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Yes. Unprovoked. That was the bad thing, ultimately. She was tired of that. Tired of being scared of the inevitable. The changes were coming, one way or another. She’d already come to terms with that fact by now.

Which meant that there was only one thing to do be done.

She had to provoke them. She had to take control.

That was what she’d been training for all these months, wasn’t it? It wasn’t for Gohvis’ sake. She didn’t care one whit about helping him “study their link” or whatever nonsense he’d spouted before.

She just wanted to feel some semblance of power over her own life again.

Her sweet Papa had offered her some of that, hadn’t he? When he certainly didn’t have to. The marriage offer that he’d turned down. She knew about it. He’d done that for her sake. To let her make her own decisions.

Oh, Papa...

Why had her mind gone to him now? Even with all the anger boiling up inside her, the heartache she felt was still there, as strong as ever. Lakefire, maybe even stronger.

She longed to see everyone again, but especially him. Moisture attacked her eyes, but she held it at bay.

The other half of her mind was staying focused, though. On her goal. On her foremost desire.

But where were her legs taking her? Her pace had quickened, somehow, and yet she still did not know where she was going? Did she even have a direction? Did she need one?

Yes. Yes, she did. And she knew it. Felt it.

There was a room ahead. Two halls down and on the right. On the other side of a wall. But this stone--agh, it was in the way. Was there no doorway? She felt all along the flat gray surface, feeling a frustration that she could not articulate. This stupid Library. Playing tricks. Making mazes.

“Having trouble?” came Ibai’s voice again, causing Emiliana to turn and see him following her, along with Chergoa.

Her voice was catching, though. The words didn’t want to come out. Or maybe she didn’t even know the right ones in the first place. Just anger.

He didn’t ask what she was doing. Bless him for not asking that. She wouldn’t have been able to answer. Instead, he stepped up beside her and touched the wall, too. “Library!” he called out. “Stop being mean! Help her out!”