Two days had passed since that night and the kiss remained a secret. My house turned into a miniature prison, our every action monitored by Cullen’s guards. I could barely get up in the middle of the night for a glass of water without having a knife to my throat, only lowered once I confirmed my identity. At Cullen’s behest, the strongest protective enchantments were placed on the house, in case Guabancex attempted another attack. The enchantments were powerful enough to prevent Elena and Belmont from vanishing without permission from a guard, making it difficult for them to hear about strange occurrences among their fellow ghosts.

Cowen became a permanent fixture, keeping a close eye on me and Damon. With Cullen busy tracking the former goddess, I told him about Bradley’s odd behavior at the dance but he dismissed it as a side effect of the crack created between the worlds. He reminded me that the hupias, hellhounds, and ghosts became visible to all the ‘mere mortals’, not just the youngest Belmont.

“Hey!”

A nerf dart struck my shoulder as I hung ornaments on the tree. I blocked another dart from hitting me in the face and chucked it back at Damon, who was laughing alongside my brother.

The morning after the school attack was an awkward mess. My parents, fearing Ryan’s reaction to Damon, made all of his favorites for breakfast and my mother even offered to let him play one of his zombie games. After giving him a watered down version of Damon’s absence for the past ten years, claiming that he was too ill to have visitors, they prepared for a lot of questions or a tantrum but in less than five minutes, it felt as if Damon had always been part of the family.

“You know, if these decorations aren’t finished, Santa won’t come tonight with presents,” I warned my younger brother, holding up a candy cane shaped ornament.

Tossing his nerf gun onto the couch, he rifled through the box of ornaments. Damon rolled his eyes.

“Really? We were just getting into—” A dart struck his cheek. “Wh—Abuela, that’s not fair. You know I can’t fight back or Mom will wring my neck.”

With a mischievous smile, she lowered the gun. “I’m aware, my wild lobo.”

I lifted Ryan up to reach the higher branches of the tree. The guards immediately raised their weapons at the sound of a knock on the door.

“Relax,” I said, taking a dagger from Li. “I’m sure it’s just Mrs. McGill. She brings cookies to everyone in the neighborhood on Christmas Eve.”

“We need to verify that,” she said, eyeing the door.

I bit back a laugh. “Li, if it was an assassin, I don’t think they’d knock on the door first.”

“Fair point,” she conceded, slipping the dagger into her leg holster.

The guards lowered their weapons at her signal, a slight nod of her head. Undoing the extra locks, courtesy of my father’s paranoia, I opened the door but instead of a friendly neighbor, the porch was empty. I passed it off as a prank, a case of ding dong ditch, until something shiny caught my attention. There was a thin, neatly wrapped box on the welcome mat, a note attached to the red ribbon.

I knew you wouldn’t accept this in person. I wouldn’t blame you, given our past, but I am hoping you can fix that. You’re the only one I trust, the only one who can end this. Keep it hidden. Consider it my apology.

“Tessa?” asked Li. “Who’s there?”

“No one,” I replied, hiding the box inside my hoodie. “Probably kids playing a joke.”

Around noon, I headed to the hospital to visit Will, Cowen only allowing it after being faced with my puppy dog pout and the threat of sneaking out behind his back. His sole condition was that he accompanied me. I was not going to let a psychopath ruin an annual tradition.

Every Christmas Eve, Will and I would spend the day at each other’s houses, watching sci-fi holiday movies and television specials. Now more than ever, I needed those several hours of relaxation, to spend a day with one of my best friends without a care in the world. It was a small way of feeling normal.

Upon entering his room, I was greeted by his family: his mother opening his carton of milk and blowing on his soup, Katie teasing him about his cute nurse between texts to her friends, and his stepfather watching the news, a cast on his right arm. I blushed when Mr. Mitchell hailed me as ‘the town hero’, taking a few seconds to realize he was referring to the break-in, not the school.

“Oh, Mrs. Nelson, you didn’t have to get me anything,” I said, struggling to hold the stack of presents. “Definitely not this much.”

“Nonsense, we always give you a present.” She wrapped me in a warm embrace. “Besides, if it weren’t for you, Will and Connor may not have made it to Christmas. We’re lucky to have you in our lives, Tessa.”

Seeing my discomfort, Katie pushed her towards the door. “Mom, you’re only allowed to be embarrassing once a day and it’s only 12:30. Reel it in.”

