For as long as I can remember, my parents have always been insistent on doing things together as a family. Every meal was a time to interrogate me on what happened that day. We would also do at least one family outing each week where the three of us would spend some time together doing something fun. I was always grateful for having that support system, but sometimes I questioned if me having had virtually no friends had caused them to go a bit overboard with making sure I didn't become some antisocial, maladjusted shut-in. I suppose that didn't matter anymore. Not long after the events of the summer, I had trouble deciding if the relationship I had with my parents was weakening or strengthening. There was so much they'd kept from me. But in the end, I understood they were only trying to do what they thought was right. Besides, there was now so much I was keeping from them.

  As the weeks went by, the shock of new revelations started to wear off. There was always something more to be uncovered. The rabbit hole never ended. The existence of Emiarhia and the Tremaium prophecy. Dad being a Rime Guard lieutenant colonel part-time. Kadia being my sister, who grew up with an entirely different family. Headmaster Gunthren being friends with my parents for over a decade, alongside the parents of Shaye and Ashkan. And Balgaur being part of that friend group. So many secrets and half-truths that left me wondering what was real. But it was real, all of it. Accept it and move on. Like clockwork.

  It was easy to think about what my life would've been like if Emiarhia didn't exist. Not that its existence was bad in all aspects. My life would've been far more boring, of course. Maybe we wouldn't have even moved to California. Actually, that would mean Dad never would've existed in the first place. And neither would I. That line of thought was enough to deter me from dwelling on a life I'd never known. Still, I could tell that my parents had started to treat me differently since I started training in Emiarhia. There was a slight sense of fragility. Less of an emphasis on the school aspect of my life and more of an emphasis on making sure I was doing all right mentally and emotionally. Less chores and more free time; more hugs and kisses and random bouts of praise. I was still treated as a daughter and not as an infant or an invalid. But the difference in energy and attitude was palpable. That's how I knew they were worried about me.

  Sometimes I'd lie awake at night and wonder if they worried as much as I did about them possibly, just possibly, outliving me. That rumination was always enough to keep me from getting too much rest.

  "Chloe?"

  My name snapped me out of my trance, bringing me back into the moment. "Huh?"

  "Have you finished your college applications? The deadline's coming up," Mom asked from behind her tablet.

  We were at breakfast in the kitchen, something we usually did together in the mornings before we had to leave for school or work. It was always one of the more calm moments of my day.

  I finished off the rest of my French toast and nodded. "They're all submitted. All five of 'em. Not sure how much it really matters, though..."

  "Hey." Mom gave me a light glare over the rim of her glasses. "You better not start talking like that."

  I just laughed dryly. "Like what?"

  "You know what." She set her tablet aside and folded her arms, staring at me with an intensity that was meant to be taken seriously. It wasn't very effective, given her pink robe and fuzzy slippers.

  "I know. Sorry. It's just hard not to get in my head sometimes."

  She reached over to ruffle my hair. "Keep in mind, even if you were chosen by the gods, you're still only seventeen and you can only do what you can do. If you feel overwhelmed, talk to me. We'll figure it out together."

  I couldn't help the soft smile that made its way onto my face. "You got it."

  Mom gave me one of her bright smiles back and stood from the table, taking her empty plate with her. "Any college or university would be lucky to have you."

  "I'm just hoping I don't have to move to New York or Michigan for a good forensics program. I've had my fill of new environments," I said.

  "Well, let's just see how things play out, all right? There's plenty of good post-secondary opportunities right here in California. Don't you think, Theo?"

  Dad, who was seated at the kitchen table and reading a news article on his laptop, hummed in agreement. "Absolutely. Chloe, your mom and I will always be proud of you no matter where you end up."

  "As long as I don't go back to Minnesota where Balgaur can find me," I joked, half-serious.

  Mom gave me an unamused look. "Please, if he ever shows his face here again, I'll skin him alive. You know, we almost moved because of him knowing where we lived on Earth. That was your father's suggestion."

  My eyebrows shot up. "Really? Did you see him?" I turned to look at Dad.

  He closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair, stretching his long arms above his head with a groan before relaxing. "No, thankfully. The only semi-recent appearance from Balgaur that we know of is when you saw him at that ice cream shop. We considered moving soon after he took up a life of crime. Couldn't risk him finding you. My promotion made the decision for us, really. I'm just glad we were already on our way out by the time he decided to mess with you that day. And I'm glad it wasn't anything worse. ...You don't need to worry about Balgaur while you're on Earth, sweetheart." He shrugged, but the fire in his eyes betrayed the lightness in his tone.

  I took a deep breath and exhaled through my nose, letting the tension in my shoulders drop. "Okay, yeah, good. I hope so."

  The three of us were quiet for a moment, the sounds of the sink running and silverware clanking being the only things filling the air.

  "...Well." Dad cleared his throat. "How has everything else been going? Training, school, socializing, you know? Any updates?"

  There was no way I was going to tell them about the League and me being a hunter. Not now, not ever. "Everything's been fine," I said. "We're all getting ready for the new semester. Training is the same as it's always been. We've found half of the gemstones now, so... That's good. And Lunellia's still keeping them safe and sound."

  My parents shared a knowing look before turning to look at me again.

  "I'm assuming things are still a little tense between you and Kadia, hmm?" Mom asked.

  I shifted my eyes away and fiddled with the handle on my mug, staring at the dregs of tea that sat at the bottom. "It's fine, honestly. It's only been about a month since she told me we're sisters, so it's not like she's going to just up and be all buddy-buddy with me right away. And it's not like she owes me anything. We're kinda doing our own things, you know?"

  Dad raised an eyebrow, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "You haven't had experience with having a sibling. It can take a while to build up trust and have a relationship. Especially when you're both practically adults. And on top of that, you both had very different lives growing up. It can be complicated."

  I frowned at that. "I've thought about it a lot. How weird it is that I didn't know anything about her while she's lived as my sister for twenty-three years. I wonder how different it would've been if you raised both of us together. Would things have been easier?"

  Mom shook her head, her expression softening. "Oh, no, don't even think like that, Chloe. The decision to separate the two of you wasn't made lightly. It was one of the most difficult choices your father and I have ever made together. Kadia was given to a very loving and supportive family. The Greengroves are close friends of ours, and they loved her as if she were their own. I made sure of it. So, it would be unfair of us to assume she'd ever want to have had that changed. That's also why we waited for her to tell you on her own terms."

  My gaze was fixated on the mug in my hands as I listened.

  Dad placed his hand over mine on the table and gave me a small smile. "Your mom and I can only imagine what's going through your head. The truth is, we can never be certain about what's best or how it would've turned out. All we can do now is appreciate where we are, all four of us together as a family. As...together as we can be."

  I smiled and shook my head in amusement. "I really wish I would've been born a few thousand years later. Then all of this awful stuff could've been avoided."

  "Chloe!" Mom let out a shocked laugh.

  Dad just gave me a rueful smile. "Yeah, yeah. Keep taking things one day at a time, okay? You're not in this alone. We're here for you."

  I nodded, taking a sip of my now cold tea. "Will do."

  Mom's eyes were watery behind her glasses as she leaned down and pressed her lips to my forehead. "We love you. We'll always love you, even if the universe decides to crumble to pieces."

  My own eyes started to water a bit at that. "Thanks, Mom... Love you too."

  We didn't say anything for the remainder of the morning. There was no need for words.

  When I entered the training arena that day, Kadia was deep in discussion with the other trainers. Her back was to me. They were looking over what seemed to be a detailed plan or map of some sort, judging by their intent gazes.

  "Absolutely no leads? None at all?" Kadia said. Her tone was as frosty as usual, but I could pick up on the concern.

