I decided to take a walk after leaving Biana's house. I had the "Foster Five," as Keefe dubbed them, trailing behind me. Sandor, Bo, Nubiti, Flori, and Tarina, all my bodyguards as Moonlark. I love them like they're family, and they're the most qualified at what they do, but I hated that they had to be around. That they are around, trailing my every move.

It took a while to get them over to Eternalia, but they made it as soon as possible and now went with me everywhere. They weren't the only new addition to my life though, as my entire family moved into the castle at Gisela's (and by that I mean Keefe's) suggestion, where we would be the most protected from future attacks. But that didn't mean I got let off the hook with the bodyguards, even though I spent almost all my time with Keefe, meaning Ro was there with us.

She was forming interesting relationships with the Foster Five. She and Sandor were always bickering about who knew best, Nubiti never talked to her or the others, she acted annoyed by Tarina, and she absolutely adored Flori. What I hadn't been suspecting though, the most surprising of all, was her secret marriage arrangement with Bo. Keefe apparently didn't know either, and he had known her and her dad for forever.

They refused to talk to each other unless it was to insult and berate, which made it hard being around Keefe and Ro when he was there. And even though I've known Bo for a while now, that didn't mean I would choose him over Ro. I like Keefe's bodyguard much more than mine. It was still nice having Sandor around though. I'd always had the best relationships with him and Flori, from the way I knew that they genuinely cared about me as a person and not just their jobs. Plus, I had known Flori's aunt, Calla. She worked with my parents, just like Forkle, and I had grown up knowing her more as family than anything else. She died a year after my parents after getting a deadly virus.

Having that connection helped me to become really close to Flori, but it also made it hurt to be around her. She looked almost exactly like her aunt, and cooked just as good, too. On my first night with her and the bodyguards back, we spent some time together by making Calla's mouthwatering Starkflower stew.

"We should head back soon, Miss Foster. We don't know how safe it is for you out here right now." Sandor snapped me out of my thoughts as I crossed a downtown street. When his words brought me out of my head, I realized I was taking my route home from Biana's house. Not to the castle, but to my actual house. Untouched by the fire that blasted apart the one next to it.

"I'm fine, Sandor." I told him. "Alvar is arrested and a lot of the others got caught. Plus I've got you five. I like the fresh air."

I got invited in by the chief of police to see if my presence would get anything out of the Neverseen members. Which basically meant that they hadn't gotten any answers by themselves. I would be glad to help, just not so much in that aspect. It's been hard enough running into Alvar coincidently—at least on my part—on the street, but to actually choose to go in and see him?

I didn't know if I could do it.

"Fine, just for a while longer though." I heard Bo grumbling to him behind me about how he was too softhearted, let me get away with too much, but I know Bo would've let me keep walking, too. They heard the entire story of what had happened to me, minus what my parents didn't know yet (my powers) and what wasn't available to the general populace.

As I got ready to turn another corner, go down another street, I stopped in place at the sight of a very familiar person. I could only see him from the back, but I recognized those arms anywhere. The scarring that had been so familiar to that of my sister's burning body. I heard my bodyguards stop behind me suddenly to avoid running into me. Sandor gently laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Miss Foster, are you okay?" I ignored his words, instead deciding to shout with a laugh, "Brant!"

He turned around immediately, a wide smile on his face as I ran to him and leapt into his arms. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me up as I hugged him tight. Woltzer, his caretaker, was standing right next to him, holding two cups of coffee from the coffee shop they were standing outside of. I didn't take my attention away from Brant, though.

"What are you doing here?" I asked when we finally moved apart. I felt my bodyguards hovering behind me, but they recognized the man who was basically my brother and gave us some space.

"Grady and Edaline helped me move here. I've been getting better, so Wolly over here cleared me. I got here a couple days ago, but heard what happened so I didn't want to overwhelm you. Also, Wolly didn't think it would be good for me." He shrugged as Woltzer gave him a look.

"You knew it wouldn't be good for you either, don't pin this all on me." I was surprised at the joking back and forth between the two. I hadn't seen Brant in about a year, and only a few times between now and when Jolie died. He'd hardly been able to talk in coherent sentences, but now he was joking and acting completely normal. It was really nice to see, but also weird, too. We'd switched him into Woltzer's care a little while before I had last seen him, since he hadn't been improving and didn't like his last caretaker, so he must've really been able to help him. It was great to see a glimpse of the man who helped me become comfortable with my new family. The man who is and always will be my brother.