“We’ll be back around five for dinner, sweetheart,” she reminded Will. “If you need anything, call me.”

As an apologetic Katie shut the door, I joined him on the bed, picking up his laptop from the side table. Up close, something seemed off about him. He looked even more anxious than usual.

“I’m glad your mom said yes. I was worried she’d have you on lockdown but then again, she knows not to mess with tradition. So uh I thought we’d do Doctor Who this year. Are we going from worst to best or best to worst? If it’s best first, then it’s definitely—”

A high-pitched noise distracted me. At first, I thought it was one of the monitors but when I turned my head, I realized it was coming out of Will’s mouth. His lips pressed tightly together, he repeatedly tapped his foot under the blanket.

“Will?” I panicked, ready to shout for a doctor. “What’s wrong? Is it your medicine? Do you want me to get the nurse or—”

“Can we please talk about the dance?” he asked in a single breath.

Nearly dropping the laptop, I tried to maintain a blank expression. “W—what about it? Some idiots, probably Parker and his goons, let off stink bombs so they made us leave early. Amity was upset. She should be since she spent months planning it and it looked great.”

“You don’t have to lie,” he said, eagerly. “I know. I know, Tessa.”

Amity had paid him a visit hours before the dance. Feeling sympathetic that he was stuck in the hospital, she bribed the tech club with invitations to Serena's Christmas party in exchange for a livestream of the auditorium. He watched the dance through his laptop, seeing everything from the creatures attacking the students to my fight with Guabancex.

Cowen enlisted Oliver and a guardian to wipe their memories of the incident, replacing them with false ones to explain the dance ending early. My entire body felt numb as he moved his hands around the supposedly empty spaces on the bed.

“Are Elena and Fin here too?” he questioned, his eyes shining like two bright stars. “The temperature must drop around them so a cool spot would indicate their presence. Am I right?”

I found myself at a crossroads. For years, I wanted to be honest with Will, to discuss my reaper struggles without looking like I was speaking to myself. How would Cullen react to an outsider knowing the truth? A best friend was not on the same level as a relative. Would it put Will in more danger or keep him safe?

My mouth decided long before my own mind, telling him everything. An enormous weight lifted off my shoulders the longer I talked about what had been happening over the past few months. I was fearful of his reaction, Will never one to like the slightest change. He once freaked out over the switch from Taco Tuesday to Tots Tuesday in middle school. Shaking with excitement rather than fear, he bombarded me with questions.

“How do you heal from the injuries so fast? Is it magic or—”

“Will, we have plenty of time,” I said, keeping him from rising from the bed. “I’m really glad you know now. I’ve wanted to tell you but I wasn’t sure how or when. You said you saw everything?”

“Well, just in the auditorium. You looked badass with that sword. Do all reapers have swords?” he asked, on the verge of a dozen more questions. “Is it bonded to you somehow?”

“Sort of, I guess. It belonged to my ancestor. Apparently, I’m descended from Atabey.” His eyes widened in amazement. “But that’s not important. How did the livestream work?”

“Through the security cameras,” he explained, clicking on a link.

The screen showed a bird’s-eye view of the auditorium from several angles. A dangerous idea popped into my head.

“I’m sure it’s not the first time CJ and the others have done it. I heard rumors last year that they would work with Fin and his friends to get answers for tests,” he said, showing the video from the dance. “Principal Hilton knew someone was hacking so she made the teachers write down the answers. It’s still happening so I bet in exchange for some money, they’re using the cameras in the classrooms to find the answer sheets.”

The gears in my head were spinning at a mile a minute. “That’s brilliant.”

“I—in a way, yeah. Sort of scary too. I mean, who knows what else they’ve been hacking?” I jumped down from the bed. “Where are you going?”

“Serena's party. I have to find CJ,” I replied, putting on my jacket. “If you’re right about the cameras, it could show us who changed into Hilton that night.”

“You want to talk to CJ alone?” he asked, his tone implying it was a bad plan. “Let me come—”

The mere attempt at lifting his leg made him groan in pain. I promised to text him updates from the party. Giving him a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, I found Cowen in the lobby to return home, lying that Will was too ill to watch movies.

Belmont did not bother acting innocent about the test scam. He was almost proud of his deal with the ‘tech geeks’, offering them half of the profits.

