"Makoto's here," Cinza whispered to Ruby. She stiffened and shrank deeper into their bundle of cloaks. Her face was as red as her curls. Cinza laughed. "Don't worry, he's not looking."

"Couldn't you have warned me?"

"I wanted to see your expression," she teased.

Ruby shook her head in embarrassment, but she smiled to let Cinza know she wasn't really angry.

"Give me my shirt."

They took a few minutes to get presentable. Cinza dressed quickly, thanks to the more simple and athletic clothes she preferred. Ruby liked extravagance, so her garments were a great deal more complicated. As she tried awkwardly to pull her look back together without leaving the sanctuary of their makeshift tree bed, Cinza swirled her cloak back around herself and crossed the clearing to join Makoto, who was facing away from them into the deep black of the forest.

Her other lieutenant was a Japanese young man, the same age as herself. Makoto stood a full foot taller than her, with thick strong muscles and short black hair. He rarely spoke, and was the type who actually enjoyed staying well away from the spotlight. It wasn't that he shirked responsibility—in fact, Cinza felt that she could rely upon him without question. He merely put himself into the servant role willingly, accepting whatever tasks given without complaint and completing them with professionalism and skill far outstripping anyone else. Only Ruby could match him in raw magical talent, but she was lazy. Makoto kept up a daily practice regimen which could put any military to shame.

"We were successful," Cinza said. Makoto had been the only other member of the family aware of their mission that night, though she would be confessing to the rest that night. She hadn't liked keeping information from them, but it was at Rachel's personal request.

Makoto nodded. He wasn't surprised. He trusted in Cinza's leadership without question.

"Everyone's gathered and ready?"

Another nod.

"Is something wrong?"

Makoto frowned. "It's not my place to say." His voice was always quiet, but with a firm conviction spoke to the weight he placed behind his words. He never said anything without thinking.

Cinza was intrigued. Makoto rarely voiced his opinions beyond matters of strategy or tactics. "You're closer to me than the rest of the family, Makoto. I trust you," she said quietly. "There is nothing I would not welcome your input on."

"I..." Makoto began, but he hesitated once again. Once again, it was remarkably out of character for the young man. Cinza was happy to see him beginning to emerge from his shell. It reminded her of herself, so many years past, when she too had struggled to ever voice her emotions.

"I'm ready, Cinza. Hi, Makoto," Ruby said, startling them both.

She was clad in her robe once again, with her low-cut top just visible inside the fold, but she still looked flustered and red-faced. Cinza suppressed teasing her, now that they were returning to the world proper. There was a time and a place, and in public they had agreed they would act as leader and lieutenant. As the Emergence continued and spread, a chain of command would be vital to their survival as a family. Only in private would Ruby treat her as an equal, where they could be themselves and simply enjoy each other's company.

Makoto turned to her and bowed, immediately falling silent. Cinza wondered what he had been about to say, but it was certainly lost now. There was no way he'd finish his thought with Ruby present. They followed him through the thick forest to the clearing he'd selected. On the way, Cinza brought him up to speed on the encounters they'd had in town, from the eager reverend to the mob that had confronted Nathaniel Price. Makoto nodded and asked a few clarifying questions, but otherwise did not comment on their brief sojourn.

In turn, he let them know that Yusuf was recovering quickly from his burns. Cinza was pleased to hear it. Makoto also informed them that—with suppressed delight—Rufus was back among them once again. The older woodsman had wandered in that evening bearing gifts, and was joining them for that night's ritual. Ruby and Cinza both smiled at the thought of seeing the old man once again.

It didn't take long before they emerged into a brightly lit clearing under the moonlight. It was a wide field of thick grass surrounded by the trees, just as Cinza loved. It even vaguely held the diamond-like shape of the symbol hanging from her neck. Makoto knew exactly what she preferred and had found a perfect spot, even though they'd never been there before.

The rest of her family had already arrived, and were seated on folding camp chairs or on the blanket they'd set out in one corner. A small cheer rang out as they approached. Nate leapt up and ran to them. He gathered up Ruby in a tight hug, shouting his thanks over and over. Makoto stiffened at the approach, but when it became clear Nate was just exuberant, he relaxed again.

