I woke up in a bed that wasn’t mine, in a room I didn’t recognise. I couldn’t see Charon or Amelia anywhere. However, I did spot one familiar face on the opposite end of the room. Standing by the almost closed door was Cassandra Demetrias. She was staring at me curiously, and her hands were politely behind her back.

“You’ve been in an out of sleep for about half an hour. Are you properly awake now?” she asked.

“I think so,” I answered groggily. The words felt like knives in my throat.

“I’m supposed to go tell mom but she’s still talking to Charon and your friend,” Cassandra said casually. She bounced on the balls of her feet, like she couldn’t quite stay still.

“How do you know they’re still talking?” I asked. I did my best to sit up, but ended up just awkwardly half-leaning against the pillow.

“I can hear them,” Cassandra said bluntly.

“Ah.” I nodded. Right. Siren.

I tried to remember what I had been told about sirens. Long ago, Amelia had said that they ate people and that they were good swimmers. They were also supposed to be very charming, but Charon’s social anxiety didn’t quite match up with that one.

Cassandra didn’t look dangerous at all, but a part of me did wonder if Amelia had ended up in Charon’s family’s bellies and if I was next.

“I think they’re done now,” Cassandra said suddenly. She left swiftly and closed the door behind her.

I attempted to sit up again and succeeded this time. I was able to take the room in better. It wasn’t vey big, and the ceiling was slanted so I was probably on the second floor or the attic of the house. There was a window on one wall that was open and letting fresh air into the room. It was big enough to escape through in case of an emergency. I would probably hurt myself in the fall, but if I was in Charon’s family’s house I was close enough to home… maybe.

I didn’t have time to consider my other options before the door opened. A gorgeous woman stepped in. She had thick black hair, prominent features and long legs. She reminded me of the Greek goddess Athena, with wise eyes and an almost royal bearing. But she also felt warm and kind.

“Good morning,” she greeted. My body immediately relaxed. I was safe. She wasn’t going to hurt me. Why did I want to leave in the first place?

“Good morning,” I croaked.

She smiled warmly. “My name is Marina. I’m Charon’s mother. You gave us quite the scare, earlier,” she said.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” I said. I was sad, now. I didn’t want to worry her.

“It’s alright, love. You’re okay now,” Marina said. She came over and sat on a creaky wooden chair next to the bed. “I do have a few questions for you.”

“Go ahead,” I said. There was nothing I would ever want to lie to her about.

“What are you?” she asked.

I frowned. Surely Charon would have told her. “I’m a witch,” I said anyway.

Marina smiled again, but she looked a little disappointed. “Okay. I understand,” she said.

“I’m sorry,” I said again.

“It’s alright,” she said. She pulled herself back a little, and my mind felt less hazy.

“Where is Amelia?” I asked.

“Having breakfast. You all had a rough night,” Marina said.

“What happened?” I didn’t remember much after the dream, only little glimpses here and there, of gentle slaps on my cheek, an ice cold liquid down my throat, the rumble of a car…

“Amelia and Charon told me everything they could. You followed a bird, you thought it wanted to tell you something.” She didn’t sound like she was judging me at all, which was surprising. “Then it flew towards you, you fell backwards and hit your head. So, all in all nothing too serious, but I would like to hear more about this bird.”

“Do I… Do I have to tell you?” I asked, unsure.

“You don’t have to tell anyone anything you don’t want to. I’d just like to try to make sense of things, and I expect you do as well,” Marina said patiently.

I weighed my options. Marina was a stranger, but she didn’t seem like she wanted to hurt me — even after whatever charm she had going on wore off.

So, I told her about the crow. Not everything — I didn’t mention whatever prophecy Sibyl was on about, or the specific deadline Ewart had given someone in the other dream. I did, however, talk about the first warning the crow had given me, and how real the dreams felt.

“We’re all prone to visions, some more than others,” Marina said when I was done. “Only true Seers have visions shown to them by Magik itself. The rest of us have to keep in mind that our visions are always biased.”

“Charon said that I don’t smell like a witch,” I remembered suddenly.

