Jack quickly scooted next to Cay with a bag of popcorn she'd stolen from the nearby kitchens. She'd gone in there with Haidan and Annie to help prepare the food (and sniff out what she could eat before anyone else) but left when her phone rang. She'd yanked the popcorn from under Haidan's nose to eat later, chatting to Karen quickly on the outskirts of the bonfire, before coming back to the best lot of drama she'd ever seen.

Lily Morgan had just reunited with her long lost grandmother, Nerida Haven.

Jack ripped open the popcorn, scoffing kernels down as she held the bag out to Cay, who stared with hostility at the group around the two newcomers. "Fill me in; what did I miss? Has she slapped her yet? Has someone cried? This is the best thing that's happened all year." Jack asked through bites of popcorn.

"It's not the best thing - the two could have been gone for longer." Cay grumbled. "That's Nerry, my uncle's dream woman. She's been here for years. The other, that's...that's Cody. She's a witch like you."

Jack raised an eyebrow as the crowd parted enough to glimpse the tall, statuesque woman with gold and silver woven through her hair like living treasure. Jack blinked, and blinked again seeing her dark eyes shift to a pale lime green, her magic wafting through her delicate fingers to bloom a daisy at her feet. The crowd swooned over her; Cody was drinking it all in.

"Is she royalty or something?" Jack asked. "Everyone's almost bewitched by her."

Cay blinked in surprise. "Cody's the star of the town. She's the most beautiful, the most powerful, and the most successful. She runs the ski slopes marketing team; she brings tourists in. The only reason Tyrill's on the map is because of her."

"Eh, that's all a matter of opinion though." Jack held the popcorn to her again. "Cody doesn't seem all that to me."

Cay stared at Jack for a while, baffled at how the witch wasn't under Cody's spell, before digging into the popcorn with a shrug. Jack spotted Cay's glowering, looking between the melodic laughter of Cody and the strong-willed nurse next to her. "Do you like her or something?"

"Or something." Cay ground her teeth, dark eyes flashing. "We used to be friends and she grew distant out of nowhere."

"Ah," Jack shoved the bag into Cay's lap. "You need all this then. I have a big garden if you need a place to hide the body?"

Cay snorted. "There'd be a search party for her for the rest of time."

"I can make her get on a plane to Alaska?"

"Cody would brag about it on her Instagram and rub it in when she returned."

Jack stared at the witch only to find the witch was staring back. "Well, it's her loss. Sounds like she'd eat your heart anyway."

Cay sighed. "That's the problem. She's beautiful, powerful, radiant, and she'd destroy me - it's why I got involved in the first place."

Jack's gaze drifted to Lily, who was talking to her grandmother quietly. Her red hair was tied in a knot at her neck, the dark green shirt a button out - it seemed to be a habit of hers - and the stark white sling against her. "I can understand that."

Cay looked where Jack was looking, seeing Lily. "I guess you can. Lily's actually the most powerful one here - someone more powerful than Cody, for once."

"She doesn't carry the same aura as Cody though." Jack said, looking between the two.

"No," Cay stared at Lily. "With Cody you see all you're going to get. Lily, she's a mystery - and they're more powerful a genre than a book where it's so cliché you can predict the ending."

"If you knew it was going to end badly, then why'd you get involved with Cody?" Jack asked.

Cay sighed, handing her back the popcorn. "Love is blinding," was all she said before walking towards the houses behind the bonfire, where the kitchen was preparing the food. Jack wondered how Haidan was going to react seeing two more supernaturals, especially the charismatic Cody.

"Blindness is blinding." Jack muttered, crunching up the popcorn bag for later, her appetite lost. "Love just gets in the way."

She watched Lily further, seeing how tense she was at the sight of her grandmother before her. Jack just knew her mind was churning like a whirlpool - it was time to save Lily from conversation yet again.

Standing, she walked around the bonfire and past the dispersing crowd around Cody. The witch herself was watching Jack's determined stride and stood when they were close enough to see the whites of her eyes.

"Hey," Cody said sweetly. "I'm Cody."

