Rolling my coin along my knuckles, I slowly walked down the hallway to the metal door.

She was here.

She was real.

The prophecies hadn't been fake, or misinterpreted.

But what to do?

Vim planned to lock her to this place. To keep her here.

He pushed those humans, those eastern girls, onto me… as to then push them onto her. As if to test her. But I saw through him. Hard not to.

He was planning on making her responsible for those humans. To make her feel as if she had a duty. As to keep her here. So that she'd be left behind, while he continued on his path.

And worst of all, from what I'd heard from the others, she too was seeing if she could live here. Judging us, just as we were judging her.

I had absolutely no doubt this Rennalee could live here amongst us. Even if her ears and tail were large and noticeable, we had other members who had to wear certain clothing as to keep hidden. It was nothing new. Plus I didn't think her being a predator meant anything either.

After all I was one. As was Merit. We were fine. The others fine around us. Over the years we've had hundreds of such people live amongst us with no issues at all.

Plus… supposedly she was nice? Cute? Adorable and gentle…?

I scoffed as I stopped rolling my coin. I slid it into the little slot on my belt, where I hid it and kept it safe, as I opened the metal door to the inner-housing area.

Shutting it behind me, I took a deep breath.

Yes. There was no doubt. Especially if she was the one from the prophecy. There was no question that she could live here with us, and be welcomed and then some.

But that was the issue.

That could not happen.

She cannot stay here.

Who knows what would happen if I allowed that to happen. How many prophecies would break if she separated from Vim…?

The mere thought of all the deaths and chaos that would ensue made me shiver something fierce.

Yes. This can't happen.

This means I'll have to act.

But how…? How did I ensure she didn't choose this place to make her new home…? And how did I do it in a way that didn't ruin everything?

Plus I had to do it while the protector himself tried to do the opposite.

Gods! I shouldn't be doing this alone. I needed help… but who could I ask?

Gerald. It'd have to be him. Maybe Merit too…

Wait, no… Merit loved Vim. And she was so weird sometimes, who knows what she'd do if she realized this was her. The one we've all been waiting for…

Reaching the first set of stairs, I climbed them slowly… as my heart began to beat rather wildly.

I was about to meet her. The one destined to marry the protector. The one said to lead us into the new world.

Celine should have been here. She should have been alive.

Or maybe her daughter… but Light was gone too. Likely dead as well.

Who then did she need to meet…? Supposedly she'd already met the Chronicler, but was she really suitable for this too? She was one of those failed saints. Not a real one.

Who did we have left that could work, then…?

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I slowed a bit, stopping at the top of the stairs as I realized we didn't have anyone at all suitable for this.

No more saints. No more great ones.

Randle maybe…? He knew of the prophecies. Knew them well. But he was so weird about certain things…

"Berri, maybe…?" I wondered. But I had no idea how to contact her. I wasn't even a hundred percent sure if she was still alive, for crying out loud…

Groaning a little, I snuck a finger into my belt to feel my coin. It didn't calm me down like it usually did.

Just great…

Did Vim know who she might be? I didn't think he did. As far as I was aware, as vowed, no one had told him of the prophecies. It was why only a few people had been told of them. Only those who had been trusted to keep it secret had been given the information. And even then, only certain ones. I myself only knew a few of them.

Staring down the hallway, where the hallway bent a little… I felt oddly sweaty.

She was here. Down that hallway. A few hundred steps away, and I'd knock on her door… and she'd open it.

And I'd meet her.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to just do my best. Somehow. I mean… I've had hundreds of years to have prepared myself, and I didn't feel as if I'd prepared at all!

She was going to be his wife. Our future leader. The solution.

I wasn't even really sure how she was those things, only that she would be them. And that was all that mattered.

What had Celine said… her actual words…?

Be her friend. Be kind to her. Watch over her, but only enough to keep her safe. Don't interfere with their relationship.

Let it grow naturally. Don't force it. Don't even think about what we know while near her, just in case she or he notices.

But at the same time… do everything I can to keep them together.

Which meant stop his schemes.

"Damn Vim…" I mumbled as I stepped forward, finding my nerve.

He must instinctively know, then. If he didn't know in full. For him to actually be trying to get her to latch onto a location, as to not latch onto him, was rather telling in itself. Vim never did that. He didn't force his will on anyone, ever, even when we needed him to. So for him to be actively trying to push her into staying here, to making this place as her home and to settle down and plant roots… was telling indeed.

That only further confirmed who she was to me, in my opinion.

He'd not do such a thing for anyone else. For anything else.

So…

Reaching the end of the hallway, I took a deep breath as I steadied myself.

I could smell her.

She smelled like the forests. In fact she kind of reminded me of the smell of home. It was strong enough to tell me she was indeed a predator, but at the same time it wasn't so startling or overpowering that it bothered me. I'd not have any trouble stepping into her room.

I tried to hear inside the room, but couldn't hear anything. No sounds. No voices, or breathing… was she asleep…? It was a little late, though not so late she should be asleep…

Reaching out, I knocked on the door. I did so gently, but firmly enough to wake her just in case.

Let's do this. For the Society.

For me. For all of us.

I heard splashing, and relaxed a little. So she had been in the bath!

How wonderful. I'll get to see her when she's almost defenseless, in a certain way… I almost felt sinful as I apprehensively waited, and then heard light footsteps.

Then the door unlocked… and slowly opened just enough to reveal a face.

An adorable one. With beautiful golden eyes, that pierced deeply… and right above them, a twitching ear that pointed directly at me.

"Yes…?"

Oh my gosh she even sounded adorable…! So this was what he liked! I couldn't blame him, at all!

Smiling gently at the woman, I did my best to not notice the dress she wore. It was soaked, clinging to her and see-through.

"Well, look at you! I must admit, you're exactly what I expected," I said, unable to deny it.

Rennalee opened the door fully as she stood up straighter. "Am I…?" she asked, a slight smirk tugging at her face. She seemed to find me interesting.

By the gods alive and dead she was cute indeed… she had a tail, a long one. It was swaying and coiling behind her as a cat's would. One that was watching a mouse with interest.

"So this is his type…? I admit, it makes sense," I said as I nodded.

"Excuse me…?" Her ears fluttered adorably as she narrowed her beautiful eyes at me.

Oh my! She didn't realize what I meant…! So neither of them had realized yet…? Surely not, right?

"Can I come in?" I asked, doing my best to not just reach out and hug our future savior.

"No."

Unable to contain myself, I exploded with laughter… and decided she was perfect.

Perfect for not just Vim, but all of us.

So I needed to be perfect too. And find a way to keep her from staying here…

I wasn't sure how I'd accomplish it, but there were ways. Surely. And I'd figure them out.

I will keep her with Vim. So that they could save us. No matter what.

We'd just met and I was already willing to bet my coin on her. Without a doubt. So I'd figure out what needed to be done, even without prophecies and saints if I had to.

Even if I had to banish her from Lumen to do it, I would.

A small price to pay to save the non-human race, after all.

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