was much daintier, almost graceful, even. "Isn't it the other way around?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sorry, sorry." Mica took another sip. "I'm just tryna figure you out, is all. The destruction of this world is preordained, right? You said so yourself. Why would you, the God of Justice, go against your nature and rebel against justice from the very heavens themselves?"

"Hmm." Zagiha shrugged. "I guess that's where the Truth part of me comes in? You can say I'm living my truth."

"I don't get it?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

"Ah, yes! I love Papa, and my dogs, and all my friends…"

"No," Zagiha huffed. "Not that kind."

"Ohhh." Mica smiled. "No, I haven't."

"Then that's why you don't get it. Everything I do, I do for love."

"And that's another thing that's strange about you," said Mica. He reclined in his seat, folding his hands in his lap as he studied Zagiha. "You broke one of the laws of the Gods and got your ability to fall in love back. Why would you do such a thing? I mean, you're immortal, and it's traditional for a God to marry a human, yes? If you fell in love with a human, you'd have to watch them grow old and die. You'd never be with them for long. And eventually, their memory would fade. Even if somehow they became a God themselves… you know what would happen."

"…" Zagiha slammed his stein on the table and met Mica's eyes, staring into them. "How do you know that?" he asked. "We keep humans in the dark about that for a reason."

"I know all the secrets of the Gods," Mica replied, unperturbed. He reached for his ale once more, but Zagiha stopped him.

"Rebane…" His voice dropped. "… Who are you?"

"Answer my question first."

Zagiha sputtered a bit, taken aback at Mica's uncharacteristic gruff statement. He took out his handkerchief and dabbed at the beer around his lips, waiting for Mica to crack and answer first, but he didn't. "You've got a chip on your shoulder, don't you?" he huffed. "Fine. Love, Michael, isn't something you can explain logically. It's the most wonderful feeling in the world."

"A moment of fleetin' pleasure versus an eternity of grief?"

Zagiha sighed. "I've lost so many people in my life already," he answered quietly. "Obviously, I'm dealing with that right now." His handkerchief moved up to his eyelids and he sniffled, regaining his composure. "I don't know what compelled me to make this decision in the first place, or… maybe I do. I didn't want to lose my humanity. If I couldn't relate to humans anymore, what use would I be to them? Back then, I didn't think I'd actually fall in love. But when the block was removed, and I stared into her eyes, I knew." His lips parted into a thin, melancholy smile. "I love this world and I want to protect it, but there's someone I love more than anything else."

"And it's not Astrid, is it?" Mica took another sip.

Zagiha faltered. "I love Astrid so much," he said, "but is it that obvious?"

"… You can't."

"I know." He sighed. "But to put it simply, if humans can keep having an impact on me, I'll treasure them even through my grief. And that I prefer to becoming a husk of myself like so many other Gods do as they age."

"I see." Mica's beer was only a quarter full by now. Zagiha didn't know when he drank it all. "I'm satisfied by that answer, so I'll entertain you. Who I am is Micaiah Rebane. Oh! But most people just call me Mica."

Zagiha scowled and went back to swigging his own beer to catch up with his companion. "I sense that's… technically not a lie, but that's not the whole truth, is it?" He crossed his arms. "You're not really an amnesiac, are you? You know damn well who you really are and where you came from."

Mica broke out into a chuckle, but his laughter didn't come from a place of joy. It was a sensible, you-got-me sort of chuckle one would make when they were caught doing something they shouldn't. "And just when I thought your reputation as the cleverest of Gods was undeserved," he chortled.

"Why, you--!" Zagiha wasn't as amused as Mica was. "Why did you lie? You would've been accepted into the community if you were honest! Hana and… everybody else, really—they don't deserve that. Say what you want to about my faults, but at least I'm genuine."

"I come from a difficult situation," said Mica. He finished his beer and smirked. "It was necessary to become a different person."

"No, it wasn't! There's no good reason for doing that!"

"… It's because, Your Holiness," Mica cut him off, "I did something unforgivable."