"I'm busy." Jack responded with a wave of her hand, her rings catching the sunlight making the new witch frown - she had never been brushed off before.

Jack quickly walked up to Lily and Nerida, grinning at them both when Nerida glared at her. "You must be Lily's grandmother!" Jack said cheerily, squeezing between the two of them. "It's nice to know you're not dead."

Nerida looked down on Jack with hard, unforgiving eyes, before they brightened in realisation. "You must be Jacinta Garcia-Slater."

"Yes I am," she smirked. "And, you're welcome."

"I didn't thank you for anything."

"You didn't have to - I could see how honoured you were to meet me in your eyes."

Nerida slowly smiled, and the action seemed so foreign to her it sent shivers down Jack's spine. "You're a lot like your grandmother."

Jack's smirk fell. "You knew my grandmother?"

"You seem surprised?"

"Well, just that you're ancient." Jack quipped, daring Nerida to fire back. "Was my grandmother a toddler when you met?"

"Jack," Lily rested a hand on the witch's arm. "Ne-I mean, Granny was just talking about her hunting trip with Cody."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "You mean your long lost grandmother wasn't telling you what creature you were or where she'd been for the past eight years of your life?"

Nerida bristled under Jack's tone. "That's none of your business, Jacinta."

"Uh, it really is. Lily here, you see, Lily's my friend. We've suffered through school together, a road trip, and almost being eaten by rogues. She's waited long enough to know what her family were."

Nerida narrowed her eyes, the wrinkles creasing around her face. "I don't take orders from you." The old woman hissed before looking to her quiet granddaughter. "Did the rogues put your arm in a sling, little Lily?"

Lily nodded, swallowing the memory away. Jack saw her dark eyes shadow at the thought of Yuric, Ms Winters, Kristofer and the other rogues hellbent on murdering them - and almost succeeding two weeks ago. Lily looked around the bonfire, looking at the faces of people she didn't know staring at her, seeing who would snap first; grandmother or granddaughter.

"The rogues did a number of us both the weekend before last." Jack spoke for Lily until she found her voice again. "One of the rogues left a claw in her shoulder."

"Did you remove it last night?" Nerida asked, her eyes roaming over Lily's slung arm. Jack didn't bother to tell her it was the other shoulder that was the butter to Yuric's hot knife.

"Yeah, why?"

"That explains the storm." Nerida pieced together. "Do you have the claw?"

Jack's fingers crept into her coat pocket, her thumb pressed against the sharp point. Demons could flee, she reminded herself. Her fear was flesh and it could break. "I'll tell you if you tell Lily what creature she is."

"What makes you think I know, Jacinta?" Nerida looked up to find Cody surrounded by more Tyrill residents welcoming her back home. "Cody, dear! Come here for a moment."

Lily snapped her head to Cody, who strutted over knowing everyone was looking at her dazzling smile and radiant confidence. The world seemed to move around Cody - but Jack scoffed, not easily fooled. She trusted Cay and Lily over Cody and Nerida; these two new supernaturals in Tyrill were not all they seemed, she knew it.

Jack gave Nerida Haven the side eye, her magic lighting up her eyes briefly. "Because you're an expert on running and hiding."

"Jack." Lily hissed, trying to reel her friend in, but Jack knew she was only saying what Lily was thinking. Nerida's jaw was clenched tightly as Cody bounded into view, squatting in front of the three of them, unaware of the thick tension Jack had created.

"Yes Nerry?" Cody asked, her eyes sparkling as they set on Jack and Lily. "Hello strangers." She purred.

"Cody, this is my granddaughter Lily," Nerida pointed to Lily at the end, and scowled at Jack raising her chin, waiting for her introduction. "And Jacinta."

"Nice to meet you both." Cody said sweetly, eyeing up Lily like prey. "I've heard a lot about you, Your grandmother speaks very highly of you."

Jack saw Lily bite her tongue, confusion and anger flashing in her eyes. There it is. She thought, seeing her friend reel her emotions in and smile kindly, her eyes soft like a doe. "It's nice to meet you too Cody."

