Sleep did not come easy for Claire that night. She lay staring at the ceiling of her tent for what seemed like hours. Beside her, Tanaraq slept easily, her soft breathing the only sound aside from the steady, rhythmic beating of Claire's heart.

Her heart.

That was the source of her problems of that she was quite certain. She'd never felt so conflicted before, so twisted up and uncertain. What made it worse was that Claire wasn't quite sure what had her feeling this way to begin with.

She had ideas, of course, many of which she refused to entertain even for a short period. There was just no way that such notions were even plausible. It had only been a few days, she couldn't possibly... that sort of stuff just didn't happen in real life.

Claire kicked off the heavy blanket in frustration, regretting it almost immediately. The warmth the covering had offered evaporated quickly and was replaced by a bitter cold that crept over her like icy fingers.

Claire reached for the blanket, preparing to pull it up and over her head again in hopes that it would shut out her rampaging thoughts as well as the cold. Changing her mind, Claire sat up and reached for her coat instead. She slipped it on and then pulled on her boots as well. She kept her gaze locked on Tanaraq, doing her best to be as quiet as possible so she wouldn't disturb the younger girl.

Once outside, Claire welcomed the cold and took a deep breath.

The storm had passed and the sky overhead was clear and littered with thousands upon thousands of twinkling stars. Claire found herself seeking out familiar constellations, but there were none to be seen. It was just another stark reminder that while this place held similarities to her world, it was not the same.

"Claire?"

She turned, surprised to see Alek standing a few feet behind her. Her confusion lasted only a few seconds, she had forgotten that Tanaraq had given everyone an assigned time to keep watch. Claire had requested one, but all of them, even Tanaraq, refused. Claire had crawled into her makeshift bed feeling useless. She supposed they had their reasons, but it still didn't make it any easier to sit by and do nothing.

"Hey," she said with a soft smile. "I couldn't sleep."

"You shouldn't be out here, it's cold," Alek stated.

"I realize that," she replied, feeling more amused by his overprotectiveness than annoyed. "I'm a big girl, Alek, I can handle a little cold."

Alek smirked and shook his head. "You're far too stubborn for your own good," he replied and turned back towards the starlit darkness. Claire joined him where he stood and lifted her eyes to the sky again.

Despite the foreign star patterns, Claire found them to be quite striking and strangely comforting.

"Just now I was thinking that even the sky is different here," Claire commented. She felt Alek shift beside her, could feel his eyes as he watched her, but she kept her own gaze fixed skyward. She wasn't sure she'd be able to speak if she looked at him now. "I know you think I should go back, and my mind agrees with you, but my heart... well that's an entirely different matter."

"When I decided to get on that train, it wasn't just to get the box from you," Claire continued, grateful he was choosing to let her speak rather than interrupt. "I needed to do it, for me. I was stuck, I just didn't know it. I can't go back to home, not yet, not now that know there is so much more."

Alek was quiet for a long time and after a few minutes, Claire chanced a glance at him. She half expected to see that annoyed look in his eyes, that downturned expression on his mouth as he frowned. He was looking towards the sky, his eyes closed and a hint of a smile touching his lips. As though he sensed her watching him, he turned and their eyes met, the pale blue shimmering like silver in the starlight.

"Alright," he said at last, his smile growing.

"Alright?" Claire asked, not quite understanding, or perhaps just surprised by his easy acceptance.

"Yes, alright," Alek repeated, his smile shifting into a grin. "I won't argue with you about going back. For one thing it's too tiring, and secondly... I think Draz might miss you too much."

Claire's lips parted in preparation for a witty retort, when a star, burning hot and bright white, flared brilliantly across the blue-black horizon.

"Make a wish," Alek said absently and Claire couldn't help but smile.

The stars here might have been different, but their meaning was the same. Closing her eyes, she made a wish and hoped that somehow it would find a way to come true.

The next morning arrived cold and clear and, most importantly, without incident. A soft northerly wind had blown away the remnants of the vanquished shades, and with it the fear. That did not mean the group dropped their guard. In fact, quite the opposite. Two people walked the perimeter while the rest of them gathered up the tents and remaining supplies into the remaining sleds.

Claire was checking the ties on the supply sled when a shadow fell over her. She turned and was surprised to see Draz hovering close by. He hadn't spoken to her since the previous evening when she had returned the unopened bag to Alek. In fact, he hadn't spoken to anyone. He had barely eaten which was quite unlike him, and had even retired early to his tent.

At first Claire had been bothered by his silence, finding his anger at her, at any of them, to be unfair. After some thought, however, Claire decided that whatever the reasons behind his behavior, Draz had to sort through them for himself.

"Need any help?" Draz asked quietly.

Claire glanced at him and shook her head. "No, thank you, I'm nearly finished."

"Alright," Draz replied, absently rubbing the back of his head. His dusty blonde hair was a disheveled mess, which was not unusual, and his slate gray eyes couldn't seem to find a place to settle.

"So what's the deal with you two?" Claire asked. The silence between them had grown awkward and she had hoped the question would break the tension. Draz's expression grew sour and he scowled.

"That's really not any of your-"

"Business, yeah I know," Claire interrupted before letting a heavy sigh. "Nothing here is my business, Draz, but I thought we were friends."

"We are, it's just... it's complicated," Draz said with a deep sigh of his own. He leaned against the sled and kicked at the ground.

"Whose life isn't?" Claire replied. "Do you think mine is simple? That stunt you pulled last night made you look like a jerk. A big jerk. I just don't get it."