Zagiha froze. Mica's eyes shone bright and doe-like, but beneath his façade of cheerful innocence laid an inscrutable, ice-cold expression. This was a dangerous person. He was like the butterflies he loved so much, Zagiha thought. Mostly the monarch. Beautiful beyond measure, but poisonous. Mica was definitely not the affable airhead he made himself out to be.

He knew it all along. But what would he tell Hana? Or should he tell her at all?

"I know what you're thinkin'," said Mica, "but the thing I did isn't somethin' you'll find in any lawbooks. Besides, I killed the old 'myself' a long time ago. The kindest thing to do is to let that person rest. And even now, this version of 'me' is very tired. I don't mean any harm. My wish is to live free of the shackles that bind me. Now then." He stood up and pushed in his chair. "That beer sure was tasty! It really hit the spot! Will you be joinin' me on the train back to Minumna?"

"A-Ah," Zagiha sputtered, "yes." For once, he found himself without a witty retort. They walked in silence back to the train station. He looked around. The walls were littered with bullet holes and some areas were still cordoned off, but it was operational. He bought Mica a ticket as well as his own, barely catching the train before it pulled out.

"When is Astrid… you know?" asked Mica.

"You can say the term 'life support,' you know." Zagiha didn't want to be around Mica any longer. "… In three days. If the train's delayed, I'll just fly the rest of the way." He folded his hands together. "I really wish… I really wish it didn't turn out this way."

"I see."

"I was so mean to her. She had such promise as a lawyer. Even if there's nothing between us now, I'm sure she would've had a very happy life. I would give up my own Godhood and every last coin I owned if she could be happy." He turned away so the other boarders wouldn't see him upset.

"Do you mean that?" asked Mica.

"With all my heart. I wish for her happiness."

"You're a good person, Your Holiness," said Mica. "I guess I can see the value in this love of yours. My condolences." He tipped his headband. "If you'll excuse me." Mica walked away, entering the Workers' railcar.

Zagiha entered his own first-class roomette and sprawled across the berth. He didn't understand what possessed him to take the train in the first place. His portals were near instant. Mica's spell on him was so strong he wasn't thinking in practical terms.

But he didn't want to waste his money, and maybe some quiet would do him a world of good. He flipped over onto his back and took out his Message Crystal. Normally, this would be the time he spent the next five hours chatting Hana up and haranguing her about every detail of his day, but now, he drew a blank. He decided to just send her a text instead.

What should he say? Should he tell her about the grim side of Mica he saw tonight? That he wasn't the sort of person she should get involved with? At the same time, though, he detected no lies from him. His words sounded genuine when he stated he had no desire to hurt others.

But… he did something unforgivable that wasn't a crime? What did he mean by that? Zagiha wracked his mind trying to find the answer. The best he came up with was he abandoned his family, but Mica was rather young to have one in the first place, and moreover denied feeling romantic attraction to anybody. While the boy came off as a moron, he had a form of bizarre cleverness that eluded him. Zagiha was too straightforward to manipulate people, so Mica had him outwitted on that front.

--Eh, so he was shady. But he WAS helpful, so Zagiha decided it was best to keep him as a tentative ally for now. He had a feeling he should have Mica as a friend instead of an enemy anyway. It wasn't like he was in any position to judge people based on their past.

Got a train for your psychopathic boyfriend. Also got a little tipsy and somehow ended up riding it too. I'll be late, but if things go back-asswards let me know and I'll get here ASAP.

He wasn't the least bit drunk. Astrid only drank light beer, after all. It was just an excuse he gave himself to explain his strange behavior. He put the Message Crystal back and closed his eyes. He didn't have any work to do for once. That was a new one. Maybe he'd try sleeping again.

Zagiha could never be more than five seconds without something to preoccupy his time, though, and he soon found himself flipping through the inservice menu to order a late-night coffee to his room. It wouldn't do any good to sleep. He had a million things going on in his mind at once, and all of them upset him. He wasn't one to turn his brain off and stop worrying.

Now he understood why he decided to ride the train. In his mind, it was a way to stave off the inevitability of Astrid's death. As soon as he set foot in Minumna, the reality of the situation was set in stone.

He was still weak, but maybe there was something worthwhile in weakness, too.

