Sebastian

whispering to the dark side of the human heart until Ephemera changed itself to resonate with those hearts and became a dark, terrible place. But It would leave some threads of Light in those reshaped landscapes. After all, It could not crush hope if none existed. It could not devour kindness if there was no kindness left. It could not devastate love if no love could bloom. Yes, It would keep trickles of Light in Its Dark landscapes so Its prey would remain a delicious feast. But the Places of Light, those beacons of power… They had to be destroyed.
    The Dark Guides' leader, trembling with delicious fear, had reached through the twilight of waking dreams to tell It they had found a way to lure the True Enemy into their grasp. They would destroy her to prove they were friends. And when she was eliminated, the Places of Light she had hidden would be revealed once more—and It would devour them.
    Something shivered through It. Anticipation. Excitement. It wanted to be there when the Dark Guides destroyed her .
    Moving swiftly, It headed for the closest access point that would take It back to the Landscapers'
    School, where It could be sure of finding a way to reach the city in time to feel the True Enemy die.
    *
    Standing at the edge of Lee's island, Glorianna studied the land in front of her. On her left was a road leading out of Wizard City. Ahead of her was the eastern side of the city. East of that…
    Revulsion clogged her throat, her lungs. Made her heart heavy. She was still standing on the island, still, in a way, standing in Sanctuary. She shouldn't have felt the Dark emanation coming from that field, not until she'd actually stepped into the wizards' landscape.
    The wizards would want to use that field for Heart's Justice, would want her standing on that ground when she became the channel that would direct Ephemera for a specific purpose—to send someone to the landscape that resonated with that person's heart.
    Raising a hand, she waggled a finger. Lee immediately stepped up beside her.
    "This will do," Glorianna said softly. "But I need to go out there for a few minutes and connect with Ephemera in this landscape."
    "You'll be seen," Lee protested. "There's a wagon and riders coming through the gate right now."
    "But they aren't turning away from the road. They aren't the wizards, just ordinary folk. I have to know what I can work with."
    "You've got all of Ephemera to work with," he growled.
    Do IP She shifted her feet, started to take the step that would bring her into the wizards' landscape. Then she hesitated and turned to look at her brother. "Lee, there's something you have to do once this starts. It will be hard, but you have to do it."
    "What?" he asked warily.
    She looked toward the center of the island. She couldn't see the other woman, who was sitting in the enclosure, but she could feel the resonance of that heart. "Don't interfere with Lynnea's journey."
    Startled, he, too, looked toward the center of the island. "What about Sebastian? Once you begin Heart's Justice—"
    "Don't interfere with Lynnea's journey."
    Lee stared at her, understanding better than anyone else could—because he understood her. "Have you told her Sebastian's life is in her hands?"
    "No. It has to be her choice. And it has to be his."
    Lee closed his eyes. "We could lose him."

    "I know."
    He opened his eyes and nodded.
    "We're about to start a war," she whispered.
    "Just make sure you win the first battle."
    Turning away, she stepped off the edge of Lee's island—and almost cried out in dismay.
    Thick currents of Dark power crisscrossed this entire landscape, but the Light… Thin threads. Nothing more. Just enough to indicate the Light was sustaining—and was sustained by—some good hearts, just enough to keep the whole place from turning malignant. But not enough to provide any chance of change, of truly making the city a good place for people to live.
    The Dark Guides and the Eater of the World abhorred the Light. So why hadn't they snuffed out those currents of power completely?
    The obvious answer: because they needed those currents of Light. Why?
    That was something she would have to consider later. Now she had to travel lightly, be the channel for Heart's Justice.
    Ephemera, hear me. Listen to my heart.
    As she began to resonate, opening herself to the hearts around her, she felt a flickering response nearby.
    Turning her head, she stared at the wagon and riders still coming down the road. Hearts yearning