  Morgina shook her head, bright pink strands of hair swaying with the movement. "I'm still tryin' to see what I can dig up. My maps don't cover all of Opios in detail. The riddle we got wasn't the most help, so I can't make heads or tails of anythin'."

  "I believe the riddle itself is quite clear," Reyshore interjected, "but what it is asking us to find is unlike anything I am familiar with. Perhaps that is the point."

  Tyrath gave an irritated sigh and rubbed at the stubble on his jaw. "If Morgina hasn't been able to find anything yet, it might be safe to say we aren't going to find anything for a while."

  Kadia crossed her arms, a frown on her lips. "We should still try to narrow down the area and start combing it. We must find this fourth stone and get this prophecy sorted. No question."

  "We'll find it," Thorne assured her. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "We're looking at every single place there's even the slightest possibility for it. It's the water jewel, so there's no way it's not in Opios, surrounded by water. And if Rey was right in thinking the riddle talked about a waterfall, that narrows it down even further. There are only so many waterfalls in Opios. ...A lot, but...so many. Point is, we'll find it! You've already got some of the best people here helping."

  "Thorne is correct. We are nearing the solution with each passing day." Reyshore's face was the epitome of calm assurance.

  Tyrath scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm getting tired of hearing that line."

  Morgina gave him a look that said, 'I'm tired of hearing you whine about it'. "Look, I can keep workin' on this on my own if I have to."

  Reyshore's ears flicked a bit. "I do not want that to be the case. I feel as though the solution will come much quicker if we work as a team."

  "Of course. It'll be way more fun, too. We just need to stay positive," Thorne said.

  "This isn't fun," Kadia said sharply.

  Tyrath crossed his bulky arms over his broad chest. "If it was, then we wouldn't be doing it in the first place. So let's focus up. Kadia, I've sent a letter to my friend in eastern Opios, in Csenci. He should respond soon. That'll get us more of an idea of where this thing is. Or, at least, where it was. Until then, we do our best to cover the waterfalls. I've been thinking of sending someone down to the Royal Library, too. Just in case. Who knows? Maybe someone in the archives might be able to point us in the right direction."

  Kadia nodded in agreement. "I agree with this plan. As you said, until we hear back, we need to look for it on our own. That's all I can ask for now. I will check back with you on your findings."

  "Good. Then, for now, that's all," he replied. "Now, I have a training class in five minutes."

  "We have a training class," Morgina corrected him with an annoyed sigh.

  Thorne laughed quietly as the two went about nagging each other. He gave Kadia's shoulder a soft pat. "We'll figure it out. The universe can't keep hiding all the secrets from us forever."

  Kadia offered him a tight smile. "Yes. Thank you."

  I awkwardly shifted in place and glanced around before making my way to the change rooms. I hadn't expected to walk into an impromptu staff meeting. Every other gemstone mission before had been handled and planned out away from us trainees. Maybe they didn't have time to schedule a proper meeting. Or maybe the meeting was before training, and things were so convoluted that it spilled over into training time. It didn't matter either way. I knew they would take care of things, as they always did. And, I guess, it was fair that I didn't know about everything that was happening. They were in charge, after all. I didn't think Kadia was too keen on me sticking my nose in her business anyway.

  By the time I returned to the training area, Shaye and Ashkan had arrived as well, and were now getting started with warm up drills.

  Shaye spotted me and waved, a wide smile on her face. She finished a stretch and walked over. "Hello! How has your day been? I'm just going to fill up my flask."

  "Oh, I will too," I said. We made our way over to the water tap sticking out from the wall near the entrance. "I'm good, how are you?"

  She unscrewed the lid to her cylindrical flask, one she had painted soft colors, and held it under the tap. She let the water fill completely before turning it off and replacing the lid. "I'm quite well! A bit nervous about Ashkan, though."

  I raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

  She chewed her bottom lip for a moment, then lowered her voice. "He hasn't been his usual self. He doesn't look happy at all." She cast a glance over to where Ashkan stood next to Kadia, arms folded. He didn't seem content. In fact, he seemed bored. "He hasn't really wanted to talk to anyone all morning."

  "That doesn't sound too unlike him, if we're honest. Maybe he had a bad day or something." I filled up my flask, making sure not to spill any water onto the dirt floor.

  Shaye's bright teal eyes studied him for a moment. She pursed her lips together. "Hm... I wonder. I'm not so sure it's that."

  "It can't hurt to ask," I pointed out.

  "Actually, with him, it very much can," she muttered, casting her gaze back to me. She shook her head and let out a laugh. "It's fine. I'm probably just worrying for nothing."

  We rejoined the others and continued warming up. As I got through a set of leg and hip stretches, my eyes kept darting over to Ashkan. He did seem a bit more aloof than usual. Maybe a bit moody? Or, maybe he was just being his typical, introverted self.

  As if he sensed my gaze, he suddenly glanced over at me and we made eye contact. The two of us froze in place for a brief second.

  "Hey," he said, moving closer while rolling his shoulder.

  "Hey," I said. "You're quiet this morning."

  "Sorry. Just not feeling too talkative today." He rubbed at his eyes, looking exhausted. "Listen, do you know if the soldiers' barracks have implemented a new security system? I haven't been able to go in to get my necklace lately. There's some kind of new barrier charm."

  I frowned. Why did he want his necklace now, of all times? "I didn't hear about any changes. I've been dropping mine off and picking it up just fine. Did you ask the soldiers on guard duty? Or any of the others?"

  He shook his head. "I didn't think to. I guess I'll have to now."

  "That's so weird." My brow furrowed as I thought about it. "As far as I know, the barracks just have standard safety charms to prevent burglary and stuff. And anti-dark magic seals, obviously. Maybe something's malfunctioning?"

  Ashkan gave an uninterested hum and stretched his neck, cracking it. "...I'll figure it out."

  I watched him carefully for a moment. "Is...everything all right?"

  His shoulders hunched up ever so slightly. "Yes."

  I didn't press him, knowing that was as much as he'd share with me. Instead, I offered a gentle smile. "Okay. Let us know if you need help with anything, though. We've got your back."

  He gave me a single nod before moving away to finish warming up.

  After twenty minutes or so, Kadia instructed us to start two-on-one matches. As usual, we started off easy, only doing basic moves. No elemental attacks, no spells, just our own strength, wits, and techniques. It was a good way to test ourselves and see what areas we could improve on. It was also good to learn how to fight more than one enemy at a time, since battles often weren't one-on-one.

  We took turns being the lone combatant. Shaye was the first, facing off against Ashkan and me. As she ducked under one of our strikes, her fist lashed out to jab Ashkan in the ribs. She managed to sweep out his leg next. Then she leapt away and ducked down, aiming her knee into my stomach. I twisted away at the last moment. We were all moving quickly. It was just enough to be fun but not exhausting.

  Once five minutes was up, Shaye stepped aside to catch her breath and we moved to switch out. Kadia approached to give us pointers.

  "Remember," she said as Ashkan took up position to be the solo fighter, "keep your eyes on all opponents as frequently as possible. You may want to take on the person closest to you first, but that will not always be the correct choice."

  I nodded as Ashkan got ready to go on the offensive. He had an uncharacteristically stern look on his face as he waited. I positioned myself a few paces back to wait for Kadia to signal our attack.

  As he rushed in towards me, I stepped out of his way and slid my leg around, kicking out behind his knee. He stumbled back, turning just as Shaye leapt forward and threw a punch at his face. He moved back, then crouched low. He then sprung back up and lifted his leg, his foot colliding with Shaye's sternum and shoving her away. She rolled back and onto her feet as Ashkan turned to me again.

  I lunged forward, snatched his arm, then twisted it behind his back. I aimed my foot into the back of his leg to make him kneel on the ground. He did so without struggle, so I loosened my grip on his arm and gave a smile.