Zagiha was about to contact the steward service when a loud commotion erupted outside his door. Footsteps pounded past him and down the aisle into the next railcar. He shot up lightning fast, alarmed.

Did Unforgivable terrorists sneak on the train? Was it being hijacked?

He flung open the door and ran after the procession of train staff, entering the Worker's car and joining the scene where several people gathered around the lavatory.

"… Ah, I'm sorry."

That was Mica's voice. He sounded poorly.

Zagiha cursed his shortness, unable to look over everyone elses' heads and see what was going on. Finally, he managed to jimmy his way into the throng and poke his face between a couple people.

Mica sat laid up against the wall, pressing an ice pack to his head. A clammy pallor replaced his usually rosy cheeks.

"… I thought he had been in the restroom a while, so I went to check on him," a Worker explained to a steward. "And when I opened the door, I found him passed out. I could've sworn he wasn't breathin'!"

Passed out?

Was he that drunk?

No, nobody in the world was that much of a lightweight. And he hadn't slurred his words or stumbled over his steps earlier, either.

"I'm very sorry to cause a scene," said Mica. He tone sounded more detached than ever. "I suffer from low blood pressure, and I stood up too fast…"

"I'm a nurse!" said a Sorceress who, like Zagiha, had also come to check out the incident. "Is it okay if I check you over?"

"U-Uh!" Mica waved his hands in front of him. "Don't worry about me! I don't want to cause trouble for such a pretty nurse when she's off-duty…"

"Can I at least check for any injuries?"

"Please, please. I'm fine. No need. I'll be all better if I get a glass of water."

"But…"

"A glass of water, please." Grabbing onto the wall, Mica pulled himself up.

Zagiha frowned. That was a bold-faced lie, but he decided it wasn't important enough to call him out for. Sharing that you're sloppy drunk with a bunch of strangers had to be embarrassing, right? He couldn't watch him in such a sorry state. He pushed his way through the crowd and grabbed Mica's arm.

"You need to lie down," he said, dragging him back to the first-class car.

"Sir!" said the steward, "Worker's aren't allowed on…"

Zagiha puffed up his chest and squared up against him. "Well, the seats in the Worker car don't recline, do they? Do you want him fainting again? I paid for my cabin, so I'll do whatever I want with it!" He didn't give the steward a chance to respond. He led Mica to his cabin and had him lie on the bed.

The steward, having decided he wasn't paid enough to argue with him, brought some water a few minutes later.

"Sober up, Rico," said Zagiha, shoving it in his face.

"I'm not drunk," said Mica, taking a few gulps. "As I said, I have health conditions…"

"Sure, sure." But then he got an awful thought. "Do you think the bartender spiked your drink with something?"

"Hmm…" Mica set the glass aside. "That's possible. I don't suppose you put him up to it?"

"G-Guh?" Zagiha sputtered. "I'm not that sort of person!"

"Oh, I'm just kiddin'." A foxlike grin parted his lips. "Just pokin' some fun since you seem keen to get me in bed. I'm very flattered, but unfortunately, I don't swing that way."

"Go to bed, Rebane," huffed Zagiha, cheeks bright red. Once again, Mica managed to divert suspicion away from him, and the God knew he was outmatched.

--

They were late…

Hana put a pot of tea on the stove. Pops snoozed in his armchair, no longer able to stay awake after waiting so long in the night for Zagiha and Mica's return. The dogs were dropped off this morning, so the train must have arrived. And Zagiha hadn't texted, either, which was out of character. Where were they?

A few knocks pounded at the door. Hana abandoned the pot and opened it. Ah, there they were. Wait…

Mica was slung across Zagiha's shoulder, the color drained from his face, breathing heavily. He looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

"Zagiha? Mica? What happened?" stammered Hana.

Pops shot up at the mention of Mica and grabbed his walking stick, limping over to them.

"He's been ill since we got on the train," said Zagiha. "He said it was his blood pressure, but he's just gotten worse!"

"Blood pressure?" echoed Pops. A look of confusion passed over his face, and then… "Oh, right, his blood pressure! He has problems with it, you know."

Zagiha and Hana raised their eyebrows at the same time. Nothing about that sentence sounded convincing.

