I awakened to darkness – it’s cold, welcoming embrace clung to my skin, as I floated around; my body nothing but a ball of light. I couldn’t see, nor hear anything as I continued to float by. Who am I? Where am I? Wasn’t I here before?

I couldn’t quite grasp why I was aware of my circumstances, but my mind continued to buzz away, in attempts to figure out my situation. I was doing something important, wasn’t I? It’s so cold here...I’m lonely.

Time seemed to slow as seconds turned to minutes, and minutes seemed to pass into hours.

I wandered around, felt my being continue to float, until I started to remember fragments of information.

My memories returned; the thoughts of Midnight lingered in my mind.

Yes, Midnight. Is she here? The thought of Midnight being encased by the darkness during the hours I’d been in control hurt my heart. I couldn’t imagine being entrapped in such a cold world, alone with no one to talk to. Is this why she’d felt so alone till we bonded? If this was where she’d resided when I was in control, I’d have no more of it. She deserved a chance to enjoy the light, the world that I’d finally been able to experience. She’d helped me survive this long; battling the hardest challenges. I never could have won without her aid. Everyone would have died the night of the exam without her quick thinking and exertion of power to save the others before ourselves.

“For Midnight, Makoto, accept the darkness”

Nightmare’s words echoed through me. I needed to accept this cold, desolate place. If what Nightmare said was true, darkness could be used to do good, and Midnight wanted to do many good deeds. I wanted to support her new mission, to give her a chance to experience the world through my eyes like the other spirits. The cold was simply a part of the darkness; I needed to accept it with open arms.

I focused my concentration on myself; my wandering soul came to a stop. I felt warm, another mind brushed against the walls of mine – Midnight.

“Midnight, is that you?”

“Why are you here Mako? You should be up there in the light,” she questioned.

I could only picture my copy of her – those midnight blue eyes blinking as she tilted her head in confusion at my presence. If I was one with my body, my heart would bleed with unbearable sadness as reality sank in.

“Is this where you’ve always been? When I’m awake, is this where your mind stays till summoned?” I needed to hear her confirm my suspicions.

“Yes. I know it’s cold...and lonely most of the time, but you get used to it,” she admitted, her voice seemed as if she was brushing off the matter like it was nothing.

“I’m sorry Midnight. I’m so sorry. This isn’t right,” I cried. I would have been in tears if I could cry; my voice the only method to express how hurt I felt.

“Not your fault. You showed me, love. The spirits love me, too. Eli said she liked me and Elias cares as well,” she pointed out, her toneless voice gained emotion – joy flowed off her statement.

“Midnight. Don’t you want more? Don’t you crave to feel someone’s touch? To hold their hand or kiss their lips in an act of love? Wouldn’t you want to be able to see the world we’ve been hidden from all these cycles, not because you’ve been summoned by force, but by choice?” The questions spilled out of me as I tried to make her understand why I pitied her – regretting the fact I hadn’t realized it earlier.

“Sometimes. One can only dream. I assume the gods want me here. So here I am. It would be nice...to see the fireflies with Elias and talk with Eli. I...wish I could be like Rose and the others. I– I wish I could talk to you more,” she confessed, her voice cracked.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I wouldn’t allow her to stay in this darkness anymore. Nightmare was right. The darkness shouldn’t be judged for simply being the way Mother Nature created it. Midnight had kindness within her, proving such in various situations. She didn’t want to kill or hurt anyone. She was forced from day one, unable to defy the orders given to her. She deserved the freedom she was entitled to by the gods – she deserved to be a part of my spirits.

I felt a growing warmth approach me, such gentleness caressed my soul as I allowed it to consume me. The darkness wasn’t evil. All it wanted was acceptance and love. It simply wanted a home.

With that, I was pure once more.

~ELIASEANNE~

The waves of power came to a stop. The cocoon that encased Mako was still present, a dark aura surrounded it.

“Impossible! They’re extinct. I saw the last one die! She has to be something else?”

I remembered that day – her dark blue eyes glazed over as all remnants of life faded away as her lifeless body fell to the ground. She was only eight cycles, her body much too small for the experiment.

I was amazed that no one questioned her death. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered – our king, or should I say our father, couldn’t care less. He made the final decisions and one loss of life meant little to him.

I shook my head. I needed to focus on the present. Mako and Midnight needed me.

“What do I need to do to help her?” I questioned, looking over my shoulder. Winterlya opened her mouth to speak, a soft smile formed on her lips.

