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Countless titles were reinstated, traditional procedures were reviewed and compared with the documented practices in the scriptures, positions were assigned, young Earth Quatura were recruited for traditional roles in the Circle and young Air Quatura for positions on the Councils, and even clothing was reintroduced in a uniform and strictly traditional manner. All these matters took up the members’ time.

A tear rolled down Bayla's cheek.

Immediately, overwhelm crept up on me.

“I'm sorry...” I managed to say quietly. “Bayla...”

Bayla raised both hands and looked away.

“No. It's okay.”

She turned around and rushed through the rows of shelves, disappearing from my view.

This is what happened when I was too direct, when I couldn't estimate what my words might trigger in others. I just couldn't deal with other people's feelings. I wasn't made for that.

Somewhat at a loss, I looked at the Umbra literature.

What if we could find a way to use the dark practices to free Bayla's mother? What if I could use them to create a control stone... or to find the recipe...

A strange feeling of hope spread through me.

What if I could use it to create Salma? Nothing would bind me to the Councils anymore. I would be able to disappear from here and leave this godless town for good.

“Bayla.”

I hurried out of the lower part of the library.

She looked at me in alarm, but then turned her gaze back to the mysterious group portrait above the fireplace, which she had been staring at ever since she had discovered the woman who looked so much like her.

“I have an idea.”

To her, I probably sounded like an excited toddler. Something I had never been.

“We could try to save your mother.”

Bayla looked at me again.

“How do you imagine that?”

“Umbra.” I came over to her and sat down on the armchair beside her. “The dark practices could be the solution to all our problems.”

The words felt intoxicating.

“That sounds dangerous.”

I thought I detected concern in her voice.

She didn't know Umbra. And I shouldn't either. But here I was.

“I don't want you to take any risks for me,” she finally said, brushing the strands of brown hair from her wet cheek.

“I have nothing to lose there,” I insisted, quickly pushing the thought of those people aside. All they wanted was my power and my child. If I didn't fight back at some point, they would take everything and leave behind a lifeless body.

“Even if we did that, the two of us don't stand a chance.”

The two of us...

“Maybe you're right.” I stared at the Dragonfly Society logbook. “But we don't have to do this alone.”