  "All right, that's–"

  My eyes widened in horror as Ashkan pivoted on his knee, untwisting his wrist, then grabbed the arm that was holding him. One hand yanked me closer by my shirt, his elbow pressed into my armpit, and as he turned his back, I was promptly thrown over his head.

  I tumbled over and rolled on the dirt until I stopped flat on my back. A chorus of gasps and whispers broke out from the lieutenants, but I could hardly register the voices. Everything sounded distant as my head pounded with shock. I'd gotten complacent, that was all. Good thing the dirt floor was soft.

  Shaye was still locked in combat when I sprung to my feet. Ashkan was relentless. He was a hair slower, but undoubtedly stronger. When he crossed his forearms to block Shaye's fist, I quickly advanced. My heel smashed into the side of his torso, hard enough to knock him back. Shaye joined me.

  Ashkan wasn't laughing or smirking as he usually did during practice. This time, he was all hard edges, narrowed eyes, and clenched fists. I thought he'd go for me first, but instead, he lunged for Shaye. His leg lifted and snapped forward. Shaye spun out of his reach, then spun again as he kept attempting to strike her with his foot. I tried to get in to assist, but his attention remained fixated on her. She used the length of the training area to keep from getting cornered.

  Shaye blocked a forceful elbow strike, her grip tight around Ashkan's forearm. He took hold of her shoulder, and before I could step in to separate them, Ashkan shoved her to the ground. She landed face-first with a thump. I expected him to halt, but he only slammed his foot into her back, pinning her to the floor.

  "Hey!" I shouted as Shaye let out a choked sound of pain.

  "Enough!" Kadia snapped.

  The fight immediately ceased, and I hurried over to Shaye. My eyes darted over her, trying to spot any visible injuries, but it seemed she was okay. She lifted her head as Kadia helped her to her feet, brushing dust and dirt from her face. She didn't seem mad, but I was. My eyes blazed with fury as I looked over to Ashkan.

  I strode towards him and raised a finger in an accusatory point. "What is wrong with you?!"

  "Uh... Sorry, I just..." His shoulders hunched up as he shifted back a step.

  Kadia put a hand on Shaye's back. "Let's get you some water, yes? Then we'll continue." She glanced to the two of us with a serious look before turning and heading for the tap.

  I stared at Ashkan for a moment longer. I couldn't understand why he was being so rough with us today. Maybe it was stress, like I'd thought earlier. Or maybe not. "Hey. Don't ever do that again," I ordered.

  His eyes darted between me and Shaye, who was sipping water, as if unsure how to reply. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. I was just trying to make it as realistic as possible."

  "Realistic. Yeah, okay. Maybe if we were in a real fight to the death. We were sparring, not trying to hurt each other. So tone it down, please. This isn't the time to try to show off."

  He stared at me for a moment, then frowned deeply and let out a scoff. "You're quick to judge."

  I narrowed my eyes, hands going to my hips. "Yeah? And you're quick to snap."

  His expression shifted to one of offense. He quickly turned away, stalking over to the opposite side of the room, and I glared after him.

  What in the world is going on?

  When it was my turn to spar against both of them, I tried to keep the mood up and smiled a lot to make Shaye comfortable again. Ashkan wasn't much help in that area. And his strikes were still hard and relentless. He only stopped when I let out a shout after he nearly smashed my nose. He apologized but I could still feel anger radiating off him. I tried my best to get him to ease up, but to no avail. It seemed like he was fighting something internally rather than us.

  As the session neared its end, I let out a quiet sigh of relief. We finished with cooldown stretches as usual before going to shower and change. I did so quickly and headed over to the door. Shaye met up with me in the doorway.

  "Did you find out why he's in a foul mood?" she asked me.

  I shook my head, feeling annoyed at the fact that I didn't have an answer. "Not at all."

  The two of us glanced over our shoulders as Ashkan stormed past us. His eyes briefly met mine.

  I lifted an eyebrow. "Hey–"

  "Bye," he mumbled, and continued walking, pushing the door open.

  "Oh..." Shaye said, sounding dejected.

  I looked after him, trying to piece everything together in my mind. He was definitely more distant; less focused than he normally was. But there had to be something else going on.

  "I'm going to follow him," I told Shaye. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

  She gave me a nod. "I'll come along, too. It might be better to approach this as a group."

  I nodded in agreement as we set off after him, not bothering to wait for our guards to arrive. Ashkan had already gotten a good ways ahead, so it took us a bit of jogging to catch up.

  "Ashkan!" Shaye called.

  He didn't even glance in our direction, keeping his focus ahead of him as he made his way through the busy square.

  "Hey," I exclaimed, "wait up!"

  Shaye and I tried our best not to knock into any pedestrians, but our attempt to reach him was getting harder and harder as people filed into our path. He wasn't slowing down, either, so we were left trying to push past everyone.

  "Sorry... Pardon us... Excuse me..." Shaye apologized over and over. Everyone was too caught up in their own errands and lives to care.

  Ashkan took a shortcut through an alley. He had to duck beneath lines of drying laundry strung up overhead and weave his way past crates, barrels, and a couple of fruit baskets lying around. We managed to keep him in view. We were so focused on getting through the crowded area that we nearly missed the person that stood directly in Ashkan's path, stopping him short at the end of the alley.

  My heart nearly stopped when I saw who it was. Claude Staatley, in the flesh. His friends, the same ones I always saw orbiting him at school, were all standing with him. Ashkan halted in place. A smirk curved over Claude's mouth. I wasn't close enough to hear their conversation. They exchanged words with each other in low voices. Shaye and I traded concerned glances before we continued forwards.

  "Gods, do you need glasses or something?" Claude spat. "You don't even have your face buried in a book this time and you're still crashing into people!"

  My stomach lurched at his tone of voice. This didn't sound like an everyday run-in. There was an animosity here. Claude was pissed off, and he was directing it all at Ashkan. I knew they had history... I just didn't know what kind.

  "Leave me alone." Ashkan's voice was low as he turned his body sideways, clearly ready to walk past them.

  "Or what, you'll blast us into smithereens with your magic?" one of his friends sneered. "Go on then, coward!"

  Shaye and I inched closer. I was a little afraid of what might happen.

  Claude went on, "I still have no bloody clue how you afford all those books of yours, considering your family's got no coin to spare."

  "Why don't you mind your own damn business, like you should have five years ago?" Ashkan shot back at him.

  Claude's face screwed up into an ugly, mean glare. "So it's true? You've got nothing? That explains why you've got nowhere better to be than wandering around the town square like some kind of beggar."

  The guys around him let out mocking laughs and snickers. I felt rage boiling over within me.

  Claude smirked, taking a step closer to him. "Did you come out for some fresh air, or was it because the house stank so bad, like it used to?"

  Ashkan kept perfectly still. "Just keep talking, Staatley."

  "What are you gonna do?" he scoffed. "Go cry to your old man? Or better yet, your mum? I've heard the dead make pretty good company."

  Shaye gasped sharply.

  I couldn't control myself anymore. I was about to rush forward and blast them into next week, but Ashkan was already one step ahead. He lunged at Claude. The two of them smacked to the ground, rolling and kicking up snow as they grappled for the upper hand. Claude's lackeys immediately tried to pull Ashkan off him.

  "Ashkan! Stop!" Shaye cried.

  He was on top, bashing Claude's face with his fist. But within seconds, he was dragged to the ground again and his hands were seized. The lackeys started trying to haul him up. He twisted himself loose and shoved the guy closest to him. When Claude finally got to his feet, his face blotchy and angry, he swung back his leg and kicked Ashkan in the stomach.

  I ran forward. "Stop! Right now, all of you, get the hell away from him!"