I was ready to repeat myself, but noticed the once whip-lashing wind had ceased as the air returned to normal. I returned my gaze back to the black cocoon which began to crack.

Crack – Crick – Crack, the lines continued to form and divide, a black glow peeked out of the miniature space. It shattered.

I froze; my mouth dropped in awe at the beautiful shifter before me.

Mako’s normal long brown hair was a navy blue, the tips a light purple. Her skin looked darker than her usual pale complexion, her markings on full display – the normal black tattoos, now an indigo blue, glowed softly against her tanned skin. She’d gained height, her usual five feet, five inches was now, five-eight.

Her face had obtained a new marking that started from her right temple and flowed down the side of her face, wrapping around her neck.

The most dazzling aspect of her new image was her purple, sparkling, almost transparent wings – blue, purple glitter fluttered around her as her wings fluttered at a fast pace.

Her closed eyes finally opened, revealing a pair of midnight blue eyes.

“Midnight?” I was stunned at seeing an adult dark fairy, her beauty hard to measure with my eyes.

She blinked, staring at me without saying a word. I felt my heart panic, afraid she’d forgotten me.

I took a cautious step forward; my trembling hand pressed against my chest as I took another step forward. Midnight stood her ground; her eyes lingered on my feet before returning to stare at me.

“Midnight...do you know who I am?” I asked again as I got closer to her, my wings fluttered lightly behind me.

As much as I wanted to fly forward and hug her I needed to know if she remembered who I was – who any of us were.

I knew Mako was able to shift into Lexi’s full form, but I’d yet to see her completely shift with her other spirits. Now that Midnight had taken fairy form, I didn’t know what to expect.

I was three steps from her before I stopped. We stared at one another, her midnight blue eyes took their time analyzing my new appearance.

Mako had seen my fairy appearance, but I doubt Midnight had been able to get a glimpse seeing as she wasn’t a spirit then.

She took a step forward, then another, leaving a foot between us. We looked like complete opposites – my bright pink, green and gold appearance against her purple, blue and black appearance as we faced each other, our height now identical.

“Midnight?” I whispered, ignoring the sting in my eyes. I never thought I’d be so nervous; my hands shook.

I’d finally managed to have enough courage to tell Midnight I liked her and now, as I faced the possibility of her forgetting me, it tore my heart.

If I could have acted like the man I once was and told her straight up when I was first attracted to her like Elias, would I be feeling so afraid?

Her hand moved forward, stopping for a moment before it reached out and touched my cheek. I didn’t dare move, my breath hitched as I stared at her wide-eyes. Her hand felt cool, compared to Mako’s usual warmth.

Her blank expression slowly morphed into a smug smile.

“Did you think I’d forget about my EliBear? You owe me a date, remember.” Her previous monotonous tone was filled with humor as she mocked me.

I stood there unable to process what she’d just said. She remembers me.

“Are you going to keep gawking at her or be a man and give her a hug before she thinks you’re angry at her?” Elias announced, sounding utterly bored. You’re a real pain in the ass you know that?

“Fucking hug her EliaseAnne or I’ll force you out and do it my damn self.” I mentally groaned, but stepped forward, closing the space between us as I hugged her. She stood still in my embrace; her body went rigid for what seemed like minutes before she relaxed; her arms wrapped around me.

“EliBear...I’m a spirit now. I can visit you now and the others, too. I don’t need to be cold anymore,” she admitted, her voice trembled.

I tightened my embrace around her as she began to sob into my shoulder. I rubbed my hand against her hair. “I know Midnight. I’m glad you’re finally free. Welcome to the world,” I soothed.

The barrier around us shattered, the white particles rained down on us. I glanced at the boys, expecting various stunned expressions, but was rewarded with smiles and relief.

Winterlya approached us, the white owl landed on her extended hand.

“Hoot Hoot.” It flapped its wings before settling down.

“MEW.”

We both jumped at the loud cry coming from our feet. Midnight smiled, before cautiously kneeling down to stare at Nightmare up close. Now that she was in spirit form, I was curious to see her reaction to Nightmare and now, Winterlya’s familiar. She glanced at Nighty before looking at the owl familiar, her head going back and forth between them.

“Starlight gods? Pretty lights.” She whispered before glancing up at me. I knelt down to be at her eye level, nodding lightly.

“Yes. Don’t tell the others though. Only I and Winterlya know. Can you keep a secret?” I whispered back.