“You told Will the truth?” Elena asked, surprised. “Is he allowed to know?”

“There’s no rule against it,” said Damon, crossing his arms. “The council likes to be cautious. If everyone knew about us, some would try to take advantage. Why do we care how Richie Rich over here used to cheat on tests? You think they saw what Cullen’s guards couldn’t?”

I lowered my voice as a pair of guards passed by, helping my mother set the table. It was a much larger feast than previous years, having to prepare food for twenty three people instead of five.

“I doubt they monitor the school 24/7 but what if we’re able to track Guabancex from that night?” I whispered, wanting to help Cullen. “Maybe we could see out what she really looks like.”

“And how are we getting to this party? We’re under higher security than Alcatraz and before you say not we, you are not going out there alone,” he said, adamantly. “That bitch could be anywhere and we’re stronger together than apart.”

Throughout dinner, I tried to think of the perfect excuse. The guards watched us like hawks and getting answers at a high school party would be impossible if I was surrounded by men and women trained in thirty different styles of combat.

Passing notes under the table, Damon suggested using Elena and Belmont as bait, having them disappear and send the guards chasing them around the town. It had its advantages yet I did not want to risk the guards imprisoning either of them. In the midst of dessert, my grandmother asked for help cutting the chocolate mousse cake.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” she said, squeezing my hand. “These old hands aren’t what they used to be.”

Something scratched the inside of my palm. My grandmother picked up her fork with a grin, slipping me the subtlest wink. I peeked at the crumpled up paper in my hand, the one Damon and I had been scribbling messages on for the past half hour.

Use the party as a solution to assuage their outrage

It was another instance that made me wonder if she could read minds. I was unsure what she meant by outrage but then I remembered the night of the dance.

“Alistair, could I go out again?” I begged. “My friend Serena is having a party. I wouldn’t stay long. Maybe an hour at most?”

“I don’t think that’s wise, Tessa,” he advised, somehow both firm and sympathetic. “We allowed you to leave to visit Mr. Nelson but a party is much different from a hospital. There’s too much risk. Guabancex could hide in plain sight amongst your peers.”

I sighed in defeat, pushing the mixture of vanilla ice cream and chocolate cake around my plate. “I know it’s risky but I won’t have a lot of chances to see her since she lives in Lily Grove. I wanted to thank her. She practically saved me from Dr. Baxter at the dance.”

Several utensils clattered around me, like an uncoordinated marching band. My parents were frozen in shock, my father’s glass cracking beneath his fingers. Damon, quickly catching on, hid his smirk behind his napkin.

“Tessa, what are you um—what does that mean?” my mother asked, her voice overly sweet to masquerade her own anger.

“Well, I walked around, looking for Chace, and I thought I heard him in the Biology classroom,” I said, telling a minor fib. “He wasn’t there but when I turned around, I saw Dr. Baxter. He was acting weird so I wanted to leave but he kept following me. If Serena didn’t show up, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

“Did he put his hands on you?” She was back in angry tiger mode. “If he so much as looked at you inappropriately, I will march down to the school and—”

“N—no,” I lied, looking extra innocent. “She told me about the party at the dance and if I’m a ghost all winter break, it looks a lot more suspicious.”

After an endless argument between my parents and Cowen, he agreed to let me attend the party, except for half an hour and with Li and Evani as protection. Damon, along with Elena and Belmont, managed to gain that tiny slice of freedom as well, stoking my father’s paranoia with a partially true rumor that Dr. Baxter sneaked into high school parties.

Finding CJ was not as easy as snapping my fingers. I had to navigate through the mostly drunken crowd, giving quick waves and dodging the advances of my peers. Elena dumped a cup of beer on a Lily Grove boy who attempted to get me under the mistletoe.

“We’re trying for discreet here,” I said, ducking as Hilton turned her head to greet one of her cheerleader robots.

“Well, it’s not like I can tell him you’re taken,” she whispered, her breath tickling my ear.

Biting my lip to hold back a smile, I led her into the backyard. Amity, sitting in a hot tub with a group of kids, was boasting about getting the lead in the spring musical, rehearsals starting the first week back at school. My curiosity about her possible supernatural nature was interrupted by Belmont tugging on my sleeve, pointing out a girl alone in the gazebo.

