I'm racing toward Brendan even before the body of the creature hits the ground.

The sound of swords clashing guides me deeper into the woods, my hand reaching out to skim over the leaves of the nearest tree. Once again, the comfort is instantaneous. I'm smiling when I burst through the bushes. Then, I freeze as my heart is about to burst at the sight.

Brendan is pinned to the ground, a sword at his throat and head. The two monsters tower over him, the other four surrounding them. I don't stop to think, I'm swinging my sword before they have a chance to notice me.

The first two go down with a bang, and the others are not quite fast enough to react before I'm coming for them as well. I notice Brendan is on his feet, so I must've sufficiently distracted them to loosen their hold. I swipe at the creature in front of me, blocking as he swings his sword which is the size of my arm. Metal slams against metal, and I feel the impact all over my body. I shake my head to clear the fog away, step to the left, plunging my sword into his neck.

"Cali!" I turn to find Brendan a few feet behind me, his arm beckoning me to him. I pull my sword out, and sprint after him. We race through the woods, the sound of reinforcements close on our heels. They’re like roaches. They keep on coming no matter how many I've killed.

Murdered.

That's what I've committed—murder. I've never thought I could do something like that. The justifications of my actions instantly race through my mind: I killed because I wasn't going to be killed. I killed to protect Brendan. Yet, I don't feel as guilty as I should. There is almost a kind of a peace inside of me at doing what I’ve done.

"Come on, just a little farther."

I don't know where we're headed, but I follow close behind. Brendan weaves a path through the woods, keeping his gaze on our surroundings. I should be doing that as well, but I can only focus on moving. The fatigue of the battle is catching up to me, but we can't stop. They're right behind us.

The branches seem to open up in front of us as we move. My feet feel heavy, my arm holding the sword shakes. Yet, I don't stop. I don't complain. I keep moving. That's all that I can ever do. Just keep on moving.

Suddenly, Brendan stops, grabbing me and pinning me to him. I gasp at the contact, the feeling of his body against mine is perfection. He twines us together, keeping me as close as possible. He stares down at my face for a moment, almost coming to some kind of decision.

"Close your eyes, Cali,” he whispers and I do, because I trust him completely. I trust him with my life. I gasp at an otherworldly sensations that runs over my skin, feeling Brendan tuck me in even closer. Then, we're swept away.

It feels like falling. It feels like flying. I keep my eyes shut, anchoring myself to the feel of Brendan all around me. I don't question what's happening, I just let him lead me where we need to go.

We're rushing through the clouds.

We're soaring the skies.

Then, we're landing on the hard ground.

Brendan twists at the last moment, taking the blunt of the contact. I'm on top of him, our arms and legs still intertwined. I try to stand, grab for my sword, anything besides being so unprepared, but his arms are keeping me pinned. So, instead, I glance around.

We're still in the forest, but we're in a part I haven't seen before. I strain to hear our pursuers but they're no longer right behind us. Weird.

My attention turns to the boy lying beneath me, his breathing hard and exhausted, mirroring my own. His eyes are closed, almost as if in concentration, that little frown creasing his brow. I reach over, running my hand over the spot above his eyes and they fly open to meet mine. There's a fire there I've seen before. The same fire that burns within me every time he's around. We stare at each other, drinking in every detail. Maybe it's the adrenaline still coursing through my body, but it's alive with all kinds of sensations. There's nothing more I want to do than reach over and kiss that gorgeous mouth. My cheeks heat up at my thoughts and I pray he can't read the want on my face.

"Are you all right?" He's the first to break the silence. I nod, unable to form coherent words and push against his chest. “Stay," is all he says, and I stop trying to get away. His arms wind around my body, keeping me close. He exhales and I realize he needs this. Comfort? Assurance? I'm not sure, but I let my own arms pull him close and we stay like that for a moment.

For the first time, I feel like he's showing me exactly how he feels. Maybe it's because we almost died a few minutes ago. Maybe it's because he's afraid we're not going to make it much farther. I don't want to think of that, of the what ifs. I just focus on the feel of his arms around me, the beat of his heart against my own. His scent is pure, comforting. His touch real and true.

