Ember closed the shop door once her aunt left; waving at her when she stopped to glance into the closed shop before leaving Ember there alone.

She had managed to get her aunt to go home early. A rare occurrence.

She hadn't brought up anything about the missing sheet from her bag. Ember was fairly certain that she hadn't looked for it since taking it from the store.

Ember felt anything but okay. They still had to find what this binding was; what the voice was, and on top of that, had to deal with the warning from the Fae and if Madi's disappearance was at all connected to that.

Was it all connected somehow? She wasn't sure.

The voice had been silent that day so far. Ember thought about it and last night, somehow the voice sounded weaker. It was an odd feeling, worrying about this mysterious, disembodied voice that was attached to her. If it really was weaker what would happen if she just ignored it?

Would she be hurting herself somehow?

She didn't want to risk it and she couldn't do that to her. The voice. Ember was struggling with coming to terms with the fact that she wanted to help this voice as much as she wanted to help herself.

Ember wasn't really even sure there was a difference. The voice was her.... Somehow she knew that to be the truth.

Why was this happening to her? Half of the things the voice was saying as of late made no sense to her. Could it be that she was just imagining the voice? That it wasn't real? Did she just need mental help?

She reached to the pendant, brushing it with her fingertips. It was in times like these that she wished her mother were alive. She would love to be able to talk with her.

Would she have been bound at all if her mom hadn't died?

No. She didn't believe so.

Ember sighed. She still had an hour until the shop closed, and it was fairly quiet. Only one customer had been in since her Aunt left.

She decided to spend the night at the shop. She spoke to her aunt and her Gran about it that morning. Telling them that she wanted to try it out for a couple of nights off to start.

Her bags sat in the kitchen, at the front of the stairwell leading upstairs.

They didn't try to dissuade her. Really how could they? She knew her aunt didn't like it though.

Ember heard the jingle of the bell and turned to greet her customer.

No one was there.

Maybe it was a ghost. Why not add one more weird thing to the list of shit to deal with.

"I really don't have any room for any more weird shit, so whatever you are; go away," Ember spoke loudly, her voice ringing out through the empty shop.

Just then the phone rang, making her jump.

Rubbing her eyes she picked up the handset.

"Hello, thank you for calling The Midnight Cauldron. This is Ember. How may I help you?"

"Hey Em, it's Selia. I was just callin ta see if ya were busy?"

"Oh," Ember sat on the stool behind the wooden counter, "Hey Sel. Not really. I did talk Aunt Arwen into leaving early, so the place is ours for the night. And I brought some things so I can stay in my place above the shop. I told them I wanted to try it for a few days. They insisted that I get you and willow to stay with me though, so I was going to ask if you wanted to keep me company. Only if you want to though." Ember chewed her lip nervously, afraid her friends would find the request too much. "My place; that admittedly sounds too weird to my own ears."

"No, I think it's great. I will stay wi ya, and I'm sure willow will agree. I'm jus now leavin' from tha pub, so I'll be right there."

"Sure, I could use the company honestly."

"Well, I'll see ya in a few then."

Ember hung the handset on its cradle, slipping from the stool gracefully. While she was waiting on Selia she might as well start cleaning up for close. They had another busy day and Ember was hoping that the night would turn out just as productive

Selia and Ember sat in front of the fireplace looking through a stack of books they had acquired from the shop's bookshelves.

Selia had yet to tell Ember what Conor had found in the book once she left the previous night.

How could they substantiate what was in that book? They would just have to show Ember; then they could figure it out together.

"Conor should be here any time now," Selia said looking up from the book resting in her lap.

"Good. Cause we aren't finding anything to help. Plus the voice has been quiet all day and that is worrying me. The guy hasn't called or anything to check on his order. You know...." Ember paused looking around the shop, "I'm wondering if my Aunt Arwen did something to prevent him from coming back."

"Or maybe he did call an yer Aunt jus took care o' it an did'na tell ya," Selia added.

"Or that," Ember said flatly.

Conor came sauntering in, book bag slung over his shoulder; a grim look plastered on his face.

"Conor, what's wrong?" ember questioned, staring up at the tall man; concern lacing her voice.

He looked at Selia. She shook her head letting him know that she hadn't mentioned his findings.

He walked slowly to the two women, sitting across from them; his book bag was placed ominously by his side.

"Em," Conor began, unzipping his bag and pulling out a small leatherbound book, "I found something after ya left last night. Somethin' I think ya need see."

Ember took the book from his outstretched hand, her brows knitted in worry.