"Put me down, you moron," Ruby laughed.

"You saved my life today," Nate shouted, finally letting Ruby go. They took a seat with the rest of the group on the blanket, digging into the food that the Wilkinses had prepared. "Stepped in and stopped an entire mob like it was nothing!"

"It was absolutely not nothing," Ruby replied, helping herself to a sandwich. "I passed out trying to summon all that wind. Cinza was the only reason we kept it under control."

Heads swivelled to her. Cinza adjusted her voice with a tiny spell. It was one she'd worked on so much that she was able to do it almost subconsciously now. It was a distortion of the air just in front of her that affected the sound waves, giving her an ethereal, vaguely echoing sound. The sound was all a part of the mysticism she'd built up as her image, an affectation taking her one step further removed from the mundane and into the world of magic. It was remarkably effective when dealing with other groups, but her family seemed to appreciate the image as well, and she enjoyed the theatricality of the effect, so she ended up using it even at home amongst her own people.

She nodded, taking the praise in stride. "We've been practicing that for a while, and it's a technique I believe we can expand on, similar to the ritual we've been working on. It takes a certain level of concentration and coordination, but it can be done."

"Is that what we'll be doing tonight?" Yusuf asked. His arm was still wrapped up in bandages, but he looked eager and ready as always.

"Perhaps," she answered with a cryptic grin. "Let me eat first, I've been scrambling around town all day."

"Hear hear," added Ruby.

"You know, you two could let us help out more. All of the stuff in town doesn't have to be you three. We could help run errands and things," said Nicole Parsons. The farmer's daughter felt left out, Cinza realized, since she was only member of the family yet to awaken.

"Better them than me!" Rufus called from the back in his gruff voice. "I've no need to step foot in that blasted town again."

"I'm just fine working on the garden, I don't need to get into that mess," Aaron agreed.

"Besides, how are you gonna help? You don't have magic," Nate added, drawing a withering look from Makoto. "What?"

"Nicole is still a member of our family, even if she has yet to awaken. She is as worthy as any of us," Cinza said mildly. Nate shrank under her words like a scolded child. Cinza turned to Nicole. "That said, our excursion tonight was successful and brought something that could change your situation."

"What do you mean? What situation?" Morton Pollock asked. Cinza was briefly reminded of his boss the town journalist, and how they both tended to talk as if they were always interviewing someone, even if it was just casual conversation.

Cinza took a breath before she launched into the tale. "Ruby and I did not go into town just to talk to the reverend. We did speak to the man, and he wishes to visit our home sometime and meet our family, but our true task was much more important… and much more dangerous."

Cinza felt true delight at their rapt attention as she continued. "After night fell, we waited until an opportunity arose. We snuck into Hector Peraza's store and found his safe. We opened it, took what we needed, and left without a trace. This was no petty theft though, before you think me a brigand. This was a reclamation, a restoration of what belongs to us all."

With a flourish, she pulled out the scroll tube. "This is the Scrap that was presented to the Council."

They stared in awe for a few moments. Morton was the first to speak again, unsurprisingly. "How did you know where it would be?"

"The same man who gave us our affinities was also able to supply this information," Cinza replied. She did not offer the name, and they did not ask. They all knew that Cinza wouldn't lie if she were asked something directly, but that there were plenty of questions she didn't want to be asked. It was a mutual unspoken agreement that such questions never surfaced.

"Anyone read it yet?" Rufus asked.

"It remains sealed," Cinza confirmed. She turned to Nicole, who was suddenly looking very nervous. "Nicole, I know you've been considering awakening. I want you to know before you commit yourself that you are always welcome here. It doesn't matter if you've read from the Grimoire. We've always accepted you as one of us. However, now that we have this in our possession, you no longer have to subject yourself to the Council's vetting process. You could awaken tonight and meet the goddess yourself, if you so choose."

"I—" Nicole started, but Cinza held up a hand.