“Ya. Mako knows too, right? She won’t tell.” She replied.

“Is Mako okay?” I was glad Midnight had awakened into her spirit form, but I was concerned about Mako.

I knew awakenings drained their host significantly and now that Midnight was her fifth spirit, I worried she’d fall into a coma again. Midnight reached out and grabbed my hand, taking a moment to inspect it as she rubbed her thumb against my palm.

“So warm...” she whispered.

I tried not to laugh.

Jeez, still distracted like Mako.

“Midnight? Mako—” I began, but she looked up at me.

“Oh, right. Mako fine. Sleeping, but okay,” she acknowledged before yawning, using her other hand to rub her eyes.

“Sleepy, too. Can I sleep now? Wait...I won’t go back to the dark place, right?” she questioned, her voice hinted her fear. Dark place?

Winterlya took the opportunity to kneel down on her other side. She placed her unoccupied hand on her shoulder.

“Nope. No more dark place. Makoto accepted you and now you have a section in her mind as well. You’ll simply be asleep,” she revealed with a soft smile.

She smiled back and rubbed away another set of tears that began to trail down her cheeks.

“Happy,” she whispered; her eyes went back to stare at the owl before returning to Nighty.

“Nightmare. Cuddle buddy.” She opened her arms for the foxshier, who jumped in them. She tightened her hold on her before closing her eyes.

“Ah, wait Midnight you can’t sleep...” I trailed off as her breathing slowed, falling asleep in three seconds. Winterlya chuckled.

“I guess all of you have to teach her a few things. You look exhausted yourself,” she pointed out.

I sighed, realizing how exhausted I felt. It had been awhile since I’d stayed in my fairy form for such a long period. “I better switch before I tire both of us out,” I commented, more to myself than Winterlya. I rose to my feet, hesitant to leave. Kai was the first to reach us, the others not far behind.

“We’ll keep an eye on her, relax. We’ll probably need you if Midnight wants to look around. We’ll let Winterlya explain what happened. Go switch...and good job Elyion,” he praised, looking away. Kai was always the first to give praise, but became uncomfortable when he received any.

I smiled before I waved goodbye, turning to walk back into the forest.

As much as Kai got on my nerves, he’d always tried to praise us for whatever contribution we gave to a situation, regardless of whether it was big or small. He’d especially get embarrassed when he praised me, always struggling to admit my positive contributions. I think he’s still mad at finding out I was once a guy after leaving him in the dark for a full cycle as a prank.

I found the spare set of clothes hidden in a wooden box next to a large oak tree. I hid various spare clothes, making sure there was a set for myself and Elias. I pressed my hand against my mouth as I yawned. I need a good sleep.

“I’ll fill you in when you wake up,” Elias confirmed, my conscious began to fade.

Hmm. Okay. Goodnight, and thanks, Elias.

“Your welcome, Elyion.”

~RYDER~

“The spell you cast on Makoto was to unlock whatever hold or barrier that held Midnight back from awakening and was the reason why that dark wind show occurred. Does that mean she’s okay? Or will she continue having those faint spells?”

I sat in the living room with Winterlya, a cup of coffee in each of our hands as we sat on the black sofas opposite from each other.

We’d just gotten back from the forest; Elias carried Mako and retired for the evening. I’m impressed he was able to stay awake for so long. Usually he’d be passed out within five minutes or less after shifting back from his fairy form.

Daniel, Marcus, and Kai were summoned by Matthew and had left for Knightwood. It amused me to see their disappointment at having to wait a few more hours till finding out exactly what happened to Mako and Midnight.

I hoped by the time they came back Elias would have gotten some rest. I didn’t want to explain myself twice, but I knew he didn’t function well with little sleep.

Now that I was alone with Winterlya, I decided to ask her all the questions myself.

“The reasoning for Mako’s faint spells was due to Midnight’s over usage of magic. From what Matthew explained to me, Makoto acquired Lily, her phoenix, by accident, correct?” she questioned, lifting her mug to take a sip of the steamy fluid.

“Yes. Makoto’s best friend was murdered after an incident, her phoenix spirit entered Mako instead of ascending to the stars. Has that happened before?”

“Yes. It has.”

She turned to stare at the transparent, glass doors, her eyes looked far away as if she’d witnessed something similar in her long life. Winterlya had ventured all the realms, witnessing many things before any of us were born, being one of the few shifters in the galaxy that had the same knowledge or greater knowledge then the Royal’s themselves. Even my father looked up to her and requested her services from time to time. If Winterlya didn’t know what was wrong with a shifter, they were in grave danger.