  Noticing us immediately, the cronies each grabbed our elbows and held Shaye and me back in a death-grip. I thought about breaking myself free, but I halted. Considering their strength, I wasn't sure if I could without causing some injuries. The Headmaster certainly wouldn't be pleased about that. So I just writhed and struggled with all my might.

  Claude grabbed a fistful of Ashkan's hair and pulled him up to his feet so they were facing each other. "You think I'm afraid of you, don't you?" he snarled. "Because of that 'power' of yours? You're pathetic."

  "Shut up," Ashkan muttered.

  "Say that again," he challenged.

  "Shut. Up."

  Claude let go of his hair and swung his head down, colliding his knee with Ashkan's face. He stumbled, wobbling from side to side, just trying to stay on his feet.

  "Ashkan!" Shaye shrieked. "Claude, calm down!"

  "C'mon, hit me back!" Claude taunted, then kicked out Ashkan's knee, making him tumble to the ground. "Remember that night when we cornered you? Remember that? When we burnt all those stupid old books your mum bought? All that talk, and you didn't do a damn thing, did you? You couldn't stop me then, and you can't stop me now."

  Ashkan laid there, blood running down his face. I felt my anger mounting. Shaye and I were trying desperately to twist away from the guys that were holding us back.

  "Get the hell off us!" I shouted at them.

  They ignored me and kept their iron-clad grips.

  Claude scoffed and rolled his eyes, turning his back. "Finish him," he ordered his buddies.

  Before anyone could move, Ashkan flipped himself over and tackled his legs, taking him to the ground. Claude thrashed back and forth, yelling. Ashkan grabbed his collar and yanked him up, then let his fist collide with his nose. Hard. Blood shot across the snow-covered ground. I cringed, hearing the crunch of cartilage. But he didn't stop.

  His fist flew again and again until Claude stopped resisting. Each impact was slicker, coated with fresh blood from Claude's already broken face. I stopped struggling and tried to catch Ashkan's attention. But he was lost to a hazed, blind rage. I'd never seen anything like it. I'd barely ever heard him raise his voice at anyone, but right then, he was utterly furious.

  "He– He's gonna kill him!" one of Claude's goons yelled in a panic.

  "Ash!" I yelled. "STOP!"

  I gave the goon that held me one sharp elbow to the ribs as he drew too near, and he released me with a groan. I ran straight at the brawl, managing to yank Ashkan back by his coat. Claude slumped limply to the ground. Ashkan tried to lunge back for another strike, but I wrapped my arms around his chest to hold him back.

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  "Let me go!" he spat, trying to wriggle out of my arms.

  "You're done!" I said, struggling to keep hold of him. I could only imagine the number he'd done on Claude's face. "You are done! Calm down!"

  Shaye was released too as Claude's guys ran over and grabbed their friend's arms. They pulled him back to his feet. His jacket was bunched up in their fists, his head hung, and his hair fell over his face in messy strands. He was breathing heavily.

  "He needs a doctor, fast," one guy was telling the other.

  I transferred Ashkan to Shaye's arms before walking over. "Here. I'll take care of it."

  She nodded. "Right."

  Claude's eyelashes were clotted with blood, and I doubted he could even see through the swelling.

  "...I'm sorry." I raised my hands to his face. Gold light emitted from my palms and extended over his body, forming a webbed pattern. Though the spell wasn't perfect, I'd gotten the basics right. His face was still a tad swollen and bruised. But the bleeding stopped, his nose straightened out, and the cuts closed. There was nothing present that required stitches anymore.

  Claude stepped away from me, letting his crew support him. "Sod off," he hissed.

  I glared at him. "You're welcome."

  He turned and stalked away with his friends, shooting a scowl in Ashkan's direction, and the three of us were left there standing in the alley.

  Ashkan stared at the blood spattering the snow. Shaye bent down to carefully pick up his scarf that had fallen off in the scuffle, then wrapped it gently around his neck.

  "What was that all about?" she asked him softly.

  His knuckles were scraped and dotted with crimson. He rubbed his palms together, making a slight grimace from the pain. "I hate that guy."

  I kept looking at him. If he thought he was going to avoid our questions, he had another thing coming. I couldn't let something like this slide. He was clearly struggling with something big, and I was determined to find out what.

  Thankfully, the universe decided to have mercy on us, because Ashkan's dad wasn't home when we arrived at his house. Niista was, though. She took one look her brother, then immediately ushered the three of us over to the kitchen table.

  "What in the gods' names happened here?" she asked in shock as she went to fetch ice.

  I sat in the chair closest to Ashkan. He'd been quiet since the brawl, and it didn't seem like he was ready to say anything about it yet. Shaye sat on his other side.

  "He had a run-in with Claude Staatley and his friends," I answered. "Things...escalated."

  Niista pressed an ice-filled handkerchief to Ashkan's knuckles. He cringed and jerked his hand away. She held on tight to it. "Oh, sit still. You know it stings for only a second. Good stars... Why was Claude beating up on you?"

  He stayed quiet.

  She looked at us for answers, and I said, "Just years-old tension and pent-up aggression, I think."

  "Claude Staatley," she murmured, shaking her head in disdain. "That little..." She sighed. "Well, at least I have the three of you here, safe and sound. It's nice to see you two again, though I'm sorry it has to be under such unfortunate circumstances."

  "I'm fine," Ashkan spoke up. It seemed to be more to convince himself. His face was bruised, and blood was dried on his clothes. "Really."

  "You don't look fine," Shaye mumbled.

  "Well," he said, a hint of anger in his tone, "I am."

  His sister looked like she was about to argue, but instead let out another sigh, deciding it wasn't worth it. "Are either of you two hurt? Is anyone else injured?"

  I shook my head. "No, we're both okay. I patched Claude up as best I could before we left. And I can take care of Ashkan, too."

  "Thank you, Brielle. That would be most helpful. I'll go start a pot of tea," she told us as she headed over to the stove.

  I moved my chair closer to Ashkan. It felt awkward sitting in silence. It was almost like being in a hospital waiting room, where you're meant to wait patiently, but the tension just keeps building and building.

  "Can I look?" I asked gently.

  He didn't respond, so I took that as a yes. I peeled the ice away, revealing the bruises, scratches, and gashes. Some of his nails were jagged from trying to fight off his assailants. He was avoiding eye contact. I summoned a gentle light that came to hover over his hand. It slowly lowered down to the wounds, glowing soft silver-gold. I closed my eyes and envisioned what his skin should look like, untorn, unblemished.

  When I opened my eyes again, to my shock...nothing had changed. Not a thing.

  I tried not to look too startled as I tried to figure out why I had failed. "Okay. That's new... Let me try that again."

  Niista called out over the sounds of boiling water, "Not working? Is it too severe?"

  "No, no, skin is the easiest tissue to mend, after blood vessels. It's probably me..." I cleared my head.

  Why wasn't it working? It made no sense. My healing spells always worked. Maybe if I focus more? Or visualize more clearly? Am I too tired from training? My eyelids flutter closed again and the images came to me, one at a time. Ashkan's skin, smooth, undamaged, healthy... The images were clear enough in my head, but still, nothing changed. I felt like a failure.

  I heard Ashkan let out a breath. "It's okay," he murmured.

  "...I'm sorry."

  "Don't worry about it," he said, his tone more dismissive than I was used to. "You don't need to do that for me."

  "Yes, I do." I said it more forcefully than I meant to.

  Shaye shot me a worried look, and I shot it right back, a million questions in my eyes.

  Niista brought us tea. "Don't exhaust yourself, Brielle," she told me. "It looks like you've all had enough excitement for the day. He'll be fine, trust me." She leaned over to Ashkan's chair, putting a hand on his shoulder and ruffling his hair. He flinched. "You know... You haven't let me touch your hair in years."

