Marie-Fey sighed as she looked across the shadows to Nabeela. She couldn't decide if she was disappointed or not. Would she had preferred it if it had been Zaafira all this time?

Hmm, probably.

But that is was someone so innocuous was also somewhat disappointing in a way.

"Why are you so determined to kill me?" Marie-Fey asked folding her arms.

"It's not personal," Nabeela said.

"I didn't think it was for you. But it is for me seeing as it's my life. Explain."

"You wouldn't believe me."

"Is it about the curse?"

Nabeela looked openly surprised and Marie-Fey smiled.

"I'm not fan of them myself, but seems I cannot get away from them. What is the curse? Zaydan can't tell me, I hope you can."

"I cannot."

Marie-Fey sighed, pressing fingers her forehead and rubbing at the headache that was forming. "I've had quite enough of this. I'm still tired from my last jaunt through the desert. I take it that was your doing? Or your co-conspirators?"

"There are no co-conspirators, but yes it was me. They were greedy, and clearly useless."

"Oh, I'm sure they would have succeeded against someone lesser than I," Marie-Fey said with a dismissive wave of the hand. "But I cannot die."

Nabeela's eyes slowly widened and Marie-Fey laughed slightly. She had taken that statement for what it was. Well, after three attempts on her life, she was liable to come across as just a little special.

"You... cannot die?"

Marie-Fey just gave her a pretty smile. "So, you cannot tell me why you need to kill me. Why?"

"I... cannot remember," Nabeela muttered, looking at the dagger in her hand, then pressing her fist to her forehead. "I... it's... it's a blur. I do this again and again and again. I know I do. I know, I need to kill you but... the details are foggy... I just have to."

Marie-Fey raised an eyebrow. Like Zaydan then. Trapped by some inability to speak out. Zaydan had lost some memories and was punished when he remembered something. Nabeela's memories were blurred. She thought for a moment about her next question and how to phrase it.

"In a broader sense, why do you feel you have to kill me? I don't want a specific reason, just a feeling."

"It's... I don't know. It will... I hope it ends the cycle."

"The cycle?" Marie-Fey copied. The ghost had talked about ending a cycle as well. She had wanted Marie-Fey to leave and stay away, hoping that would break the cycle. Nabeela wanted to completely remove her from the picture to break the cycle. Her existence here was the problem then.

By why?

"Why did you kill all those girls?"

"I didn't!" Nabeela snapped, fury in her eyes. "I didn't kill them! It's him! it's always him!"

"Him? Who?"

"" Nabeela snarled and Marie-Fey visibly flinched, her eyes widening. When had she actually last heard the name of her husband? That word was never uttered anymore, it was more of a ghost then the ghosts who haunted her!

"Zahir?" she spat, staring, "He was here? He was at the palace?!"

"No!" Nabeela shot back, "He was not! He never is!"

"So, he sent word to have them assassinated?"

"No! No, you don't understand!"

"I would love to if only someone would explain it to me."

Nabeela snarled out a sound of frustration, pressing her fists to her face, the dagger dangerously close as she shook her head before her head snapped up to stare at Marie-Fey with wide, wild eyes.

"You don't understand! We cannot make it stop! Again and again and again! We can't escape! And we keep dying! We need to end the cycle! We need to end the—"

A gasp cut her off and she put a hand to her throat.

"But if you cannot die," she breathed.

"I wouldn't put your faith in that," Marie-Fey said, frowning. "Shall I just return to my homeland then, and never return?"

"But you have to die to stop it! If you are alive – if you are in this world – he can bring you back! You need to be out of his reach!"

"No," Marie-Fey said bluntly. "I'm not dying for you or anyone else here. If I have to find some other way to break this, so be it, but you get no sympathy from me and I'm not sacrificing myself for you."

"Then I must force the issue," Nabeela muttered, adjusting her grip on the dagger and Marie-Fey just smiled, spearing her arms out.

"Then by all means, you may try," she said.

The softest whisper of movement behind Marie-Fey made Nabeela freeze and shadows loomed over Marie-Fey's shoulder.