"Thank you for getting him back to me," said Pops. He took Mica from him and laid him down on the couch. So that's why they were so late. Hana didn't waste any time. Looking through the medicinal herbs they kept in the cupboard, she slapped some together and ground them up into the tea, creating a slapdash anti-fever medicine. She felt terrible. It's not like she would've known he had health problems, but to push himself so hard for her sake! He was just like Silvio. She poured some of the tea into a cup and held it to Mica's mouth.

"Drink," she commanded, and Mica obeyed, sputtering in disgust when the concoction passed through his lips.

"That's awful," he said.

"How did this happen, Mica?" asked Pops.

"Sorry, Papa." Mica took another sip and shriveled his nose up. "I haven't worked this hard in many years."

"Ah…" Pops' expression went blank again, but then he seemed to understand what it was Mica was trying to explain to him. "I see. Let's get you in bed later."anaH

Something about the way they worded it concerned Hana more than it ought to. It wasn't a… natural conversation. That was the only way she could describe it, and based on Zagiha's face, he was thinking the same thing she was. She didn't know how one family could be so hospitable yet secretive.

"Oh, good," said Mica, cutting off her train of thought. "I haven't slept in days. The beds in jail are just mats a few centimeters thick. And then when I tried to sleep on the train, His Holiness ended up dozin' off next to me…" He smirked. "And I can't say I mind bein' little spoon sometimes, but you can't sleep when you're bein' squeezed to death!"

"I-I do not squeeze people in my sleep!" Zagiha sputtered.

Oh. He did. He definitely did.

Mica turned to Hana and offered a halfhearted smile-and-bow combo. "Sorry, Hana. I wanted to be your ride to and from the Temple tonight, but as I am right now…"

"Who said you're allowed to come with?" snapped Zagiha. "I'm the one who's supposed to be there for Astrid, and…" He frowned. "Actually, can you come with me, Hana? I don't want to do anything stupid again."

"Of course. Do you want me to be in the room with you?"

"No, that's fine. Just… promise me you'll be right outside."

"I promise." She caught Mica's teacup as it slid from his hands and set it on the endtable. He was nodding off to sleep. She was very worried about him, and it was hard choosing which friend she should help, but Mica had his father to care for him while Zagiha had nobody. She would come back to check on him as soon as their somber business at the Temple was wrapped up. "We should leave so he can get some rest," said Hana to Zagiha.

He grimaced. "… I guess there's no putting it off any longer. Let's go."

Promising to bring back more medicine for Mica when they came back, they left the secluded homestead and headed down the dark forest path to the mountain where the Temple was built. They didn't say anything. Hana noticed Zagiha dragging his feet. She stopped when he fell behind, flinching when he grabbed her hand. She wished she could see the look on his face, but she relaxed, holding his hand back. Her heart skipped a beat—no, no. She shouldn't be catching feelings when they were on their way to see Astrid draw her final breath.

No, no.

She didn't have feelings for him. Of course not. He was the exact opposite of the type of person she ought to have feelings for. She was just concerned for him, is all. It was natural to be concerned for a friend, right?

They reached the Temple in the dead of night. Rory waited for them at the entrance, accompanied by a few of Rirasiru's priests. He bowed and wordlessly let them inside, leading them to the medical wing. There they found themselves in a sort of reception area where an older couple sat, crying softly to each other. From their age and looks, Hana deduced they were Astrid's parents. Zagiha and Rory awkwardly took their seats as well, while Hana chose to give them their space.

After what seemed like hours, the doctor came out, clutching his chart. He wore a smile on his face.

Seriously? She knew some people laughed when they were nervous, but weren't doctors supposed to have bedside manner?

"Hello, everyone," he said, clearing his throat. "In the last few minutes, there was a sudden change in Astrid's status."

"What do you mean?" asked Astrid's father.

"A miracle!" His grin grew brighter. "A miracle has happened! She suddenly started waking up!"

"What?" Zagiha sprang out of his seat. "But you told us she wouldn't!"

"It's completely unprecedented," he gushed. "These sorts of things just don't happen. Nothing can heal patients like Astrid except for divine intervention. Perhaps Lord Rirasiru is looking out for us, after all." He reined himself in. "… We still have to assess the level of disability she's suffered, though. I can't promise you she's the same person."

