Alaina picked up the strange gem. It looked almost like a ruby and had razor-sharp edges that would slice her fingers to ribbons if she wasn't careful. It felt surprisingly cool in her hand, which was odd, considering the heat outside. She felt its weight and the remarkable sense of well-being that seemed to radiate from it. It was the most comforted she'd felt since stepping into the Underworld.

"Looks like you'll be getting your deepest desire granted then." Cole grinned.

"How do I use it?" she asked. The light seemed to shift inside as she stared into the very center.

"Beats me. I've never been granted a wish like that." Cole said. So helpful. "But before you do use it, there's one thing we need to take care of first."

Alaina only barely paid attention as he walked behind the hellcat. There was the screeching sound of metal scraping against cobblestones and a loud clang rang out. Alaina peered around the hellcat just in time to see Cole locking the now-closed gates. She hadn't realized that the beast had come so far inside.

Then, she realized what that meant: they'd really done it. They'd closed the gates to the Underworld, and she could go home. She'd also be able to get her deepest desire to come true. All she had to do was figure out how she was supposed to activate this mysterious gem.

"Be careful with that." Jophiel told her.

Alaina nodded, vaguely turning back to look at the city skyline. She knew having something so powerful in a place like this was dangerous; the people around here weren't exactly renowned for their scruples. She found herself gripping the gem tighter, the edges pressing into her palm.

"Alaina," Jophiel said, dragging her attention back to him. "You know that nothing comes for free."

So that's what he was referring to. But of course magic always came with a price; she'd known that for years. And the price was almost always proportional to the magic being used. Something simple – like lighting a candle or two – might only cause a bit of fatigue. But something like granting a person's deepest desire? Who knew what kind of side effects that might have. But the idea of having the one thing she wanted most was just too good to pass up.

What would she wish for?

She thought about how her oldest sister had been whisked off to a life of luxury in the capitol with the prince. Her younger sister had been hand-picked to attend the most prestigious school in the realm; she had powerful magic that she was learning to manipulate in the most amazing ways. Alaina wasn't like either of her sisters. But now she could be. If that's what she really wanted.

Did she want that?

It might be nice to be waited on hand and foot, living in an extravagant house with her true love. It would definitely be easier than the life she'd been living. Even before her travels with Cole, her life wasn't exactly easy. It wasn't hard, and living by herself had been exceptionally peaceful. And she'd enjoyed working in the garden, even if the work was a little more intense than she'd like sometimes. As nice as gardening was, the thought that she might only have to do it when she wanted to instead of relying on it for her livelihood did have a certain appeal. But would she really want that? How much? And what would she have to give up in order to get it?

One of her favorite things about her life before she met Cole was that she lived alone. She could do what she wanted, when she wanted. She'd been able to pack up and leave with him on an adventure with no real planning needed. Having a houseful of servants just seemed so... busy. Confining. She could see living that kind of life for a maximum of two weeks before her deepest desire would be to be left alone.

What about having magic like her little sister? Alaina could do some magic, sure. But she was nowhere near as powerful as Candia. Candia had only been formally training for just over a year and already she was starting to make a name for herself throughout the kingdom.

If Alaina were really honest with herself, she'd have to admit she was jealous of the praise and attention heaped on her sister. Alaina's own magic was sporadic at best, and she just couldn't seem to get the hang of it. The last time she'd attempted to light a simple hearth fire, she'd almost ended up burning down the cottage.

But again, the idea of being the center of attention like her little sister just didn't appeal to Alaina. Still... it wasn't like she had to wish to be a prodigy or anything. She could just wish to be a magic user of average ability... And maybe she'd also wish to have the kind of magic that she could actually control. Fire magic might sound really impressive, but as far as she was concerned, it was completely overrated. Earth magic wouldn't burn a hole in her favorite shirt.

Alaina closed her eyes and felt the gem in her fist, focusing on its weight and the comfort it seemed to radiate. She thought about what she wanted most in the world, letting it fill her completely. A strange thought flashed through her mind: was this really her deepest desire? Or did she really, more than anything, just want to get out of here?

No.

She quickly pushed that thought aside.  Of course she wanted to leave this place. But she wanted controllable magic more. Besides, Cole had opened the portal that got them all to the Underworld. Surely he could get them all out again now that the gates were shut.

She redoubled her efforts, trying to picture nothing but her desire to have magic that was literally half as impressive as her little sister's.

There was a blinding light behind her eyelids and a tingling that ripped through her from her toes all the way up to the tips of her pointed ears. She thought she heard someone shout something. Jophiel, maybe? She couldn't tell. Then everything went black.

***

When Alaina woke up, she was laying on her back in the long grass. Cole and Jophiel were leaning over her, both looking worried.

"Did it work?" Alaina mumbled, squinting up at them. Did they have to stand right in the sun?

"I... well... it depends." Cole said slowly. "What exactly was that deepest desire of yours?"

He looked over at Jophiel, exchanging glances. As she watched them, it began to dawn on Alaina that something wasn't quite right.

The first thing she noticed was that the sun was too bright. And the sky was an actual shade of blue.

The second thing was that Cole's eyes weren't orange anymore. He didn't have horns, and neither he nor Jophiel had wings; they both looked like two average, everyday humans. Well, except for those anxious expressions they were wearing – those didn't strike her as being particularly average.

"Did I wish us out of Hell?" Alaina asked, heart already dropping. And here she'd been hoping for magic. Cole shook his head.

"After you lost consciousness, I carried you here." he told her.

"Oh." That caught Alaina off guard. So if she didn't wish them out of here, did that mean her other wish was the one that had been granted? Did that mean...?

Alaina took a deep breath, calming herself. She could feel a hint of magic in the air – something she'd never noticed before. And the fire she'd felt within her all her life was gone, replaced by a peaceful, grounding sensation. She dug her hands into the earth, feeling the power within it.

Excitement filled her; she'd done it! She started to sit up, but Jophiel put a hand gently on her shoulder. She looked down and saw he was holding her knitted cap. Even scrunched up in his hand, she could see that it had a couple gaping holes in it.

"Before you get up, we're going to have to discuss the price you paid for that deepest desire of yours." he said. "Because you look... a little different."