  He said nothing, and awkward silence filled the room. My eyes drifted to the dried blood on his face. If my magic wasn't working, then maybe I could assist the Earthian way. I stood to find a damp cloth. I found a clean rag folded by the sink, ran it under warm water, and brought it over to him.

  "Here. This should help a bit." I brought the warm rag to his face, but he caught my wrist.

  "I'm fine," he insisted, taking the rag from me. He swiped it against his forehead. The smear of blood remained, and it just seemed to annoy him. "It isn't going anywhere."

  "Well, you have to press it on there for a few seconds," I said, retrieving the cloth.

  My gaze locked with his, and I leaned forward, gently pressing it against his cheek. He looked at me. Just looked at me, without moving. He didn't look angry, or scared, or even embarrassed. Just blank. Like a sheet of paper. I searched his eyes, trying to figure out what he could possibly be thinking. Was it because of me? Was it because he kissed me on the cheek a few days ago? Did he even remember that? I pressed the rag against his face for another few seconds before backing off.

  "Like that. See? Just swipe a little. Like a sponge." I tried another spot. He didn't push me away this time. After a minute or so, the blood was gone, and only light bruising remained.

  He met my eyes and his face softened slightly. "Thank you."

  I sighed. At least he was starting to look better. But it still didn't explain why my magic had refused to work. How was I supposed to make progress if I couldn't even heal my best friend when he needed me?

  "Of course," I said, my mind preoccupied.

  Shaye stared into her teacup. "Thank you for the tea, Niista."

  "Anytime. And you all are free to stay as long as you like. But I'll understand if you need to go," she replied.

  Ashkan muttered, "I just want to be in my room alone and not have to talk."

  Niista tried to force a smile. "Understandable."

  Without another word, he rose from his chair and disappeared up the stairs, leaving his untouched mug on the table. Shaye and I watched him in silence. His bedroom door thumped closed.

  I buried my face in my hands. "I'm the absolute worst. I don't deserve to be a healer at all."

  "Oh, stop," Shaye soothed. "You're not the worst. You're one of the best I know, Brielle. It's not your fault you're drained."

  "Drained..." I repeated, considering it. It might be possible. It was conceivable that I was wearing myself thin and just needed to rest. That was usually the reason for such things.

  Niista tucked a strand of black and blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm actually glad you two are here. I've been wanting to ask you about him... As you can see, he's not quite like himself lately. The past couple of days or so have been...difficult. He's been eating meals up in his room. It's almost as if he's a completely different person. Of course, he never wants to worry me, so he won't tell me when anything is wrong. Will you at least tell me if he has said anything about it? I'm trying not to pry into his business, but I'm worried."

  I exchanged another glance with Shaye before looking back to her. "We've been trying to deduce that as well. I was hoping you'd have answers."

  She looked resigned. "I see. So he hasn't told you anything, either."

  I shook my head, feeling disheartened.

  "Well," she began, "at least he seems to have had the presence of mind to have friends like the two of you."

  I tried to comfort her with a small smile. "Don't worry. We're here for him."

  Shaye nodded and also mustered a reassuring smile, though I knew that if I could read her thoughts, she'd be echoing my own concerns. Whatever the cause of Ashkan's strange, antisocial mood was, we were clueless about it. And cluelessness wasn't a favourite for any of us.

  Niista smiled. "Thank you. I hope you both know you're welcome here anytime. Just... Keep an eye on Ash for me, would you?"

  "Of course," Shaye answered.

  I agreed, "Absolutely."

  It was a nice sentiment, but it was a promise I wasn't sure how I would keep. But I was damn well going to figure it out.

  "I...should probably get back home so my parents don't think I went missing," I admitted, peeling my gaze off my mug and settling it on the pale winter sky outside the window.

  "We'll both get out of your hair now," Shaye added with a smile.

  "No worries," Niista assured. "Tell your folks I say hello. And thank you two for bringing him home."

  Shaye and I headed outside into the cloudy afternoon, which felt more like twilight with the darkness of the woods surrounding the house. It was peaceful here, but something about Ashkan's gloomy demeanour had begun to affect me. My overthinking brain couldn't help but analyze it all. Dissect every little word and moment of his behaviour since our outing at The Roaring Witch. What if he'd started picking up on how I felt about him, and was trying to distance himself? Knots formed in the pit of my stomach.

  One day later, Ashkan still had yet to return to normal, so I decided to try my hand at talking to him about it myself. After training on Saturday afternoon, I asked him to meet me at a popular tea shop near Nelorismel's market district. I'd expected a refusal. That was, if he answered at all. But instead, he actually agreed. We both stayed at our respective houses long enough for our guards to leave us for the day. The last thing I wanted was them eavesdropping.

  Having just returned from Earth, my necklace was tucked securely under my sweater. It was another chilly, dreary winter day, the air stinging my eyes with sharp crystals. Snowflakes clung to my lashes, melting almost as soon as they landed. A small bell jingled as we entered the tea shop. The smell of herbs, spices, and bread hung heavily in the air. My gaze immediately fell upon the pastry case filled with danishes, cakes, and all sorts of cookies and desserts. We sat down at one of the small, circular tables by a window, where the dimming sunlight caught in the falling snow.

  I studied Ashkan for a few moments, unsure of how to even begin to broach the subject. "Are we going to talk about it?"

  "Talk about what?" he asked.

  I tilted my head and looked at him, a 'duh' on the tip of my tongue. "You haven't been yourself for days. What's going on?"

  He sighed, taking off his coat and hanging it on the back of the chair. "You're making too big a deal out of it, Brielle. I'm fine, trust me. Nothing to worry about."

  "Ash, I'm not buying it. Come on. What's up?" I leaned forward in my chair, looking him directly in the eyes, willing him to open up to me. I knew I shouldn't push him, but at the same time, he was starting to scare me.

  "It's nothing," he insisted. "I've just got a lot of things going on right now."

  "I know that. You're always busy. But you've never acted like this." I lowered my voice to a whisper, aware of all the people around us, just a few feet away. "Look... This started after we went to The Roaring Witch. Something changed. What did I do?"

  His face twisted into a look of surprise, and he shook his head. "What? You didn't do anything. Don't think that."

  I softened my tone. "You know you can trust me, right?"

  Ashkan looked conflicted as he turned his gaze to the table, tracing the wood pattern with his index finger. He said nothing.

  A wave of worry washed over me. I couldn't take the uncertainty any longer. "Whatever it is, we'll deal with it together. Just like we have in the past. Just like we always will."

  "I know," he answered quietly, avoiding my eyes.

  I rested my chin on my hands. "Niista's worried about you, y'know. I can't say I'm not, either. Not even Shaye knows what to make of it, and she can always read you."

  His head snapped up at that. "I didn't realize everyone was discussing this behind my back."

  "Well, of course we were," I answered matter-of-factly. "We're concerned."

  "I didn't follow you here to be interrogated. If that's what this is about, then I'll leave." He leaned back in his seat, his face hardening into that impassive mask.

  "Hey, easy. I didn't mean–"

  Ashkan stood up and pushed his chair in. He shrugged into his jacket, then looked down at me. "I have to go."

  I was so stunned I didn't even know what to say. My mind scrambled to process what was going on. All I could manage to say was, "What?"

  But he didn't answer. He just turned and walked away. He pushed open the glass door of the tea shop and was gone before I even realized I had to stop him.

  "Ash!" I called out as I bolted out of my own seat, grabbing my coat as I ran. The door fell shut behind me. The bell jingled, the sound quickly drowned out by the chilly winter winds that were now picking up. A strong breeze sent goosebumps rippling over my arms.

  Ashkan's tall form disappeared around a corner as he continued his way down the street. I shoved my hands into my pockets and jogged to follow him. A few people shot me curious glances as I dashed in front of the market district's many stores and businesses. It wasn't long before I'd finally caught up to him in an alley between two buildings, out of sight of most pedestrians. The wind was much less harsh here.