She closed her eyes, the exhaustion appeared in the lines of her face.

Her face became serious.

“Goddess of Destruction, Nightmare, had professed that Makoto would receive four spirits – her demon and angel given to her at birth, and the remaining two would appear by her adulthood. Matthew explained Makoto received her dragon in her teens, but Midnight had also been triggered during her teen cycles as well, through experimentation and mental triggers. I believe Midnight was forced out due to the high-stress levels Makoto’s physical and mental states experienced. Our spirits are given to us by the gods to protect our designated realms, but they can be awakened in desperate times. If a shifter is about to die with no way of preventing such events, their dominant spirit will awaken due to the sudden spike of adrenaline. This can only occur IF that host has a dormant spirit. In Makoto’s case, that must have occurred, but was stopped abruptly – either by death or the realization of impending doom,” Winterlya explained.

“Makoto explained that she’d been put in an arena with a group of shifters, fighting to avoid death which meant one shifter would be left standing. Mako said it was too much for her and she’d lost consciousness after getting hit in the head. When she’d resurfaced, Rose was the one who gave her the information on Midnight. I’m guessing that fits your theory quite well.” I could feel Stryker nudge my mind, his anger apparent.

I was just as upset and hated how much Mako had suffered.

“Yes. I believe Midnight wasn’t supposed to awaken until Mako’s late teens or early adulthood. Midnight is a Dark Fairy; such a spirit having been extinct for a few cycles. If an individual does carry a dark fairy spirit, they’re purposely hiding it for fear of being hunted and experimented on. Nevertheless, her early summoning caused only half her power to be released; Mako’s body shielded the other half in defense. I can guarantee that Mako would have died from power overload if such defenses hadn’t occurred. The only reason why Mako demonstrated all these problems, including the dark, lonely feeling was due to surpassing her magic limit – triggering a break in Midnight’s power. Such power wavelength must have begun to leak out and thus everything that led to what you all witnessed,” Winterlya finished.

“Now, Makoto has five spirits, Midnight being a dark fairy. Karen was saying she’d need about two to three weeks to recover with little magic usage which means we can’t go to Heila till then.” I pondered out loud, wanting confirmation that I understood the gist of things.

“Yes. Makoto shouldn’t use magic unless she has to and she’s now a walking target until she stabilizes such levels. You’ve noticed the change in her aura. Until she can calm it, to a level where high-rank magicians and shifters can’t detect it, you guys should stay here a bit longer. Once she’s clear, you’ll be able to leave this student gig by the end of this rotation,” Winterlya confirmed, lifting her coffee up to her lips to finish it.

“Karen’s probably going to have to apply those restraint bracelets on her...she’s not going to like that,” I confessed, lifting my mug to my lips to finish my own coffee.

“I bet. She seems feisty, but in a positive way. Midnight is also intriguing. She looks like a spirit who analyzes things down to the smallest details. She holds great power as well. They both need to rest. Her other spirits can still take control or shift if she must use a type of magic, but they shouldn’t push it,” Winterlya stressed. I nodded in agreement.

“You should rest. We can talk about this tomorrow if you like.” I felt bad for holding her up, not having allowed her to rest right when she arrived, after she’d traveled from Heila straight here. I’d heard she’d only been in Heila for less than a week, returning from Earthala prior to that.

She opened her eyes, glancing back at me with a weak smile.

“Yes, I’m pretty pooped out. I had to deal with some issues down in Earthala like bomb threats and other human acts of destruction. You’d think their race would take a break from trying to kill one another. Then headed back to Heila only to hear about Mako’s predicament, worried me. I’m glad I got here when I did. I feel it would have gotten worse.” She sighed, rubbing at her eyes before sitting up straight.

We both rose to our feet.

“On behalf of my team and all of Heila, I thank you Winterlya for coming down here on such short notice. You helped ease Mako’s suffering and I’m glad the issue involving Midnight has been cleared. If you ever need our help, feel free to request it.” I bowed deeply.

“Ugh, I hate when my students are so formal. Rise, rise. It’s not that big of a deal. I may be the princess of Wintalyn, but that doesn’t mean I don’t concern myself with other realm matters. Mako’s kidnapping devastated many realms and I’m simply proud that I was summoned to contribute and ensure her safety.” Winterlya blushed, brushing my thanks off like she hadn’t done anything spectacular. She’d rather scold us than receive thanks or praise.