Cody smiled wider at Lily and Jack didn't like the satisfied gleam in the other witch's eyes. "I go by Jack, not Jacinta," she said, Cody snapped her gaze to her. "Has Nerry here told you about me?"

Nerida scowled at her nickname coming from Jack's lips but Cody's eyes lit up in challenge. "No, but I'd love to get to know you, or are you too busy?"

"We'll see." Jack narrowed her eyes, realising she might have made a mistake seeing Cody's predatory gaze settle on her, but Nerida quickly broke the tension.

"Cody dear, that cliff we walked past, do you remember the way there?" Nerida asked, stretching a hand out to Jack in the meantime. "I need you to get rid of something."

"Of course." Cody flicked her mane of afro curls, the silver and gold streaks catching the light of the afternoon sun. "What is it?"

Nerida glared at Jack. "Give me the claw, Jacinta."

Jack glared right back. "What's wrong with burning it in the bonfire tonight?"

"The fire doesn't get hot enough to burn anything completely." Cody chipped in. "Niall keeps the wind down so it burns enough to warm our toes and nothing more."

"Does he now?" Jack said, spying the white-haired nymph laughing with locals and his uncle. She also saw Cay, Annie, and Nick playing cards at the edge of the campfire away from conversation, which Jack suspected was Cay's idea. "We can always crank up the heat to get rid of one claw."

"And risk a forest fire?" Cody's eyes widened. "No, Tyrill's too valuable a town to risk burning. The ski resort is our only source of tourism, and with winter around the corner I won't risk anything-"

"Well actually," Jack interrupted, twisting to see if Lily was thinking of the same person she was. A phoenix would keep a fire contained.

As Jack was about to open her mouth, Nerida's hand dove into her pocket. Jack jolted, her eyes flaring with magic, but the old woman already had the claw in her fingers and soon, in Cody's grasp. "Throw it off the cliff, it doesn't belong up here."

Cody looked at the claw, frowning at the blood still soaked into it, and nodded, winking at Lily and Jack. "See you later," Cody's gaze rested for longer on Lily before she strutted off into the shadows once more. When Cody was gone, Tyrill seem to quieten, to breathe a little easier.

Jack was grateful - she liked silence. And she didn't like Cody.

"Don't go through my stuff." Jack snapped at Nerida, who shrugged.

"Do not hide things from me, Jacinta." Nerida warily stood, her hands bracing her shaking knees. Jack's attention snapped to Nerida's hands - rough, flaking and red raw with scabs and dried ooze. Nerida quickly tucked her eczema-riddled hands into her pockets, looking down at them both. "I'll talk to you both soon, I have to give Rodger something to appease my hunting trip - I think I'll let him hold my hand for five minutes, that should work."

Lily's mouth opened, ready to call her grandmother back, but she already began walking away. Jack frowned at Nerida Haven - she knew Lily seeing her last blood relative would be a sensitive topic, so she thought over her first impression carefully as to not offend her friend.

"I don't like her." Jack concluded, watching the old woman hold Rodger's hand and chat to some locals. "She's hiding something."

"I'm sure she's just..." Lily scrambled to find a reason. "Had a long few days and wants to talk about our supernatural selves when she's relaxed."

"Do you honestly believe she'll say anything?" Jack opened up the popcorn again and held it out to Lily after grabbing a handful. "Think about it. All I know about Nerida is that she was chased by rogues through pack territory over fifty years ago, and blew them a kiss after they all fell into a mudslide."

"She was probably running for a while?"

"To not help and deliberately and probably murder a bunch of rogues?" Jack shook her head. "Something doesn't add up with her - and Cody too."

Lily shook her head. "Cody has another agenda."

"You think so too?"

"It's obvious to me." Lily frowned, watching the forest where Cody had walked in to get rid of Yuric's claw fragment. "I don't understand her, and I don't like how she lights up when she's in control of others. It reminds me of my old school bullies."