  "Will you stop being so stubborn?" I exclaimed.

  Ashkan rounded on me. "Stubborn? You're the stubborn one. I told you to drop it, and yet, here we are."

  "You just ran off! How am I supposed to drop it when I can't even talk to you?" I looked up at him, searching his face. His expression had lost the mask. The frustration he'd been hiding was all over his face now, along with something else. Something obscure.

  "You have to drop it, Brielle." He paused and lowered his voice. "This is for your own good. I'm not telling you anything else. Just leave it."

  His words shocked me into silence, but not for long. I felt my temper flare. "Leave it? Are you serious right now?!" I shouted. I hadn't expected my voice to raise that much, but the words kept coming. "You can't just leave me in the dark like that, not after what we've been through. ...You kissed me on the cheek and then suddenly you started acting strange. Now I want to know why."

  Ashkan was taken aback. He blinked rapidly, and I knew that I'd surprised him, but he managed to remain collected. "What are you–?"

  "You know what it made me think!" I blurted out before I could stop myself.

  He went silent. I was breathing heavily, and I could feel my pulse hammering. My whole body felt like a tightly wound spring. I wanted to tell him the truth about how I felt, but at the same time, I felt like it was the worst time to tell him anything. It was like my head was going to explode.

  "Okay. Clearly, you need time to think." I reached into my coat and took out the pendant on my necklace. It glinted in the pale light that filtered into the alley. "I'm gonna go home. Let me know when you're ready to talk."

  Ashkan stopped me as I tried to turn away. He caught my wrist, then slowly trailed his hand up my arm until his palm rested in the crook of my elbow. "You don't understand... It's for you, too." His gaze searched mine as I tried to decipher what he meant. "You know I'd do anything to protect you. I just need you to trust me."

  My pulse quickened. "...You're scaring me."

  He stared at me in silence, his eyes conflicted. For the briefest of moments, I felt as if I saw something behind them, but it disappeared so fast that I figured I imagined it. Then, he moved his free hand to my pendant. He turned it around, staring down at it, tracing his thumb across the miniature hourglass.

  Suddenly, he pulled on the chain. The distance between us was instantly closed as I shot forward. His other hand dropped to the small of my back... And his lips crashed into mine.

  I was so startled, I froze, unable to move.

  Is this happening?! Am I awake?!

  I pressed my eyes shut, expecting to wake up from the dream, or to be ripped back to reality. But I wasn't.

  After a moment, my brain started working again. My thoughts jumbled around, a whirlwind of confusion. We shouldn't be doing this. But maybe we should? Is it really a bad thing? Do I care? Oh, my god... We are kissing in an alley. In public. Where anyone walking by could see.

  My confusion spurred me to pull away. My heart was pounding so fast I was pretty sure it would burst. "...What are you doing?"

  Ashkan stared deep into my eyes. "What I should've done a long time ago."

  My heart danced and somersaulted. This isn't what I was expecting to hear, not in a million years, but I...strangely didn't mind. The moment was purely bittersweet. Because the forbidden could not last.

  He leaned down toward me, tilting his head, and it was just enough to cue the panicked side of my brain to step in. We can't be doing this. This can't be right...

  I started to back up. "You can't just– We can't– Why didn't you say anything?"

  His gaze didn't leave me, though the flicker of surprise at my retreat made its way across his expression. "I didn't know how."

  "Then... Why now?" I asked, my heart thudding loudly in my ears.

  "Because..." Ashkan moved forward to close the distance between us once more. His arms snaked around me, his gloved hands sliding across the fabric of my coat. "You should know, before...anything...happens."

  The corner of my lips curved into the slightest of smiles. "Then, this is happening?"

  He nodded. "If you want it to."

  My mind reeled as his head tilted down. I was aware of the world around me, aware that anyone could walk into the alleyway and see us. I was aware of my friends and my responsibilities and my trainers and my parents. Everyone would freak out if they knew. I was aware of what it could mean if it ever came to light, the fallout if someone were to catch us. But for some terrible reason, I couldn't care less.

  Ashkan's hand trailed up to the side of my face. He tucked my hair behind my ear, the tip of his finger following along my cheekbone, before moving to my chin. I felt my head being angled upwards. The moment before he kissed me again felt like it lasted a lifetime, yet was over in a second. In that moment, I was sure of what I was doing, of my feelings, of the consequences that I'd deal with later. I kissed him back...and the rest of the world slipped away.

  I'm in deep trouble now.

  The brick wall behind me made sudden contact with my shoulder blades. I hadn't realized we were moving backwards. Ashkan's grip on me tightened. I was locked in place. My hands fumbled, fingers tangling in his hair. My face was probably as red as a tomato. The kiss was ardent, like he was trying to convey months of pent-up emotions. I wasn't sure whether I'd survive the intensity.

  This had to be some sort of dream. There was no other way. It wasn't like anything I'd expected from him. I'd always imagined Ashkan to be reserved, mild, shy, maybe a bit awkward when it came to these kinds of things. But this was...confident, passionate, and a little demanding. I wasn't sure what to think. I couldn't think. I just knew I couldn't go any further with this, not without a real talk first.

  "Ash..." I murmured when I managed to pull myself away for air. My hands came to rest on his shoulders as I looked up at him.

  He stared at me. I could tell that he wasn't quite himself. His eyes seemed to hold a stormy sky. It was like looking at a stranger. "What's wrong?"

  "We..." My voice faltered. "We have to stop."

  The expression in his eyes flickered for the briefest of moments, returning to their usual clear green, and I thought he was coming to his senses. But then the clouds came back, and he moved lower to start planting kisses along my jawline and neck.

  Did Ofelia give him another love potion?! It doesn’t seem like him to just...

  Just…

  …Wow.

  I struggled to keep a coherent thought. The tension in my shoulders instantly vanished. It felt as if all my nerves were on fire, as if my brain had melted into goo. It felt… Well, it doesn’t matter.

  "That's not…what I meant," I protested, trying to pull away from him.

  His hold on my arms tightened, keeping me pinned against the wall. I started to feel a little uncomfortable, unsure of where this was heading. Ashkan's hand moved to the back of my neck. I flinched and tried to push him away again, more firmly this time. I expected him to just move away. He didn't. It was almost like he didn't realize that I was speaking. The moment his lips touched my neck again, my pulse jumped. I squirmed. I couldn't do this, not right now. Maybe not ever.

  I tried to get his attention by raising my voice, and he stilled for a moment. "Ashkan. Hey, I'm not... I can't. Let me go."

  Finally, he moved back slightly and met my eyes again; the look in his was intense, yet far away.

  I managed to gather up all the courage I had to repeat myself, trying not to let my voice waver. "Let me go. I don't know what this is, but... Stop."

  He released me without another word. I rubbed my upper arms where he'd gripped me a little too tight. The whole experience left me unnerved. Conflicted. It didn't make sense. This whole thing didn't make sense. The Ashkan I knew wouldn't have ever done anything like that. He always respected me, and knew what was and wasn't appropriate for a professional relationship, even if our feelings were to shift. Was something wrong with him? Had someone messed with his head?

  "As you wish," he muttered, his expression suddenly cold as ice.

  A flash of rose gold caught the light. Something in his palm shimmered. The sight of it made my blood run cold. I blinked hard, sure I must be imagining things, but he was still holding it in his closed hand. He'd somehow stolen it without me realizing it.

  I stared at him in shock, a sudden panic seizing my heart. "Ash, that's– Why would you–?"

  He turned to the rooftops above us and jumped up with a rush of air, vanishing onto the building. The sound of his footfalls across the shingles was all I could hear as he took off at a sprint. My instincts took over as I sprang after him.

  "Where are you going?! HEY!" I shouted.