"Think on it a moment. Before you answer, there is something else we should discuss. Since this Scrap has not yet been read by anyone, we should decide who among us will be the first."

"Does it matter?" Brittany Wilkins asked. "Why not let Nikki read it first, if she so chooses?"

"There are some in the Council who've been researching this. It's possible that the first to read a Scrap gains a significant amount of power and control with the magic it details." Cinza shrugged. "The rest of us will read it in turn, but with such an opportunity, we may want to consider more carefully who takes the first step."

"It's Creation-aligned, correct?" Yusuf asked.

"Yes, which means that Makoto won't be able to use it," Cinza said, with an apologetic glance at her lieutenant. Makoto shrugged. He had never seemed bothered by his diffinity for the branch. None of them had an affinity for it, and it saw such rare use in the real world.

Cinza expected his feelings to change as the fight against Omega began to heat up. They'd need every advantage they could muster.

"Is there anything else we know about it?" Matthew Wilkins asked, holding his wife's hand. They were a starkly contrasted pair, between his dark skin and thick dark curls, compared to her pale complexion and short blonde hair. Yet they were inseparable, and even the hardship of having lost their child had not dimmed their relationship. Cinza admired their strength and resilience. "What sort of things can it create?"

"There's no way to be sure until it has been read. My own guess is that it will have something to do with the very golems that were sent for us." The group collectively shuddered at the memory, and Yusuf muttered a curse in Arabic under his breath. "Since the attacks and murders began right as the Scrap was discovered, I assume it may contain some information on the golems we can use. Whomever reads it should be ready to fight."

Cinza paused. "I know that none of you signed up to be in a war, but battle has come for us nonetheless. We always knew that the world would persecute us, but we did not expect the gods themselves to lead the charge. I swear to you I will do everything in my power to protect you, but I cannot fight alone."

"You don't even need to ask," Rufus said firmly. "We're all behind you."

The entire group looked resolute. Even Nicole, who had no magic at her disposal. The only hint of reluctance was from Nate Price, which didn't surprise Cinza in the slightest.

She felt a burst of pride at the assembled family. These people, whom she'd gathered over weeks and months and brought to her side, were all with her. They supported her and believed in her. She refused to let them down. She'd fight and die before she let any of them down.

How my life has changed, she mused. Even in the last family that had taken her in, she'd never known such belonging, such loyalty and trust. She'd never dreamed it were possible. Trust was something to be held until breaking it could cause the most pain, belonging a trap to lure her in until she could be exploited at her most vulnerable.

This group had shown her otherwise. Ruby and Makoto, the Wilkins and Rufus, Aaron and Morton and Yusuf and Nicole. They cared for one another, helped each other, talked and teased and laughed and shared. When there was disagreement and discord, the family as a whole came together to solve the problem. They were totally united under their shared mission—to embrace magic and to follow Grey-eyes' lead in bringing it to the world.

Cinza smiled. "Thank you all." She held up the tube again. "Now, back to the Scrap. Does anyone have a suggestion on who should read it first?"

"Ruby," Makoto said immediately. The family turned to him, shocked. Makoto so rarely spoke up unprompted, it was practically an outburst of emotion from him.

"Ruby?"

"She has the talent and power to make the best use of it, and she's been in all the fighting until now. She can handle herself under pressure, and with how you two practice, you can help her aim and control it if she needs it. None of us can do that."

Cinza wasn't surprised that Makoto had considered the strategic applications so well, but the rest of the group was shocked he'd spoken up at all.

"Holy crap, that was like forty whole words," said Nicole, finally breaking the tension. Everyone laughed.

"Makoto sounds abou' right to me," Rufus added once it had died down. "Ruby should be the one to read it."

The rest of the family agreed in turn. Ruby bowed, as if accepting an award, though her expression was nervous and uncertain. Ruby asked that it wait until after the ritual they'd gathered for, as she wanted to prepare herself for what she might be leaping into. Matthew briefly questioned whether or not they should still perform their ritual that night, but Cinza and Ruby both insisted.