“Get some rest,” I encouraged as I escorted her to the door.

“I will. Tell Makoto and Midnight if they have any questions feel free to call for me. I’ll be here for about three weeks before I return to Heila,” She noted before she waved goodbye. I watched her leave; her familiar landed on her outstretched arm, a magic circle formed beneath her before she walked through a silver portal.

Geez her magic is strong.

“Why didn’t she just make a portal here instead of traveling the long way?” Stryker questioned.

It would take an extraordinary amount of energy to portal through realms. She’d be basically begging Deathpre to come and whisk her away to the stars.

“Ah. I’m simply glad Makoto and Midnight are okay,” Stryker commented. Me too.

I felt the buzz of my phone before a voice entered my mind.

“Your Mom needs your help with preparations...also...your father apparently set you up with another meeting,” Kai’s voice announced through our bond.

I let out a frustrated grunt, pinching my nose as I closed the door and walked back to retrieve the empty mugs on the clear coffee table.

“How many times do I have to say I’m not interested in marriage? Who is it this time?”

My father just didn’t get it. I’d never stop loving Makoto. Why did he want me to marry some no class shifter just because they were from royal families? Makoto was a fucking princess. Wasn’t that enough?

“I don’t know. A little birdie told me it’s a blonde loudmouth who has a total crush on you and got put in her place last rotation. That broken nose is still healing apparently.” Kai’s amused tone cued me in on who the next participant was.

“Brittany? Really. How the fuck did she sneak herself in the blind date category? One look and they’d cringe with regret. I’m not going to bother.”

“Your mom probably sent you a text.”

“I don’t check my phone, she knows that.”

“Yes, but you still reply.”

“Fine, Fine. I’ll deal with it. I’ll head over there now. If anything happens with Makoto let me know.”

“For sure. You’ll explain everything when you get back, right?”

“Ya. Let Elias rest. He and Eli need it. When I get back, we’ll chat.”

“Cool. Stay calm,” Kai encouraged before leaving our bond.

Stay calm huh...when you have to relive your failures.

I let out a sigh, noticing the tremble in my right hand – such reaction only occurring when I was afraid or pissed. I knew my parents wanted the best for me, being their only child left with Anya gone.

Yet, I couldn’t stop the grief that clung to my very soul. The pressure was all on me, especially now that I was Minato’s only heir.

With all the people of Minato watching my every move, regardless of where I was, only added to the pressure of acceptance.

I needed to prove to my parents that I could be a leader, the same way I had to prove it to the rest of the kingdom. But, my past failures continued to haunt me.

I should have listened to Kai’s advice, but deep within I feared if I let go, I’d only bring shame to my family name. If only I knew what my Father thought of me. Maybe…if he accepted me, I could let go?

I grabbed my phone, striking the ‘K’ button and pressing send before heading to my room to change.

This is going to be interesting.

~WINTERLYA~

I opened the door to my designated flat. I was beyond relieved to be home, placing the key card on the counter. I lifted my hand, allowing Vincent to fly into the room.

I ruffled my loose curls and dragged my feet to my bedroom. My bags were still packed, sitting neatly in the corner of the large room.

Of course, the greedy headmaster made sure I received the best suite in Knightwood, the area restricted and off limits. Anything that ensured Arthur would continue his deal to fund the academy. I stripped out of my dress, the gold fabric dropped to the ground. I strolled over to the silver drawer before me, pulling open the top drawer that contained a silky, grey nightgown. I slipped it on, the smooth material felt refreshing against my flushed skin. I figured it was only a matter of time before I started getting a fever. I always developed one when I pushed myself too hard. I strolled back out of the room and walked to the large kitchen.

I pulled out the wine glass from the cupboard, placing it on the counter. I stared at the other one, debating whether I needed it or not. Would he want any wine?

I closed my eyes; my body ached. Wine and bed. That sounds like a perfect combo if only my body wouldn’t act on its own accord.

I opened my eyes to a spinning room, so I closed them once more. I bit my lip and gripped the counter as my body felt as if it was falling. A pair of hands held me, a solid back supported me from behind.

“You should go straight to bed, Winter,” the cool, alto voice commanded.

I relaxed in his embrace, unable to ignore his warmth.

“I will. Just need some wine. Wine sounds good,” I whispered. I bet he was shaking his head in dismay.