  My foot hit the ledge and I threw myself forward onto the roof after him, stumbling briefly. My senses were still fried from everything that just happened. I fought through the shock, forcing myself to focus, and set off in a mad dash. The icy air whipped at my skin and stung my eyes as I tore across shingles, bricks, and beams. My mind was racing. Why is he taking my necklace? How is he doing any of this? Why does it seem like I just made out with a completely different person?

  Ashkan kept his lead, darting and dashing and leaping like no tomorrow. His movements were effortless. He was quick. I cursed the wind and my own delayed reactions as he vaulted across the street and onto another rooftop. I scrambled to keep up with him.

  "Stop!" I yelled, my voice ringing through the air.

  The rushing breeze ate my words, muffling my voice. He was already at least two rooftops ahead of me. The only way I was going to keep up would be if I started taking risks, which I was trying hard to avoid. If I could just reach him, maybe I'd be able to make him come to his senses. Maybe I could find out why he was acting so strangely. But the boulder in my gut told me this wasn't a game.

  The shingles underneath my boots were slick, but that didn't stop me from sprinting across them like they were perfectly dry. Ashkan had to know he couldn't keep this up forever. We would eventually reach the edge of the district, and from there, there was nowhere else to run.

  I pushed myself harder, ignoring the burn in my legs. "ASHKAN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

  The only answer was the sound of his shoes hitting the rooftop. He was going to pay for this, I knew that for sure.

  The gap between us was shortening. The edges of my vision blurred, but I blinked and pushed it all away. I had to do something, and fast. Ashkan started to slow as he reached the edge of a rooftop. He wasn't giving up. This was about to get messy. The adrenaline coursing through my veins left me feeling lightheaded. It was now or never.

  Gritting my teeth, I summoned a bolt of lightning into my hand. It charged into a steady, pulsating shard of static that crackled wildly. I took a deep breath and focused on Ashkan's form as he sprinted forward. I took aim. I could easily hit him, the way we were going. But he could also get hurt. My thoughts raced. What if it sent him hurtling into the street?

  I paused. Lightning sputtered from the edges of the shard I was holding. If I didn't make a move soon, it would dissolve, and the chance would be lost. No more thinking. No more hesitating.

  I let the shard fly. White-gold light erupted from my hand. The bolt flew in a wide arc through the sky. It came down a mere second after I released it, striking Ashkan's heels. Sparks exploded around him. His knees hit the steep ledge of the roof and he went skidding down. The icy shingles offered no chance at slowing him, and his descent was a fast one.

  The sight chilled me to the core. I gathered my magic and catapulted myself toward him. Ashkan was hanging from the gutter, his feet kicking above the four-storey drop to the street below. He began to hoist himself over the ledge, but I reached him before he could get up. I loomed over him.

  "Why are you doing this?" I snapped and kneeled down, grabbing the collar of his jacket with both hands.

  After being brought to his feet, Ashkan peered at me with an icy glint in his eyes. He still wore that flat, unreadable expression. "Why not?"

  Fury surged within me. I didn't like the person he was acting like. He wasn't the Ashkan I knew, the one that I... The one that I'd developed some kind of feelings for. The Ashkan in front of me now was an enigma, an unknowable stranger.

  "Give it back." I held out my palm.

  "I can't," he countered. The tension was palpable. His words stoked my anger further, but I didn't have the energy to keep shouting. The frigid winds swirled around us.

  My voice dropped to an even tone. "You know this is wrong."

  Ashkan's expression was completely devoid of any emotion – not a new sight, admittedly. But the look in his eyes was different. It was empty, like his spirit had abandoned him. I wanted to shake him back to his senses. But he didn't speak. His expression remained stony and unresponsive, as if my words meant nothing to him.

  "Why did you do it?" I tried to search his eyes, hoping to see the person I knew, hoping to get a sign that he was still there somewhere.

  There was a hint of a smile at his lips, a smug sort of smirk that made my blood run cold. "Because. It was what you've always wanted."

  A shiver ran through me. "That's not true."

  His brows lifted in an expression of mock surprise. "Is it not?"

  The answer hung in the air. I glared at him. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. He took a step closer and put a hand to my cheek. I didn't know how to react. I was confused, and furious, and worried, and guilty, and it made me feel nauseous. He'd kissed me and now I didn't know where we stood. But it wasn't the moment to get caught up in it. We needed to talk, to figure things out. Not...whatever this was.

  "In any case..." His words were slow and measured as he brought his face closer to mine. "...It was the truth, if only for a single second."

  The moment stretched out. My heart pounded. The look in his eyes made me uncomfortable. The emptiness in it was like he was trying to stare into me and read my thoughts.

  "We can't just..." I searched his gaze. "That was the wrong way to do it. You know that, right?"

  Ashkan shrugged and tilted his head. Locks of sandy hair fell across his brows. "I'm sorry, darling."

  My eyes went wide. I jerked back at the unexpected name. I had this sudden, unsettling feeling that he was testing the waters, testing my reaction, or maybe testing his own abilities. He'd never used any sort of affectionate name with me, not even as a joke or a way to poke fun. His use of one now seemed purposeful, almost malicious. Like it was supposed to sting. I had a bad feeling that I'd already been thrown into the deep end, that the waters had become dangerous.

  I tried to find my words. "What–?"

  Click.

  A metallic noise interrupted me. I looked down. A silver switchblade glimmered in Ashkan's hand. The wind picked up again and his jacket ruffled around his frame, like some kind of warning. My pulse started to race.

  "Are you joking right now?" I breathed. I couldn't believe what was happening.

  He raised the weapon towards me, twirling it deftly between his fingers. "No."

  My eyes were drawn to the switchblade. I held my hands up in front of my body and took a cautious step backward. The ice was slick beneath my boots. The roof's steep slope gave no room for distance. I shook my head, still hoping this was a dream, but Ashkan advanced on me with a predatory look in his eyes. I shuffled to the side. My foot met the edge of the roof. The world rushed by below us. The ground seemed so far away. My chest constricted as I felt my control over the situation crumbling.

  And that's when it hit me. I'd seen this play out before. The nightmare on the train, after getting the light gem. This couldn't end like that did. I couldn't let it end like that.

  "Who put you up to this?" My voice shook despite my efforts to stay calm. "Listen. Please, just give it back."

  The man before me said nothing, and the emptiness in his eyes seemed to expand, filling his entire face. He looked me over. There was nothing familiar in the way he did so. No emotion, no remorse. The thought that he was still in there somewhere and that this wasn't his fault had started to fade. I couldn't take any risks. I couldn't wait any longer. He'd made his choice.

  I raised my chin in a show of courage. "Ashkan, listen. Don't do this. Whatever this is." My voice faltered, "Please. Just put the knife away. I don't want to fight."

  He ignored my pleas. The wind blew strands of hair across my face. I couldn't afford to keep waiting for him to snap out of whatever this was. The man who stood in front of me was not my coworker, my friend, or the Ashkan who'd captured my heart. There was something wrong. My instincts told me so.

  With of a speed of a striking serpent, he lashed out, his knife plunging towards my chest. I leapt back instinctively, slipping and skidding across the shingles, just out of his reach. The next few moments were a blur. He was fast. I threw up my arms and tried to catch his wrist. The blade nicked my palm as I grabbed at his arm and wrestled to keep the knife at a distance. His face was only a couple inches from mine now, and the hollowness in his expression terrified me. I tried not to look in his eyes.

  He twisted the knife and pulled free of my grasp, then stepped in to slash at me. I raised my forearms in an X to defend myself. His blade met my coat sleeves. The fabric ripped as he forced his knife through it. I stumbled backwards, trying my best not to fall off the edge. He swiped again. The blade glanced my skin and left several lines of crimson across my arms. The sting sent a horrible shiver of shock down my spine. Ashkan was actually...hurting me.