Remembering to pick Will’s brain later, I headed over to the gazebo, knowing my plan had a high probability of failure. The girl looked like she had just stepped out of a board meeting, with her navy blazer, matching pencil skirt, and short heels.

“CJ’s an ice queen. Just butter her up by saying she’ll be the next Steve Jobs or something,” suggested Belmont.

“Finally. I’ve been waiting for—ugh.” Her dark eyes, hidden behind a pair of round frames, narrowed. “Well if it isn’t Belmont High’s own Cinderella story.”

“CJ—”

“You know, they all think you’re such an inspiration. Rising from the designated bottom feeder to Chace Parker’s special girl,” she spat, blatantly bitter. “What’s it like, being another name on his list? I’m not surprised, honestly. He’s not exactly an ideal choice for riveting conversation but then again, you never were one with good taste.”

Damon chuckled, joining her in the gazebo. CJ scrunched her nose as he laid his arm on the back of the bench, his fingers delicately brushing against her shoulder.

“I see there’s some tension between you two. Hey, I’m her cousin Damon. CJ…that’s adorable.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Trying to hide some embarrassing name your parents gave you? What does it stand for?”

She flicked away his hand. “One, you’re barking up a very wrong tree. Two, my name is CJ. Three, get the hell away from me. I’m here on business and my clients value their privacy.”

“Selling more answer sheets?” I asked, trying a different approach. “Imagine if Principal Hilton knew it was you. Bye bye, Harvard. Hello, community college.”

Her grip tightened on her phone. “It almost sounds like you’re blackmailing me.”

“Well, you’re well-versed in that.” She quietly scoffed. “Unless you want me to give her concrete proof of your hacking, you’ll do me a favor. Try to point your finger at Belmont and his lackeys but in the end, you know you’ll be the scapegoat, the brilliant class president who proves minorities aren’t good enough without cheating.”

“What do you want?” she grumbled.

“Will told me what you did for him. The livestream of the dance?” I said, jogging her memory. “Really impressive. Could you show me other footage from that night? Before you ask why, it’s none of your business. In exchange, I keep quiet about your scam.”

CJ, backed into a corner, grudgingly agreed to the deal. Needing her laptop to search through the files, we decided to meet at the Blue Moon cafe the day after Christmas.

“Tessa!” Serena waved at me from the hot tub. “Over here!”

“Don’t want to keep your subjects waiting,” muttered CJ.

“What was that all about?” asked Elena, glancing back at the uptight hacker. “I know CJ’s not the friendliest person but it’s like she hates you. You guys have barely talked to each other.”

Trying my best not to scratch my ear, I told her that it was over a silly incident in ninth grade. She did not get a chance to question it further as Serena greeted me with a hug.

“I’m so glad you could make it.”

“I uh can’t stay long. My dad has this tradition with me and my brother and if I miss it, he’ll say Christmas is ruined,” I lied, though I honestly did hope to see her. “Thanks for the other night. You know, with Baxter and everything…”

“Us girls have to stick together, right?” Serena grabbed my hand. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

After introducing himself as my cousin, kissing her hand, Damon followed us into the house. He stole a half empty cup of beer from a nearby table. While she headed up to her bedroom, I waited on a couch in the living room.

Elena and Belmont vanished from the couch to do their own security sweep of the house, to ensure none of Guabancex’s spies were among the partiers.

“You know, I thought I was the suave one but look at you, breaking hearts left and right.”

My head snapped up at his words. Damon leaned over the couch with a cheeky grin.

“W—what are you talking about?” I asked, playing dumb.

He held up his fingers. “Vivienne, Chace, CJ, Elena…”

Feeling warm under the collar of my sweater, I snatched the cup from him, taking a small sip.

“I’m not blind, Tessa,” he teased. “I saw how you two were the other night. It was obvious before that but after you went chasing after her, you kept giving each other these looks. Don’t want her getting jealous of you and Miss Class President?”

“Elena and I aren’t—we kissed but that’s it,” I insisted. “A relationship is the last thing on my mind right now. Plus it would put her in more danger. Who knows if we’ll survive this, Damon? I can’t give her that false hope. She deserves better.”

Lowering my voice, I admitted that CJ used to be one of my few friends. She had sent me a valentine in ninth grade, revealing her true feelings and even setting up a date at the Blue Moon café. Thinking I was not ready to be out in the open, she promised to keep it a secret, having not come out herself at the time either.