The ritual was more than just a pretty light show, after all. It served a vital purpose in deepening their connection with magic, and with each other. Keeping to their schedule was important enough to merit an hour or so delay in reading the Scrap. Cinza asked the rest of the group to start cleaning up and clearing the space so they could proceed to their nightly ritual, while she took Ruby aside.

"Are you okay with this?" she asked, dropping her usual vocal affectation and letting the spell dissipate. There were very few people she ever spoke to in her natural voice, but Ruby was the top of that select list.

Ruby frowned. "I'm happy to try. The magic doesn't scare me. I'm afraid that when he comes for us, I won't be strong enough."

Cinza shook her head. "You don't need to be strong enough. We can do that for you."

Ruby smiled. As the group began to take places around the meadow, her eyes lit up. "Can I... can I lead tonight?"

Cinza was surprised. While Ruby had learned the specifics of the rituals she performed and tried them in private, she'd never asked to take the center position before. It meant she'd be the one receiving, rather than giving, which was a pressure she wasn't nearly as familiar with. Still, her eyes were full of determination, and her grip was like iron. Cinza knew she could handle it.

She smiled. "Of course."

She took Ruby's hand and lead her out to the center of the meadow. The rest of the group drew up their hoods, forming a circle around them.

The ritual always began like this, with Ruby and Cinza in the center and the rest of the family around the edges. Normally, Ruby would lend her strength to Cinza in generating the structure and all the elements and particles. Once they were created, Cinza could keep them alive much longer since she hadn't expended all her energy in the creation. It was much easier to keep things moving than to create them. However, tonight they would reverse positions. Cinza would lend her strength to Ruby, and Ruby would be in control of the dance.

The ritual was more than just a light show. It had begun as one, when Ruby and Rufus had discovered her light dance in the woods. Cinza used to perform the dance alone, in the dead of the night, simply to practice her own sense of control and strengthen her endurance enough to maintain the light as long as she could. It was a simple adaptation of the dancing she'd learned in a past life, applying the best parts of painful experience to her new passions.

In those days, Cinza was just happy to put on a show for the pair of them (adjusting the dance to something a bit more elegant and dignified) but everything had changed after Ruby had discovered what they could do together.

Ruby had decided to join Cinza's dance one night, leaping into the circle of lights and joining hands. It began playfully, but as they spun, Cinza had suddenly recognized a new source of energy bursting with warmth and power. It was close to her heart, so close she felt it in her chest. Cinza had asked Ruby what it was, and Ruby had asked for permission in return. That night, they discovered what magic could do when it was joined together in harmony.

Cinza and Ruby joined hands again in the center of the circle. Makoto produced his flute and began to play. They drew together and spun slowly in place, a quiet dance while they gathered up magic. Cinza found the stream of energy within herself, the flow of arcane power she'd come to recognize as her magic, and began to channel it upward into her palms. It was like redirecting a flowing river by placing rocks in the stream, where little by little it was choked off and the course changed to the path of least resistance. In this case, there was only one place that the energy could flow—into Ruby's waiting arms.

Ruby, in turn, had opened herself up to the energy. It couldn't actually enter her—Mason's Law was still in effect, and Cinza could never affect her directly—but the energy was simply floating in the infinitely small space between them. Cinza was offering it up into the open, and Ruby was grasping it and taking it to serve her own needs. In the same way they could pull energy from gemstones, so too was Ruby able to use the energy Cinza had given.

Ruby began to gather it up, as much as Cinza could offer. She felt Ruby's hands shake as the flows increased. Cinza's legs began to feel weak from the exertion, but she refused to let go. She didn't want Ruby's first time leading to be anything less than perfect. There was a sharp buildup as Ruby began shaping it more directly and preparing it. It was like approaching the edge of a waterfall. Her heart raced. Her breathing was light and quick.

"I love you," Ruby whispered, and Cinza nearly lost her focus at the words.

