Starglow Basin bruja,

She pursues the sun with teeth, a single illuminant to be torn from existence, never again to look upon Safiya, nor spread its ugliness to the world. But the feckless woman lunges for her ally and Eset is compassed in battle bent jaws, put to rout against stone by the man who knew how to disarm. In the dim light she hears her breathing rupture and feels the scouring tangle of his limbs. She falls face to rock and endures his trounces, muffling snarls until they die out and her mind is shaken away.

The moon would be bright over Muat-riya tonight. The sound of water would be soft lapping. She would be smiling at her. A single day or two— that’s all I've had of you. We’ll never know what comes next. I'll never be able to tell you—

Tears like rime smear her vision, she has no other part of play now but the coward, surrendering to Soto’s rush, fatigued, pliable— desperate. “I— I will speak with Pharaoh. I will call off the attacks. I will do what you want. Anything you want.”

“Please. Please,” her wet eyes beg as much as her voice.

I want to live.