"Doctor!" A nurse rushed in. "You won't believe it! She's conscious and speaking!"

"What? Really? Already?"

Astrid's mother had her hands pressed to her mouth, tears streaming down her face. "Can we see her?" she asked.

"I think that would be okay," said the doctor. "But let's not overwhelm her."

"You can go first," said Zagiha to the parents. They left, and once they were gone, he collapsed to his knees, sobbing.

"Why are you crying?" asked Hana. "Isn't this a good thing?"

"I'm crying because I'm happy," he said, wiping his tears away. "I'm so relieved. I have so many things to be happy for right now, I can't stand it!"

Astrid's parents reemerged.

"What's wrong?" asked Zagiha.

"She asked to speak to you alone," said the father.

He stood up. "Yes, of course." He turned to Hana. "Please wait for me," he said, and disappeared behind the door. But he was such a loud mouth everyone could hear their conversation, anyway.

"Hello, ma Cherie," he said, taking a seat by her. Her head was almost totally bandaged and her face a bit sunken in, but she was awake and aware. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Hold me," she said. Her voice was hoarse and raspy. "It's hard moving my body right now, so…"

He did as he was told, holding her tight. "We haven't been this close since… since our honeymoon, I think," said Zagiha. "I was a fool not holding you like this every second I got."

"You're a fool in general," she replied. Astrid pursed her lips, thinking of how she would say what she wanted to say. "I don't really remember what happened the night I was attacked." She exhaled slowly. "But I remember you tried to help me. Thank you for being there for me even if we're not together anymore. And… I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" He shook his head, voice raising a few notches. "I'm sorry! I was terrible to you, and while you were unconscious, I realized… there's not enough time. There's not enough time in the world to be terrible to anyone, especially to those you're supposed to love."

She laughed. "You finally got it. Took you long enough."

"I'm sorry for neglecting you. Now that I'm out of work, I realize it's not the most important thing in the world. You were. I'm sorry for pushing you away. When we got married, I grew complacent, and then I started being afraid of you seeing my flaws when I wasn't putting in one hundred percent, so I pushed you away. And I still showed you my flaws anyway."

"I wish you would've been vulnerable around me. I knew you were trying way too hard while we were dating."

"Well, why wouldn't I?" He laughed, brushing away a few more errant tears. "When I first met you, I liked you right away. I knew you were the person I wanted to marry. But then my insecurities got in the way, and I ended up losing you." Zagiha sighed, allowing for a few moments of poignant pause.

"I just felt like you didn't value me," said Astrid. "I think we could've worked through your insecurities together if you just reached out."

"Hindsight's twenty-twenty, yeah?" He ruffled his fingers through his hair. "And I'm sorry for calling you names when we thought."

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean it."

"Of course I didn't, but it doesn't change the fact I said it! You're not a bitch. You're not frigid. I know you didn't cheat on me. You're an amazing woman, and a fine attorney. You're not second-rate at all. The Gesmauran bar exam is purposefully designed to be obtuse and unwieldy. Most people don't pass on the first try, and the fact you did is fantastic. I'm really proud of you."

"I wasn't very good to you, either," said Astrid. With great effort, she stroked his hand. "When I think about it, the reason I wanted a baby right away was because I wanted to feel loved. I wanted someone to nurture and rely on me. But asking to sleep with someone else to get pregnant was unconscionable."

"That really hurt my feelings, you know?" Zagiha shook his head. "Like you, I felt like I wasn't enough. Like I was inadequate."

"I know." She breathed in. "I still love you. Can't we try again?"

Zagiha took his time in response. He stared out into the distance, then looked at her, and said: "Do you really want a baby?"

And Astrid knew what he meant by that. "Right now, probably not. But in a few years, yes. I do."

"You're going to make a man very happy someday."

"What? What do you…?"

He hugged her tighter. "I'm not a human. I couldn't give you a baby even if I wanted one. And I don't. It's not for me. I know I would make a terrible father, and that wouldn't be fair to the kid. And I love you so much, and I want you to be happy, so… so… I'm letting you go now. Live your life the way you want to."