An instant later, there was a visceral crash of release as Ruby threw her head back with eyes wide and let the energy explode into the air. Lights sprang out in every direction, forming beautiful and impossible patterns in the air with brilliance and color far outstripping what Cinza usually created.

Every inch of the sky above them was filled with a shimmering, spinning intricate design of the stars and space. It was like a beautiful nebula had spun into being above them, with shifting bright orange and reds fading into deep purple and blue in the star-filled clouds. Around them spun a web of dancing lights matching the sky above. It reminded Cinza of the curtain Ruby had designed for their cabin—but this was a moving, three-dimensional illusion, with depth and power far beyond just a simple cloth.

She was at a loss for words.

Ruby grinned delightedly at Cinza's awestruck expression. They began to spin faster through the shimmering starfield as Makoto's flute increased in tempo. The rest of the family seemed reluctant to approach, given the sheer density and scale of what Ruby had created, and the personal nature of the two twirling through the center—but as the dance continued, they returned to their usual positions. After what seemed like an eternity, Ruby finally released Cinza, and the flow of energy between them came to a swift halt.

She practically fell onto the grass in a heap. She lay there for several minutes, just watching the starscape above that Ruby had created for her.

Ruby took up Rufus' hands next, and they began to dance around the circle while Cinza simply relaxed. The ritual was a way for them to learn sharing and combining energy into spells, since many of the others were so inexperienced in the method. Cinza and Ruby had mastered the art through endless practice and experimentation, but it seemed that experience with the method was merely guidance when working with others. Cinza had to start over again with every single other member of the family, and slowly build up their compatibility. Eventually, she was able to work with several others in the group.

Aaron and Yusuf were the best after Ruby at being able to project energy that she could make use of, and Rufus managed to supply a bit after a great deal of effort. The rest of them were far less effective, and Makoto in particular seemed to be totally unable to manage it. Cinza wondered if it were another practice related to affinities, but she felt like she needed a larger sample before she could draw any real conclusions. That was a thought for another day though.

I could lay here forever, she thought lazily as she lay in the cool grass, splayed out where she'd fallen after Ruby had released her. She felt giddy and immeasurably satisfied by what they'd achieved—what Ruby had achieved. The younger girl had managed a new level of control and finesse far beyond what she'd ever managed before. Cinza guessed it hadn't been by accident. Most likely, she'd been practicing and planning the design for weeks.

It's transcendent.

Cinza finally looked up as the flute paused briefly. Makoto handed it over to Rufus, who kept up the song. Ruby had extended her hand to Makoto after she'd let go of Yusuf, and Makoto accepted the offer. Cinza was surprised—after the first few tries, Makoto had all but given up and simply volunteered to play Rufus' flute instead. Ruby managed to entice him back into the circle somehow. As they began to dance, Cinza saw the lights brighten, ever so slightly, and the color shifted again.

Ruby released him from the dance after only a half a minute, and already he looked winded. He retreated outside the circle while she took up Brittany Wilkins for the next movement. Cinza got to her feet and joined Makoto on the edge of the circle, where they were just far enough away from anyone else that she doubted they'd be overheard.

"Are you all right?" she asked. She realized belatedly that she'd forgotten to restore the voice spell before speaking, but she brushed it away. Makoto was as close as anyone to her, except of course for Ruby.

"I'm fine." In fact, he did look much better already. The exhaustion and dismay on his face was fading quickly. He soon returned to his usual professional and calm demeanour.

"Have you been practicing? I hadn't expected you to ever be able to join."

"I didn't either." Makoto was watching Ruby intently.

Understanding finally clicked in Cinza's mind. Makoto's devotion to the group had always been a bit of a mystery. He was from an all-Japanese family from the Portland suburbs, and had only come to Rallsburg as a student on a scholarship. Nothing about his background or his demeanour implied the type who might join a coven deep in the woods. While he had taken to magic far quicker than most, he had never seemed quite as enamored as the rest of the group.

Still, between his unwavering loyalty and his skill, Cinza had never questioned his motivations. She simply assumed he was a private person and let him keep his secrets. This, however, was a blossoming motive with the potential for real conflict if it wasn't handled well.