“You don’t, at least not all the way. I’ve met seers though, and you’re not one,” Marina said. I tried not to look disappointed. It would’ve been cool to tell the future.

“Then what do I smell like?” I asked.

Marina looked a little sad. “I don’t know. I’m sorry,” she said.

“Maybe it’s because I haven’t come to my magic yet?” I said.

“Maybe,” she said, but she didn’t sound convinced.

Marina made sure that I was physically okay. She checked for a concussion, looked at the bump on the back of my head, asked me a bunch of dull questions and told me to try and walk in a straight line while touching my nose.

Once she was convinced that I wasn’t dying, she took me downstairs to the kitchen. The sun was already rising. Amelia and Charon were both up and sitting around the table. Amelia had an untouched cup of coffee in front of her, and Charon a bowl of cereal. Marina fixed me a bowl as well, and gave me a glass of orange juice and a painkiller.

“How are you feeling?” Amelia asked.

“I’m okay,” I said. I started shovelling cereal into my mouth. I hadn’t realised how hungry I was. Amelia looked at me for a moment, and then finally dared to sip her coffee.

“I would appreciate it greatly if you didn’t tell your families about us,” Marina said as she sat down next to Charon. She was casual about it, but I could tell it made her nervous.

I had no problem with it, but Amelia looked unsure. She was still sitting as far away from them as she could.

“We came to California to live peacefully,” Marina told her. “We’re vegetarian. My kids have never tasted human flesh in their lives. We’re no harm to you.”

“We won’t tell,” I promised. In the end, Amelia nodded in agreement as well.

Marina sighed, looking relieved. “That’s good. Thank you,” she said.

“Thank you,” I said.

Before Amelia and I left, Marina told me to come over if I started feeling off or anything. She also promised to get her hands on some books that could explain why I smelled the way I did. I still had no idea what exactly that smell was like, but apparently it was a very interesting one.

Killian was nowhere to be seen when I got back home, so I went straight into my room and grabbed my journal from under the loose floorboard. I sat at my desk and started drawing again.

This time, I really tried to draw Sibyl. It was difficult to remember her face, for some reason. It was like it kept running away from me whenever I tried to imagine it in my head. So, I left her face empty and focused on the crow on her shoulder.

I wrote down: 1 year, prophecy.

I sat back to think. Killian absolutely knew about the prophecy; he had mentioned it in his journal. The question was, would he ever tell me anything about it?

—

Two days later, I got a call from Amelia. She talked quietly, like she didn’t want her brother to hear, and so fast I could barely make out what she said. All I knew was that she wanted to meet up at the viewpoint at Twin Peaks that night. Luckily Killian was out again, so I had no curfew. (Well, I did, but he and I both knew I didn’t abide by it when he wasn’t home.)

To my surprise, when I arrived at the meeting spot I saw her sitting on the stone wall with Charon. They stayed a respectful distance from each other, but at least they weren’t fighting.

“What’s up?” I asked.

Amelia and Charon looked at each other. Amelia started: “We were thinking… We should really figure out what you are.”

“Whoa, you’ve been talking? Just the two of you? I’m impressed,” I said. I sat in the empty space between them.

“It’s serious, Oscar,” Charon said.

“If you’re half witch and half something else… Dude, that’s bad,” Amelia said. She didn’t sound sarcastic in the slightest.

“Wait, why?” I asked.

“Creating new creatures is forbidden. It’s in the Twelve Laws,” Charon explained. I had no idea what the Twelve Laws were, but I assumed they were a big deal.

“So you think I’m some sort of a lab experiment?” I said.

“No,” Amelia sighed. “It’s not technically forbidden for different magical species to… uh, breed. But when you mix two sorts of magical blood together it makes something new and unpredictable. It’s a miracle you’re not under observation or something.”

“You mean my dad wasn’t human?”

It was one thing to find out my mom was a witch, but this was somehow worse. At least I knew other witches. I could ask them about my mother, and I knew they’d teach me once my magic came to me. I didn’t even know what my dad was. Did Killian know? Had my mother known? I instinctively raised my hand to touch the rosary around my neck.