Marie-Fey's smile widened as guards separated themselves from the gloom, surrounding them and a hollow darkness filtered into Nabeela's eyes as she turned her back on Marie-Fey to look at the men behind her.

"So, you didn't come alone," she muttered.

Marie-Fey actually laughed. "Of course not!" she said, "Honestly I'm surprised you came after I put that little rumour around."

"It was a last-ditch effort," Nabeela muttered, "When I heard you were going to the capital again, I had to finish the job myself."

"My thinking exactly. I am going to the capital but before I left, I was putting an end to your antics once and for all. Nabeela, I am banishing you from this palace."

Nabeela's body tensed, shock radiating from her.

"I am throwing you to the streets. You will be escorted from this city, abandoned in another with nothing but the clothes on your back and whatever money you possess in your accounts. You're a Mistress, you are wealthy. I am sure you will do well. But if I ever see you again..."

Marie-Fey shrugged innocently and Nabeela stayed frozen with her back to her.

"You're let me go?"

"I am banishing you.

"Will... will you inform your husband?" she whispered.

"This is a matter of my palace," Marie-Fey replied right before a shadow detached itself from the darkness, so perfectly hidden before, Marie-Fey hadn't realised he was there.

Even the guards to either side of them jumped slightly at Zaydan's dark form, shrouded in black clothing, obsidian eyes an abyss in the night, watching Nabeela with a cold, detached gaze.

Feeling his eyes, sensing the ripple of tension that rolled through the hall, Nabeela's shoulder trembled as she slowly turned to face him.

"You're here," she breathed.

Zaydan didn't say anything, just continued to look at her, an emptiness in his gaze where so much warmth was usually seen.

"You saw it all," Nabeela said, and a sob caught in her throat.

Zaydan's nod was barely discernible, the movement so minuet, but tears glistened in Nabeela's eyes.

"Why did you have to return?" she whispered.

"We cannot escape our shadows," Zaydan replied. "I do not want your caught unawares."

"He'll come for me, I won't let him have me," Nabeela said, her voice suddenly strong and hard.

"Hold her!" Zaydan ordered and the guards lunged forwards, running past him and Marie-Fey down the hall. They converged on Nabeela from both sides and she turned her face slightly, her dagger raising high above her head as her wide gaze fixed on Marie-Fey.

"Don't become another ghost," she gasped, just as one of the guards grabbed her shoulder and she plunged the dagger down.

Zaydan's hand closed over Marie-Fey's eyes just before Nabeela plunged the blade down through her own eye, wrapping his other arm around her and pulling her back against his chest, bowing his head.

"You've witnessed enough trauma," he said gently, his voice loud even over the shouting of the men.

Marie-Fey held her body stiff, her nails moving back to grip Zaydan's clothing.

"Did she... did they stop her in time?"

"No," Zaydan muttered.

"Is she dead?"

"Yes."

Marie-Fey was silent for a moment, then took a slow breath. "Guide me," she ordered.

Zaydan didn't question her, nor did he misinterpret her instruction. He stepped back to give her space to walk, moving her so she would be walking closer to the wall and he between her and the rest.

Then he guided her down the hall, past the guards who silenced as they passed, on further until they were at the other end of the hall. Zaydan lowered his hands and stepped past her to walk up the stairs and push the trapdoor out of the way.

Marie-Fey stood at the end of the steps, listening behind her.

"Fey, don't," Zaydan said gently as he turned, holding out his hand.

But she did.

She turned to look the way they'd come.

And the corridor was empty.

Their men had worked quickly and efficiently and then left, leaving no trace of the death behind them, other than a few dark drops that stained the stone.

"Why?" Marie-Fey muttered.

Zaydan didn't answer and, eventually, she turned to him.

"Why did she do that?" she asked.

Zaydan's dark gaze moved past her to look down the empty hall. "Because sometimes death the only way to escape your shadows," he muttered.

Marie-Fey looked at him, then looked at the hand he still held out to her.

Looking back once more, she lifted her skirts, took his hand and went up the steps into the observatory.