Vincent always scolded me for pushing myself and demanding wine would solve everything. He simply didn’t understand the multiple benefits the liquid had to offer. There was even white and red, both of them did magical things to help soothe the soul.

“I thought you’re supposed to take care of me, not the other way around,” he pointed out.

“You’re a god. You can take care of yourself. I’m just an innocent, ex-human, shifter witch. Not my fault you crashed into my window on your whims,” I complained. Not like I was human to begin with, but I didn’t know that until he and the others entered my life.

His arms wrapped around me, his lips pressed against my neck. I shivered at the touch of his lips, taking every bit of strength to not moan from his sudden gesture.

“The best thing that happened to me. I won’t hold it against you, and you’re still mad about the human thing?” He lifted me in his arms, carrying me into the living room before lowering me into the white, suede sofa. Of course, I’m still mad you idiot.

“I heard that.” He eyed me as he smirked. I rolled my eyes, but didn’t argue.

He disappeared into the kitchen and returned a minute later with two glasses and a bottle of Moscato wine. I smiled at him as he placed the glasses on the coffee table, opening the bottle and pouring us each a glass. He passed my glass to me before he sat in the one-seater on my left. We sat in silence and enjoyed the lavish, cool taste that lingered from the white wine.

I stared at the remaining clear liquid as I stirred the glass; the spinning movement distracted me.

“Any word from Jeffrey?”

My lazy eyes looked up at Vincent; his baby blue eyes bore into me.

I scoffed, rolling my eyes at the mention of my mother’s servant.

“You know I hate him. He might as well classify himself as a double agent for the shit he pulled.” I chugged the remaining white wine in my glass and placed it lightly on the table.

It took everything within me to not laugh at Matthew’s explanation of what happened before their arrival to Realm One. The boys stated this Professor Sepherant had looked over the cliff, not noticing their camouflage. I, of all people, didn’t believe in such luck – he’d purposely ignored their “hidden” presence.

“You know as well as I, he has no choice but to follow his orders,” Vincent pointed out.

“He has a choice. He’s bound to MY mother, NOT to that insolent, savage beast. I’m impressed that Makoto is so close to normal. In fact, I’m thankful to the gods that she turned out to be the humorous, curious princess she’s grown out to be, even after such a tragic childhood. She didn’t deserve such suffering and you know it,” I snarled.

He frowned. “You know I can’t interfere or I would have. Nightmare would have been the first to get rid of him if she’d been allowed to,” he mumbled.

“That’s cause half of you have common sense, while the other half is a bunch of hippie, lovey-dovey—” I began before being cut off.

“Winter.”

“Hmph. What are you going to do? Smite me with thunder. I bet Nightmare, Aphroditeee, and Risuki would agree with me.”

“I question why I follow you around,” he commented.

“First of all, do I have to remind you how we met again? Second, we had no choice but to travel together and third, you fell in love with me,” I proclaimed with a confident smile.

“Humans...” He huffed.

“I’m a witch shifter, ex-human,” I retorted back.

“Winterlya”

“Laviathan,” I countered, not afraid of his threatening tone or using his god name.

He groaned and rose to his feet, stalking towards me. I ignored the butterflies in my stomach, feelings of nervousness and excitement fluttered within.

“I know you don’t understand everything that has happened and WILL happen. But, I need you to at least trust me. Jeffrey...has his reasons. Regardless, he’s on the good side. Just has to play dirty to get what he wants,” he explained softly, standing before me.

“Fine. He’s the least of our concern anyway.” I brushed off the matter.

Vincent offered his hand. I didn’t feel as exhausted as before, the wine helped to relax my tired limbs. I placed my hand in his before standing up with his assistance.

We made our way back to my room; my eyes landed on the picture frame on the nightstand.

I picked it up with a smile; my eyes looked over the five other men in the picture, Vincent and I right in front, frozen midway of an argument.

“You miss them?”

“Yes...but don’t tell them that. They’ll be over their heads for rotations.” I placed the picture frame back down.

“They’ll join us soon. We should do our part and start tracking your best friend,” he encouraged; his ending words filled with sarcasm.

“Best friend my ass. She lost such a privilege after what she did. Jeffrey may have his own reasons, but I claim first dibs in torturing her,” I declared.

“I’ll remind him when the time comes,” Vincent reassured me.

I smiled. Yes. Just you wait, Elaine. I’ll show you what happens when you mess with a Frost.