He feels like my whole world.

After a few moments, he's the first to pull away. He sits up, with me still in his arms, before pushing me away so he can study me. His eyes roam over every inch of me, adding to the growing heat inside me.

"Are you injured?"

"Surprisingly, no. Just some scratches and bruises." I can already feel the majyk of the nature performing its healing mojo on me.

"We should keep moving. I only put a few miles between us. I can't carry you much farther than that. It's too draining."

"How where you able to do that anyway?" I ask as we begin walking.

"You didn't know what was happening. You just trusted me, so your mind couldn't block it."

I don't say anything as I mull that over. With the amount of energy pumping through my veins, I think I could do that on my own, but I won't say that to him. He can't know.

"We should be coming out on the other side of the forest soon. We'll get a car in town and get out of here. Take what we learned to Maxwell. Maybe he can find something in your journal that you missed. Hopefully he can help."

"I thought we were going to that In Between place?" I ask.

"I don't think I can get us in right now. It would be safer to put some miles between us and them."

Those are the only words said for the next thirty minutes. I know for a fact I could take us anywhere we need to go on my majyk alone, but I can't tell Brendan that. I don't know how to explain to him the darkness that burns in my veins. I could've taken all of those creatures out with a thought, but the training kicked in before the desire. For that, I should be thankful.

I'm not ready to come to terms with who I am. Not yet.

When we emerge from the forest, it's just starting to get dark. I'm exhausted, my body more tired than it's ever been. I know Brendan can tell because he's been walking a lot slower the past few minutes. Or maybe he's just as tired as I feel. We're both caked in blood and sweat. My limbs feel like they've been run over by a truck. I want to sit down and rest, which makes me ask the question I forgot to earlier.

"How exactly are we getting a car?"

"Elizabeth said she has a few at the garage, by the park we went to. She said we can take the truck."

"And when did you have this all enlightening conversation?"

Bitterness laces my words, but I'm once again on the sidelines of my own life and I can't help but be upset by it. Brendan notices, of course.

"We're not trying to keep you out of the loop," Brendan says, running a hand over his face. I clench and unclench my hands, trying to keep my cool.

"Oh really? Because you're very good at it. It's like a sport for you. You don't consider how this makes me feel—“

"I do consider!” He turns on me then, anger blazing within his gaze, but I don't back down. Standing my ground, I glare right back at him, even as his raised voice takes me by surprise. "I consider every little detail with painstaking concentration. I'm trying to protect you here—“

"I don't need you to protect me!" It's my turn to shout. "I need you to trust me to protect myself. Isn't that what partners do? Isn't that what we are?" At least.

I don't add that last part, but it's as if he hears it anyway. This tension between us, the constant need for the closeness, it's there. I'm not making it up. I've been drawn to him from the moment he stepped into my life, and I know it's the same for him.

"Cali, we are partners,” he says, more softly. "And I do trust you. There are just some things that you don't understand—“

"Who's fault is that exactly?" If he thinks I'm going to just forgive and forget, he's got another thing coming. I'm really over being the complacent chess piece that him, Maxwell, and who knows who else keep moving around. The majyk that is always so close to the surface begins to bubble inside of me, and it takes all of my concentration to keep it down.

"I do these things because they are the best for everyone."

"I think it's for me to decide what is best for me,” I almost growl, holding on to my last shred of control.

"You aren't capable of deciding anything!" The shout echoes around us, the words wrapping a tight cord around my heart. I gasp at the truth, taking a step away from Brendan. He shuts his eyes for a second, but I catch the regret there as clearly as I feel my own.

"So that's what you think of me? Thank you for clearing that up."

I don't wait for a response, turning on my heels and walking away. I know he opens his mouth to say something, but the rigid set to my shoulders shuts him up. After a moment, I hear him move behind me, but we don't speak again. The hurt and betrayal burns through my skin. He doesn't see me as an equal. He sees me as a little girl in need of babysitting.