"You're in love with Ruby," she stated firmly. Makoto's face snapped around to her so fast she worried he might have gotten whiplash.

"What?"

"It's okay," Cinza added quickly. He looked a step between confused and concerned, and she wanted to immediately assuage those fears. "I couldn't possibly fault you falling for her."

"I wouldn't ever—"

"You don't need to worry." Cinza interrupted. "I know you, Makoto. I know Ruby as well." Flashes of her old family flew through her mind. Communication and understanding were the key, she believed, to making sure drama didn't break them apart. It could be done, so long as she knew where everyone stood.

And if it weren't addressed, she had seen the devastating consequences it could wreak.

"Have you ever spoken to her about it?"

"Never." Makoto looked surprised Cinza had even asked. "I wouldn't try and get between you two."

Cinza smiled. "Nothing could ever come between us, so you needn't worry on that front."

She turned to look at Ruby, currently dancing with Nate Price—who was looking very out of place, tripping over his own feet several times. She kept him upright, while Aaron suppressed a laugh on the far side of the circle.

"Ruby and I are bound for eternity." For a moment, Makoto looked crestfallen, but he masked it well. Cinza grinned, eager to see his reaction to her next sentence. "Though that doesn't mean our circle is completely closed."

It got the effect she wanted. He did a perfect double-take, as though he didn't understand a word she'd said. Cinza went on, since she knew he wouldn't be able to rest until she explained what she meant.

"Ruby and I are not totally exclusive. I love her, and she loves me, and we'll be together until we both draw our final breath, but we've agreed that the world is a wide complicated place and that our unique lives are going to take us many places we won't expect. Who's to say what the next day will bring?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"I mean that Ruby is a very loving person. I've never known her to love a man, but that doesn't mean she cannot. If you find her as intoxicating as I do, you should talk to her." Cinza laughed. "She alone decides whom she brings into her bed, of course, but I wouldn't stand in your way. Know that she and I will be together until our final breath, but that anything else might happen along the path."

Makoto didn't reply, but his expression was less forlorn than it had been a few moments earlier.

Cinza left him to stew, as Ruby had released her last partner. Her blue eyes, like the wide ocean under the evening sunlight, had locked onto Cinza. She begged Cinza forward with only those eyes. Cinza was happy to oblige.

After so many others, Ruby no longer needed any more energy to maintain the lights and was letting them slowly fade out into the night sky. Cinza was able to just enjoy the dance, the feel of Ruby's hands on her own and the scent of her long hair as Cinza held her close. They twirled around to the lilting flute as Rufus began to slow the tempo down, the crescendo of the night letting down into a gentle finale waltz.

"What did you say to Makoto?" Ruby asked breathlessly, barely above a whisper in Cinza's ear.

"I told him that if he wants you, he should ask you himself, but that you and I are stuck with each other until death and beyond," she replied.

Ruby grinned. "I always knew he had a crush on me."

Cinza drew back and held her at arm's length. "You knew? How?"

"Intuition, of course."

"I'm much more intuitive than you," Cinza said, frowning.

"Oh, are you? Even though it took you a whole month to figure out I was trying to flirt with you?" Ruby laughed. "I'm the intuitive, creative one. You're the one with the plans and the grand speeches. Stick to what you're best at."

She sighed. "So long as I have you at my side."

"Always."

Cinza smiled. "I love you too."

Ruby leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. They stepped close together and swayed gently in the wind, though the music had stopped and the lights had faded away. The rest of the group had already returned to the blanket, excitedly discussing the light show that Ruby had put on for them. Cinza let her head rest gently against Ruby's shoulder, closing her eyes and letting the taller girl lead for the moment.

It was a pure and perfect moment, one Cinza wanted to keep tight in her memory forever—but her mind wouldn't let her. She already felt the darkness rushing back up once again. She'd believed she had a perfect family and a perfect life once. She'd ruined those. She'd shattered the picture into a million pieces and burned every bridge behind her. Who was to say she couldn't ruin her new family as well?