Our group was silent as we found ourselves in an incredibly unlucky spot.

The train was clearly a targeted attack, zeroed in on our cabin, something any law enforcement would certainly be able to figure out as soon as they got there, which was probably about ten minutes ago. Which meant we couldn't go back to the train without raising a lot of questions and wearing Nevaeh's Gift much too thin. Which meant we were stranded in the woods, thousands of miles from our destination. Stranded with Malachi, a sociopath from James' childhood, and without any concrete way to restrain him when he woke.

As I tried to triage the situation, I couldn't even decide what to worry about first. Kael, who was stonily and silently staring at Malachi's unconscious form like the rest of us, worrying his hands as he worked his lost love's blood on them like poisoned lotion. James, who seemed to be having a great debate in his head about guilt and choice and grooming. Ailech, whose powers apparently were enough to take down someone almost the equal of James or myself. Malachi, and how we were going to get him to the Vault without him killing one of us. Or the fact that even without any of the above problems, we still had no way of actually getting to the Vault, to Chi and her Clan.

I had a headache that had nothing to do with the fight as we all stood in a misshapen semi-formed circle around where Malachi lay, all silent, all thinking, trying to come up with even one, partial solution.

Finally, Ailech heaved a great sigh, at least in part for show, raised his hands and opened his mouth as if to speak, before snapping it shut and looking up at the canopy of trees, then sighing again dramatically.

"I have a slight confession," he said at the sky. "I may have a useful skill, or talent, that can at least restrain Mr. Canities Subita over here as we figure out how to hop another train, or hijack a car. Or whatever our transport will be."

He sounded at the crossroads of guilty and sulky, but I was too curious about his ability to ask why he was so unhappy sharing it.

"And? What is it?" James said with less bite in his voice than I would have expected. He just sounded tired, sad.

"I can...un...heal?" Ailech replied tentatively.

"Everyone can unheal people, it's called hurting them. It's what we do, like, literally all the time."

Kael sounded almost normal as he spoke, though maybe a little tired as well, a little flat and off. But I could still remember the despair, the overwhelming depression I'd felt flowing from him not even a quarter hour ago. I knew he was acting, his mask back on, I could see it plainly now.

"That's not what he means," James replied, pulling our attention. He was staring at Ailech like he was a viper. Something dangerous slithering up to us.

"You're Nephesh Peredo. A Soul Eater. But that isn't possible. Every last one of you was killed. Every. Single. One. There hasn't been one of your kind for...millennia."

James actually moved away from Ailech, rocking back on his heels, just barely, slightly, but the movement was still there, like his body wanted to lean away of its own accord. The rest of us stood stupidly, not knowing what that meant, besides what the context insinuated. And from the look of disgust on James' face, it was just as bad as it sounded.

"Kind of like how rare True Pair Halflings are? Yeah, I know. What was that line? Their power for Heaven or Hell cuts the same, three beings unclean, all before hath forbade. Isn't that fun, being forbade, unclean. Ooh. Or my personal favorite - three will change all for high or for low, sharing both dark and light within their ghost - makes more sense now, doesn't it? Guess you know the dark of my ghost." Ailech sounded joking, but there was something bitter underlying his voice.

"But technically I am not Nephesh...not a Soul Eater. I'm the first of my kind, the only of my kind. Just like you two are the first of your kind, the first good Half Pairs, the only good Half Pairs. Soul eaters pulled their strength from others because they had to, syphoned life to sustain themselves. I don't have to, I choose to. And it isn't to...feed myself, I don't need it like that, it's just a talent, an ability. And it isn't really their life I take, I think. I'm not actually sure I guess, being the only one and all, I don't exactly have anyone to ask. I do know I'm still a mage, a Human, and a healer. I just so happen to also have the opposite ability. And that is why the Collector wanted to collect me, to twist and use me for his side. Because on the opposite end of the spectrum...I can pull strength out of him. The stronger the being, the more power I can take from them." Ailech crosses his arms over his chest at this, a self-satisfied smirk on his face.

"And what is the price?" James spoke again, looking more at ease, less disgusted after hearing Ailech didn't need to feed off the energy of others. That he wasn't a true Soul Eater.

"There's always a price. Like being True Pairs is both a weakness and a strength. Or us being 'good' in the thinnest form of the word, and still having to focus all of our energy all the time on staying in line, on trying to stay as good as our nature allows, tearing ourselves apart to be a hair less than evil. So, what's your price, not-Nephesh?"

James may have been trying for nonchalance and sarcasm, but I could tell he was interested. And he wasn't the only one, Ailech had all our eyes trained on him - besides Malachi, who still hadn't stirred.

Ailech raised an eyebrow, still smirking, even if it wasn't convincing. "I pull more from them than just their energy or strength. A gate opens and a part of them flows through me, their traits, personalities, emotions. Sometimes it affects me, in the short term at least."