Dealing with the fall out from my tumultuous relationship with Vivienne, I could not gather the courage to meet her, letting her sit alone for hours. Out of anger, she threatened to tell the entire school about Vivienne, having learned of her by hacking my emails and only stopping thanks to Will’s interference. He never told me about his secret leverage. Ever since that horrible night, CJ refused to even speak to me, always avoiding me in the halls.

“She obviously still likes you,” he said, taking a sip of beer. “Better not let her think she has another shot. It’s not like you can tell her you’re sort of dating a ghost.”

Serena bounding down the staircase saved me from further relationship talk. To my confusion, she held up a yearbook from Lily Grove High.

“We’re doing a project in history about our ancestors. I was digging through boxes in the attic and I found this.” Opening it to a page, she placed it on my lap. “Check it out.”

My eyes immediately fell on a picture towards the bottom, of a girl with a striking resemblance to me. It was my mother at seventeen years old, her dark hair falling down her back in soft waves and bearing the same bright smile that instantly comforted me on a bad day.

“Isn’t that cool?” she said, grinning. “Look, she was in the same year as my brother.”

Serena flipped a couple pages back, pointing to another photo. He was incredibly handsome, with his well-coiffed ash blonde hair and eyes like a clear ocean. In a way, with his good looks and varsity jacket, he reminded me of Belmont. I read the name under the photo: Blaine Gilbert.

It was the name Parker had given me after the trial, the one his father was speaking about one night. If that was not strange enough, his senior quote was enough to catch my attention.

“We will rise from the ashes.”

“Dramatic, right?” she said, shaking her head in embarrassment. “It’s the Gilbert family motto. My dad’s always saying it, even for something as little as one of my brothers losing a baseball game. Pretty sure my grandmother has it stitched on a pillow.”

Serena showed off the sterling silver ring on her left hand. It looked eerily similar to the one I found at the Falls, except the stone was a diamond. Calling it a Gilbert tradition, she and her brothers had received the ring, with their specific birthstone, on their sixteenth birthday.

“Pretty intense motto. Are you secretly phoenixes?” joked Damon, my eyes still transfixed on the photo.

“Yeah, totally, and my cousin is a werewolf,” she replied, giggling. “Your cousin’s so funny, T—”

“Does Blaine live nearby?” I asked, wondering how he fit into this mess.

She frowned slightly at my question. “Oh, he’s—sorry, I forgot you didn’t live here long. He died a few weeks after his senior year. It was a freak accident. Your mother actually saved him that same day from a huge car wreck.”

A chill ran down my spine. When my mother told me about ‘her own Fin Belmont’, she was referring to Blaine Gilbert. Chief Parker was talking about a dead teenager, one who had died over twenty years ago. I thought back to his encounter with my mother at the police station, the tension between them, and her story of the shadow clinging to Blaine’s back before his accident. It was too much to be mere coincidence.

“He was visiting a friend in Belmont Falls and this car came out of nowhere, ran right over him, and drove off,” she explained, exactly as my mother told me. “His friends kept telling the cops everything they knew about the car like the color and part of the license plate but they never arrested anyone. He was the oldest and my brother Adrian was barely a year old so it took a huge toll on my parents.”

I regretted stirring up such a bad memory. “I didn’t mean to—I shouldn’t have asked, Serena.”

“It’s not your fault. I thought maybe your mom told you. When I told mine about meeting you, she said Blaine was practically in love with her. Couldn’t be more different,” she said, back to her bubbly self. “The jock and the artsy girl…but around town, my mom always noticed him looking at her. Guess he never worked up the nerve to ask her out.”

“She did mention the accident once. I just didn’t know he was your brother,” I said, which was completely true. “You must miss him.”

“Well, I never met him. I try to think of what he’d be like when I look at his pictures but sometimes, I feel like he’s watching over me. I hope he’s in a good place.” She grabbed the yearbook. “Sorry, instant party killer.”

“No, it’s fine,” I said, assuringly. “I bet he’d be really proud of how you turned out.”

On the way home, the gears in my head were spinning, churning out numerous conspiracy theories. I had this information in my head that was somehow connected yet I could not fit the pieces together. Kissing my parents and a sleepy Ryan, refusing to go to bed until he heard Santa’s reindeer, goodnight, I headed up to my room to fill Damon in on what he missed while in Erinyes.