Well, I'm going to show him. He has no idea who he's messing with, and now, there's nothing keeping me from being myself. Whatever messed up notions I may have had about Brendan evaporate with his words. I won't cry, no matter how much my eyes want to burst. I have my answers and now I have to deal with them.

At least now I know where I stand.

* * *

We're on the road for fifteen minutes when Brendan slams on the brakes, pulling the truck to the side of the road.

I grab for the dashboard as we halt with a squeal of the tires. I glance around us, trying to pinpoint what caused Brendan to stop, and I see nothing but the trees. Turning to him with a puzzled expression on my face, I notice just how tightly he's gripping the steering wheel.

"I'm messing everything up." His voice finally shatters the quiet around us. Brendan turns to me, his gaze intense on my own. There's something in his eyes I've never seen before, something I don't have a name for right now. He watches me, studying me like a man who has never seen the stars, but he doesn't continue.

"What do you mean?" I ask, afraid it'll make him refuse to say more, afraid it won't. He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly before the words pour out of him in a rush.

"You have no idea how truly important you are, Calista. Not just to the empire. To me. Everything I've done since the beginning was to insure your safety. I know you can take care of yourself. I was there during your training. I know that you're the fastest, smartest, most efficient warrior in the lands. But no matter how much you can take care of yourself, I want to be the one taking care of you. Don't you understand just how important you are to me? How much I wish things were different so I could tell you exactly how I feel? I wish you could remember. Because it would break my heart, but it would heal yours."

He doesn't wait for a reply, leaving the words slashed across my body like paint. I'm trying to process the meaning, as he stumbles out of the cab and into the street.

I want to claim victory, because I feel as if he's finally opening up to me. But I can't. Whatever secrets are keeping him back, keeping him away from me, are still there. I wait a minute, then follow him out of the truck.

Coming to stand beside him, we watch the forest growing restless in front of us. It's as if the birds and the trees can feel the tension between us. It's so thick, it feels larger than a wall. But that's exactly what's been keeping us apart all this time, isn't it? I'm missing a huge part of the puzzle, but somehow I know it's not Brendan's fault. He's just a pawn in the grand scheme of things. Just like I am.

My hand reaches out, as if on its own, my fingers entwining with his. I feel his breath hitch at the contact, the electrical current running up my fingertips and straight to my soul. His fingers wrap around mine in a perfect fit, his touch calming my fears and doubts.

"Brendan," I begin, because I know I have to say something. The boy standing next to me is not the same warrior I've come to know. This is a different side of him, and I feel like—no, I know that I'm the only one who's ever seen it.

"I may not remember my life the way I ought to, but I don't have to remember to know how I feel. How I've always felt."

“Cali—"

"No, let me finish. Ever since you've come into my life, I've felt like I found a piece of me that's been missing. No matter what happens, what our future holds for us, I needed you to know that. You are a part of me, plain and simple,” I say it, but nothing is truly simple. I push the doubts away, watching him shudder at my words, but I'm not done.

"You have taught me how to be myself, how to be the kind of a person I'm supposed to be. You have guided me through hell and held me while I cried. I wouldn't be standing here right now if it wasn't for you. Don't ever doubt just how important you are to me, Brendan."

"Cali, I—“ Whatever he's about to say is drowned out by the shrill of his cell phone. Frustrated at being interrupted, he reaches for his phone, pushing send.

"What?" he barks into the receiver.

"Hello to you too," I can hear Maxwell's voice on the other line.

"Ask about Cali," Jemma almost yells in the background, and I can't help but chuckle.

"She's fine," Brendan replies, giving me a look. "What's up?"

"Wow, such warm reception. I wonder exactly what I'm interrupting." There's laughter in Maxwell's voice, and I'm sure if he was standing in front of us right now, he would be getting decked in the face.

"Get on with it."