"Fine, alright," Draz said at last. "Alek and I, we went to the academy together."

"Academy?" Claire asked curiously.

"Yeah," Draz offered with a casual shrug. He was picking at one of the leather straps, his eyes focused on his feet. "Magic is everywhere in this world, Claire, but not everyone is capable of manipulating it. Those that have raw talent are eligible to study at the academy. Everyone is accepted, no one is ever turned away regardless of wealth or titles, or their lack of such things."

"Prince or pauper, it didn't matter, and that's just what Alek and I were," he said, no malicious or bitterness in his tone, "Alek was the youngest son of a noble family, he knew all the right people and said all the right things. Then there was me, the street urchin with a knack for picking pockets and swiping purses."

"Is that why you hate each other?" Claire asked with a frown. She liked to believe Alek wasn't so pretentious as to behave in such a manner. That belief served as a stark reminder that whatever her feelings, there was much about the stoic gentleman she still did not know.

Draz laughed and shook his head. "We don't hate each other, Claire, though I can't rightly say I'm fond of the man either. I told you, it's all very complicated."

"Alek, was under a lot of pressure from his parents to be successful," Draz explained, "his father was a Master Magician who worked as advisor to the late king. He expected his son to follow in his footsteps. It might be hard to believe, but magic didn't come easily to Alek, he had to study hard to master the simplest of spells, but he never let that slow him down. He struggled, of that there is no doubt, but the moment it clicked, he quickly rose to the top. Everyone hated him for it, not me, I pitied him."

"Pitied? Why?" Claire asked.

Draz lifted his hand, soft violet flames snaking gracefully between his long fingers. "Not to brag, but I'm a natural. You see Claire, magic is alive, I can feel it moving through me and around me, I'm in touch with it on a physical level. To me, magic, it's like breathing, it's a part of who I am. I don't try to bend it to my will, I let it use me, but for Alek it is a tool, something to be manipulated and contained. I bet you- "

"What you are describing is just an excuse to ignore technique and avoid proper form. Your recklessness and lack of self discipline, Draz, are exactly what got you kicked out," Alek interjected causing both of them to turn in surprise. Alek was striding towards them his expression dark. Claire wondered just how much of the conversation he had heard before interrupting. She didn't quite understand why she suddenly felt guilty, as though they'd been caught with sneaking cookies before dinner.

"If you are quite done spinning pointless yarns, I need a moment to speak with Claire," Alek said, his gaze locked on Draz. The other simply shrugged and crossed his arms loosely in front of him. Draz casual pose suggested he didn't care, but Claire could tell by the tightness of his jaw that Draz was quite angry.

"What about?" Claire asked.

Alek didn't answer her. No real surprise there. Instead he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away from the sled and her brooding companion.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Claire demanded once they had stopped.

"If you are going to stay here, we need to lay down some ground rules," Alek stated. "First rule, you are not allowed to talk to Draz about me."

"But-"

"Second rule, you are not allowed to go wandering off on your own," Alek continued, ignoring her protests. "You must always be accompanied by either myself, or Draz, am I understood?"

"Yes, but-"

"Thirdly, you must not speak of our recent activities to anyone, and should anyone ask, you are traveling for the first time and spent your days prior living a quiet life far from the city," Alek concluded. "Do you think you can follow these rules?"

"Yes," Claire said.

"Good," Alek replied, his tone curt.

He turned to leave and Claire grabbed his arm. "Wait," she said. She felt him stiffen but did not release her hold. Her heart had begun galloping in her chest and she feared that it would burst out if she didn't take measures to rein it in.

"Was something I said not clear?"

"Yes, I mean, no, it was clear," Claire replied. Alek tried to pull away, but Claire's grip tightened. "What the hell is your problem? What did I do to make you so upset?"

Alek looked back at her in surprise, his blue eyes growing wide and his expression softening. Her hold on his arm relaxed slightly, but not completely. She was afraid if she let him go he'd be carried away by the breeze.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just don't understand why you're being so cold."

"I..." Alek looked uncertain, an expression that Claire found to be quite unsettling. "Nothing, you did nothing wrong Claire. I saw you two talking and I..." he paused, his gaze shifting, "honestly, Claire, I don't know. I can't explain it. I don't know the right words because, I've never felt this way before. Part of me wants to hold you close, and the other half wants me to push you as far away as possible because I am dangerous."

He turned away, his shoulders dropping. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

"What? What wasn't supposed to happen?" Claire felt the like the world had been flipped upside down and while everything else was falling around her, she was stuck, her feet glued to the floor.

Alek turned back and took a step closer, his hands reaching to grasp her shoulders. She felt his fingers tensing, and for a moment she was lost in the cool, clear depths of his eyes. Her heart went still and she waited with baited breath. For what, she had no idea.

Before he could say any more, before either of them could act on impulse rather than common sense, a sharp whistle broke through the clear morning air and shattered whatever strange spell had fallen over them. Alek immediately released her and Claire stepped back.

"I think it's time to go," Alek said quietly.

"Yeah, I think so too," Claire replied, unable to quell the disappointment swelling in her chest.

Alek lingered a moment longer and then started back in the direction of the sleds. Claire watched him in silence, her heart having resumed its frantic beating. She had no idea what had just transpired, and she wasn't certain she'd ever quite understand it.

Rather than try to make sense of it, Claire followed after him, oblivious to the insidious hitchhiker which had peeled itself from her shadow and slithered away.