“The Gilbert ring has to be Blaine’s,” he said, leaning back in my desk chair. “Maybe he was fighting with Tom Brady that night and it fell off.”

Belmont glared at my brother. “One problem with your theory. Wouldn’t your mother notice him walking around for years as a ghost, especially since he liked her?”

“But he’s not a ghost.” Damon came to the same conclusion as me. “He’s one of the hupias. Perfect for Guabancex's agenda, a teenager cut down in his prime. Who would be more desperate to get a second chance? He must’ve been jumping from host to host.”

I sat down on the edge of my bed. “And what if after so many years, he’s strong enough to inhabit a living person for longer than normal and he’s been spying on the town for her? What if he’s the one we saw in Parker’s memories? The one who was choking him before he could save you?”

“You think he stayed inside the same body?” said Elena, hopefully. “That could narrow it down. We saw the tattoo on his wrist. He’s part of Mr. Hilton’s club. Maybe we could get a list from his office and use that to find Blaine.”

“Hey, what’s this, Byrne?”

Belmont was gazing curiously at the box I found this morning. Never bothering to open it, assuming it was a present from Vivienne, I left it on the windowsill. He tore the wrapping paper and pulled out a vial of grey liquid.

“Those are memories,” said Damon, intrigued. “Why would she give you that? How did she even get it out? Only guardians can do it.”

Elena reached inside the box. “There’s a note,” she said, holding up a neatly wrapped piece of paper. “Dear Tessa, I’m writing this in my few moments of clarity. It’s taken years but I’ve gotten strong enough to fight back. He doesn’t know that I’m able to hear and see all of his horrible actions, ones I’d never do if I was in control of myself.”

“Tessa, I don’t think Viv sent this.” He rose from the chair, turning the vial between his fingers. “Keep going.”

“What he’s done is unspeakable and I wish to right those wrongs. He’s been keeping a close eye on you as you search for answers. He’s working for a woman, her face always different but I know it’s her each time. If you’re as clever as I’ve seen from these past four years, you know what’s inside that vial. She’s had him remove his memories each day, to protect herself no doubt, with the help of another man named Lionel. I’ve never seen his face but I hear his cane tapping on the floor when he leaves the room.”

A sudden realization struck me. “Oliver’s dad. Remember when Oliver wouldn’t believe us about the reaper? He said their guardian would’ve reported them and when I mentioned the guardian might be dead, he said they feel it. But they wouldn’t if the guardian is still alive. His dad kept trying to dismiss my theory about the hupias.”

“He’s not very wise, labeling these memories like twisted trophies. I’ve given you one that should help you understand. It’s the best I could do in such a short time. When I see you as myself again, I hope it is under better circumstances.” Elena folded the note again. “What do you think is in the memory?”

Damon left the room, returning minutes later with an empty bowl. Taking the vial, he removed the cork and poured its contents, the grey liquid pouring out slowly. As he used his finger to stir, the liquid turned into a mist that rose into the air. An image formed, showing Parker being choked by an unseen assailant. It was similar to Parker’s memories of the incident.

“Can’t have you saving the day. Your daddy wouldn’t like that. Time for a nap, puppy.”

The voice was slightly distorted, sounding like it was simultaneously spoken by Blaine and his host. With a forceful twist, he snapped Parker’s neck, leaving him unconscious on the ground. Seeing through Blaine’s eyes, I watched Belmont blindly swinging his fists at the hupias on the bridge.

“He’s showing us how you died,” I whispered to Belmont, amazed.

Feeling how anxious he was, I gripped his trembling hand. In the memory, he continued to fight, actually landing a punch against a hupia, which responded with a guttural roar that shook the surrounding trees.

“Enough!”

The creature backed away, blood dripping from its lips. Belmont, stumbling and very drunk, became clearer as Blaine walked towards him.

“W—what are you doing here? I think I’m losing my mind,” he said, clutching his face that was now scarred by a familiar gash. “Can you help me back to my car? I’m good to drive. Why are you just standing there?”

“Finish it. You know how the plan is supposed to go.”

Belmont squeezed my hand so tightly that it felt numb. Elena stared at the mist in disbelief when, in the memory, Rosalie stepped out from a tree, a gun in her hand and her usual cold demeanor replaced with one of fear. She could barely hold the gun straight as Belmont moved against the railing, eyes wide.