  My body went on autopilot, my reflexes working on their own. I kicked at his legs to trip him up. His foot landed wrong and his knees buckled. He stumbled towards me. I caught him in the gut with a left hook and knocked him off balance, then threw out my arms and shoved him back. The force made the shingles skid beneath his boots. I reached for him, desperate to get my necklace back, but the man's heel slipped and his weight went off balance.

  I froze as he tilted backwards and his arms flailed, reaching for me. His hands wrapped around my bleeding forearms. The force swung us both downwards. I wouldn't let go, even though his nails were digging into my skin, even though his weight was locking me to the roof. He stared at me. It was just like my dream, like the nightmare.

  His expression flashed from emptiness to desperation as he looked to me with something that might have been recognition, and my ribs constricted. It wasn't too late. I could pull him up, stop this whole thing right now, if only...

  His right hand suddenly released me. A flash of silver caught the corner of my vision, and I tensed as the switchblade plunged into the back of my left hand, pushing it away from him. It drove in under my index and middle finger, straight through the centre of my palm. A scream ripped itself from my lungs as my world went white, and Ashkan's weight slipped through my fingers. His hands scrambled uselessly for leverage, and I heard a shout as he fell.

  The pain was excruciating. The tip of the switchblade was embedded into the shingles in front of me, pinning my hand to the edge like some sick version of a butterfly skewered in a glass box. My vision blurred with tears. It hurt like nothing I'd ever experienced. It was as if my hand had been replaced by an empty pit filled with burning flames.

  I heard the sickening sound of bones snapping and cracking against stone. My stomach roiled. My mind was telling me to look down, to check the scene below for any signs of life, but the thought of seeing it made me ill. Besides, my left hand was bleeding like mad from where he'd pinned it to the roof. I had to wrench it free somehow, without removing the knife. Don't remove the plug. That's first aid 101. But my fingers were slipping off the hilt from the blood, and I had to pull it out at some point. I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and wrenched it out, gasping. The knife came out slick and shiny. It felt like it'd missed the bones, thankfully. Still, that hand was now semi-useless. I wiped it against my clothes as best I could.

  The fight had taken place at the border of the market, where the businesses and crowds were the thinnest. We were facing a large forest, with the square in the distance behind us. I figured Ashkan had to have fallen somewhere near the tree line. I didn't hear a commotion, but there were always people around, weren't there? A sinking feeling grew in my heart. I had to find him and hope for the best, and fast. If anyone saw... I shuddered. If anyone saw, everything would fall apart.

  My left hand was useless for gripping, but I had my right one. I turned to look down at the boreal outcropping behind the building. It was a dizzying height from my view. My gaze trailed along the steep incline down to the footpath below. I almost didn't want to look. There were so many large rocks down there. Why hadn't he broken his fall with magic...?!

  My chest seized as I finally spotted Ashkan's form lying among the stones, limbs bent in unnatural ways. It was a terrible sight to behold. I wanted to vomit. His body wasn't moving. He's dead, my mind unhelpfully provided. I shut it out. He's not. He's not, he's not, he's not.

  I tried to calm my erratic heartbeat. The puncture in my hand was still gushing blood. I wiped it on my other sleeve and looked back down. How would I explain this? Whatever came next, it was all on me. So, despite my sore legs and trembling hands, I carefully made my way down from the roof, using awnings and pipes as ledges, desperate to cross the distance and reach him.

  Blood was rushing through my ears as I made my way towards Ashkan's lifeless-looking form, struggling to find solid footing. The wintery embankment was slick with ice. I put out my one good hand to catch myself each time I felt myself starting to slip. Tears blurred my vision. I took several large steps and dropped to my knees beside him, ignoring the gravel embedded in the slush.

  Some sights you can never erase from memory, and this was one of them.

  A sense of death clung to the air. He looked like a ragdoll, something meant to be cared for, not destroyed. I gathered him in my arms, cradling his body. Everything was numb. I knew it was over as soon as I brushed the hair away from his face. Wide, lifeless eyes stared back up at me. No glow in his irises, and his stare was unfocused.

  "No, no, no, no, no…!" I mumbled, fighting off hysterics.

  I moved his hair more and forced myself to look at it. My insides twisted. His skull was fractured. There was a dent in the top of his head. That kind of crack wasn’t survivable, even if I miraculously managed to get him breathing again.

  A blistering, cavernous feeling spread throughout my core. My sobs were inaudible, just hoarse and painful. The wind felt chillier. I waited for his blank eyes to blink, but he wasn't moving, and I knew he wouldn't ever move again. I choked on another sob as the reality finally sank in. Ashkan's blood had seeped into the slush, melting the thin layer of snow around us. Even in his broken state, he still seemed so calm and familiar, his green eyes still somehow warm. It was agony to see. He wasn't coming back.

  I brought him closer and clutched him tighter to my chest, like somehow, I could protect him. "I'm so s-sorry," I whispered. "I'm so sorry..."

  Nothing. The weight of my actions pulled me down, threatened to drown me. This is all your fault, my brain spat. Everything is your fault, everything... I was hyperventilating. It was hard to breathe, hard to think. The guilt crushed my lungs. How could something so gentle, so filled with affection, end like this? It was impossible. This couldn't be real. I tried to cast a healing spell, tried to put everything I had into it, but there was nothing left. No trace of life left to save. I knew it wouldn't work.

  "Please, please wake up..." I muttered between sobs, unsure if I was talking to him or trying to convince myself. "You have to wake up. You have to. This can't..."

  Tears dropped to his face, falling from my chin onto his cheekbone. I wiped them away with my left hand, my right cradling the back of his head. The injury left behind a streak of red. Bright red... An alarming colour. It was such a stark contrast to his own puddle of blood. My brain couldn't put the thoughts together at first, but I eventually saw it.

  The blood on my fingers was arterial red; human red. The blood pooling around us was...not. It wasn't a deep shade of venous maroon like my eyes had assumed. No, it was even darker than that.

  A trick of the light. It's a trick of the light, and the shadows, and exhaustion and just everything... You’re not thinking straight.

  My breath hitched in my throat. I stopped crying. I rested Ashkan's head on my lap, then brought both my hands to my face. The left one was badly injured and bloody; true red, with a brownish tinge around the edges. My right hand, though... Shiny, indigo-black with a very faint, silvery shimmer. Slightly sticky, thicker than blood, and highly staining. The stuff was everywhere.

  My jaw fell open in horror. I didn't understand. He bore no throat tattoo signifying he was an Inkblood. No dark eyes, no vein-like markings on his skin. This made no sense. But before I could even blink, or wrap my head around what had just happened, I felt the head on my lap grow lighter. Ashkan's features blurred. His form began to dissolve into a cloud of midnight blue wisps. Inky black tendrils coiled and separated into millions of pieces as they curled into the frigid air, dancing like smoke. As they floated around me, they caught the sunlight, shimmering and winking like glitter.

  The body was no more. The pools of inky fluid sank into the snowy stones and gradually vanished. I stood, looking down at my shaking hands as the last traces of the magic washed away. My nose scrunched. The wisps smelled foul; like smoldering obsidian mingled with thick motor oil and an awful metallic edge. A scent I was familiar with. A nightmarish stench, and what it represented felt like death itself.

  I glanced around. Luck was on my side – there were no people or windows in sight. I took a final look towards the space where Ashkan had lain, stunned. I couldn't fathom it, couldn't comprehend what had just happened. It felt like I had a vise around my lungs. My brain was running on fumes as it tried to cope. Too much had changed in such a short time.

  That was not Ashkan. I had no idea what it was. A creature had worn his face. But how? Since when?

  And, most importantly, most pressingly, most terrifyingly...

  ...Where the hell was the real Ashkan?!