"Fine, grumpy pants. I found a passage in one of the journals that speaks of the kind of spell that was put on Cali. It doesn't go into details, just mentions the danger of mind tampering and the outburst of energy it causes on the rest of the world. I think that's what started all the storms. Cali's crossing. The spell must've triggered some kind of an aftershock. And once the Shadowlands crossed over, who knows how they managed that, the majyk just kept on having that negative effect. It's spreading. It's not just in the states anymore. The news talked about earthquakes swallowing buildings in northern Germany today. It's getting worse by the day."

"So it's my fault the world is being destroyed?" I ask, my voice coming out a lot calmer than I thought it would. I've been wondering why the sudden unexplained weather seems to follow me around, and apparently, so have the boys.

"Calista" —Brendan grabs me by the shoulders, keeping me rooted in place— "it's not your fault. Whoever did this to you is at fault here. Never you, do you understand me?" I nod because that's all I can do and it seems to satisfy Brendan for the moment. He puts the phone back to his ear, pursing his lips in concentration.

"Is there any way to slow the process? Or better yet, reverse it?"

"I think once Cali breaks the bond with the spell, we can maybe slow it down. But you're right, Brendan, it's not Cali's fault because this would be happening either way."

"What do you mean?" I ask, and I know he can hear me.

"I mean that the Master of Shadowlands has a plan. And that plan includes destroying everything in his path. That's why he needs the relic so much. And you. They can harness the power to open the gates and take control of every realm. This one included."

"What about my mark?" I ask, suddenly remembering the tattoo on my hip.

"What mark?" Maxwell's voice comes over the line as clear as day. Brendan and I exchange a look, unsure on how to explain exactly what happened. "Guys?"

"It appeared on Cali's hip after she touched a picture of it in her journal."

"What? I can't really hear you. Brendan?" Suddenly, the static overpowers Maxwell's voice, the noise drowning him out completely.

"Maxwell?" Brendan shouts into the receiver to no avail. Grunting in frustration, he shuts the phone off, running his hand through his hair.

"Okay, that doesn't really help. Just provides us with more questions." I place my hands on my hips, frustration evident in my every word.

"We'll figure it out, Cal. We always do."

I know he means for his words to be reassuring, but for some reason they have the opposite effect. His promise makes me nervous in the way I can't explain. If nothing else, it sounds like a threat to me. The wind tussles my hair around my face, pushing strands of it into my eyes. Another storm is coming, I can feel it in my bones.

"We need to go,” Brendan says, leading me back to the truck.

I don't make it.

A memory bursts into my brain with the speed of a flying bullet. I see a flash of the tattoo, hear a voice speaking words I don't understand, and then pain. It's sudden and I cry out, stumbling before I reach the passenger door. Brendan is there, like always, catching me before I hit the ground.

"Cali?" The wind is stronger now, wrapping itself around us like a cocoon. I feel like someone is digging through my soul. I'm shouting, screaming, clawing at the agony. My mark is a burning stabbing sensation, spreading over my body. I'm gasping, trying to catch my breath as the dark clouds roll over us, making everything fall into shadows.

"Cali, come on. We have to go."

But I can't move. I'm completely useless. A sack of lifeless bones weighing on Brendan. He tries to drag me, but my feet seem to be planted solidly into the ground.

"They're coming. They're coming."

The words tumble out, with no recollection of me even thinking them. I shut my eyes against the pain, and I open them as another wave of torment rushes over my body. I scream, my back arching in Brendan's arms, neither one of us knowing what to do. And then, it starts raining.

Just as suddenly as it came, the pain disappears. We're soaked in seconds, and I take a moment to catch my breath, leaning fully into Brendan's arms.

"Are you all right?" he has to shout to be heard over the storm.

Instead of replying, I nod, placing my head on his shoulder as I try to calm my racing heart. After a moment, I raise my face to look up at Brendan. He studies me, concern etched on his features, before it turns into something else. He leans closer, until our breath mingles together.

"Well, look what we have here."

The hiss comes from behind us, and we turn, ready for battle in the same move. But it's already too late. The storm has masked their movements. Our own distraction gave them the upper hand.

We're surrounded.