"I was actually just about to head over to the palace to finally see you guys. I was just on the phone with Grady and Edaline about it. By the way, a palace? That's where you guys are staying now? And not only that, but you're dating a prince?" I saw the glimmer of humor in his eyes and knew he would tease me relentlessly. "Look at you, moving up in the world."

I smiled at him and hugged him again. "I'm so glad you're here. And I can't wait for you to meet Keefe! He's gonna love you."

Keefe, who I still hadn't apologized to for all the mean things I said to him. All the things that I blamed him for when it wasn't even his fault. I don't know when I became that person, the one who got mad at other people. I'd always been the type to start blaming myself so much that it was annoying and people would stop wanting to help me. Now people aren't going to want to be around me for fear that they'd get yelled at.

Brant ruffled my hair and threw his arm around my shoulder. "Well then, let's go. I can't wait to see Grady and Edaline again, and meet that royal little boyfriend of yours."

"We want to talk to this man first." The chief of police told me. I didn't bother to learn his name since I wasn't planning on associating with him ever after this. He pointed into the interrogation room, showing the man who had put a knife to my throat in the cave, the one who had some deep connection with Umber. That ripped my heart out. I tore them apart in the most permanent way. And I know, I know, they hurt my family and me, but that didn't stop the guilt. I also knew that guilt was a good thing, it showed I was still human, but I just wanted the hurting to stop.

The chief led me into the room, and I watched as the Neverseen member's expression quickly shifted into rage. He fought against his handcuffs, attempting to lunge for me. I flinched even though he was stuck in place.

I sat in the chair across the table from him, the chief in the chair next to me and Sandor behind me. I was only allowed to pick one bodyguard to come in, since the police kept assuring me I'd be safe. Better to be safe than sorry, than dead, though.

"Can you tell us your name?" The chief asked immediately.

"Trix," was all the man said. He didn't move his gaze from me, so full of hatred and anger.

"What is your affiliation with your group?"

"The Neverseen? I'm one of their main players. They'll come and get me out, then kill all of you. Make it really painful for her." I leaned back as far as I could into my chair, needing to get away from his crazy, hateful stare. Sandor rested his giant hand on my shoulder, a small feeling of comfort.

"And how many members are there in the Neverseen?" Trix remained silent, his eyes still fixed on me. "What is the Neverseen's goal? What do they want with Miss Foster-Ruewen?"

He didn't answer any more of the chief's questions.

"They'll get you, and you'll get what you deserve." My blood froze in my chest as he finally spoke again. I wish he would've stayed silent.

"Not since we have most of your... colleagues in the same situation as you."

"They won't tell you anything either. We have more people than you think. We'll all be out of here before you know it. Then, we'll kill all your little friends." The chief gave me a look that said, is this guy dumb? He pointed his head towards the recorder that was getting all of his threats, ensuring him a jail sentence. I didn't care about his confessions though, I didn't care about any of it. He would hurt my friends, kill them, I knew he would. I'm not letting that happen, I'm never letting that happen again.

"Like Umber?" I asked, my voice soft and unsure. I straightened my back like good posture could make up for it.

"You little bitch." His voice dropped low as he stood up, his handcuffs yanking his upper body lower than it would've been, but he didn't let that stop him. He threw out his hands, flexing his fingers, and I felt the strongest gust of wind blast me backwards into the one-way mirror, strong enough to shatter the thick material. I gasped, laying on my back in the room beside the interrogation room, pain spreading throughout my body from my back. I could feel the sharp shards of glass digging into my back, my legs, my head. I could feel all the air gone from my lungs, but I knew it wasn't normal. In my pain-filled haze, I could tell it wasn't the expected having my breath knocked from me. No, all the oxygen just disappeared. My lungs contracted and I spasmed as I fought for a breath, trying to consume all the air that wasn't there, that I couldn't get.

I heard shouts, footsteps, voices in my ears and hands on my arms and body. My vision was dark, I couldn't see anything. Then my eyes rolled back from the back of my head, and I saw familiar officers but my sight was still darkening and I couldn't breath and I couldn't see or hear past the ringing in my ears.

And I was dead.

live laugh love making characters be dumb so that i q can let them get hurt. anyways, i don't know how the police thingy would work bc i'm not knowledgeable in that subject so just go with it. i needed this to happen for the plot so it did. also, kinda forgot about brant but i brought him back so yay

Avery, out

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