"The pages ya need be readin' are marked," he said solemnly.

Ember looked at Selia. Her friend's gray eyes were glassy; a sad frown on her face. She must know what it was that he found.

Why hadn't she mentioned it earlier? Was it that bad?

Ember's heart pounded in her chest; blood rushing in her ears. She opened the book slowly; shaking hands gingerly turning pages as if it would reach out and bite her.

Conor and Selia watched as her eyes darted back and forth across the pages. Watching as Ember read the passages Conor had marked; her expression changing from worry to something like panic.

"You think this is what it is?" Ember whispered, her voice barely audible, pointing a polished nail at the pages. "You think this is what I am?"

Selia's gaze flew to Conor's face, his expression drawn.

"Em, read the next pages I marked. Ya will see why," Conor instructed.

Ember swallowed thickly letting her gaze fall back toward the book. She flipped the pages, reaching a list of names.

Families.

Ember's eyes burned as she stopped on a very familiar name. One she had seenmany times; had lovingly written in her own hand.

Ember looked up at them, her eyes shining, and unbeknown to her, the gold in them starting to glow.

"This—" she choked out snapping the book shut, " isn't possible."

Her breathing ragged she stood, stumbling back from her two friends.

Conor shot his sister a look.

"Em....." Selia started stretching out her hand but was cut off before she could continue.

"No!" Ember cried, the gold in her eyes now burning bright; molten liquid swirling in fire.

"Em...your eyes," Selia whispered, digging through her bag as fast as she could, grabbing her compact, "look at your eyes."

Selia held the small mirror out to Ember, her hands shaking as she did.

Ember took no move to retrieve the mirror from her friend. She glanced down at her reflection; seeing that her eyes were completely transformed.

What the hell was happening? This wasn't possible. Couldn't be possible!

Her eyes flew shut as panic began to rise in her making her stumble backward.

It was true! This is why her Aunt was so desperate to keep the binding in place.

Panic wracked her body; a silent scream filled her mind. The Voice combined with her own; merging in and out until she couldn't decipher between the two.

Becoming One.

Why had they kept this from her? Her family knowing that the binding wasn't guaranteed to stay in place one hundred percent. Why would they risk her well-being? Her mental stability?

She felt as if she were spinning out of control.

"Ember!" Selia cried moving towards her friend. "Ember listen to me, please. You have to try and calm down. Please, hear my voice."

Conor looked around helplessly. What could he do? They knew nothing of this, or how to help her.

"Shit, Selia, what do we do?" he whispered, near-panic evident in his voice.

Suddenly the jingle of the bell pulled their attention away from Ember for a moment.

"Fuckin' ell. I forgo ta lock tha door. Selia, go see who tha be and hurry. We hafta be getting help," Conor hissed.

"No, Conor. I can calm her more than ya can, an I do'na want ta argue about this. So ya best be goin." Selia's voice tinkled calmly, taking on an ethereal quality. She was trying to use her magic on the distressed woman before them.

Conor nodded climbing to his feet, quickly turning he rushed to the front of the shop. "Can I help ya wi somethin'?"He called trying to control the tremor in his voice.

"I'm looking for Ember,"A deep smooth voice answered.

This was the man Ember told them about. It had to be.

"Ya be Maeve MacTiren's son, ya?" Conor asked staring at the man intently.

He looked past Conor, cocking his head to one side as if listening for something.

Conor continued, "Look if ya are; Ember is needin yer help. I do'na have time ta explain, we don' know what ta do. Ya need ta follow me."

Conor knew he sounded panicked, and rightfully so. He just hoped this was the man they were needing to help their friend.

They could hear Selia's soft voice mumbling and Ember making strange unintelligible sounds.

"Aye," the man pointed past Conor, "Is that her?"

Conor nodded and the man rushed past him. He didn't follow. He needed a moment to collect himself. He hoped this man could help them; Help Ember.

Selia rushed to him, the man following closely behind, Ember unconscious in his arms.

"We need to get her to my Ma's," he said, "I will take her, you two follow me." His voice was soft but commanding.

He had Ember held close to his chest; her eyes closed and her breathing ragged. Strange noises coming from her as they stood there.

Conor grabbed Ember's things, as well as his own, rushing to the car once he was sure he had everything.

They raced from the village, past the turn-off for their own home. Selia followed the man in his truck with Conor beside her in the passenger seat. Silence filled the car as the minutes ticked by.

They prayed to the Goddess that wherever they were headed they got there in time to save Ember from whatever seemed to have her in its grasp.