"No. Please don't…"

"You know we have to part ways, right?" He gave her a pained smile. "I hope there'll be a time when we can be friends again, but for now, I'm going to work on myself a bit."

"I understand." Zagiha took his handkerchief and wiped her tears away as well. "But we'll always be friends. Can you kiss me one last time? After this, I can let you go."

"All right." He leaned in and kissed her on the lips, lingering for a few moments before breaking away. "Recover, and live well."

Smiling at her one last time, he waved and left the room, joining the others in the reception area. Of course, Hana heard everything. She didn't mean to eavesdrop, but the acoustics in the Temple were incredible. And… she felt glad he wasn't going to pine after Astrid anymore. Was that even an acceptable way to feel, or was she awful? The doctor was talking to Astrid's parents about physical rehabilitation, and Rory had gone to fetch them some water.

Zagiha approached her, and waved again.

"How'd it go?" asked Hana.

"Well… I got some closure," he said.

"And how do you feel?" she asked.

"Good," he said. "I feel good. We should find some medicine for Rebane, right? There might be an apothecary open in town."

"Ah… right. We need to help him still."

They left, out of the Temple and down the gondola where they sat side-by-side on the bench. Hana gulped. Her heart fluttered, her stomach tying itself in knots, and this time, she reached for his hand…

Only to be interrupted by the ringing of Zagiha's Message Crystal.

He opened the interface, jaw going slack at the caller ID.

"Prime Minister!" he exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Shh," came the voice from the other side. "They don't know I have this, and its magic supply is running low, so we have to be fast."

"Where are you?" Zagiha asked frantically. "We'll come rescue you."

"I wish I could tell you." The Prime Minister seemed to shift around on the other end, as if to hide the light of the Crystal. "They put a blindfold over me, and when they took it off, I found myself tied up in a cave."

"There's tons of caves in Gesmaura," said Zagiha. "That's not helpful."

"I know. But… look. I need you to do something for me."

"Yes, anything."

"If the troops from the south set foot in Gesmaura and retaliate against the Unforgivables, your curse will activate. But I think I know how to undo it."

"What? Tell me!"

"The constitution is kept in a vault in Somnambashna. I believe if you destroyed the document, the curse would be broken."

"I can't destroy the goddamn constitution!" Zagiha sputtered.

"You must. We have copies of the text. We an always make a new one. For the good of our people, do it!"

"Okay." Zagiha grit his teeth. "I don't even know if your hunch is right, but the lives of the people matter the most. I'll do it."

"Thank you. I leave this in your hands."

The interface blinked off.

"This is great!" said Hana. "We just have to go to Somnambashna, and…"

Zagiha's anxiety was palpable.

"What's wrong?"

"Somnambashna is Kaatsche's city, you know…" He bit his lip, shoulders tensing up in stress. "You know she hates my guts, right?"

"You could work together for Gesmaura, right?"

"No-no-no! You don't get it!" He shook his head frantically. "Kaatsche doesn't remotely care about the fate of Gesmaura. She's not like me. She literally hates me so much, she tries to kill me whenever we cross paths."

"Oh my Gods. What did you do to her?"

"Why do you assume if was me who—okay, it's a long story. But there is no forgiveness in her heart, and no empathy toward humans."

"So what? Am I going to waltz into Somnambashna and steal the constitution?"

"There's no way you could pull off grand theft constitution. We would have to… oh, no."

"What?"

Zagiha grumbled and groused. "… Nimhr," he said.

"Nimhr?"

"The God of Melancholy is the only ally we have in common. I'd have to convince him to convince Kaatsche. Gods help us all."

"Okay? Then call Nimhr."

"He always leaves me on read! I'd have to go to Tyressa myself."

"I'm coming with you."

"Huh?" He blinked. "Why not stay in Minumna where it's safe?"

"Isaana challenged me to figure out who is the False One. To do that, I need to meet the Gods. I have to save Silvio."

Zagiha nodded. "Got it. Then I guess you're coming with me. And we can look for him on the way."

She grinned at their mutual understanding.

Wait for me, Silvio, she thought. I'm coming to bring you home.