Jack shovelled some popcorn into her mouth with a smirk. "So that's you, me, and the Guthrie family that don't like Cody - this is great, it's not just me. This means it's a thing, there's more too it. Watson, this is excellent work!"

"Why don't Niall's family like Cody?" Lily asked. "And why aren't I Holmes?"

"Cody and Cay used to be friends until she ghosted her out the blue and began hanging with Nerida." Jack shook her head. "Like, I don't get just randomly ghosting someone and not talking to them at all? That's harsh."

"Wait, Cody ghosted Cay, or Cay ghosted Cody?"

"Cody ghosted Cay, keep up!" Jack shoved the popcorn to Lily. "Speaking of our old school though, I got off the phone with Karen earlier."

"Oh my goodness how is she? Is she okay? How are her legs? I can't believe I did that to her, how can she even look at me anymore? Please tell her I'm sorry, she probably doesn't want to talk to me-"

"Shut up," Jack stared at her rambling friend. "Karen's fine. She'll make a full recovery - two broken legs but clean breaks, she's got surgery in a bit to sort stuff out but she was high on a tonne of pain killers when she called. Her dad's with her, she's okay, and Claire's driving to her side now."

"S-She'll be okay?" Lily clarified. "She doesn't hate me?"

"Nah, you two are cool." Jack waved her anxiety off. "But you know what Karen did tell me? Guess who's dating from school as of this week."

"Laura and Ryan?"

"Nope."

"Renee and Ryan?"

"No."

"Tricia and Ryan?"

"Okay I'm just gonna tell you because it's too crazy," Jack watched Lily's reaction carefully. "It's Isaac and Poppy."

"Wait, Isaac and Poppy?"

"I know! You know, the girl he sold out to the rogues to get to you? The one he traded a PlayStation for? That Poppy! They're dating! Karen found out from Belissa, who's cousin is in the year below at Nova High, who's best friend is in Andrew's pack and overheard her next door neighbour talk about her daughter dating a vampire - that was Poppy and Isaac!" Jack leaned back and gasped for breath. "It's insane."

Lily was silent for a while. "Well as long as they're happy, they both need something good."

"Hang on, sorry." Jack held up a hand. "This is your ex-bully and the girl who you traded places with in a hostage situation, who was sold out by your ex-bully. The good thing they need is to, you know, stay away from Isaac Munford!"

"I'm not saying it's not weird, but who am I to judge?"

"You're his former bullying victim and the girl who traded places with Poppy - you literally are the only person who can judge." Jack laid it out again. "You're not one for drama or gossip, are you Lily?"

"No, I've been the main topic of it through school." Lily shrugged. "I just don't see the fun in it."

Jack cleared her throat from the fragments of popcorn lining her throat. "Speaking of things that aren't fun - how are you after last night?"

"I'm okay." Lily admitted. "My shoulder's gone down in swelling, and I can move that arm again..."

"But?"

"I just didn't expect last night to go the way it did. I'm glad the claw's out, and I need to thank you all for that, but a lot of damage happened last night because of me." Lily waved her hand to the logs they were sitting on, and the newly stacked bonfire in front of them waiting to burn. "Yes, some good came out of it, but that was too dangerous."

"Do you think if Claire had waited until you gave the all clear it would have been less messy?" Jack wondered aloud.

"We'll never know - I'm not getting myself back into that situation again." Lily said strongly, and Jack raised the popcorn bag.

"Amen to that, sister." Jack sighed, staring at the afternoon sky. The slow-churning clouds kissed the top of Mount Tyrill, the snow beginning to form at its peak. Winter was creeping up on them and Jack just hoped the rogues weren't creeping on them either. "Amen to that."

The witch wondered what Cody was doing with that claw - especially when she suddenly walked back into the clearing with open arms and began chatting to the locals yet again. Unbeknownst to Jack and Lily, Cody had merely flung it over the cliff and walked away without another glance.

The blood-dipped claw bounced off the side of the mountain and embedded itself in the crumbling soil at its base on the edge of the forest, the earth curling up around it like an egg in a nest waiting for its mother to return home.