I know you’re not supposed to wear one on your neck. You’re probably not supposed to have one at all if you’re not Catholic, but it’s the only thing I have left of him.

“Are you okay?” Amelia asked.

“Not really,” I said. I fidgeted with the cross. “What was he, then?”

“We don’t know,” Charon said apologetically.

“Does your mom not recognise the scent at all?” I asked.

“It’s difficult to say. She said she’s never encountered anything like it, but she doesn’t know if it’s because you’re basically a completely new species or because she hasn’t met anyone like your dad before,” Charon said.

“I feel like a freak,” I admitted.

“Hey, don’t,” Amelia said quickly. “There’s tons of magical creatures we don’t know about because they’re so underground.”

Charon scoffed. “I wonder why,” he muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Amelia asked.

“Do you have any idea how many species have gone completely extinct because of witches?” Charon said bitterly.

Amelia didn’t say anything to that. She only looked at her feet, guilty. I wasn’t sure what Charon was talking about, but I didn’t feel like asking. I didn’t want to know if my uncle was going to kill me if he found out I wasn’t like him.

“So… How do we find out what I am?” I asked.

“My mom said she’s gonna get books. They might help,” Charon said optimistically.

“And what if I’m something bad?” I said.

“I’m not bad even though she thinks I am. Why would you be?” Charon pointed out, nodding towards Amelia.

“I don’t think you’re that bad,” Amelia argued half-heartedly.

I didn’t want to mention it to Killian, at least not yet. It was a lot scarier than coming out as gay. However, I did remember that I knew one more person who wasn’t a witch nor a human who I could talk to.

After saying goodbye to Charon at his house, I made my way to ours. Elvira was there on the porch, smoking again.

“Did you fight with Fiona again?” I asked her as I climbed up the steps.

“No. Came to see you, crow,” she said.

“Oh. Why?” I said. I hauled myself up on the railing. It wasn’t very sturdy, but I was just about Elvira’s height when I was on it.

“Just to check that you’re doing okay,” she said. Right. Killian always asked them to look after me when he was away. Usually Elvira did it from a respectful distance, though.

“There was… There was actually something I wanted to talk about,” I said.

“Yeah? Something to do with that little siren buddy of yours?” she said and nodded towards Charon’s house. She didn’t look angry or concerned, but mostly amused.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“I’ve known for a while,” she said.

“Do the others know as well?”

Elvira blew out smoke and leaned on the railing next to me. “Dennis probably knows. Fiona and your uncle are too busy with everything else. It’s not like they’re causing any trouble, so I don’t see why they’d need to know for now.”

“I agree,” I said. A chilly gust of wind almost knocked me over. I pulled my arms into my sweatshirt to stay warmer. “What are they busy doing?”

“I know almost as little as you do,” Elvira said, as she usually did whenever I tried to inquire.

“Is it because you’re a creature?” I asked casually.

For a moment, she didn’t say anything and I thought I’d crossed a line. Then, she answered: “Probably.”

“Do you, uh… Do you think I might be one as well?” I asked.

“You figured it out? Congrats,” Elvira said, impressed.

“Not really,” I admitted. “Charon says I don’t smell like a witch.”

“Well, that’s a start,” Elvira said.

“You wouldn’t happen to know what I am, would you?” I asked hopefully.

“I have a hunch,” she said slowly, looking into the distance.

“And?” I pressed.

“And I’m not telling you until I’m sure. The less you know the better, for now,” she said.

“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered. I was sick of not being told anything. Compared to my friends, I was like a child oblivious to the world around me. They knew about the laws and the rules and the history. I knew Stay home and Be patient.

“I wish I could tell you more. I know it blows,” Elvira said. She sounded genuinely sorry, which made me feel a tiny bit better.

“Does Killian know what I am?” I asked.

“He— How do I say this…” Elvira crushed her cigarette into the glass jar. “He knows there’s a chance that you are what you are.”

“That’s helpful,” I said sarcastically. I tried hard to come up with a question that she might actually be able to answer, but nothing came to mind.