“R—Rosie, what the hell? Th—is isn’t funny.” He could barely string together two words. “Put the gun down. Is this about the baby? It was a bluff. Who would believe me, right? Put the gun down.”

“Do it, Rosalie,” ordered Blaine.

“Shut up! Rosie, Rosie, don’t!” he said, panicking as she pointed the gun at his head. “What, are you two having an affair or something? Hey, no judgement. I won’t tell dad. I didn’t mean what I said before. You know he gets me mad.”

“What are you waiting for? Do it!”

“P—please don’t make me,” she begged, turning her tearful eyes away from her brother. “There has to be another way. I can’t hurt him. Use anyone else. There’s plenty of drifters in these woods. Jackson’s trailer is less than a mile away. He’s a worthless drunk. I can easily lure him here. He’ll do anything for me. No one would care if he died.”

“IT HAS TO BE FIN! She hasn’t been setting this in motion for years for your cowardice to ruin it!” he spat. “She knew you were too weak, that you were all talk. You’re nothing. She knows it, I know it, and deep down, you know it too. I’ll do it myself.”

Blaine growled, pinning Belmont to the railing. He struggled against his forceful grip, pleading with Rosalie. In his desperation, he clawed at Blaine’s hand around his throat, causing his ring to slip from his finger.

Belmont was knocked to the ground by a single punch, the hupias pinning him and dripping blood and drool along the back of his jacket. As Rosalie openly sobbed, continuing to beg for her brother’s life, Blaine cupped her cheek.

“Prove her wrong,” he said, speaking with unusual gentleness. “Show her how strong you are, that she didn’t misplace her trust. It’s not easy to come by but she saw something in you, something special.”

“I—I can’t,” she muttered. “Not Fin.”

“He’s the child born on the seventh day of the seventh month at exactly the seventh hour and when the moon is full and he dies by the hands of his own blood, it’ll unleash an immense power, one she can take for herself.”

“Rosie, just shoot him and we can leave!” shouted Belmont, managing to throw off the hupias and lift himself up, panting. “We’ll call the cops on the way and tell them he’s insane! Don’t listen to him!”

All traces of her icy exterior were gone. She looked like a scared little girl, not the tough businesswoman I had met at the funeral.

“She’ll share that power to reward our loyalty,” said Blaine, getting inside her head. “You know your father will never see you as an equal. He’d sooner give the business to Fin because in his mind, you’re not good enough. You’ve never been good enough for him. That can all change with her help.”

“S—she could do that?” she asked, sniffling.

“You could, Rose.” His manipulations were slowly tearing away at her fears. “That power’s already inside you. It’s buried deep inside but she can set it free. Your father and everyone else will finally see you as the brilliant woman you are.”

“Ros—”

Two loud gunshots rang through the air. Belmont staggered backwards, falling over the bridge. He somehow managed to hold onto the wooden railing despite the immense pain.

“R—Rosie, please,” he pleaded. “You don’t have to do this.”

Her ruby red lips pressed against the top of his head, tears streaming down her face. “Yes, I do. I’m sorry it has to be this way but for once, I’m getting what I want.”

She pried his fingers from the railing and the moment his body crashed into the lake below, she collapsed onto the bridge, muttering, “I’m sorry” like a broken record. Blaine glanced over the railing, watching a hupia collect a mixture of Belmont’s blood and the water in a vial. It jumped from several feet below and landed on top of the railing. The water emitted a faint purplish glow.

“Bring it to her.”

The hupias bowed their heads and vanished into thin air. “W—was that it?” stuttered Rosalie. “Do we drink it or something?”

He helped her up, hiding the gun in his jacket pocket. “Not yet. The ritual has to be done when the blood moon is at its highest point. It’s when her power is strongest and we’ll need the twins. Tessa’s the trickier of the two but with the right motivation, she’ll do what we want.”

“What about Fin?” she asked, barely able to stand. “They’ll know he was shot…that I—”

He cupped her cheek again, now stained with specks of blood. “No need to worry. Caleb will handle that part. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

The bridge faded away and Damon cleared the mist with a flick of his wrist, returning it to its liquid form in the bowl. In any scenario I imagined for Belmont’s death, I never expected his own sister delivering the deathly blow with the assistance of my mother's former classmate turned ex-goddess lackey. The four of us stood in complete silence.