Caroline couldn't sleep that night. She lay under a light blanket atop a thin sleeping pad next to the fire, watching the flames slowly die down as her companions snores began to break into the silence. The witch wasn't fearful of what lay in the forest darkness. She had managed to create another forcefield of protection around them while maintaining it with a slow trickle of onya flowing from her. If her theory was correct, it should sustain throughout the night, protecting the group from any outside harm.
Caroline tossed and turned though, running over the events of the day in her mind so many times, it was impossible to break free of the cycle. After a time, her thoughts shifted to what lay ahead. Would she be able to tolerate traveling with Lucian, essentially leaving Ender behind? Would she be okay without Aniyoh to guide her? So much uncertainty filled her, as it had since arriving in Ibudal.