“Ignorance is bliss. Isn’t that what they all say?” Elvira quipped.

I snorted. “Isn’t ignorance also the thing that causes most of the problems in the world?”

“Might be.” Elvira shrugged.

We fell into a comfortable silence. I stared at the moon and stars while Elvira lit another cigarette. The wind, which had been cold and strong earlier, had calmed down into a gentle breeze. Everything was dead quiet. It was weird because usually there was traffic, people talking and walking, dogs barking, seagulls screeching…

Elvira perked up. She was petrified, cigarette forgotten. She listened intently. The air felt electric, like it had when Killian’s door had thrown me across the room. Something wasn’t right.

“Get back inside,” Elvira said quietly, but sternly. I jumped off the railing, but didn’t go anywhere.

“What is it?” I asked. I swore I could hear a distant rumble, but not the kind Elvira’s bike made. It was more like thunder, a powerful bass packed with voltage that you could feel all the way in your heart and bones.

“Inside,” she hissed. I still didn’t move. I wasn’t sure if I was being stubborn or if the thundering noise, whatever it was, had frozen me still.

Before she could tell me the third time, a man appeared in front of us. He made made no sound doing so. There were no special effects or indications of movement. One second he just wasn’t there, and the next he was.

The man was clad in a long leather coat, the kind you see metalheads and punks wear sometimes. He was taller than anyone I’d ever seen, eight feet at least. He had a thick beard and long hair like a viking, decorated with silver beads and clasps. He radiated power; I felt lightheaded just looking at him.

Elvira stepped forward, shielding me. I could just stare at her back and watch the event unfold.

“Elias,” she said calmly. “What brings you here?”

“I come with a warning,” the man growled — yes, growled. His voice was insanely deep.

“Spit it out,” Elvira said.

“Cross has arrived in California,” Elias told her. He was looking at me curiously, but Elvira side-stepped to obscure me from his eyes. I did catch a glimpse of them, though; they were black like the sky above.

“That’s impossible,” Elvira said. I didn’t understand how she could stay so calm.

“We’ve caught you off guard before, haven’t we?” Elias pointed out. We? I thought feverishly. Was this man an enemy? Was he a creature like Charon? Could he smell my fear?

“You’ve also deceived us before,” Elvira shot back. Despite the serious situation, there was a touch of jest in her voice. Elias grinned; he was missing a tooth, but other than that he had a normal set of chompers. No fangs or tusks.

“And I promise you, sister, that my words ring true tonight. If I were you, I’d hide the boy,” Elias said in an amused tone. A part of me was offended, but a bigger part wanted to cower and/or get as far away from the man as I possibly could.

Elvira hesitated. Then, she said: “Alright. Thank you.”

“I wish you luck. I hope we’ll meet again,” said Elias. He sent one more piercing look my way before he vanished into the night again. I still didn’t know how he did it, but this time I felt the smallest breeze hit my face.

“Come on. Up,” Elvira said anxiously. She didn’t wait for me to reply; she grabbed my arm and hauled me up like I weighed nothing, which was odd because my legs felt like lead.

“Who was that?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

“That doesn’t matter now. Let’s go inside, I need to call your uncle.” She urged me inside and made sure to lock the door behind her. While she dialled my uncle’s number, she said: “Grab some spare clothes and your toothbrush. You’re staying at ours tonight.”

I wanted to hear the call, so I ran upstairs, emptied my backpack on the floor and grabbed things at random in record time. Only after half a second of hesitation, I also packed my journal and a pencil.

I jumped the last three steps and stumbled when I landed. Elvira was grabbing things from Killian’s study while on the phone. The cord barely reached the room, so it was pulled tight into a straight line.

This is what I heard: “—don’t know how they could have travelled so fast… I doubt it… No, I trust him. They won’t know… Probably just scouting, yeah… I’ll see you soon… I’ll tell him. Alright, bye.”

She handed me a leather bag, the kind fancy professors carry their books in. I didn’t have to look inside to know what was in it; the spell-book and the journal, and probably other important things.

“Just follow my lead. You’ll be fine,” Elvira said, and we ran across the street.