"Like after you pulled from Malachi, when you came over to me. When you were so angry."

"Exactly. I mean, I was also angry the dick had just shot me. But maybe that was amplified a tad by my soul sucking too."

"Ew, don't call it that." I attempted humor, which gained a slight chuckle from Kael. "And when I woke you up from your nightmare? Was that you pulling from me?"

Ailech raised his palms in supplication, shaking his head as he replied.

"That was a mistake. I would never take from you, or James, or any of you on purpose. This ability is an abomination for my kind - unclean doesn't even begin to cover it. It is dark and I do not use it lightly. In fact, I haven't used it in over a decade, not intentionally at least. It doesn't exactly require frequent practice. I just have to survive long enough to use it against the Collector, to pull from him until he is weakened, until it evens the playing field for the two of you. That's my job, my purpose here. Steal away his strength so you can end him, or at least, that's my best guess."

"So, you'll pull from Malachi, keep him weak, as we figure out how to get to the Vault?" Nevaeh's melodic voice chimed in. "Won't that make you more like him?"

"Short term, it will. But I'll try to not show his murderous, psychopathic tendencies as much as I can help." Ailech looked down at Malachi like someone might look at a animal on the side of the road they were tasked with removing. "But yeah, I'll probably be a little more like James." He smiled at him sarcastically. James raised a finger in response.

"Or, we could get my whips and have Kael work then into binds. Enchant the electrum and keep him from reaching his powers. James can cloak himself and go back to the cabin, get our bags, and meet us back here."

Nevaeh waved in the direction of the train casually, like her idea hadn't just solved multiple of our problems in one fell swoop.

"You say this now, after I've divulged my big secret? Are you kidding me?" Ailech sounded genuinely annoyed as his voice raised.

Nevaeh stayed calm as ever, or like this new version of her always seemed to be, her eyes evenly on Ailech's, before replying.

"Well, I wanted to know what you did to him earlier. I figured if I didn't bring this option forward, you'd break first and spill your guts. Honestly, I can't believe you two didn't think of this option too." She motioned to Kael and myself.

"James didn't think of it either, so don't act like we're the dense ones," Kael said with a huff. Then James winked at Nevaeh and it became apparent that he had.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ailech and Kael said in almost perfect unison.

"Could have just asked me," Ailech sulked again.

"It isn't a total loss. We will need you to keep him down if he wakes before James gets back, or before Kael can finish his spells. So, you would have had to use it and tell us today anyway. I just helped you along." Nevaeh smiled at him, and it actually looked pleasant, pretty even.

"Oh, great," Ailech's flat enthusiasm gained an eye roll from Nevaeh, which made her look much more like the woman I had known.

"You should have told us anyway. Keeping secrets, in case you haven't figured it out, hasn't served anyone well in our family." She spoke with slightly more ice now, though still nowhere near the voice I expected from her.

"I wasn't the one who promised to be honest," he grumbled under his breath, looking up and holding her eyes before relenting and giving a slight nod, like he begrudgingly saw her point.

A moment later, James blinked out of existence, pulling his Gift and the folds of the world around himself. But unlike usual, I could hear his steps crunching quietly as he trudged his way to gather our things from the destroyed train car. He must truly be distracted, deep in thought, to not be covering the slight noise. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, trying to will myself to relax, to believe that everything would be okay.

Everything was still going to follow our plan. James was handling his old acquaintance's surprise appearance better than I would have guessed. Kael had already stowed away whatever emotions and pain seeing Ambriel had brought up, though I knew he would pull them out again when he could, when he was alone. Ailech's power was actually wildly helpful, 'dark' or not. And Malachi wasn't going to be a threat, at least, not one we couldn't handle. Now, we just had to get to the Vault, get to Chi.

But then why was my heart still hammering? Why was adrenaline rushing through my veins, why did I feel like I was overdosing?

I turned away from the direction James had disappeared and was met by black fathomless eyes and white-gray hair framing a painfully beautiful face, a razored smile lined with murderous intent. His hands closed around my throat as panic burst into my veins.

Fair warning.
This chapter hasn't been edited or even read-through before posting  - so there might be some crazy typos. Don't worry, I'll read this tomorrow or over the weekend sometime when it isn't 1:45 AM and give it a rough edit.

But as for the story, I so adore this chapter. And our revelation about Ailech! Nephesh eater, eh? Or, well, kind of. What do you guys think about Malachi? What will his purpose be?

Oh & that ending, sorry for the cliffhanger, but it looks like my little silver streak was listening & only pretending to be out for so long. Was no one else suspicious of his extended unconsciousness?

Hm, didn't someone else pretend to be unconscious in order to listen in on conversations. Someone in Book I, one of those early chapters? Hm. Let's hope Malachi is as sneaky & entertaining as the last character who pulled that stunt. Let's also hope he doesn't kill that last character.